A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God by John Piper

Author:John Piper
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Religion, Christian Life, Old Testament, Biblical Commentary, General
ISBN: 9781433514371
Publisher: Crossway
Published: 2009-12-20T22:00:00+00:00

in this life, then set your face to be among the number

who join Jesus Christ in that hall of fame. He never had

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A SWEET & BITTER PROVIDENCE

sex. But he is the most fully human person who has ever

existed.

Don’t be like the world. Be like Boaz. Be like Ruth.

Profound in love. Subtle and perceptive in communica-

tion. Powerful in self-control. Committed to strategic

righteousness.

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C H A P T E R F O U R

MAY MY REDEEMER

BE RENOWNED

Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you

this day without a redeemer, and

may his name be renowned in Israel!

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May My Redeemer Be Renowned

Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there.

And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken,

came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down

here.” And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took

ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.”

So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi,

who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling

the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.

4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the

presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the

elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But

if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no

one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And

he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you

buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire

Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to per-

petuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then

the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I

impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption

yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel con-

cerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a trans-

action, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the

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A SWEET & BITTER PROVIDENCE

other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel.

8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for your-

self,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the

elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day

that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that be-

longed to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion

and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of

Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the

name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the

dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and

from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this

day.” 11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the

elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the

woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and

Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.

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