Ruth 4:9-12

Verse 9,10, And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

I.    Note the people that are standing by watching.

A.  There are the elders.  These are the people that are the rulers in the city that Boaz has asked to be witnesses.

B.   There are the people.

1.   These are others that have gathered out of curiosity.

2.   They are mentioned in both verse 9, and 10, and are just as much a witness as the elders of the city.

C.   We may not be recognized as "official" witnesses, but we are witnesses just the same.

II.   The "purchase" is complete.

A.  Should women be purchased?

1.   They are not to be purchased to be a slave.

2.   They are not to be purchased for the purpose of marriage.

3.   Ruth was purchased because Boaz was not the first kinsman, he was following the law of the Kinsman Redeemer.

4.   This purchase is a matter of grace on the part of Boaz.

B.   Compare Boaz (who purchased Ruth) to Christ (who purchased us).

1.   Both had compassion on fallen mankind.

2.   At great expense to themselves, they redeemed those who could not redeem themselves.

3.   Sinners are too far in debt to pay it off.

4.   We are guilty and helpless in the sight of our redeemer.

5.   God saved those that were different from Himself.

a.   God purchased sinners.  (Strangers from the commonwealth of grace.)

b.   Boaz purchased a Moabitish woman.  (Stranger to Israel.)

6.   The names of the redeemed were about to be cut off from the land of the living.

7.   The redeemer gives a greater name to the redeemed.

8.   The redeemer receives a greater name than before the redemption.

C.   Boaz purchased all the material possessions.

1.   Of Elimelech and his two sons, Chilion and Mahlon, from Naomi.

2.   He also purchased Ruth to be his wife in order to raise up seed to his brother.

3.   Why didn't Boaz take Ruth and forget the law?

a.   The Law of the Kinsman Redeemer was to take the wife and the material possessions so the name of the brother would continue.

b.   Eccl. 5:9-17 - One of the purposes of wealth is to use that wealth to aid others.  This is what Boaz is doing.

c.   II Sam. 24:24 - David giving unto the Lord only that which he has purchased.

d.   When Christ purchased our souls from eternal destruction, He also purchased our lives for perfect sanctification and our bodies for eternal glorification.

D.  The witnesses.

1.   These ten men would be better witnesses than the legal documents signed today.

2.   They all understand exactly what had taken place and why it had taken place.

Verse 11,12, And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.

II.   The prayer of the ten witnesses.

A.  "The Lord".

1.   They knew that only the Lord could provide the blessings.

2.   The witnesses knew that Boaz and Ruth were both honorable, but they also knew that real lasting blessings come from the Lord.

B.   Everything was public.

1.   Marriages need to be public.  (Not "common law")

2.   Marriages need to be prayed over.  (By the bride and groom and others involved.)

3.   Marriages need the blessings of the families involved.

4.   Marriages need to have the blessings of the local townspeople.

C.   The blessings bestowed.

1.   Her blessings.

a.   In bearing children and caring for the home, not for equality in the business world.

b.   Rachel and Leah.

1.   Not their personalities, for Rachel worshipped idols, Gen. 26:21.

2.   But their blessings from God, for they had built Israel.

3.   Rachel and Leah are considered to have had important jobs and fulfilled themselves by doing that job.

c.   Bildab and Zophar is not mentioned as having anything to do with building Israel.

1.   Rachel had two children (Joseph, and Benjamin).

2.   Leah had seven children (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah).

3.   Bildab had two children (Dan, and Naphtali).

4.   Zophar and two children (Gad, and Asher).

5.   This shows that only those with proper authority will be counted in the judgment.

6.   The handmaids child bearing labor was as hard and long as the legal wives, but their names are not mentioned.

7.   Today, many organizations claim to be doing God's work, but in the day of judgment, only the church Jesus built will be recognized.

2.   His blessings.

a.   Not the infamous beginning (which was not the fault of Pharez), but the glorious ending.

b.   Quoting Matthew Henry, "In the distribution of the ten tribes, that grandson of Jacob had the honor which none of the rest had but Manasseh and Ephraim, that his posterity was subdivided into two distinct families, Hezron and Hamul, Numbers 26:21.)