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TEXT: “So Boaz took Ruth and she was his wife.”
Ruth 4:13.
HIS is the last in the series of sermons
on Ruth. We come now to consider her
marriage. Ido not hesitate to say again
that the story of Ruth is one of the
most fascinating and thrilling stories
that I have ever found in print. I do
not believe any language contains a
more beautiful story, to sky nothing of
its importance from the standpoint of
T
the Scriptures. Speaking from the standpoint of the
Scriptures there is nothing more important, histor
ically, as we shall see. In order that we may fully
appreciate the end of the story, her marriage and
after life, it is necessary that we go back and rap
idly retrace the main points in the story as we find
them recorded.
You will remember that at the beginning we
mentioned that we do not know who the writer of
this story was. Some have claimed that the writer
was Samson; others that it was Samuel, but this
is purely speculative. You will remember also that
we mentioned that there is no way by which we can
ascertain the date when this story was written.
There is, however, in the story a hint that indicates
that it was perhaps written during the early period
of the reign of King David. There is a mention of
the name of David, which shows that the story was
not written until after David’s career was begun,
and it must have been written sometime during the
early period of his administration as King of Is
rael.
The purpose of the book is more than simply to
give us an insight into the marriage customs of the
people of Israel at the time when the book was writ
ten. The main purpose of the story is to give us
the connecting link in the genealogy of the Messiah
in the family history of Jesus. Ruth, the heroine
of the story, was a Moabitess; she was a Gentile
woman. Boaz, the hero of the story, was of the
tribe of Judah, a thoroughbred Jew. As a result of
the union of Ruth and Boaz, Obed is born, who in
time, becomes the father of Jesse, the father of Da
vid from whom we know the Messiah descended;
so that from this story, and from this story alone,
we get this important fact that Jesus had not only
the blood of the Jew, but of the Gentile. Jesus was
both a Jew and a Gentile. Furthermore, the state
ment in prophecy concerning the Messiah that He
was to be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is verified
by this book and this book alone, Boaz being of the
t>ibe of Judah. So that we see the main purpose
of the story is to show the connecting link in the
genealogy of Jesus; giving us His family history,
showing us that He is both Jew and Gentile.
A REVIEW.
Now then, a brief review of the story itself will
be necessary that we may properly appreciate the
finale of the story which we are considering now.
Remember the family group with which the story
started. That group is made up of .Elimelech, his
wife. Naomi, their sons, Mahlon and Chilion. A
famine of such severity came to Bethlehem Judah,
their home, that Elimelech with his family
into the land of Moab, a heathen country, a Gen
tile country. In this Gentile and heathen land, sur
rounded by false worship and idolatrous customs,
these two sons marry. They marry Moabitish girls.
Their father dies, and Naomi is left a widow. Then
these two young men die and their wives are left
widows. After living for a period of about ten years in
this land of Moab, Naomi, hearing that God had again
visited the land with plenty in the harvest, decided
that she would return and spend the remainder
of her life in her own home country, and with her
two daughters-in-law she starts. On the way, Naomi
had a conference with her two daughters-in-law,
laying before them all the circumstances confront
ing them in this land to which they were going, try
ing to persuade them to return and live amongst
their own people, since she thought they would be
Tabernacle Sermon by Reb. Len G. Broughton, D.D.
Stenographically reported for The Golden Age.—Copyright applied for.
happier there. One of the daughters-in-law, Orpah,
returned to her nation, and to her people, and so
far as history goes she drops out entirely.
But Ruth could not be persuaded to leave her
mother-in-law. This is an example of the affection,
deep and strong which often exists between two
women. Consider her beautiful expression: “Whither
thou goest, I will go; whither thou lodgest, I will
lodge; thy people shall be my people; thy God my
God.” Thus she not only renounced her people and
her home, but also her religion, her idolatrous wor
ship and became a worshiper of the God of Israel.
She went with her mother-in-law until they came
to the old homestead and there she sought to glean
grain to sustain herself and her mother-in-law. As
the result of this she happened in the field of Boaz.
Boaz was a rich farmer, or planter; he was a kins
man of Naomi’s, though he was unknown to Ruth at
the time when she happened to glean in his field. It
was there while gleaning the barley heads that she
met Boaz and, as we have seen, at once there was
implanted the germ of love, the final result of which
is in our text tonight which says, “And Boaz took
Ruth, and she became his wife.”
There are some things I want to say about this
marriage ceremony. First of all, let me call your at
tention to the simple record given of what we may
infer was a very simple and quiet ceremony. I do
not think tnere is any relation in life half so sacred
as the relation of marriage. I do not think there
is any relation of life that should be entered upon
with anything like the seriousness as the relation
of marriage. So sacred is it, so important, there is
wrapped up in it so many serious issues and conse
quences that I do not think that it should be attend
ed by the kind of show and parade and ostentation
which is our custom to exhibit at marriage. I be
lieve that the simplest form of marriage is ideal.
I do not think there should be the slightest thing
to distract from the intense sacredness of the occa
sion. If a man of the wealth of Boaz today were
to marry in Atlanta, bless your soul, it would be a
sight to see the society columns of the paper tomor
row. In writing it up such descriptions of the deco
rations and the refreshments, of her dress and her
mother’s dress! How the ink would flow as the re
porter described it! These days the reporter never
even has to be present; he can shut both eyes and
lock both ears and tell exactly how it went; and
then there would be such a description of the at
tendance upon the occasion and their beautiful
gowns and their jewels and the like, and then there
would be a great story about their bridal tour
“They went East.” Every whit of this, mark my
word, every whit of it, is distracting from the sa
credness and the solemnity of marriage, making it
simply a society event;' a social occasion. I like
this simple way that the writer records, “And she
became his wife.” That is all. I doubt if she got a
single new dress, but I tell you what he got; he got
a wife. He did not get much millinery, but he got
a wife. He did not get much dry goods but he got a
wife; and that wife became a tremendous factor,
in the universe of God, for she became the ances
tress of the very Son of God.
IMMATURE MARRIAGES.
Another thing about it, this marriage of Ruth and
Boaz, was a marriage of mature people. I think that
one of the greatest curses of society is the curse of
immature marriages. It is a curse in ever so many
ways, and if you will let your thinker get to work
for a moment you can think out for yourself hun
dreds of ways in which immature marriages, mar
riages of people of immature age, is one of the
world’s greatest curses. A man can never know
what kind of a wife he needs until he has reached
mature years; he does not know himself until then
and how can he be competent to choose a compan
ion? His mind is not developed, so how can he find
a companion for it? He is apt to think more of the
outward appearance than of the character beneath.
It is impossible, it is out of the question for a man
to decide a question like that until he is matured.
The Golden Age for June 9, 1710.
RUTH
The same thing is true about a woman. What do
you know about the kind of man with whom you
would be congenial? What do you know about the
kind of man you ought to have for your husband?
You mothers, who turn your daughters loose at such
an early age, what do you think your girl knows
about the kind of husband she ought to have? No
mature thought, no mature judgment, no discovery
of her temperament, of her gifts, of her thought and
her aspirations for life; how can she determine a
great question like that?
Again, let me say that this marriage of Ruth and
Boaz was a marriage founded upon pure love. Some
body says, is there really any other sort of love than
true love? Yes, there is.
To begin with, there is the love of position, and
many people are thoughtless and careless enough to
enter upon marriage with no higher thought than
that of their love for position in life. Again, there
is the love of power; and the love of money; many
people dare to enter into that sacred relation with
no other thought than of the money that the alliance
will bring. Women marrying men simply for their
money, and men marrying women for their money!
Crushing their higher natures and bartering their
manhood and womanhood —for money! Think of a
man actually selling out, trading, trafficking, in
marriage. I have not the words with which to ex
press to him my contempt for a man like that.
SELFISH REASONS.
Then there is the love of pure, unadulterated
selfishness, and I think this is about as conspicuous
as any of them; many a girl marries simply because
she wants to get a home. I know what I am talk
ing about. Haven’t I had them to talk to me? It
has not been three weeks since a girl said to me, “1
don’t want to marry, but I tell you I don’t want to
be left alone,” and she meant it. It has not been long
since a mother said to me about her daughter, “I
want my daughter to marry; I don’t want her left
alone,” and if there is any chance under the sun
for her to get her off she will do it, for “she doesn’t
want her to be left alone.” If I were you I had
rather live an old maid until my knees trembled as
I walked and my eyes went out, and my hair all
fell off and every tooth dropped out of my head than
to be married to a man I didn’t love. Since I have
been in this city twelve years I have married quite a
few people. I have married some of the brightest
and best girls that I know, girls that were doing
well in this world for themselves and were a bless
ing to those around them; I have watched them and
have seen in a few years their faces change; sorrow
and disappointment begins to show in their faces. I
could stand here and call the roll of disappointment,
of wrecked hopes and of blasted aspirations that
would almost wake up the dead. And hence I unhes
itatingly say again that this is the most serious
question, save the one question of personal salva
tion, that could possibly be presented. Quoting one
of the wisest men of this country: “If this country
of ours is ever wrecked it will be wrecked, not from
the standpoint of our republican form of govern
ment, that has been established and is a success
and the world has acknowledged it; it will be wreck
ed on the basis of its family life.” The family life
of this country is in danger. In some sections and
among some classes, the family life is given up.
The children are left with nurses; the meals are
looked after by servants; there is no head of the
home; she is out in social life. But it is not only
in that class that the' children are neglected. How
many of you are looking after the development of
the most important part of your child’s nature?
How many of you have family devotions; how many
of you teach them the precepts of the Book? We are
also destroying family life by the architecture of
our building. Think of family life in an apartment
house; there is no family life, no seclusion there.
It is just like bees in a beehive. It is a general mix
ture of humanity flung in together. We are think-
(Continued on page 14.)
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