If you would, turn with me to
Ruth 3, Ruth chapter 3. And for now, I'm going to read
just verse 18. Ruth chapter 3, verse 18. Then said she, sit still, my
daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall. For the
man will not be in rest until he have finished the thing this
day." I'm going to start with my grand
finale today, if you will, but my title is, The Man Will Not
Be In Rest. This statement, as you read it
just in its historical context, may not tell you so much, maybe. Maybe it doesn't mean too much.
But when we take it in the context in which it typifies, it is a
comforting passage or verse. Now from this statement or title,
if you will, that I have given, it would be good to know, who
is this talking about or who does this typify? And what is
that for which he will have no rest till he finishes it? First
of all, we have Naomi who cares about Ruth and is directing her
to do something. Naomi, who I see as typifying
the gospel of Christ being sealed to the heart of a believer by
the spirit of God, the spirit of God for his people directs
them to do something. Sit still. Don't do anything. The matter is not up to you,
so sit still. Exodus 14, 13 reads, and Moses
said unto the people, fear ye not, stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord, which he will show you today for the
Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more
forever. We as God's children, whether
we have been brought to know it or not, have nothing to do
with what needs to be done. We must wait on God. In verse
11, and now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that
thou requirest, for all the city of my people doth know that thou
art a virtuous woman. We hear Boaz telling Ruth, who
is his bride, his bride because he promised it would be so right
here. This one, the near of kin, has
promised to do to that one who has come to him at his feet that
he would do something. So it is sure to be done. Ruth
said to Boaz, spread forth thy skirt over me. For him to do
this means he would marry her. This is him joining himself to
Ruth. But let's remember, as we have
seen coming through the book of Ruth, it becomes clear to
us that Boaz is the redeemer, the near of kin. In verse one
we read, And Naomi had a kinsman, in verse one of chapter two,
I'm sorry. And Naomi had a kinsman of her
husband, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and
his name was Boaz. It did not matter if those who
were around knew him to be so at first at all. He was what
he was before they knew he was what he was. Remember Ruth when
she first went out to the fields to glean she did not know who
Boaz was but he was still her Redeemer her near of kin But
there is a time when we finally are Revealed that he is our Redeemer
and we do come to him we adjoin ourselves to that one who we
know is our only hope of redemption and We now know he is our near
of kin and that he is the only one who could work out that redemption
for us. So we inquire of him. It's not
like most do today and not like I have done previously before
he revealed himself to me. I before, I thought I could do
what pleased God. I agonized over it. I had sleepless
nights over it. But then one day, it was revealed
unto me. It is not what you do. It is
just the fact that you have a kinsman redeemer who has already done
it all. In coming to know this kinsman
redeemer, I did not know a lot about him. I still know very
little. But just as Naomi keeps pointing
Ruth to the near of kin, the Spirit of God keeps telling me,
this is the one with whom you need to deal with. You need to
bow down to and you need to join yourself with him. But when it's
all said and done, what is it that we are left with? Sit still,
my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall. The
immediate question in my mind is, what matter? The matter of
redeeming a sinner. Now here in this passage is being
in the Old Testament, we can see this as something which was
looking forward to something or happening or looking forward
to that which was to be done. Those before Jesus Christ came
looked forward in time to that day when the Messiah would come
and redeem his people. We look back and see that day
when it was done. He did redeem his people. But what is Ruth waiting on?
There is a nearer kinsman that must be satisfied, and only the
Redeemer can do it. He is the only one who can personally
deal with this other kinsman. What he gives us to enable us
to see these things is his grace, and it is abundant. Titus 3,
if you would turn with me there if you wanna follow along, Titus
3. Titus 3 verses 4 through 7. But after that, the kindness
and love of God, our Savior toward man, appeared. not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he
saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost,
which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life. God, when he does something for
us, will openly manifest that he is doing something for us.
What I mean by that is it will leak out on you, and you will
join yourself to his people so it will manifest outwardly in
that way. But Jesus Christ does not show
openly how much faith he gives for one versus another. You cannot
tell outwardly or by hearing and looking at one another how
much of his gifts have been bestowed on each individual. Those to
whom are in the family get to partake of those gifts, and they
may see the fruit of that gift, but they cannot know for another
individual. Jesus Christ gives to each man
severally as he wills. He bestows those gifts he is
pleased to bestow in the measure he sees fit. That measure will
be what the individual needs. We also read in Romans where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That is the time
of love. Now if you would, turn with me
to Ezekiel 16. I know I'm going back and forth
here, but Ezekiel 16. 16 in verses eight through 14. Now when I passed by thee and
looked upon thee, behold, the time was the time of love. And
I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness. Yea, I
swear unto thee and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the
Lord God, and thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water. I thoroughly washed away the
blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee
also with bordered work, and shod thee with badger skin, and
I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with
silk. I decked thee with ornaments,
and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead,
and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine
head. Thus wast thou decked with gold
and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linen and silk, embroidered
work. Thou didst eat fine flour and
honey and oil, and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou
didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among
the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through my comeliness,
which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. Now let's read verses six through
eight in Ruth three. Six through eight reads this.
And she went down unto the floor and did according to all that
her mother-in-law bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk,
and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the
heap of corn. And she came softly and uncovered
his feet and laid her down. And it came to pass at midnight
that the man was afraid and turned himself, and behold, a woman
lay at his feet. Although we do not necessarily
see here what we might think of violence here, but this reminds
me of a message that Mike Walker preached when he was here. The
violent take it by force. Matthew 11, 12 says, and from
the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven
suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Those who are
of God, that is those who are chosen of God, loved of God,
born of God, called of God, will not be stopped, if you will.
Not because they are unstoppable, but the grace of God working
in them is unstoppable. It is that irresistible grace.
Irresistible to the one shown grace, and irresistible to anyone
that might try to stop that grace of God being shown in one of
his. She was going to do what was needed to be with Boaz. She
knew that her only hope was that of him redeeming her. Men and
women who are at this place are not violent because of anything
they have or any power in them. They are violent because they
are in need. They must have something and
that something is Jesus Christ the Lord. They are impoverished
and he is the only one who can provide. And I'm reminded of
a few accounts in scripture that illustrate this to us. And you
don't have to turn to these, I'll just tell you where they
are though. Blind Bartimaeus, Mark 10, verses 46 through 52.
Blind Bartimaeus heard Jesus was passing by, so he cried out,
Jesus, thou son of David. What does he mean by saying it
that way? He could have said Jesus of Nazareth,
but he says, Jesus, thou son of David. This is that promised
one, the seed of the woman, the son of David, the Messiah which
was promised, the Redeemer. What does he say? Have mercy
on me. Then it says many charged him,
is what it says. They were rebuking him for crying
out to Jesus Christ. What they were saying to this
man is shut up. Quit crying out. You are embarrassing. You're making a big deal out
of this and you need to be quiet. But those to whom this irresistible
grace has been shed, they become violent when it comes to getting
to their Redeemer. when you try to stop them. His
people will not stop. No one else will stop them if
this is of God, but they will take it by force. He cried the
more and a great deal, it says. He cried louder and he did it
more than before. He was not going to let his Redeemer
pass by him. You will ignore every one and
will cry longer and louder. Those who have been bestowed
this grace do not have to be talked into being here or somewhere
else that preaches Christ and Him crucified. There are those
who have been given this grace that will not let anyone keep
them from where they can come into contact with Jesus Christ.
Even if those who are already there under the sound of the
gospel do not want them there. You cannot deter them because
this kind of want too is from God. They will take it by force. Another one, Mark 5 verses 24
through 29. This is the woman with the issue
of blood. She had this issue of blood 12 years. She suffered
at the hands of those physicians, but they changed nothing for
her that did nothing for her. This is what those who are religious
do. Someone comes to them with trouble
of soul. What do they tell people? Repeat
after me. This is their remedy for a perishing
soul. Repeat words after me. Take the
first step. You take the wrong step and you
could perish. Come to the front, to the altar,
that place where there is nothing but death, the altar called.
Roland spoke about that. Make your decision for Jesus.
There is no decision for you to make, it is quite obvious.
You have an issue of blood and you need someone who can stay
the issue and save you. You cannot do it yourself and
then there is no other to help. This world is about me, me, me,
me, me. They all make it about me or
you. They all tell you to do something
and not what someone else has done. Those who come to them
leave having the same issue they had to begin with. But now they
are left with nothing. They are worse than they were
before. God will put you in that place where you have nowhere
to turn, no one to go to, and nothing to offer. Now as Christ
was on his way to the house of Jarius in that passage, many
followed him and they thronged him, it says. They were pressing
hard against him. It was kind of like this, going
back and forth on all sides as he walked. But Christ comes her
way. This is a violent crowd. I think
you could kind of see that, it's a violent crowd. I'm not saying
it was a mad or angry violent crowd. Violence does not always
include anger. If anyone's ever rode a roller
coaster, especially those wooden ones, if you don't think that
kind of thing is violent, you know, something's wrong with
you, but there's a lot of sports you hear and they say that's
a violent sport. It's a physical force. These people were pressing
and bumping up against Christ and others on all sides. So what
does she do? She came in the press. She started
to become violent herself because she had to get to Christ, her
only hope. She had to be pushing everyone
aside in violence as she came up through the crowd to get to
Christ. Nothing was gonna stop her from getting behind him and
touching his garment. She pushed her way through the
crowd and she touched him. All it takes is contact with
the master and you will know you're cleansed. It says, straightway,
or immediately, her issue of blood was gone. But the master
knows them that touch him in this way. How do they touch him? In need, knowing he can accomplish
it if he is willing. One more example, and if you
would, I want you to turn to this one, Genesis 32. All these
are familiar to you, but Genesis 32. This is Jacob who wrestles
with a man. 32, 24 through 26. 24 through 26. And Jacob was left alone and
there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of a day.
And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the
hollow of his thigh. And the hollow of Jacob's thigh
was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, let me
go for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee
go except thou bless me. When Jacob was alone, and it
says a man wrestled with him, This man touched the hollow of
his thigh when this was done. His thigh was out of joint as
he wrestled with him, it says. His thigh bone was out of joint
with his hip, something like that. I don't know exactly how
you would say it, but it was out of place, put his bone out
of place. It hurt. There was pain there. God will cause you to suffer
in that you will see that he is far superior to yourself.
This man told Jacob to let him go. But Jacob would not let him
go. He said, not until you bless
me. Although he was wounded, he knew he needed blessing from
this man. This man being Jesus Christ the
Lord. God's people, when God has done
something for them, will not stop until they get to Christ.
This they do by his mighty power and grace when he wrestles with
them. This is violent. Them knowing he has the power
to do all things, they know what he has promised to do. Now that
one who has been given life by God and revealed unto them who
their Redeemer is, it is always a who, and it is only one who
that is revealed. In type we see the who here in
the book of Ruth as Boaz, but we know the object from whom
that shadow was cast is Jesus Christ the Lord. That one who
has been revealed will come to the feet of their Savior and
Redeemer in the hopes that he will do for them what they know
the Redeemer can do. What do they do? They ask to
be covered in his righteousness. Join me, an outsider, a sinner,
in the garment of your righteousness. This one we come to know is our
near of kin. Verses nine through 12 in Ruth
three. And he said, who art thou? And
she answered, I am Ruth, thine handmaid. Spread therefore thy
skirt over thine handmaid, for thou art a near kinsman. And
he said, blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter, for thou hast
showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, insomuch
as thou followest not young men, whether poor or rich. And now,
my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou
requirest, for all the city of my people doth know that thou
art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am
thy near kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. Here we read there is a kinsman
nearer than this that must be satisfied. The law of God must
be satisfied first. I cannot satisfy the law. I am
unable, why? I am not a near of kin. I'm an
outsider. I am from Moab. I have nothing
I can offer. I have experienced death all
around me and I am in need of a redeemer to do something for
me on my behalf. But this one who is our redeemer
will go and work out that which is to be done on my behalf. since
I am unable to do it. He promises to do what needs
to be done even if the nearer of kin does not do it. So then
we come back to wait. Wait on him for those promises.
This is, of course, being in the Old Testament looking forward
to that day when he would perform that duty of a nearer of kin.
We now look back to when he has done the duty of the near kin.
It says in verse 13, it says, tarry this night, and it shall
be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part
of a kinsman, well, let him do the kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part
of a kinsman to thee, then I will do the part of a kinsman to thee,
as the Lord liveth. What is this tied to? But if
he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, that is the law. Then will I do a part, the part
of a kinsman, that is Christ, as the Lord liveth. Does the
Lord liveth? Most assuredly. What he has promised,
he will carry out. And in fact, has carried it out. Ezekiel 12 25 says for I am the
Lord I will speak and the word that I shall speak shall come
to pass It shall be no more prolonged for in your days. Oh Rebellious
house will I say the word and I will perform it say if the
Lord God I? He confirms to us what here in
Ruth 3 he will be due looking forward. But now what he confirms
to us is what he has done by giving us the earnest of his
spirit. That confirms these things to our hearts which have been
created by God. He will give us that which testifies
to what he will and has done. It will be enough for us while
we wait on him. Sustainment until that day. We
rest in him. This is what this means to his
people today. Rest in Jesus Christ the Lord,
for he has accomplished that for which he promised to do,
for which he came to do. He has redeemed his people from
their sins. He hath closed us in his robe
of righteousness, covered us with his skirt. He gives us these
things in the gospel as a reminder to us that we await his return
to glorify us in what he has done. Even so, come, Lord Jesus,
is the cry of his people. My near of kin, does God wrestle
with you? If so, what is your response
to him? Is it to wrap your arms around him, to not let go, or
is that too hard for you? It is all the believer knows
to do. May we come to that place where we can say as Job does
by the Spirit of God, though he slay me, yet will I trust
him. Amen.