Bible Baptist Sermons For Everyone

The fact is I myself have experienced my frustrations about being single.  Actually that problem has hit men too.  However the Bible shows an example of a man who was still single and yet he patiently waited upon the Lord and found himself matched up to the least expected the Lord wanted for him- a MOABITE!  If one can remember, the Moabites were descendants of Lot born by incest with one of his two daughters after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The short Book of Ruth contains only 4 chapters.  Ruth chapter 2-4 contains the details of Ruth and her meeting with the elderly Boaz.  Boaz's family tree was that he was the son of the Canaanite Rahab and Salmon.  He was probably a cousin of Ruth's late husband.  In a sense possible because I myself have a huge age gap between my cousins.  Even Mordecai though she be Esther's cousin, he was old enough to be her father like my eldest first cousin and me have a 25 years age gap and my father and his eldest cousin have a 33 years age gap.

Boaz's marital status was not mentioned. If he were a widower, the Bible would have mentioned it.  For example, Judah's status as a widower was mentioned when his wife Shuah died.  In the case of Boaz, he was not mentioned to have a wife prior to Ruth.  So in short, Boaz himself was an old bachelor since there was no mention.  There must have been "something wrong" with Boaz if he was still single.

Boaz calling Ruth "daughter" in Ruth 2:8 is something.  It can probably signify that Boaz himself was probably in his forties.  People in the past married quite early especially the women so maybe Ruth was 18 years old and Boaz was probably 40 years old.  That's a huge age gap!  However Boaz apparently just waited patiently for the Lord's right time.  He didn't complain about being left behind by the chariot like I would.  He knew there was a time for everything under the sun.

Looking at it, Boaz however didn't complain.  Rather than marry for convenience (and maybe his parents must have been growing white hairs on what could be his shyness with girls), he wanted God to be the decider and he did his part.  Chapter 2 is where Ruth landed on Boaz.  Boaz never realized that he had just hit the jackpot when he asked Ruth to work for his farm and gave her the benefit of the doubt. Boaz was clearly having his doubts whether or not Ruth was God's perfect choice for him. He respected that what God ordained marriage to be.

Chapter 3 goes to the part when Boaz finally notices Ruth and God's plan for him.  The Lord Jesus Christ had determined it all along.  When Ruth was found to be at Boaz's feet, he somewhat recognized her and felt God's will.  He saw God's will in Ruth his cousin-in-law.  What was rather strange is why the Lord Jesus Christ had arranged him with one who began as an unbeliever.  Boaz didn't rush on Ruth and neither did Ruth rush on Boaz.  It all needed the perfect time.

Eventually Chapter 4 ends the story where Boaz redeems the properties of his cousin Mahlon and his Aunt Naomi.  Not only that, he ended up marrying her thus continuing the lineage of Judah towards the appearance of the Messiah.  It was news for the town of Bethlehem as he was probably the town's most wanted bachelor but he just chose not to entertain any nonsense.  Ruth and Boaz eventually had a son named Obed who became the father of Jesse who became the father of David.