| BOAZ KEEPS HIS WORD The gates of a vintage or town are often mentioned in Scripture as the place where the council met or where judgments were made. Absalom played traitor to his father David in the gate of the city of Jerusalem as mentioned in 2 Samuel 15:1-4. Boaz kept his word to Ruth, given at their midnight meeting. Early the next morning, he left everything else and went and sat in the gateway of Bethlehem, waiting for the closer relative to pass by. As soon as the kinsman came past, Boaz called to him. He also asked for ten elders of the city to sit down with him and work out his problem on Ruth's behalf. The interesting details are given to us in our reading, verses 3 to 7. At first the kinsman agreed to buy back Naomi's husband's land. But when Boaz told him that part of the bargain was to marry Ruth also, he said 'no' to the whole plan. It is quite possible that he was already married or that his own land was tied up in such a way that by adding any more he would not be able to cope with all that he would then have and the whole property would suffer. But whatever the reason, behind it all was the sovereign hand of God. He had brought Ruth from Moab to eventually be the bride of Boaz even though Boaz was much older than she was. Here again is a lesson for us. God can guide by closed doors as well as by open doors. When he closes one, when he does not give us the first thing we ask for or when he delays his answer, it is only so that he can give us what his sovereign will has planned for us. Can we not learn this lesson again today and trust his loving hand to give us what is best in every way? | 
沒有留言:
張貼留言