The Book of Ruth

Perry, just so you know, it's Ruth, not Ruth.

Two very different things. Good morning.

Turn to the book of Ruth. As we saw in our new series,

while you're turning there, just a bit of a disclaimer, not so

much a sermon today. I don't think what I want to do

would best be described as preaching, but more of painting

a picture. I want to show you what and why

the book of Ruth was written or what what God is after in our

hearts, I believe as we go through the series.

So just so you know, that's that's kind of the angle we're

going to take today. A little bit different than

usual. But if you haven't found it yet,

it's an Old Testament. I know we're going to need it

tonight with the students, but it's you have Joshua, Judges,

Ruth and then one and two Samuel.

Actually, there's a whole bunch of 1 and twos coming after that.

So if you're still looking for it, I'll say they're not to be

facetious. I'll say it because as part of

the picture I want you to see today, there's actually their

strategy and there's a picture being painted even in where Ruth

fits into the biblical narrative.

So on one side you've got Judges, then you've got Ruth and

then you've got one and two Samuel.

And we're going to basically be looking at this picture.

Firstly, if you are in Ruth, if you turn back one page, the very

last line of Judges, Judges 2125, says in those days Israel

had no king and everyone did as they saw fit.

This is where the story comes. Israel has no king and everyone

did as they saw fit. It's a Hebrew word, Yashar.

It's kind of like Disney nemesis, you know, you've got to

say it with a Yashar. To Yashar means pretty much you

do as you please, you do as you feel fit, or you do whatever's

convenient, or you do you. So that's where we find the book

of Ruth, and we're going to take a look at some of the

consequences of Yashar when we live in this space.

But on the other side, just past Ruth, we've got one and Two

Samuel, because it's believed that Samuel actually wrote this

account, went through the books, the historical books, and found

the story and penned the book of Ruth.

Samuel stands as his prophets and he's declaring over Yashad.

The king is in the room. The king is coming, see, because

on this side where there is no king, there's no Kingdom come.

But over here, he says the king, he comes as a Redeemer to

rescue, restore and redeem. It's a beautiful picture.

And we're going to just take a look at those two this morning,

kind of the bookends of the Book of Ruth.

So just touching on Ruth chapter 1 and verse one, it says the

Ruth 1 · chapter mention

following. So it's in the days when the

judges ruled there was a famine in the land.

So a man from Bethlehem and Judah, together with his wife

and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.

I just want to touch on that because there's a lot in there.

I want to actually pick the bones of this because Samuel,

who wrote it, assumes that, you know, the historical context and

the backdrop to every word that he uses in one verse one.

But I just want to pick out a few things there because

essentially he starts, he says, in the days when the judges

ruled, in other words, in the time of Yashar, you just do

whatever feels good to you, whatever is convenient.

You do you. At that time there was a famine

in the land. So a man from Bethlehem and

Judah, we find his name in the next verse.

He's eliminate. He's actually a descendant of

one of the Princess of Judah. Even the best of the best, he's

he's known as a wealthy, well established, high reputation

man. Even them how the mighty fall

when he goes by Yashar, his own wisdom, his own ways and he

decides to do the worst thing possible and that's he heads off

to Moab. Now we don't know much about

Moab, but we do find a lot in scripture about it.

So if we rewind a little bit, I want to tell you a little bit

about what this guy decided to do, who he decided to surround

himself with what the fruit of Yashar looks like.

It looks like Moab. So if we rewind a bit, Moab, you

should know the name Abraham Lot.

So these two guys, Abraham was the uncle of Lots and they were

journeying together. Lot had a whole lot of Yashar

going on in his heart because he eventually ends up in Sodom and

Gomorrah. You might have heard that story,

which ends up with God sending fire down and destroying the

wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Him and his two daughters flee to the mountains, and it seems

like his daughters thought they were the only ones left alive

because they had to plan some more Yashar.

They caught the Yashara of their father because what they decide

to do was get their dad pregnant and bear children by him because

it seems to them like there's no other man and how they're going

to keep the lineage going. So as much as Abraham and lots

from the same descended, you know, sort of the extended

family that couldn't be further apart.

On the one side you've got Abraham, who is the father of

Israel, that the child of promise.

On this side, you've got a lot. He's the father of Moab, the

child of perversion. And then comes the Book of Ruth,

and we get told about a God who will wade into the most

perverse, deborced, broken fruits of your and my Yashad and

bring it back to redemption. Because the king is in the room.

They're also known as being proud and independent.

So they had their own kings, they had their own armies, they

had their own worship ceremonies and their own gods.

Doesn't sound familiar to you unless I say we have our own

genders, our own marriage parameters, our own permissions

when it comes to sex. See what the Bible says about a

Moab mindset is there is a way that seems right to man, but

it's end is the way of death. And that is the end when it

comes to Moab. Not only for eliminate but for

the Moabites. So at their highest of hearts,

they worship their God with child sacrifice.

That should be a stench to us, right?

It should have been a stench to eliminate.

But still he takes his entire family there to have children,

grandchildren there. Now, we don't have youth child

sacrifice or do we? When I was leading youth, my

wife and I had the privilege of leading youth in three CR many,

many years ago. And I remember one story I

remember hearing about one of the guys, I think it was in

grade 10 or 11 at the stage and his parents both got happened to

get promotions. They were working in, in Joburg.

They both got promotions and it demanded more of them as

businessmen and women. So they hatched a plan, Yashar,

they decided they're going to hire, rent themselves out a

little flat in Joburg. And then they'll come back on

weekends to be with their children.

But during the week they're going to be there.

But of course, you know, it's never just week.

It becomes weekends, it becomes public holidays.

And he ended up living on his own in a home with a credit

card. Talk about child sacrifice.

You know what that guy got up to the, you know, the mess and the

stuff that we had to draw out and care for and counsel.

I don't know if you know this. I discovered this yesterday.

I was on my back listening to a podcast.

I heard that apparently, according to recent statistics,

I don't know if you know, Australia has banned social

media for children under the age of 16.

You know where it comes from. It comes from a study that was

done where they found that if parents, if you give your child

a smart device, a cell phone or a tablet or something from the

age of five to look up, you know, to entertain themselves.

Why? Because, well, it's convenient.

Yes, you are. If they get given a smart device

at the age of 5, by the age of 20 there is a 50% chance that

they will have suicidal ideation for the rest of their lives.

The fruits of Yashar. Ah, yeah, but you don't

understand the high pressure. OK, but the king is in the room

and Ruth points us to one that comes to rescue and redeem and

intercept and maybe bring you to church on a Sunday so you can

hear the statistic and take that out of your little kids hand,

give it back to them when they can buy their own relentless

military conflict. This was another one of the

things, one of the things that they were well known for

actually, the quotas. They had a willingness to resort

to extreme measures. The Moabites.

It was sort of you guys are the bad guys.

The Moabites, Yeah, they had a willingness to resort to any

measure, sort of guerrilla warfare, kind of think Middle

East today. That was the Moabites then.

And the lemon left decides, no, that's a great place to take my

family. I mean, we are talking fear,

oppression, opposition, No growth, no fruitfulness,

Baroness. Everything gets destroyed.

Have you, have you seen the photos, the results of the

oppression of the Hamas? Have you seen the aerial photos

of the decimation? Think Moabites.

That's where it leads his family.

Maybe. Maybe you look at your life,

some of the decisions you made, the fruit of some of the

decisions you made. Maybe it looks like that.

Today I have the privilege of introducing you to someone who

walks in midst the ruins and brings restoration and

redemption. They're also known as being a

seductive and corrupting people. We're going to going to have

some good news just now, but for now, seductive and corrupting.

I won't say much except that houses for a question will

always take you further than you wanted to go, keep you longer

than you wanted to stay, and demand more from you than you

wanted to pay. Sin will always take you further

than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay,

and demand more from you than you wanted to pay.

Elimelech paid with his life and his sons lives, but that line

there says keep you longer than you wanted to stay in.

My Bible says that in verse 2, it says that Elimelech went for

a while. They stayed in Moab for a while.

Some say they sojourned there. I went to look.

I'm like, what is it? Yeah.

What? What does it mean to to sojourn

or to spend a little while in Moab?

And it says Hebrew word translated into English simply

means abide. He decided to abide in Moab.

I don't know if you've heard that word before in a biblical

context. John 15 abide in me, and I in

you see, that's what Yashar does, our earthly wisdom, where

there is no king, there's no Kingdom come.

You do you, and this is the fruit.

Why on earth would he do this, knowing all of that?

And he did. Plus he had all the counsel and

godly wisdom, and he had the elders of Bethlehem that could

have said, but what are you doing?

I see you packing where you're going.

Why would he do this one word? In the days when the judges

ruled, this is Ruth 11, there was a famine.

Famine exposes the Yashar in our hearts.

So you got famine in business. You do a little bit of a Yashad.

This seems like a great idea. He seems quite successful and

I'll bring him on board as a partner.

And he single handedly has decimated your business.

There's famine in your business and you think, well, that's a

great brand. I want to associate myself with

that brand. And you give them some equity

and you dilute your company that you spent decades working on.

Famine. Well, you got famine in your

personal life, relationships, Single Ladies.

And he looks OK You're getting a little old.

And so you, you're Shar. And you're sitting there in the

car, clap a cop, you know, overlooking the city.

And his hand starts going a little higher above the knee

than than you used to. And he says, baby, we were meant

to be together. Now you have a baby and you're

still not together. Famine You're Shar Moab.

Maybe in your marriage. Famine, you know, she likes me,

but I don't know if she loves me.

And so now you have a work girlfriend or boyfriend.

Is there's a way that seems good to a man, but it's end is death,

even in ministry. And I put this here because I

really genuinely believe someone needs to hear this.

Even in ministry, Famine in ministry.

You called, or maybe you were in ministry and then there's a

famine and it just seems like there's no fruit.

And so you decide, well, this is a great partnership, but you

find that actually you're not walking a road with a brother,

you're walking a road with a cousin.

And a cousin here is a Moabite offspring.

And then there's further famine. Carry the shirt, his shadows and

burdens of guilt. So this, this is this is what's

happening on this side. This is where we begin.

This is where the story actually takes root.

So Samuel, all these years later, is sitting on this side

and going like, OK, there's a fruitfulness here.

How did that start? And he leans over into the time

of judges, and he finds a story. And he brings us the story.

Born in a place of famine. Maybe you're in famine, you

know, if you are. I mean, there's genuinely,

there's no judgment. There's kind of the more I

looked in Scripture, the more I found like, that is the way of

man. We just run off the famine.

I mean, take a look at this Genesis, Abraham, Tom of famine,

where does he go? Egypt.

Here's a son, Isaac, Tom of famine, where does he go?

The Philistines. I mean, neither of these are

good friends of the Israelite people.

Elimelech, Tama famine, where does he go?

Moab and then second Samuel 21 Tama famine.

But David sought the face of the Lord.

It's such a small difference. On the one side, it's Yashar, my

wisdom, my ways, whatever is convenient, even if I'm taking

shortcuts on this side. In that famine, I run to the

Redeemer and the rest, as they say, is history.

And what's amazing is on this side is this picture that gets

painted is of something that we're unfamiliar with, but it's

like it's called a kinsman Redeemer.

I want to tell you just a little bit about that.

So a kinsman Redeemer was ordained by by God.

He put it in Scripture so that his people would represent him

as a kinsman Redeemer. It was meant to be a

foreshadowing of Jesus who comes further on through the

narrative, but a powerful foreshadowing of the redemptive

work that Jesus does in our lives.

So I don't know what translation of the Bible you're reading in.

Sometimes it says kinsman Redeemer, which is a funny word

or or a guardian Redeemer. My favorite is covenant Redeemer

because that's really is what it's about.

But it's it's kind of like a redundant because to redeem

means to you're obligated to fulfill promises and covenants.

So it's kind of like you're saying on this side, what we

come up against or the reason why we found in spite of the

famine, the reason why we found a fruitfulness.

Well, someone came on the scene who was a covenant Redeemer, a

covenant covenanter. And it's a funny word to see how

they're trying to translate it because it's like they're trying

to stuff into this single word so much of who God is as a

Redeemer because essentially he's saying, you will be my

representative. You'll be a very foreshadow of

Jesus who's coming. So they they stuffing in the

fact that he's going to rescue, he's going to redeem, but he's

not only going to make a covenant, he's going to keep the

covenant on your behalf. And there is so much power in

this single person, earthy human bleeds when he's got so much

power in a kinsman Redeemer in biblical history that that say

because of this, and this is a human foreshadowing the heavenly

Father so much power in it. They say there's the single

reason why the Babylonian Empire came and went, the Persian

Empire came and went, the Greco Roman Empire came and went.

But the people of Israel weathered those storms because

in and amongst them we're wandering these kinsmen

redeemers. You know, you might be thinking

my marriage is going to come and go.

My business seems to be my children come up.

There's no hope. I don't see how.

The only hope we have is that there's a kinsman Redeemer

wandering in our midst. And the beautiful thing is, the

last thing I want to say about this guy is that he was

obligated to redeem to the uttermost.

I don't know. If you remember in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8, we discovered Jesus who says I've come that you

might have life and life to the full Zoe life.

And that Zoe, life means nothing missing, nothing broken,

redeemed to the uttermost. So it doesn't matter how

blistered and broken the fruit of your Yashar has produced,

there is one who says journey with me through the story and I

will redeem to the uttermost. Now that's wonderful when the

pastor says that. But what does your past say

about that? Yeah, that's all.

That's great. Yeah, I know.

Lovely. You and your your pastor's wife,

you know, bless you. But me, I have the marks to show

for my past. I'm living in ruins.

Could he even redeem me? I'll answer that question with a

story I heard the ghost of a shadow of a whisper of a

redemption story that I thought, like, that's too good to be

true. So I asked someone if I could

sit with them and find out for myself, you know, because I'm

incredibly faith and, you know, positive as a person.

I put my cynical investigative journalism to work.

And I sat them down. I was, I want to hear the story

you tell me. And what I heard was astounding.

So this couple did coffee this week.

Been together for 21 years and they start telling me this

story, they said but the last few years and here are the words

that they used in the last few years.

We got distracted, career driven, selfish, independence of

one another. And while they're talking, I'm

thinking I've genuinely got goosebumps.

I'm like, that's the language of Moab.

And then they said eventually we just became too busy for church.

And she said this was our undoing.

We ended up. With deep emptiness that this is

the result of Yassar, the fruit of Yassar.

It's an emptiness depression. And eventually last year they

got divorced. So she moves us going to pursue

making money, owning it as a businesswoman.

He stays put with his own home, own life.

Off we go. Thank you very much.

Moab famine. Except there was 1 complication,

one little problem. They thought maybe a problem.

You would think maybe a problem. All part of God's plan.

They'd had a child together. And I don't know what the

paperwork is, I didn't ask. But I could imagine when the

lawyers were sitting and writing it out, you know, it's like, OK,

on these weekends you and on these weekends you, and then

you've got to drive across and drop off and take to school.

And so they just figured, you know, with all this mess, the

easiest way to handle all of these particulars is we just

come to church together. And so they did.

They'd come daughter and toe. And they said during the week,

it's like lawyers letters hating on each other, right?

And then they come on a Sunday and they sit lifting holy hands.

You see, because I don't know if you know this, but when you walk

into the building our steps on straight, we got crooked steps

because you are welcome to come in all your crooked Moabites

wisdom here. God will straighten, rescue,

restore and redeem. Not at home.

That was key. So they started coming into

church every single Sunday because they needed to do this

whole transfer whatever thing every Sunday set on the word

every Sunday. And then he discovered and

trying to get rid of all evidence that they ever lived

together. He discovered a primary school

Bible and I don't know how, but it seems to have taken a photo

and sent it to her. Like, do you want this or can I

burn it? And she responded like, this is

private and it's personal. And he's like, I've got a

response. So he took another photo and

sent it. And then he decided actually I'm

going to find a verse because what she would do is she would

write, this is a primary school Bible, right?

What God was saying next to that verse.

And so he would send it to her. Started as a dig, but she says,

I kid you not, it's like God came into this man's heart and

changed him and he just started walking the walk and that's when

my heart began to soften, She says he was walking the walk,

but the Redeemer was in the room.

You won't believe what happened next.

They started having Bible study together.

Now that's crazy, but just wait, there's more.

They weren't living together, so they would make a cup of coffee,

video call and have a Bible study together every morning.

But there's more that did that at 4 AMI know, right?

I'm not. You don't have to tell me.

That's like, I don't think I've ever had a quiet time with my

wife, he said. We've been together 21 years

now. We've never done that in our

whole entire relationship. I said 4:00 AM.

But have you lost your mind? He said.

This, I don't know, I just felt God needed me on my knees.

Carriers in Moab, God gets him on his knees.

Then Fast forward a few weeks, months, we start our series on

Ecclesiastes and there's one that we preached on God's time

and place, that God's purposes unfold at the intersection of

his time and place. I don't know if we can get it on

camera, but there was 1 cross in front of our sound desk.

We had crosses all over the place.

But at the end of the service, she had gone out because she was

like cunning me, any corporal. She was chatting to a friend,

she says, actually putting on sunglasses, trying to hide the

tears. And she said I want out.

And her friend said to her, there is such a thing as

redemption. And a few minutes later, her ex

came around, grabbed her by the hand and said, come, we're doing

this. Walked her back.

And then they stood on that cross and all this hit was rude.

We're in Moab properly. But if you can walk into the

room, if you can redeem, would you do that?

Fast forward a little bit. Lots of pray, lots of patience,

lots of coffee dates, lots of discussions.

And on the 23rd of August 2025, she moved back in.

And then the first day home, he proposed and she said yes, but

there's more, there's more. Wait, wait, wait.

You know how he proposed? Having quiet time.

So this is where redemption started.

This is where redemption will continue.

He said, will you be my wife again?

And she said yes, but here's more.

They're here today. Can the engaged couples stand

for us? But there's more.

Remember I said I just wanted to present a picture of what Ruth

is all about. You know, she gets married in

the end. So I'm going to ask the engaged

couple to make their way down to the cross and we're going to let

them get married. Can I ask that you stay

standing? Can we honor what God is doing

in the picture that He wants to present during the series by

just remaining standing for this moment?

We'll have it on camera so you'll be able to see Eugene

over to you. Thank you for allowing us into

your story. It's absolutely, absolutely mind

blowing. So, Viand Mikaela, it's our

privilege to lead you into the vows, and this is holy ground.

I want you to know many, many, many, many, many marriages I

touched here this morning because of your obedience.

Thank you. So would you face one another?

Please To you, Vian Albert from Vaik, declare that as far as you

know, there's no lawful impediment to your proposed

marriage to Michaela von Vaik here present, and that you call

all of us to witness that you take her as your only lawful

wife. What is your answer?

I do, yes. Do you, Michaela von Vaik,

declare that as far as you know, there's no lawful impediment to

your proposed marriage to Vian Albert from Vaikya present, and

that you call all of us here present to witness that you take

him as your only lawful husband? What is your answer?

Yes. Vian, will you take me, Kayla,

to be your wife? Do you promise that you would

love her, cherish her honor and protect her and forsake all

others and be faithful to her for as long as you both shall

live? What is your answer?

Yes, Michaela. Will you take Fian to be your

husband? Do you promise that you will

love him, cherish him, honor and protect him and forsake all

others, and be faithful to Him for as long as you both shall

live? What is your answer?

I do. I do.

Where's Mia? Mia.

Why'd you bring us the rings? Please?

This is their beautiful daughter.

Friends give their. Give her a hand.

Please. Lift up the microphone with this

ring with. This ring, Ivan, take you

Mikayla take you, Mikayla to be. My wedded wife.

To be my wedded wife to. Heaven too old to.

Heaven too old from. This day forward from.

This day, forward for better. For worse for.

Better for worse for. Richer for, poorer for.

Richer for poor in. Sickness and in health in.

Sickness and in health to. Love to love and.

To cherish and. To cherish.

Till death do us part till. Death do us part, I say.

These things I. Say these things not out of

mine, but. Knowing but.

Knowing God. Is with us.

That God is with us every step of.

The way. Every step of the way.

With this ring. With this ring.

I'm Michaela. I'm.

Michaela Take. You vian take.

You vian to be my. Wedded husband to be.

My wedded husband to. Heaven to hold to.

Heaven to hold from this. Day forward from.

This day forward better for better, for worse, for worse,

for richer, for richer for poor in sickness or in health.

In sickness and in health to. Love to.

Love and to. Cherish and.

To cherish. To a spot to.

Death to a spot. Say these things I.

Say these things not out of my own, not out of my own, but I

believe, but I believe that God. Is with us that.

God is with us every. Step.

Of the way, every step of the way.

Wow and. Now it gives me the remarkable

privilege to declare that Vien, Albert von Weich and Michaela

von Weich, here present, have been lawfully married.

You may kiss your bride. Why do you stretch on your hands

as we pray blessing over them? So, Father, may you bless them,

May you keep them. May you make your face shine

upon them, May you turn your face towards them.

King, may you be gracious to them.

May you provide for them, May you protect them, and above all,

may you either give him peace that surpasses all understanding

in Jesus mighty name. And everybody say Amen.

Congratulations. Thank you.

We are done. Let's trust that in the week and

the weeks to come that that happens 1000 times over in our

businesses and our personal lives and our kids and our

futures and our faith.