Judges Part 3: Ruth the Lesson Among the Judges
The providence of God: the means by which God directs his creation to accomplish His will. God used His foreknowledge of all that would happen to direct His creation to Revelation 21, the new heaven and new earth, when He will be acknowledged by all of His creation, including, every man, woman and child, as head above all. The providence of God is seen in Ruth, the lesson among the judges.
The 2:10 generation did not know the LORD and did not know war.
Jg 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes
Ch 17 Micah {an Ephraimite} created a temple and filled it with his idols and hired a Levite to be his priest.
· Vs3,13 blasphemy worshipping God through graven imaged
Jg 18:1 ¶ In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel. [Ch 1:34-36]
· V2 sent men to spy out the land and end up in the house of Micah. Jg 18:29 And they took Laish and called the name of the city Dan [V7] The people of Laish were careless and secure were [3:2 did not know war]. Dan easily took the area
· V6 Blasphemy: Micah’s false priest, told the Danites the LORD would lead them in the taking of their brothers land
· The Danites stole land, Michah’s idols and Micah’s priest and in Vs 18:30-31 did set up the idols in the city of Dan and established their own priesthood.
v Is there any wonder the tribes of Dan and Ephraim have no part in the 144,000 of Revelation 7. [See Deu 29:10-21]
Chapters 17 and 18 The tribe of Dan led the 2:10 Generation into idolatry. Under the leadership of Joshua, Caleb, and Phinehas, the move to gross idolatry would not have been allowed this to take place. These men knew the LORD and they knew war.
· I believe the events of Chs 17 and 18 take place between after the 2:10 generation arose and before 3:8 when the LORD sold the nation into the hands king of Mesopotamia.
*The Pattern see among the Judges of Judges
Othniel 3:8 He {the LORD} sold them into the hand the king of Mesopotamia
Ehud 3:12 the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, 3:15, the LORD raised them up a deliverer
Shagmar: 3:31 and he also delivered Israel.
Deborah 4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin
Gideon 6:1 ¶ LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian
· In the days of these five judges the LORD did sell and or did deliver His people into the hands of their enemies. Than He sent Judges to redeem them and their land people and their land back.
The judges Tola and Jair defended Israel.
Jephthah 10:7 the LORD sold them into the hands of the Philistines
· 10:13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
During the times of the judges Ibzan, Elon, Abdon and Samson the LORD did not deliver them from the Philistines, But He gave them times of peace while under their control.
Ruth:, the lesson among the judges
· Leviticus 25:25 the law of the kinsman redeemer.
V1:1Elimelech of Bethlehemjudah had to sell his inheritance because of the famine in Israel [Judges 6:1-6] and went to Moab.
· Naomi, Elimelech’s widow, returns to Bethlehemjudah with Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, widow of her son, Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz a near kinsman of Elimelech.
· Boaz not only redeemed the land of Elimelech but also married Ruth.
v The providence of God: Ruth 4:17 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.
Lesson 2: After Solomon led Israel into idolatry the children of Israel eventually lost the land and was scattered throughout the nations of the world. Today the nation of Israel is confined to a very small portion if the land of promise and the Jews are still scattered among the gentile nations. Israel does not completely control Jerusalem.
· King David completely took the land of promise from Israel’s enemies and brought peace and prosperity to the land and the Jews.
The providence of God
*Boaz of the tribe of Judah;
· Jesus Christ: Re 5:5 The lion of the tribe of Judah
*Boaz married a gentile bride;
· Jesus Christ: his bride 2Cor 11:2 the gentile church
Boaz was the great-grandfather of King David
· Jesus Christ seed of David John 7:42
*Boaz bought back the inheritance of Elimelech;
· Jesus Christ: Isa 65:9, 21; Isa 66:21;
· Amos 9:14-15 with Lev 25:23
· Jesus Christ is going to redeem His land and give it back to a redeemed Israel for ever.
· See Revelation 21 – Israel’s eternal inheritance.