Ruth 4v1-12
The Wedding (Part Five)
(Click here to listen to the fifth Ruth teaching)
Verse of the Week
“LET EACH GENERATION TELL ITS CHILDREN OF YOUR MIGHTY ACTS.” Psalm 145v4 NLT
More Words from the Father
Matthew 18v1-14
Mark 9v33-37
Mark 10v13-16
Luke 18v15-17
Psalm 145
From my Heart
Pages from the past: April 1990
King David’s Men
Rising early on this bright, sunny morning, I determined to write of the dramatic exploits of King David and his Mighty Men. Just as I began to form the words in my mind and put pen to paper, Phil came out, coffee in hand, ready to talk
Down went the pad, closed went my Bible as I listened to my “Mighty Man” tell of the ministry of the day before. He talked. I listened. He questioned. I confirmed. Soon he was off to fight the battles and train the saints of the army of God.
Once more, pen met paper, as I returned to David’s Mighty Men. Not one sentence later, Rebekah plopped down on the sofa, positioning Blankly and Teddy carefully around as she began to read aloud to me.
After a few pages of Amelia Bedelia, David’s mighty warriors began to lose their dramatic flair.
Soon, John Mark came out with the escapades of Homer Price, excitedly showing me an ingenious illustration of a giant mousetrap designed to catch hundreds of mice without harming the poor, adorable little varmints.
David’s Mighty Men are being overshadowed by a Mighty Mousetrap.
Little Beth lets the dog in. Shep the circus lion (alias Sheba) dutifully performs his running, jumping, circling routine while his glamorous trainer struts about barefoot in her too short nighty, stick in hand, jump rope swinging wildly.
David’s mighty warriors have faded completely from my mind.
Though I would have loved to write a meaningful page or two about David’s godly leadership and his men’s faithful following, I find myself absolutely delighted with my crazy brood. Amelia Bedelia, Sheba the lion, Homer Price and his mouse machine…
David didn’t have it half as good.
From my heart,
Diane
ETC
What’s with the Sandal?
In the ancient eastern culture in which Boaz conducted business, land values were measured by the distance a man could walk off a triangle of the land. One day’s walk, a week, or a month of trekking over the land determined the monetary value of that piece of property. Out of this business practice sprang this custom of removing the sandal as a symbol of a sale. When a man removed his sandal, he essentially relinquished his right to that property and bestowed it on another.
This is not to be confused with the statute recorded in Deuteronomy 25:5-10 wherein a widow had the legal right to demand that her dead husband’s unmarried brother marry her in order to perpetuate the family line. If he refused, she was to spit in his face in front of all his friends and family, publicly humiliating the man for reneging on his responsibilities. Then the wronged widow would pull his sandal off his foot in a grand display of disgust. This was meant as a means of using social pressure to push a young man to grow up and take responsibility.
Boaz’s interaction was clearly not intended to humiliate the nearer kinsman. He wanted Ruth for himself, yet recognized that he was second in line to take her and the land she would inherit. The custom in Ruth’s day was simply Boaz’ way of legalizing his marrying of Ruth and assuming control of Elimelch’s holdings.