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Ruth and Boaz Unite · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself,
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  Speaker 1: lest I mar mine own inheritance. Redeem thou my right
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  Speaker 1: to thyself, for I cannot redeem it. Ruth 4.6 Dear
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  Speaker 1: Heavenly Father, before I begin my day, I want to
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  Speaker 1: first thank you that, through broken situations, you can find
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  Speaker 1: beauty and purpose. What you did with Ruth I believe
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  Speaker 1: you can do with me. Therefore, I thank you in
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  Speaker 1: advance for second chances. I thank you for putting me
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  Speaker 1: in the right situation, at the right place, with kingdom-minded
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  Speaker 1: people who can alter the direction of my life and destiny.
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  Speaker 1: I thank you, like Boaz, you will present people who
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  Speaker 1: will fight on my behalf and intervene when life says
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  Speaker 1: that I should be stuck. With diligence and faithfulness as
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  Speaker 1: my companions, I can rest assured and know that the
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  Speaker 1: day of my deliverance is near. Thank you, Lord, that
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  Speaker 1: you are creating a life for me that I can't
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  Speaker 1: even imagine. Thank you, Lord, that you've sent Jesus into
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  Speaker 1: my life to redeem me and reinstate me to my
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  Speaker 1: position of royalty. Hallelujah. I know you're just getting started, Lord.
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  Speaker 1: and that there's more to come for my life. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Continue listening for
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  Speaker 1: an incredible 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: I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
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  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would absolutely love
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  Speaker 3: to send you my daily devotional, that will give you
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  Speaker 3: fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment
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  Speaker 3: we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
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  Speaker 3: the pillow, there are thousands of things demanding our attention.
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  Speaker 3: But it's in the midst of all this crush and
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  Speaker 3: hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
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  Speaker 3: truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
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  Speaker 3: you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing
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  Speaker 3: Word by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.
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  Speaker 3: So visit JackGraham.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.
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  Speaker 3: That's JackGraham.org. JackGraham.org. In our last episode, we heard how
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  Speaker 3: Naomi and Ruth journeyed from Moab to Bethlehem, Naomi's homeland.
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  Speaker 3: Ruth had pledged her loyalty to her mother-in-law and embraced
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  Speaker 3: the God of Israel as her own God. The two
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  Speaker 3: women faced a difficult life in their new home. Both
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  Speaker 3: were widowed and they had no children to care for them.
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  Speaker 3: They depended on the gleanings from the fields of harvest,
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  Speaker 3: which Ruth worked hard to collect. It was there in
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  Speaker 3: the fields that she met a man by the name
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  Speaker 3: of Boaz, who showed her great kindness and mercy, knowing
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  Speaker 3: what she had done for Naomi. Boaz was a God-fearing
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  Speaker 3: man who was wealthy, generous, and protective of Ruth in
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  Speaker 3: her vulnerability as a poor foreigner. And today we'll learn
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  Speaker 3: of a deepening of this relationship and how Boaz and
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  Speaker 3: Ruth will come together to begin a family line that
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  Speaker 3: will trace all the way to the fulfillment of God's
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  Speaker 3: promised Redeemer, not just for Israel, but for the whole world.
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  Speaker 3: So 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. BOEZ 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 BOEZ 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. Therefore, Boaz was given permission to marry
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  Speaker 2: Ruth and redeem her. Boaz did his best to remain
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  Speaker 2: composed and hide his excitement. Very well, I shall redeem her,
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  Speaker 2: Boaz said. The two men laughed, and Boaz and Ruth
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  Speaker 2: began to make arrangements for their wedding. The time had come,
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  Speaker 2: and all of Bethlehem was there to witness the union
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  Speaker 2: of Ruth and her redeemer Boaz. Boaz watched as his
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  Speaker 2: bride Ruth approached the altar. She was beautiful, despite her brokenness.
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  Speaker 2: Ruth looked at her redeemer and groom, Boaz. He was
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  Speaker 2: strong yet gentle and worthy of her devotion. The two
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  Speaker 2: of them were married and experienced the bliss and unity
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  Speaker 2: of marriage. Together they conceived a child and named him Obed.
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  Speaker 2: He was the father of Jesse, the father of David,
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  Speaker 2: Israel's king. Boaz and Ruth's marriage was but a thread
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  Speaker 2: in the greater tapestry of God's marvelous plan. One day
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  Speaker 2: there would be another wedding of sorts. The imperfect and
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  Speaker 2: broken bride would stand before her strong and gentle response.
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  Speaker 2: We begin today's story with Ruth's.
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  Speaker 3: Working hard in the fields, gleaning from Boaz's crops to
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  Speaker 3: feed herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi. The kindness of Boaz
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  Speaker 3: has moved her, and she is drawn, attracted to this man. Naomi,
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  Speaker 3: her mother-in-law, knew her culture well and understood that Boaz
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  Speaker 3: could be a kinsman redeemer for Ruth, one who married
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  Speaker 3: a widow after a relative had passed on and then
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  Speaker 3: cared for her. Ruth was now so much more than
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  Speaker 3: an in-law to Naomi. She was like a daughter, and
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  Speaker 3: Naomi wanted to give her rest from her labor. So
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  Speaker 3: Naomi instructed Ruth to wash and anoint herself, in other words,
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  Speaker 3: make herself presentable, and then to wear a cloak to
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  Speaker 3: hide her appearance. She was to go to the threshing
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  Speaker 3: floor and stay overnight near Boaz so that while he
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  Speaker 3: slept she could approach him and uncover his feet and
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  Speaker 3: wake him. This would provide quiet conversation for the two
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  Speaker 3: of them. Ruth did exactly as she was told, and
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  Speaker 3: that night as Boaz slept, she approached him, uncovered his feet,
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  Speaker 3: and laid down. Boaz awoke, startled, and asked who was
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  Speaker 3: sleeping at his feet. I can only imagine what a
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  Speaker 3: surprise this must have been to find a stranger lying
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  Speaker 3: so close. This is a very unusual approach to courtship,
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  Speaker 3: isn't it? Unusual, but very effective. Ruth made herself known.
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  Speaker 3: Then she asked him to spread his wings over her
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  Speaker 3: as her redeemer. The words may seem odd to you
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  Speaker 3: and me, but to Boaz, the meaning was clear. Ruth
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  Speaker 3: was asking him if he would marry her. Boaz was
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  Speaker 3: touched by Ruth's request. He knew she could have gone
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  Speaker 3: after younger men in town, men who were also wealthy,
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  Speaker 3: but she had chosen him, and he was captivated by her.
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  Speaker 3: He wanted to say yes to this request. But he
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  Speaker 3: was also an honorable man and knew there were other
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  Speaker 3: factors in this kinsman-redeemer tradition, issues involving purchase of the
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  Speaker 3: land that belonged to Elimelech, Naomi's husband. And that opportunity
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  Speaker 3: should first be offered to another potential redeemer who was
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  Speaker 3: closer to Naomi's land. Boaz explained all of this to
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  Speaker 3: Ruth and said he would love to say yes, but
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  Speaker 3: first must speak to the other man. He promised to
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  Speaker 3: do so the next morning. And if the other man
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  Speaker 3: was unable or unwilling, he would gladly redeem her. Even here,
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  Speaker 3: we see the kindness of Boaz. He was telling Ruth
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  Speaker 3: that one way or another, he would see to it
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  Speaker 3: that she was redeemed. Ruth returned home excitingly awaiting the outcome.
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  Speaker 3: Patiently waiting can be a difficult task. We all know that.
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  Speaker 3: But Ruth and Naomi did just that, hopeful but not insistent.
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  Speaker 3: Then Boaz finally came with great news. He would be
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  Speaker 3: her Redeemer. The story, which began with three funerals, would
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  Speaker 3: end with 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 from Dallas, Texas.
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  Speaker 3: And before we go, I want you to know that
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  Speaker 3: I would love to send you my daily devotional to
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  Speaker 3: give you fresh encouragement every single day. So visit jackgram.org
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  Speaker 3: to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's jackgram.org.