The Love of God Our Redeemer // Ruth 1 // Pastor Ray Viola

In the midst of a season of pain, suffering, sorrow and loss, Job declared, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25). In fact, that passage of Job is the first of eighteen times that we find the word “redeemer” in Scripture. David said, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). Reader, do you know who the Redeemer is? Can you say this morning that the Lord is my Redeemer? The book of Ruth is a book about redemption on both a human and spiritual level. Halleys Bible Handbook writes so beautifully these words:
This lovely story of a lovely woman follows, like calm after a storm, the turbulent scenes of Judges. It is a delightful and charming picture of domestic life in a time of anarchy and trouble. A thousand years before, Abraham had been called by God to found a nation for the purpose of one day bringing a Savior to mankind. In this small book of Ruth we have the founding of the family within that nation into which the Savior would be born. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David. From here on, the Old Testament centers mainly around the family of David. And the New Testament begins with a genealogy that begins with Abraham and ends, via Boaz and Ruth, and via David, with Jesus, “who is called Christ,” the Messiah (Matthew 1:1-16). The central theme of the book of Ruth is redemption. The Hebrew word for redemption occurs 23 times in the book of Ruth. Ruth may be considered a “type” of the Christian church, while Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, is a type of Christ who is our Redeemer.
Oh the glorious gospel of the love of God our Redeemer for us! Listen in holy awe to thiw description that glorious Redeemer gives unto us of Himself. “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself” (Isaiah 44:24). “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called” (Isaiah 54:5).
Just as God in His divine love sent Boaz to personally redeem Ruth the Moabite, He has sent His Son Jesus to personally be the very means of redemption. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). The good news that drew bitter and sorrowful Naomi back to Bethlehem was that God had visited His people with bread. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:32,33 and 51).There may be some off you here this morning who have gone to Moab, seeking to find a solution to your emptiness and famine soul. Like Naomi, you have realized that there is only life in Jesus Christ, the Bread of life, and He is calling you back home this morning. SELAH
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