LESSON 1,

I thought about it yesterday, what to study next here on the Website. For years a new Lesson has been written and posted each morning.

My heart is drawn to the Old Testament Book of Ruth. Not the whole story, just an excerpt from chapter three.

We covered this Text in a brief way several weeks ago. But I can't get it off my mind. This time, in a little more detail, we will see the Loveliness of our Lord Jesus Christ in a special way! And we will consequently see the eagerness with which many lost souls seek Him!

Paul said it best in Romans 2:4, "The Goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." Yea, earlier in the same verse the Apostle speaks of "The riches of God's Goodness and Forbearance and Longsuffering."

Amen!

Ruth did not "despise" the goodness of Boaz. His kind character made her pursue him all the more, relentlessly in fact!

Here's our Text for the next few days, Lord willing. "Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman." This is Ruth 3:1-11, King James Version.

Is anyone reading today's Lesson similar to Ruth in this aspect? You "fell in love" with Jesus upon first experiencing His wonderful love and kindness and grace?

Did anyone chase Him, even as He was chasing you? Did anyone just of necessity say, "I must know Him!"

"He is altogether Lovely!"

"He has to be mine, even as I will be His!"

Unsatisfied, until He spread His Skirt of Salvation over you!

What a Saviour we have!

Oh, the joy of knowing Him!

And the sheer delight yet of following Him and chasing Him and feeling Him and enjoying His Company!

If you "identify" with these feelings, you will these days re-live your pre-conversion love-affair with our great Kinsman Redeemer, with the greater than Boaz, Jesus Christ the Son of God!

                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 2:

The plan Ruth is about to instigate, literally pursuing Boaz the wealthy near-kinsman and landowner, is quite bold. She is about to propose marriage to the man, of all things!

Here's how the account begins: "Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and ...."

Notice that the whole idea for this scheme was born in Naomi's mind! Not Ruth's! A set course of action to put Ruth near Boaz, and to do so in a favorable way.

And Ruth is a good student!

Plus, her heart was already "with" Boaz anyway, definitely "turned" toward the awesomely kind man!

The point today, this Lord's Day in March, is that Ruth's whole approach is based on Naomi's counsel.

Naomi "led" Ruth to Boaz!

The this little Old Testament gem of a Book, Ruth I mean, "Naomi" is a "picture" or a "symbol" or sometimes called a "type" if Israel.

And Ruth is beyond doubt a "type" of the Church! A gentile body being saved by the Grace of God, via the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, our True Kinsman Redeemer. Oh yes!

If so ... and this is the consensus of a generation of godly Bible Teachers, here in the early verses of thyis third chapter we have "Israel" pointing the way for the "gentiles" to be saved!

That's exactly what God designed her for, birthed her for! Israel, a light to the world! The hope of mankind!

Israel taught us about the creator God! All Jewish writers, no exceptions, penned the Holy Scriptures!

Israel gave us the Prophets and Poets and Priests and Judges to point toward a coming Messiah!

Israel provoked us to jealousy ... birthing in us a longing to meet the Saviour! Thank God for His people!

Through them ... the Saviour they virgin-birthed into the world, Mary was a Jew ... we now enjoy life eternal!

Naomi told Ruth!

Abraham told us!

                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3:

This great scene in Ruth chapter 3 where Ruth approaches Boaz and as-much-as "proposes" to Him is very interesting! The whole plan is Naomi's idea.

What I really think we have here is a "picture" of "Ruth" who symbolizes a sinner seeking and finding "Boaz" who symbolizes Jesus Christ our Redeemer! She literally asks him to "spread his skirt" over her, in Hebrew "spread your wings over me," a euphemism for marriage!

But yesterday I noticed something instructive. Applicable to the typology that's herein pictured.

Naomi said to Ruth, "Shall I not seek rest for thee." Ruth 3:1, where Ruth the Moabitess, Ruth the sinner, needs rest from the agonies of her past.

And obviously Boaz is the rest giver in this situation.

Wonderful news!

Jesus is our Rest Giver as well! "Come unto Me ... and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28, in part.

Now we skip to the end of the chapter, Ruth 3. Naomi is still talking ... to Ruth her Moabite daughter-in-law.

Ruth has proposed!

Boaz has answered ... positively!

They are promised to each other.

But some details need to be ascertained, legal matters even. "Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day." Ruth 3:18, the last verse.

Ruth needs rest!

But Boaz has no rest ... not yet.

He had a great thing to do!

He will go to "make things right" via the city gate!

This is a picture of Jesus fully satisfying the righteousness of His Father in Heaven, legally and properly becoming our Kinsman Redeemer, saving our souls from Hell! And restoring to us what sin has stolen! And bringing us the sweet Rest our wearied souls so badly need, so earnestly crave!

The Price Jesus paid ... to make Rest possible in our lives!

What a Saviour!

                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 4:

We're studying the Kinsman Redeemer concept of ancient Israel. It's a bit complex, but even more so, beautiful!

If a man, a native Jew, lost his life. If he died, probably prematurely, and his wife had not borne him children. And if this situation was compounded by the fact that poverty had already robbed the dead man of his holdings, his land or real estate, the "farm" God bequeathed to every Jewish family. Then that grieving lady, the man's "widow" earnestly needed a "redeemer!"

And Mosaic law provided the possibility of one, a saviour he might be rightly called! Someone who feasibly could meet every need this poor wife had!

Enter the Book of Ruth. And chapter three which we are currently studying. Ruth, the Moabite refugee, the widow of Mahlon who was the son of Elimelech and Naomi, this Ruth was such a destitute lady!

She had no home, no land, no money, no food, no children, no future! All she has was hope in the God of Israel! Poor in material things, a beggar really ... yet she's rich in faith!

In our chapter this week, Ruth virtually "proposes" to Boaz. He's her "kinsman-redeemer" type. He's just not sure of it yet! But once Ruth shows her faith in the man, he responds warmly!

He becomes her hero! "And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman," promises Boaz to the girl! This quotes a part of Ruth 3:12, King James Version.

But, and here is today's lesson, what qualifies one to be such a person? To be a lady's kinsman redeemer?

Best I can tell, these things.

One, the kinsman redeemer had to be related to the person he was helping. In Israel you couldn't just haul off and marry anybody! And thankfully Boaz was properly related to Ruth via Naomi.

Oh, by the way, Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer! And He is properly related to us as well! He became a possessor of human flesh via the Virgin Birth! He is the "Word made flesh," John 1:14.

Two, the kinsman redeemer in Israel had not only to be family, but also he was of necessity required to be wealthy enough to buy back the lost land and provide for his newly acquired wife!

Yes, again Jesus is certainly a wonderful Kinsman Redeemer! He is able, is wealthy enough, has the provision to buy us out of slavery to sin! He paid the Price of His Shed Blood on Calvary to redeem us! Plus, He owns "the cattle on a thousand hills," quoting Psalm 50:10, with which to provide our daily needs!

But there is a third consideration. A man might be properly related to a widow girl, and be extremely rich ... but if he's not willing to help, forget it all! And wonderfully Boaz was willing, especially after he saw Ruth's love and eagerness!

And the best news of all, Jesus too is willing to redeem us! Listen how willing He is: "The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Second Peter 3:9, last half of the verse.

Praise the Lord!

We ought to be just as happy today as Ruth was thousands of years ago!

Her kinsman redeemer, as great as he appears, cannot compare to ours! Boaz is merely a "shadow" of the Real Thing, of Jesus Christ our Lord!

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Hallelujah, what a Redeemer!

Anyone reading here today "blessed?"

                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 5:

We are about to study one of the boldest moves in the Bible! Ruth, having been the recipient of numerous gifts from Boaz, is going to "approach" him, really testing him to see his true motives toward her!

It is as if Ruth is saying this. "Boaz, you've been so kind. You have more in mind here than just friendship. I am a foreigner. I am a woman. I am a widow. I am a pauper. Yet you have been very, very favorable to me. Still, you have gone only so far. I need to know! Are you interested? Will you commit to me? Do you really love me? In fact ... here it comes ... Will you marry me?"

Wow!

But that's the essence of Ruth chapter three!

Listen to Naomi instruct her daughter-in-law. She's telling her to go to Boaz's work place late that night. To the threshing floor outside Bethlehem where they all lived. "Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do." Ruth 3:3-4

Each of these "preparations" remind me of things I did when I was lost, lost yet "hungry" for Jesus! Knowing I needed him! I did want to be clean. I did crave to be fragrant in His eyes, His nostrils. I did, even when going to church, want to look right, dress the best I could. And I truly did lay myself down by His feet!

I came to Jesus!

I already loved Him.

I asked Him to save me!

Just like Ruth here is asking Boaz to marry her!

By the way, Jesus did save me.

Boaz did marry Ruth.

Boaz acted on Ruth's faith and love and trust.

Jesus acted on mine. "For by grace was I saved through faith." Ephesians 2:8

Things one does ... before salvation!

That whole though line intrigues me.

Once when Elisha was raising a little boy from the dead ... the child was resistant to the miracle! Elisha kept praying, incessantly. Then some things occurred. Not life at first ... but his little flesh began to warm up! A good sign I'd say. Then the little dead boy sneezed seven times! When a corpse warms and sneezes and soon moves ... healthy life is on the way!

When Ruth bathed and perfumed and dressed, eager to lie at Boaz's feet ... eternal life was not far ahead!

Wow!

I am enjoying this Text!

Does anyone here remember desiring Jesus before He saved you?

                 --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 6:

When Ruth determined, upon Naomi's counsel, to approach Boaz ... she virtually proposed marriage to the majestic gentleman!

Ruth, the servant ... drawing near the bedside of Boaz, the ruler!

Here's what Ruth said to Naomi her mother-in-law and motivator of the whole plan. "And Ruth said unto Naomi, All that thou sayest unto me I will do." Ruth 3:5

Then she does what she promised. To the very letter, Ruth asks Boaz for his hand in marriage, exactly as instructed.

And Boaz agrees!

He will to the best of his ability, doing so legally, become her kinsman-redeemer. He will be the widow lady's provider and protector and a whole lot more!

Soon, if you will allow me the country phrase, Ruth has Boaz "eating out of her hand!" If I can say so without any disrespect being understood, she had him "wrapped around her little finger!"

She threw herself at his mercy, Ruth to Boaz.

And he responded in grace and love and covenant commitment!

Then Boaz says to Ruth, "And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest." Ruth 3:11

Look how things have turned around!

All because of a character quality called "grace!"

At first ... Ruth is doing all Naomi says!

At last ... Boaz is doing all Ruth says!

This is astounding!

When I came to my Boaz, to Jesus Christ my Kinsman Redeemer, I was merely a lost sinner seeking salvation. I was a peasant, a beggar, really a hopelessly wrecked individual!

But He saved me!

I believed on Him, exactly what Ruth did toward Boaz, and He is now my Heavenly Bridegroom!

Praise the Lord!

And now that same Lord, Jesus God's Son, asks me to tell Him what to do! "Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me." Isaiah 45:11, word for word, King James Version.

Even in the New Testament, "Ask and it shall be given thee. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto thee." Matthew 7:7

Jesus, answering my prayers!

Jesus, interceding for me!

Jesus, my Protector!

Jesus, my Saviour!

What a transformation!

What a delight, to be born-again, in the family of God, a child of the King!

                        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 7:

The way Ruth approached the sleeping Boaz is instructive. "Didactic" the old teachers would have said, from the Greek word for "teaching."

Actually proposing marriage to the kind man, the little Moabite lady is following a specific plan! Advised by Naomi her mother-in-law to "bathe" and "perfume herself" and "put on a clean dress" ... Ruth is to visit Boaz's threshingfloor on a specific evening, the night of winnowing the harvest.

"Approach him, lie down beside him, and slide yourself under his covers!" Of course this is everyday, country language. But the King James gives the same essence. I've already printed it for you in the preceding lessons.

Here's how it happened, word for word. "And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and Ruth came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down." Ruth 3:7, the Old Testament, King James Version.

Wow!

I still think this is a bold move!

Full of faith and trust in Boaz's kindness and grace!

There are some risks involved here too.

Today note the way Ruth came to her potential husband, "And she came softly." Quietly, stealthily!

The adverb "softly" translates "lat" in Hebrew, simply meaning "secrecy, mystery, privily," privately.

And Boaz responded that way too, quietly! "And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter ...." Ruth 3:8-10

Not a loud sound in the whole conversation!

Ruth found a Bridegroom, a handsome and wealthy and willing one! With nothing more than two still, small voices intertwining toward covenant relationship.

"And she came softly."

This is the same verbal construction used of Jael in Judges 4:21. "Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died."

Our God is so great that He can get things done, even by ladies, quietly and softly and gently. Things positive, like a marriage, and things negative, like an assassination!

Back to my point today.

Ruth, symbolically, met her Boaz and entered into lifelong relationship with him "quietly."

And many of us reading here today also met our greater than Boaz, Jesus Christ the Son of God, "quietly."

Yes, Jesus can save sinners covertly!

Gently and without clamor!

Others of course are saved "boisterously!" The Apostle Paul comes to mind. Naaman the leper had a pretty confrontational salvation experience too. many at Pentecost amid the language explosion did as well, I suspect.

But with Brother Bagwell, it was quiet!

He saved me as a young lad. I am eternally grateful. It's one of the thrills of my life, knowing Jesus!

Let me close. In Acts 16 there are two salvation experiences recorded. One is "loud" the other "quiet!" The Philippian jailer took an earthquake to get him "in," a boisterous occasion indeed. Complete with loud voices and trembling bodies and a suicide attempt!

But later in the same chapter a lady got "saved." Her name, Lydia, a rather wealthy person apparently. A seller of purple, the color and cloth of royalty and the upper class! She was at a prayer meeting and Paul and Silas dropped by as visitors. The rest is Bible history. Here's how Luke records her being born again, in Acts 16:14. "The Lord opened her heart." Now that is quiet! No yelling, no thunder, no shaking!

Ruth got her husband quietly, simply using faith as an approach.

I was granted a Bridegroom, a Saviour, a Lord Jesus too. And mine came "quietly" as well.

Goodness, I do have something in common with the Moabitess Ruth, the ex-sinner who now loves her kinsman redeemer!

Amen!

                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 8:

The word "jumped out" as I read the Text. Taken from Ruth 3:8, the fact is accurate, a timeline for the famous Ruth-Boaz conversation. "And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet."

At midnight!

Ruth made sure of her relationship with this kind man ... at midnight!

Boaz promised to be a kinsman-redeemer, a husband to her at that time too, at midnight!

A midnight meeting that eventually led not only to a marriage, but that perpetuated the blood line of King David himself! And ultimately, the Lord Jesus Christ, God made flesh! Matthew 1:1 clearly calls Jesus "the Son of David, the son of Abraham."

I thought about that single word a minute. "Midnight," the Hebrew noun "chetzsiy," means "half, middle," hence half the night!

A midnight meeting!

Did other significant Bible events occur then? At midnight? Thank the Lord for the concordances we now have. Godly men in years past did a lot of work so we could enjoy this handy little tool.

In Exodus 12:29 we are told that the Death Angel, the Lord Himself, slew all the firstborn in the Land of Egypt except those who had been covered by the blood of a slain little lamb. Death at midnight!

In Judges 16:3 Samson performed one of his major destructive feats. Against the Philistines. War at midnight!

In First Kings 3:30 a lady's baby boy was stolen at midnight! Solomon in his wisdom solved the issue if you remember. Theft at midnight!

In Psalm 119:62 David rises every midnight to praise His God! To give thanks to the Lord for His righteous judgments! Worship at midnight!

Several of Jesus' parables are set at midnight. Implying that His Return to earth could come then! Deliverance at midnight!

In Acts 16:25 Paul and Silas are praying at midnight. That's when God sent the earthquake and forgave the Philippian jailer. Salvation at midnight!

In Acts 20:7 the Apostle is preaching at midnight! Paul must have really fed those folks well, the Word of God! Church at midnight!

Folks, we serve a 24 hours a day, seven days a week God! He is always ready to help His people!

He works around the clock.

Including the midnights!

In Matthew 28:20 He promised us: "And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Yes!

                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 9:

The Moabitess widow Ruth did an amazing thing one evening in a barley field outside ancient Bethlehem. She "proposed" marriage to an eligible bachelor named Boaz!

Using a custom familiar to Jewish culture, Ruth actually approached the man's bedside, where he was sleeping that night anyway, and asked him to "spread his skirt over her!" Take her under his protection! Become her provider and ... yes, husband!

Here's the narrator's description, right out of our King James Bible: "And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman." Ruth 3:8-9

Today's lesson concentrates on that "strange" request, "Spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid." At least it's odd to us who live in western society.

The verb "spread" is spelled "paras" in Hebrew. It means "to stretch out, to cover." Although not an imperative, the suggestion is rather strong!

The noun "handmaid" reflects Ruth's genuine humility. "Amah" generally means a female "slave." Ruth is subservient to her potential bridegroom.

But the key word no doubt is "skirt." It is "kanaph," used 108 times in the Old Testament. Here's the math, 14 times it's translated "skirt," 2 times "borders," 2 more times "corners," 2 more "ends." It's root word, its verbal "parent," pictures "being removed to a corner!"

"Boaz, corner me in! Make me exclusively yours! Hide me under the care of your mighty power!"

But back to that "skirt" idea for a second. In addition to the uses I just listed for you, "kanaph" is rendered "wing" or "wings" 74 times in the Scriptures!

"Boaz," asks Ruth, "will you cover me under your wings?" Oh what a beautiful picture of marriage! In fact, what a gorgeous metaphor of salvation! Of what Jesus did when He saved us!

Here are a few examples of "skirt" or "kanaph" used as "wings" in the Word of God. I think they will make us all glad we are saved!

By the way, the first use of "kanaph" in the Bible is Genesis 1:21 where Moses mentions God creating "winged fowls"

Here we go.

Here's a prayer to the Lord. "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about." Psalm 17:8-9, hidden under His Wings!

"How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." Psalm 36:7, a statement of fact!

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." Psalm 57:1, what a promise, a commitment of faith!

"I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings." Psalm 61:4, where "covert" means "shelter" or even "secret place."

"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice." Psalm 63:7, which pretty well shows us the mood, the spirit, those wings should produce in our lives!

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Psalm 91:4, these get better and better!

All I can say is, "Praise the Lord!"

He's The One Who puts us "under His Wings!" Thank God for Ruth and Boaz and the little biblical Book that relates their beautiful story.

Amen!

                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 10, CONCLUSION:

This little series of studies from the Book of Ruth, its third chapter, has continued longer than I thought it would.

Today's installment will be the last, I think. Ruth has proposed marriage to Boaz, the wealthy landowner who is distantly related to Naomi's whole family. He has accepted her invitation! A wedding is being planned. And really as the old childhood stories we used to hear concluded, "They lived happily ever after!"

A new family begins! And a year later or so, a baby is born!

No wonder the little Book of Ruth is often called "the most perfect short story ever written." That's a good description, provided we understand that Ruth is history ... not fiction. These events really occurred.

Today I want to show you how Naomi, the mother-in-law who suggested the bold move Ruth made ... "go to him and lie down beside him" and so forth ... she is largely the recipient of many of the blessings God shed upon the new family! Upon this new union!

Naomi who first spoke of Boaz to Ruth, though she was poor, bankrupt really, and lonely, widowed really, and forsaken ... this Naomi is sent a special gift in Ruth chapter three, "six measures of barley!"

Here's Ruth's telling that fact to Naomi. "These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law." Ruth 3:17, Boaz to Ruth to Naomi!

Yes, Mother-in-Law will be remembered, honored, nurtured!

And later, when the baby is born, the people of the city, Bethlehem, said to Naomi: "Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David." Ruth 4:14-17, born to Naomi?

Naomi given full credit, august respect, for the little boy Obed!

She had not been pregnant, she's too old! She had not gone into labor, too dangerous! She had borne no child, impossible!

Yet she is honored as if she had done all these things! And that fact did not trouble Ruth one little bit!

And so will it be for all eternity!

Israel, symbolized by Naomi here, told us Gentiles about a Saviour! About a Kinsman-Redeemer, about our symbolical Boaz!

We old sinners were saved by His Grace, washed in the Blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus the Son! He, when we asked Him and trusted Him and believed on Him, made us part of His Bride! He's our Groom, Heavenly Groom!

And every little soul saved, every little newborn spiritual soul, every convert we'll ever see ... is partly due to Israel's part in God's great Plan of the ages!

We saved folks owe so much to God's little special Nation, to Israel!

Let's give her loads of barley!

Let's let her rejoice in our Redeemer too!

Let's let her hold the babies!

She has suffered so much for Jesus' Sake.

I plead the truth of Psalm 122:6. Claim it and practice it, friends of the faith. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee."

Yes, it's still true that Israel today sits in national darkness. But her rejection has become our invitation, exactly what Paul taught in Romans 9-11, by the way.

And some day Israel will be saved!

When Jesus returns to earth!

Then more than ever she will enjoy and delight and revel in the goodness and blessings and provisions of our great Redeemer, Kinsman Redeemer!

God began with her, Israel.

He laid her aside due to apostasy.

He then saved and worked with us Gentiles, a born-again body of us "whosoever wills" anyway!

And once we're raptured away ... God will again turn to His precious little Nation. To Israel and "bless" them as never before.

They will be born-again!

The same way we are!

Through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Naomi ends the Book of Ruth the most honored person of all, at least the most richly rewarded!

So will Israel be for all of eternity future!

Forever more a Nation!

With God on her throne!

Amen, which simply means, "So be it," Lord!

                              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell