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Ruth and Boaz Unite - The Book of Ruth · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem
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  Speaker 1: it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem
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  Speaker 1: thou my right to thyself, for I cannot redeem it.
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  Speaker 1: Ruth 4.6 Dear Heavenly Father, before I begin my day,
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  Speaker 1: I want to first thank you that through broken situations
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  Speaker 1: you can find beauty and purpose. What you did with
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  Speaker 1: Ruth I believe you can do with me. Therefore, I
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  Speaker 1: thank you in advance for second chances. I thank you
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  Speaker 1: for putting me in the right situation at the right
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  Speaker 1: place with kingdom-minded people who can alter the direction of
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  Speaker 1: my life and destiny. I thank you, like Boaz, you
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  Speaker 1: will present people who will fight on my behalf and
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  Speaker 1: intervene when life says that I should be stuck. With
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  Speaker 1: diligence and faithfulness as my companions, I can rest assured
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  Speaker 1: and know that the day of my deliverance is near.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you, Lord, that you are creating a life for
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  Speaker 1: me that I can't even imagine. Thank you, Lord, that
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  Speaker 1: you've sent Jesus into my life to redeem me and
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  Speaker 1: reinstate me to my position of royalty. Hallelujah. I know
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  Speaker 1: you're just getting started, Lord. and that there's more to
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  Speaker 1: come for my life. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you
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  Speaker 1: for praying with me today. Continue listening for an incredible
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  Speaker 1: Bible story brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Ruth and Boaz Unite In our last story, we were
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  Speaker 2: introduced to Naomi and Ruth. Naomi lost everything because of
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  Speaker 2: the death of her husband and two sons, and the
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  Speaker 2: only person to remain faithful to her was Ruth, her daughter-in-law.
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  Speaker 2: Both Ruth and Naomi ventured to Bethlehem, Naomi's hometown. There,
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  Speaker 2: Ruth worked the fields of a kind and noble man
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  Speaker 2: named Boaz. Boaz protected Ruth and showered her with favor.
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  Speaker 2: Now we learn of Ruth and Boaz's connection and romance,
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  Speaker 2: and their relationship begins a bloodline that would change the
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  Speaker 2: world forever, as inspired by the book of Ruth.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas,
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  Speaker 3: with today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: In our last episode, we heard how Naomi and Ruth
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  Speaker 3: journeyed from Moab to Bethlehem, Naomi's homeland. Ruth had pledged
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  Speaker 3: her loyalty to her mother-in-law and embraced the God of
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  Speaker 3: Israel as her own God. The two women faced a
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  Speaker 3: difficult life in their new home. Both were widowed, and
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  Speaker 3: they had no children to care for them. They depended
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  Speaker 3: on the gleanings from the fields of harvest, which Ruth
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  Speaker 3: worked hard to collect. It was there in the fields
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  Speaker 3: that she met a man by the name of Boaz,
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  Speaker 3: who showed her great kindness and mercy, knowing what she
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  Speaker 3: had done for Naomi. Boaz was a God-fearing man who
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  Speaker 3: was wealthy, generous, and protective of Ruth in her vulnerability
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  Speaker 3: as a poor foreigner. And today we'll learn of a
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  Speaker 3: deepening of this relationship and how Boaz and Ruth will
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  Speaker 3: come together to begin a family line that will trace
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  Speaker 3: all the way to the fulfillment of God's promised Redeemer,
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  Speaker 3: not just for Israel, but for the whole world. So
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  Speaker 3: let's listen to this beautiful love story.
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  Speaker 2: Ruth worked the fields of Boaz for weeks, and moment
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  Speaker 2: by moment she pined after him. It was not his
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  Speaker 2: wealth or looks, but the kindness and humility he displayed
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  Speaker 2: to all his servants and workers. She spoke often of
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  Speaker 2: him to Naomi, and Naomi's heart grew excited for Ruth.
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  Speaker 2: She watched her sweet daughter smile as she spoke his name,
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  Speaker 2: and welled with excitement before she left to work the fields.
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  Speaker 2: As Ruth was speaking, Naomi interrupted her and said,' Ruth,
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  Speaker 2: you work so hard.' Naomi stopped, wiping away a few tears.'
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  Speaker 2: It is my deepest desire for you to find rest
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  Speaker 2: for your heart and hands.' You should go to Winnow
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  Speaker 2: Barley tonight with Boaz and the rest of his servants. Then,
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  Speaker 2: after he has ate and drank, you should stay the night,
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  Speaker 2: along with the others in his household. Uncover his feet
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  Speaker 2: when he sleeps. That will wake him up gracefully so
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  Speaker 2: you two can talk in private. I have a feeling
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  Speaker 2: you will know where you stand after that. Ruth did
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  Speaker 2: as Naomi said. She washed her hair and put on
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  Speaker 2: fresh clothes and departed gleefully to the threshing floor, where
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  Speaker 2: people were winnowing the barley. She worked and laughed alongside
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  Speaker 2: Boaz and the rest of the workers. Every once in
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  Speaker 2: a while, Ruth and Boaz would meet each other's eyes
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  Speaker 2: for a brief moment. The entire house ate together afterwards,
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  Speaker 2: and the people began to retreat to their beds to sleep.
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  Speaker 2: Boaz was the last to leave the dining hall. He
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  Speaker 2: stumbled around the candlelit room and rested his eyes on
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  Speaker 2: a heap of grain. Ruth watched from a distance as
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  Speaker 2: Boaz fell into a deep sleep. She gracefully walked over
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  Speaker 2: to the foot of where Boaz lay. Slowly and with
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  Speaker 2: great care, she uncovered the blanket from Boaz's feet. The
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  Speaker 2: slight breeze came in from the window and tickled his toes.
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  Speaker 2: Boaz opened his eyes and sat up immediately. All Boaz
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  Speaker 2: could see was a dark figure laying at his feet.
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  Speaker 2: Ready to draw his sword, he said, Who are you?
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  Speaker 2: I am your servant, Ruth, she whispered. Please, spread your
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  Speaker 2: wings over me as a redeemer. Her heart was beating fast,
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  Speaker 2: and her hands sweat slightly out of nervousness. Boaz was
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  Speaker 2: known as a kinsman redeemer. In those days, kinsmen redeemers
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  Speaker 2: could marry a widow in place of a deceased relative
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  Speaker 2: in order to take care of her. Ruth was truly
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  Speaker 2: asking if Boaz would want to marry her. Ruth could
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  Speaker 2: barely see Boaz's smile in the dim candlelight. He sat
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  Speaker 2: up more and leaned over towards her and said, In
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  Speaker 2: all your time here, you have not chased after all
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  Speaker 2: the young men here, whether poor or rich. Instead, you
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  Speaker 2: have remained here with me, worked, and been pleasant company.
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  Speaker 2: Do not fear, and take heart, because everybody knows you
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  Speaker 2: are a worthy and beautiful woman. It could not be
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  Speaker 2: seen in the night, but Ruth was blushing. Boaz took
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  Speaker 2: her hand and said, I am not the only redeemer
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  Speaker 2: here in Bethlehem. There is another that lives closer to
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  Speaker 2: you than I. Tomorrow morning I will speak with him.
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  Speaker 2: If he does not wish to redeem you, it would
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  Speaker 2: be my absolute pleasure. The two of them smiled at
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  Speaker 2: each other, with only a dim candle and the crescent
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  Speaker 2: moon shining on their faces. Ruth lay there at his
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  Speaker 2: feet until morning. Boaz sent her off with more barley
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  Speaker 2: for her and Naomi, and then Ruth left early so
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  Speaker 2: nobody would see her, lest Boaz lose his honor. Ruth
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  Speaker 2: rushed home to bring back good reports to Naomi. The
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  Speaker 2: two women laughed and cried with one another. Naomi took
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  Speaker 2: Ruth by the cheeks and said, Trust me, the man
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  Speaker 2: will not rest until the matter is settled today. And
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  Speaker 2: sure enough, Boaz rushed in the morning to meet with
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  Speaker 2: the other Redeemer. Boaz sat at the gate of the
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  Speaker 2: other Redeemer, waiting for him to come out to meet him.
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  Speaker 2: He thought of Ruth while he waited and watched the sunrise.
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  Speaker 2: She was beautiful. humble and kind enough to take care
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  Speaker 2: of her mother-in-law when she didn't have to. He sat
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  Speaker 2: and daydreamed, looking blankly in the horizon. The other Redeemer
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  Speaker 2: walked from his home to the gate and sat beside Boaz.
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  Speaker 2: There Boaz spoke of Ruth and Naomi and asked if
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  Speaker 2: the man would want to redeem her for himself. The
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  Speaker 2: man was willing to redeem Naomi and her property, but
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  Speaker 2: unwilling to marry her or Ruth, lest he muddy his
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  Speaker 2: own family inheritance and Therefore, Boaz was given permission to
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  Speaker 2: marry Ruth and redeem her. Boaz did his best to
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  Speaker 2: remain composed and hide his excitement. Very well, I shall
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  Speaker 2: redeem her, Boaz said. The two men laughed, and Boaz
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  Speaker 2: and Ruth began to make arrangements for their wedding. The
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  Speaker 2: time had come, and all of Bethlehem was there to
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  Speaker 2: witness the union of Ruth and her redeemer Boaz. Boaz
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  Speaker 2: watched as his bride Ruth approached the altar. She was beautiful,
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  Speaker 2: despite her brokenness. Ruth looked at her redeemer and groom, Boaz.
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  Speaker 2: He was strong yet gentle and worthy of her devotion.
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  Speaker 2: The two of them were married and experienced the bliss
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  Speaker 2: and unity of marriage. Together they conceived a child and
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  Speaker 2: named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the
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  Speaker 2: father of David, Israel's king. Boaz and Ruth's marriage was
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  Speaker 2: but a thread in the greater tapestry of God's marvelous plan.
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  Speaker 2: One day there would be another wedding of sorts. The
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  Speaker 2: imperfect and broken bride would stand before her strong and
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  Speaker 2: gentle Redeemer. A beautiful picture that reflected a greater truth
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  Speaker 2: was unfolding. A picture of God's love and redemption for
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  Speaker 2: His people and their loving devotion to Him in return.
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  Speaker 3: We begin today's story with Ruth's working hard in the fields,
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  Speaker 3: gleaning from Boaz's crops to feed herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi.
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  Speaker 3: The kindness of Boaz has moved her, and she is drawn,
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  Speaker 3: attracted to this man. Naomi, her mother-in-law, knew her culture
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  Speaker 3: well and understood that Boaz could be a kinsman redeemer
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  Speaker 3: for Ruth, one who married a widow after a relative
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  Speaker 3: had passed on and then cared for her. Ruth was
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  Speaker 3: now so much more than an in-law to Naomi. She
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  Speaker 3: was like a daughter, and Naomi wanted to give her
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  Speaker 3: rest from her labor. So Naomi instructed Ruth to wash
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  Speaker 3: and anoint herself, in other words, make herself presentable, and
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  Speaker 3: then to wear a cloak to hide her appearance. She
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  Speaker 3: was to go to the threshing floor and stay overnight
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  Speaker 3: near Boaz so that while he slept she could approach
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  Speaker 3: him and uncover his feet and wake him. This would
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  Speaker 3: provide quiet conversation for the two of them. Ruth did
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  Speaker 3: exactly as she was told, and that night as Boaz slept,
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  Speaker 3: she approached him, uncovered his feet, and laid down. Boaz awoke, startled,
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  Speaker 3: and asked who was sleeping at his feet. I can
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  Speaker 3: only imagine what a surprise this must have been to
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  Speaker 3: find a stranger lying so close. This is a very
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  Speaker 3: unusual approach to courtship, isn't it? Unusual, but very effective.
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  Speaker 3: Ruth made herself known. Then she asked him to spread
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  Speaker 3: his wings over her as her redeemer. The words may
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  Speaker 3: seem odd to you and me, but to Boaz, the
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  Speaker 3: meaning was clear. Ruth was asking him if he would
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  Speaker 3: marry her. Boaz was touched by Ruth's request. He knew
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  Speaker 3: she could have gone after younger men in town, men
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  Speaker 3: who were also wealthy, but she had chosen him, and
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  Speaker 3: he was captivated by her. He wanted to say yes
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  Speaker 3: to this request. But he was also an honorable man
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  Speaker 3: and knew there were other factors in this kinsman-redeemer tradition,
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  Speaker 3: issues involving purchase of the land that belonged to Elimelech,
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  Speaker 3: Naomi's husband. And that opportunity should first be offered to
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  Speaker 3: another potential redeemer who was closer to Naomi's land. Boaz
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  Speaker 3: explained all of this to Ruth and said he would
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  Speaker 3: love to say yes, but first must speak to the
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  Speaker 3: other man. He promised to do so the next morning.
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  Speaker 3: And if the other man was unable or unwilling, he
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  Speaker 3: would gladly redeem her. Even here we see the kindness
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  Speaker 3: of Boaz. He was telling Ruth that one way or another,
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  Speaker 3: he would see to it that she was redeemed. Ruth
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  Speaker 3: returned home excitingly awaiting the outcome. Patiently waiting can be
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  Speaker 3: a difficult task. We all know that. But Ruth and
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  Speaker 3: Naomi did just that, hopeful but not insistent. Then Boaz
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  Speaker 3: finally came with great news. He would be her redeemer.
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  Speaker 3: The story, which began with three funerals, would end with
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  Speaker 3: a glorious wedding and the birth of a child. Naomi,
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  Speaker 3: the woman who wished to be called bitter, found joy again.
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  Speaker 3: But God's work in her life was a witness to all.
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  Speaker 3: Ruth 4.14 says, Then the women said to Naomi, Blessed
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  Speaker 3: be the Lord who has not left you this day
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  Speaker 3: without a Redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel.
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  Speaker 3: And the child that Boaz and Ruth bore, his name
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  Speaker 3: was Obed, who would be the father of Jesse, the
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  Speaker 3: father of David. David, who would be the great king
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  Speaker 3: of Israel, the man after God's own heart, and the
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  Speaker 3: progenitor of the Messiah who is yet to come. Dear God,
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  Speaker 3: thank you that you have not left us without a redeemer,
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  Speaker 3: one near to us and dear to us, our Lord
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  Speaker 3: Jesus Christ. Thank you for showing this story that we
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  Speaker 3: might see you. Through your son Jesus, you have redeemed
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  Speaker 3: us and bought us out of slavery that we might
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  Speaker 3: know the joy of knowing you, and overcome even the
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  Speaker 3: most bitter circumstances of life. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for
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  Speaker 3: being our kinsman redeemer. Amen. Thank you for listening to
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  Speaker 3: today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas,
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  Speaker 3: and you can download the Pray.com app and make prayer
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  Speaker 3: the priority of your life. It is our prayer that
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  Speaker 3: you would know Jesus Christ in a personal way. Jesus,
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  Speaker 3: And knowing him is the key to understanding the Bible.
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  Speaker 3: Jesus is on every page in the pathway of Scripture.
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  Speaker 3: So I pray that you would know him and look
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  Speaker 3: to him for eternal life. As we see all of
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  Speaker 3: these stories, some of them very sordid, we realize just
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  Speaker 3: how desperately we all need the Lord. So invite Christ
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  Speaker 3: into your life and receive him as your Lord and Savior.
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  Speaker 3: I would also encourage you to download the Pray.com app
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  Speaker 3: and let others know about this podcast. And if you
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  Speaker 3: want more resources on how to know God and experience
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  Speaker 3: His presence in your life, be sure to visit JackGraham.org.
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  Speaker 3: God bless you.