The Book of Ruth: Chapter 2
Read Ruth 2: 1-3
Principle #5: Demonstrating God’s Character
- We are to reflect God’s character in our lives in order to engage others to walk in God’s will.
- During the times of judges, God raised up leaders to deliver Israel from their enemies
- God used the Israelites who were there, regardless of their spiritual maturity
- ReadJudges 3:7-11
- Sub-principle- Spiritual Leadership
- We should always select and appoint leaders in the church who are qualified spiritually
- The fact that God’s spirit came on Othniel (v10), Samson (Judges 14:6), and other judges, giving them unusual power and insight, in no way implies that they measured up to God’s standard spiritually
- Actually, men of integrity were almost non-existent at this time
- God simply chose to use these men to achieve His purposes in this world, regardless of their moral and spiritual values
- Just as He chose Abraham out of a pagan world while he was yet worshipping false gods, so He appointed judges to deliver Israel from their enemies
- This was not God’s ideal
- For example, Moses was directed to choose men to assist him who were God-fearing and trustworthy (Exodus 18:21)
- Joshua certainly stands out as a consistent leader who was much more spiritually mature than the average man in Israel
- Even Jesus launched His ministry with immature men. He did not choose the apostles based on their spiritual maturity, but on their potential to become dedicated followers
- However, after the church was established, Paul made it clear that only spiritually-qualified people were to be chosen to lead the church.
- Read 1 Timothy 3: 2, 8, 11
- Another contemporary (to our current text) example is Gideon
- It appears he was Israel’s judge and warrior during the time Naomi returned to Bethlehem
- Though God used Gideon to bring peace and prosperity to Israel, he did not reflect God’s character
- However, Boaz “was a prominent man of noble character” (Ruth 2:1)
- He stood out, not only as a wealthy man but one who was committed to doing God’s will.
- Furthermore, his task was different than that of the judges
- Rather than delivering a whole nation from bondage, God used Boaz to touch one woman’s life-
- A woman who was not even an Israelite, but a Moabitess who had left her paganism to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- Today, God wants all believers to become men and women of noble character, regardless of our ethnic background, our economic status, our educational qualifications, and even our position in the Christian world
- Rather than delivering a whole nation from bondage, God used Boaz to touch one woman’s life-
- Read1 Peter 2:12
- Sub-principle: A Holy People
- To be a witness in this world, local churches must function as dynamic, transformed communities that reflect God’s holiness
- Do we?? Is this what we do?
- Sub-principle: A Holy People
- Sub-principle- Spiritual Leadership
Question: In what way does noble character communicate more effectively than our words?
A: Read 1 Peter 3: 8-12
1 Peter 3: 13-17
- Sub-Principle: Corporate Witness
- As local churches, we should become communities of love and unity that reveal Jesus Christ to the unsaved world
Read Ruth 2:4-23
Principle #6: A Godly Businessman
- Regardless of the godless values that permeate the secular community, we are to continue to practice biblical values in all of our relationships
- It is refreshing to meet someone like Boaz who did not allow the values of the Canaanite culture to influence his own way of doing business
- As a wealthy businessman, he was dedicated to practicing God’s laws, even toward those who were not part of the nation of Israel
- Read Leviticus 19:9-10
- How do we know he was above the influence of the Canaanites?
- He treated his employees with dignity (Ruth 2:4)
- He protected Ruth from sexual harassment (vv 8-9)
- He honored her for her faithfulness to Naomi and her desire to follow the Lord God of Israel (vv 11-12)
- He cared for her daily material needs (v 14)
- He created an environment free from any abuse (v 15)
- He provided her with economic security (v 21)
- The New Testament, with spiritual values based on Jesus’ teaching, takes business relationships to a whole new level
- For example, Paul addressed the subject of slavery sensitively in his letter to Philemon, who was a wealthy businessman in Colossae
- Paul was well aware that the subject of slavery was a very complex social issue in the Roman Empire
- In fact, this social dynamic held this entire pagan civilization together politically, economically, and socially.
- To attack this evil system directly could have led the Roman armies to literally destroy communities of faith
- Consequently, Paul addresses this issue with the message of Christ’s love
- Masters were to love their slaves as Christ loved them, and slaves were to love their masters as if they were serving Christ.
- Read Ephesians 6: -9
- This approach virtually eliminated slavery in local churches
- Assuming that Philemon complied with Paul’s advice, he would have stood out as a godly businessman who modeled biblical values in a culture that practiced the opposite
END of Chapter 2
