Sermon #18 Ruth Series:
Title: “To Raise Up The Name
Of The Dead”
Text: Ruth 4:4-8
Reading:
Subject: The Purpose of redemption
Date: Tuesday Evening - September 14, 1993
Tape
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Introduction:
In
the fourth chapter of Ruth we are told how Boaz cleared away all obstacles to
his redemption of and union with Ruth. Remember, the purpose of his heart was
settled. He had made up his mind to redeem Ruth and to marry her. But he was an
honorable man. He would not redeem her, he would not marry her, he would not
have her unless he could do so in a way that would completely honor God and his
holy law. So the nearer kinsman had to be dealt with. Therefore, Boaz came to
the gate of the city, called together the elders of the city and spoke publicly
to Ruth’s nearer kinsman, the man who was her nearer kinsman by virtue of her
marriage to Mahlon. The conversation is recorded for us in our text (vv. 4-8).
Clearly,
the prominent subject of this passage is redemption. The word “redeem” is used
nine times in these five verses. Tonight, I want to show the purpose, or object
of redemption. It is plainly stated in verse 5. The purpose, the object of
redemption is “To Raise Up The Name Of
The Dead.”
Proposition:
The object of redemption, both typical and
real, is to raise up the seed of a man who has died for the honor of that man.
“The kinsman’s part,” the duty of the
kinsman redeemer, according to the law of God, (the law of God which was given
to portray and point us to the Lord Jesus Christ(), “the kinsman’s part” involved three things. The kinsman redeemer
was obligated by the law of God to do three things. If he failed to do these
three things he must bear public reproach for his failure (Deut. 25:5-10; Lev.
25:25-26). The kinsman redeemer must…
1.
Restore
the inheritance of his impoverished relative.
2.
Procure
the liberty of his brother who through poverty had sold himself into slavery.
3.
Marry
his dead relative’s wife and “raise up
the name of the dead.”
As Boaz did these things for Ruth, so our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has done all this for God’s elect. He has
redeemed the inheritance we lost in Adam. He restored that which he took not
away! He procured our liberty. By his blood he freed us from the curse of the
law. And by the power of his grace he has broken the iron fetters that held us
in slavery to satan and to sin. By the power of his grace, by his omnipotent
Spirit, our Kinsman Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, is raising up the name of
the dead in this world.
My
message tonight will be very brief, because I want you to see and remember
every detail of my message with complete clarity. I have three points. Be sure
you get them. I am showing you that the object of redemption is “To Raise Up The Name Of The Dead.”
I. First, I want you to see that
REDEMPTION WAS ALWAYS A MATTER OF
INDISPUTABLE, PUBLIC RECORD.
God arranged his law in such a way that
throughout the history of Israel in the Old Testament, every transaction
involving redemption was done in public, attested to by numerous witnesses, and
recorded as a matter of public record, so that the transaction could never be
nullified or disputed.
As we
read this fourth chapter of Ruth, several things stand out as matters of
obvious significance.
A. First, the matter dealt with here is a matter of great importance.
Boaz came to the gate of the city, called the
elders together, and a large crowd immediately assembled. They knew that
something of great importance was about to take place. Something more was
involved in this business than Ruth and Mahlon, Naomi and her daughter. That
which was about to take place, that which was being discussed had something to
do with…
·
The
glory of God!
·
The
purpose of God!
·
The
People of God!
I
have come here tonight to talk to you about redemption. I tis a subject of
immense importance. This is more than a doctrinal statement. It is…
1.
The
revelation of God’s glory (Rom. 3:24-26).
2.
The
declaration of God’s purpose (Rom. 8:28).
3.
The
hope of God’s people (2 Cor. 5:21).
B. Second, this business was transacted in a conspicuous, public place - “Then went Boaz up to the gate and sat down
there.”
Not only is the work of Christ in redemption
a matter of vital importance, it has been accomplished in a public manner (Acts
22:26-27, 22-23).
1.
The
witness of the prophets.
2.
The
witness of the Apostles.
3.
The
witness of the sun - The Centurian - The opened graves!
C. Third, redemption was a legal matter.
It was a legal transaction. It was done
according to the law and it honored the law.
There
is an impressive scene before us (v. 2). Boaz took ten men of the city, ten
elders in Israel to be witnesses to this thing. I cannot help thinking that
these ten men are suggestive of God’s holy law, summarized in the ten
commandments. Our Lord Jesus fulfilled both the law and the prophets when he
died as our Substitute and redeemed us.
1.
He
fulfilled the righteousness required by the law’s commandments in his life
(Jer. 23:6).
2.
He
fulfilled the penalty required by the law’s justice (Gal. 3:13).
3.
He
fulfilled the prophets, suffering to the last detail “all that was written of him” (Acts 13:29; John 19:28; Luke
24:44-46).
II. Secondly, THE FAILURE OF THE NEARER KINSMAN TO REDEEM
RUTH DEMONSTRATES THE INABILITY OF THE LAW TO SAVE MAN.
We are not told what his motives were. But
the nearer kinsman preferred to suffer public shame and disgrace rather than
redeem Ruth and thus mar his own inheritance. As I have shown you, this nearer
kinsman, more than anything else, stands out in the Book of Ruth as a picture
of God’s holy law.
A. The law cannot forgive sin or extend mercy without marring its justice
- “The soul that sinneth, it shall die!” The law does not consider…
·
Age!
·
Environment!
·
Education!
·
Extenuating
circumstances!
·
Gender!
·
Parentage!
It only considers justice!
C. All who attempt salvation by the law, all who attempt to get to God on
their own merits shall, like this nearer kinsman, bear the reproach publicly
forever.
What the nearer kinsman could not and would
not do for Ruth, Boaz gladly did! And what the law could not and would not do
for us, the Lord Jesus Christ gladly did! “I
delight” to redeem them!
NOTE: The nearer kinsman pulled
off his shoe - A sign of disgrace, slavery, and disavowed ownership. Boaz
stepped into his shoes!
·
Moses
(The law) put off his shoes as a servant before God’s manifest presence.
·
You
and I, as the sons of God, have had the shoes of liberty and sonship put on our
feet in the Father’s house (Lk. 15:22).
·
The
legalist is a slave. We are the sons of God!
III. Thirdly, AS BOAZ ASSUMED AND DISCHARGED EVERY DUTY
OF A KINSMAN FOR RUTH, SO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ASSUMED AND FULLY DISCHARGED
THE WHOLE WORK OF REDEMPTION FOR US.
Not only did he buy the inheritance that
Mahlon had lost, he bought it for Ruth particularly. He bought the field and
bought Ruth for his purpose - “To Raise
Up The Name Of The Dead!” And soon Obed was born to Ruth and Boaz.
Even
so, our Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us to raise up the name of the dead, to
raise up a seed to serve him, and it shall be done! “A seed shall serve him.” “He shall not fail!”
A. Christ Jesus assumed all responsibility for God’s elect in the covenant
of grace before the world began (Gen. 43:9).
B. The Son of God came into this world, lived, died, and rose again to
save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
C. God the Father has given his Son, our Savior, the power to give eternal
life to all his chosen seed (John 17:2).
D. All whom Christ was given, all whom he redeemed, all for whom he came
into this world, he will present faultless before the presence of the divine
glory at last (John
6:37-40; 1 Cor. 15:28; “Lo, I and the
children!”).
1.
The
immutability of God’s love demands it!
2.
The
steadfastness of God’s purpose demands it!
3.
The
justice of God’s character demands it!
4.
The
intercession of Christ demands it!
5.
The
honor of Boaz, the honor of Christ demands it!
Illustration: The Indian Chief and the
Worm - 1 John 4:19.
“My Daddy died for me!”
Application:
“Blessed be
the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may
be famous in Israel!
·
He
is a restorer of life!
·
He
is a nourisher!