Ruth chapter four. Now if there's one thing, if you've been going to this church for some time, there's one thing you should be learning. And you're never too old to learn, amen? Never. When you get to the place where you can't learn, you might as well just go ahead and plan your funeral. But I think you're learning how to worship God. And that Bible says, and I believe it's John chapter 4, verse 24, if you're going to worship God, that Bible says you're going to worship Him in spirit and in truth. And I'm telling you what, you should be able to go from this place, and no matter where you go across the country, you should be able to sense God's presence when He swings in. And brethren, I'm telling you what, what you have is just a breath of God blowing in here. You say you think you're special? No, I'm just saying, man, it's like ebb and flow. And that thing comes in, and it goes out like waves on the shore. And there's no place I'd rather be. You say you just say that because it's your kids. Oh, cut it out, man. Cut it out. But if you can't figure out when the Lord's in the place, man... But He's here. Don't run Him off. Ruth chapter 4, let's read a little bit of Bible this morning, give you a chance to stretch. If you'd stand in honor for reading the King James Bible, the authorized version, 1611, the book that God uses and the devil hates. I'll go ahead and read, and you just follow along. The Bible says, we'll just read the whole chapter. Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there. And behold, the kinsman to whom Boaz spake came by, and to whom he said, Ho, such a one. Turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. And he said unto the kinsmen, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, south a parcel of land, which is our brother Elimelech's. And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it. But if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is none to redeem it beside thee. And I am after thee, and he said, I will redeem it. That's five times the word redeem is used in one verse. Then said Boaz, what day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest them are my own inheritance. Redeem thou my right to thyself, for I cannot redeem it. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing. For to confirm all things a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor. And this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. And Boaz said unto the elders and to all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I bought all that was Elimelech's and all that was Chilion's and Melon's of the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Melon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren. And from the gate of his place, ye are witnesses this day. And all the people that were in the gate and the elders said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come unto thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which too did build the house of Israel. And do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem. And man, those two places are famous, aren't they? Micah 5, 2 pops right up in my mind, that old prophet Micah the Merashithite. It's loaded. 13, So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife. And when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the woman said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age, and for thy daughter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons hath borne him. And Naomi took the child and laid it in her bosom and became nurse unto it. And the woman her neighbor gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. These are the generations of Phares. Phares begat Hezron. Hezron begat Ram. And Ram begat Amenadab. And Amenadab begat Nashon. And Nashon begat Salmon. And Salmon begat Boaz. And Boaz begat Obed. And Obed begat Jesse. And Jesse begat David. And I just, in my mind's eye, look at her and say, and they lived happily ever after. Man, what a story, what a Bible story. This thing is loaded. We won't even touch it, but we'll do the best we can. Brother Gary, good to see you today. Why don't you ask the Lord's help. Amen. Thank you. Maybe seated. Man, what a story. What a Bible history. What a narrative. What a divine book we have come through. I don't even know how to approach this thing. It's literally larger than life. The story, it's not just a story, but it is history, amen? But the thing that we come to is now culminating from when Ruth come out of Moab, Naomi come out of Moab, they're in a place where they have no business being, amen? And they come back to where Naomi's hometown is and God slowly begins to deal with them. And of course, this whole thing culminates in a marriage. And I'll tell you one thing, Christian, one thing I'm looking forward to is that thing coming to fruition. In Ruth 4, verse 13, it's the great wedding day, amen? And the old preacher said this, and we say it all the time, we are heading to a wedding, but it ain't no picnic along the way. And some of you know right now whether or not you like to picnic or not, but the wedding day is far off a little bit, and one day you and I, if you're saved now, you will become one with Jesus Christ. And I'm looking forward to that day, and that is the most important day coming down the pike, the marriage supper of the Lamb. But you know, if you're a Christian, there's some things that gotta take place before we get there. And as I look back on what we've tried to accomplish, I see the Bible foretelling all these things, all the way from Naomi leaving where she shouldn't have left. Of course, that was her husband's fault. Amen? Amen. He never should have left. He said, well, she was nagging. Well, you be right, you do right, you lead right, and if she leaves you, pray God will bring her back. Say, you better watch your mouth. You better watch your mouth and follow God. Amen. Why marriages are in a mess today is because men won't follow Jesus Christ. You say, you think you're all that in a bag of chips? No, I just know generally, not the generally like the Dukes Hazard, but generally speaking, if my house is a mess, it's my fault. Why God gave me that family. I'm not saying that everyone around in my home is always doing everything. I'm just saying, generally speaking, if my house is out of whack, it's out of kilter, it's my fault. And if it's not my fault because I caused it, it's my fault by how I'm reacting to the cotton picking thing. Amen. I'm not sure where that came from. It just kinda jumped right out there. I hit it. Wow. But I'm looking forward to that wedding day, ain't you? I'm looking forward to the great wedding day. But you know, it's kind of like when you leave here and if you're going to Walmart, you've got to pass a lot of things along the way, don't you? And before we get to the wedding day, can I just say there's some things that have to happen. There are some things that have got to happen. And this thing is just tremendous because we're going to get to the part about the shoe. I'm not going to take my shoe off, don't worry about it. But let me tell you what, Christian, one day the Lord's going to drop his shoe. And when that shoe drops, let me tell you what, Katie, bar the door, it'll make everything going on look like the stinking county fair. And when Lord drops that shoe, about three billion people are gonna die over that thing. You say, what a terrible thing. What a terrible thing to be ignorant about it. You live in an unprecedented time in history where a stinking little virus has got everyone scared to death. Amen. I'm doing some preaching, whether you think I am or not. But a virus, I wouldn't be as concerned about, I'm very concerned about your health. Don't get me wrong, I'm not off playing it, okay? I'm not trying to say, it's not important. Don't ever run out here and say it. If you need to protect yourself, then you take the measures. Anyone with a small amount of common sense wouldn't deal with it, amen? But I'm telling you, when that shoe drops, it's gonna get bad. But I'm thanking God that I won't be here when the shoe drops. But I'm not so sure everybody in this sanctuary will be where I'm at. You say, how do you know? I don't, I'm not the Holy Spirit. But if you're here today and you're not saved, you've never trusted Jesus Christ, when that shoe drops, you're gonna be a heap of trouble. And it's gonna be some trouble you ain't gonna get out of. Can I just preach at you just a little bit, use some things practically, some things historically, and some things spiritually from the passage today? Try not to doze off if you can, but try to gain some things today. It might be just a little bit of a different message, and I don't know, you might be able to go downtown and get a coffee bar, and you know, get a rock band like Brother Gary prayed. praying that stuff, a rock band, you know what I mean? And all that stuff, you might be able to go there and get that, but I'm gonna tell you what, I want that book open, I want that book revealed, and I said it Wednesday, I said it this morning, the more you read the rock, the more you read the sacred pages, the more you'll know the rock of ages. That's what I wanna know. But before that great wedding day, I'm looking forward to that great wedding day, and we see that thing come to fruition in Ruth chapter four, verse 13, the Bible says, so Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife, And when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. But before that great wedding day could take place, a number of things take place. And when I say the great wedding day, I'm talking about the day up in glory, when the Bride of Christ, the born again Church of God, is married and united to her great Lord and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. I think of that song, It Will Be Worth It All, when we see Jesus. And I'm telling you, anything you're dealing with right now, any little quibble, any squabble, any kind of financial, any kind of physical thing you're dealing with right now, your head hurts, your face hurts, your toe hurts, your arm hurts, your ear hurts, and other parts hurt, and all that stuff. And when you meet Jesus Christ, all that stuff will go away. All that misunderstanding, and all the marital stress, all the marital problems, and everything you've got dealing with right now, you can't pay this, and you can't figure that out, and you don't have health insurance, and you do have health insurance, but you got the wrong insurance, and your teeth are falling out of your head, and you need teeth, and you can't afford teeth, and you can't even eat a stinking apple, I'm saying, when you get married to Jesus Christ, that all fixes itself. I'm looking forward to that great wedding day. I really am. And the more I think about it, the more I get, I don't know, it's probably not the right word, brother, so I just get jacked up about the thing. And before that great wedding, can I just say, through the book of Ruth, we see some things that got to happen. Number one, first of all, if you remember Naomi, she had to come back to the land that she forsook. Naomi had to come back. Why? Lemlech's dead. They're Israelites from the land of Judah. And of course, we find that in chapter 1, verse 19. And that of course, when Naomi comes back into the land, can I just say you we've been studying this along with Romans and with everything else and rightly dividing, that's a picture of that Jew coming back into the land. And of course, you know that the Jew had been displaced in 606 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar came in, tore the whole thing up, man. Tore it all up. Sennacherib tore it up about 549 B.C. there. Nebuchadnezzar tore the thing up. 606, Israel and Judah both in the captivity, so forth and so on. And it was not until 1948 that that Jew finally got back in the land. Can I say before the great wedding day, the first thing that's got to take place is that Jew got to get back in the land. He said, I thought you were going to preach on spiritual things. I am, this is about as spiritual as it gets. You can't have the wedding until the Jew gets back in the land. And in the book of Ruth, you can't have the great wedding until that Jew gets back into the land. Ruth chapter 1 verse 19-20. And of course, we know this about history, besides that men never learn from history, is that World War I prepared the land for the Jew. And World War II prepared the Jew for that land. You say, I never heard it taught that way. Well, that's because you haven't been reading the Bible. But that's okay, you read the Bible, at least three, four minutes a day, it'll finally make sense. But World War I prepared that land for the Jew. World War I. See, God's war is God's judgment on sin here, and hell is God's judgment on sin hereafter. You see that thing? And then World War II, it took a little corporal, a little fascist corporal, Adolf Hitler, that gassed six million Jews to get them Jews getting ready to go back in that land because business was so good in Germany, they wouldn't leave. So the Lord said, okay, I'm gonna have to do what I gotta do to get my people to be willing to go. Let my people go. And out they went. So before the great wedding day, before you and I, if you're saved today, can enjoy the graces of God and enjoy that great wedding day, that Jew's got to get back in the land. So in 1948, that's when that happened. Aren't you thankful that that's in place? You don't have to wait for that Jew to get back. Can you imagine these preachers back in the late 1800s and early 1900s trying to figure out when that Jew's going to get back in his land? They're like, would you just get back there already? but that Jew's back in his land. That's the first thing that's got to happen. And that Jew, just like, think about it, Naomi, when she came back, what did she say? She says, call me not Naomi, but call me Mara. Why? She's bitter. You know what the Jews are right now? They're bitter. You know why? Because just like Naomi, that Jew is in the process of getting right with their God. It's a process. And I know there's all kinds of spiritual implications, like some of you should be getting right with God, but you ain't. Why? Because you're stinking bitter. Everything comes your way, you're tripping out over, and the Lord's like, give it some time, man, but you just got to get right with me. And Naomi, through the process of time, if you look in the back part of that chapter, chapter 4, you've got women praising Naomi. And that's the same woman who was bitter. That tells me what? Naomi got right. It took four chapters, but Naomi got right. And that Jew is in that land and it's in the process of getting right. When you get over in the book of Song of Solomon, you know what happens? That fig tree, that olive tree, that thing is producing fruit right before the Lord comes back. So Israel's going to produce fruit right before we get out of here. And that shows you a picture of Israel getting right with the Lord. So that Jew's got to get back in the land. So for that great wedding day to occur, the Jew has to go back to the land. And he's there, thank God. And brother, with that Jew back in the land, can I just say it can be any day. It can be any day. Isn't that what you need to hear today? It might not be what you want to hear, but Titus 2.13 says, looking unto Jesus, I'm sorry, it says, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. You say, why are we looking for the blessed hope? Because that Jew is back in the land now. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Amen. You say, why are we looking unto Jesus? That Jew is back in the land now. For that great wedding day in Ruth chapter 4 verse 13, Ruth is a picture of the Gentile bride, Boaz is a picture of Jesus Christ. For that to take place, Naomi, picture of that Jew, has got to go back in the land. And thank God that Jew's there. Not only that, but number two, things that gotta happen for the great wedding day. Ruth, the Gentile bride, she has to come into favor with Boaz. I'll say it again. Ruth, the Gentile bride, has to come into favor with Boaz. And we preached a lot about this throughout the Book of Ruth. We sure did. That's a Judean Jew from the tribe of Judah born in Bethlehem. That's Boaz. How about that? That's a picture of some Gentile getting saved. And we said we've been going through this thing in Romans and the reason why America is great has nothing to do with its people. The reason America is great has nothing to do with its highways and byways. The reason America is great is because God set that Jew aside and he came up and he decided to save a bunch of Gentiles. That's why America is great. It ain't you, it ain't your forefathers, it ain't your five fathers, it ain't nothing like that. It's because God set Israel aside and He's been merciful to us. So that Gentile bride Ruth, she's got to come into favor with Boaz. And Ruth, look at verse 1, verse 16 and 17. We see the great picture, the great type of Ruth's conversion. You see that? Ruth chapter 1, verse 16 and 17, the Bible says, And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave. I want to ask you a question today. Have you been converted? Have you ever been saved? Well then if you're saved, why don't you look like you're saved, man? Some of you look like you're ready to bite the hands off a clock. Are you converted? Hey, because if you're converted, lift up your head, your redemption draweth nigh. That Jews back in the land, it could be any day, what is your stinking problem? You say, why are you climbing on us? Why not? You're here, I figured you wanted some preaching. We see the great picture and type of Ruth's conversion. You've been converted to Jesus Christ. Not only Ruth's conversion, but we see beginning at Ruth chapter 2 and verse 2, we're to run as fast as we can until I blow an engine or something. But we see after Ruth's conversion, Ruth's dedication and service, her faithfulness after her conversion. Man, what a faithful gal. You see there in the back part of Ruth chapter 4, I think it's the last five or six verses, you know what those women say about Ruth? She say, she is better to thee than seven sons. Ain't no Jew ever said that. The Jew, they're chauvinistic. Why? They wanted boys. The Gentile like, yeah, we'll have two. We'll have two children. We want the perfect American family, a boy and a girl. We had five. But that Jew, they wanted the boys. Sorry, gals. You need both. But we see her faithfulness. Immediately, Ruth, as soon as she is converted, you see the picture? I know you do. Just nod your head, let something rattle. But you see the picture of faithfulness? Ruth chapter 2, verse 2, she says, let me now go to the field. She is all over it. She is faithful in taking care of her dedication to Naomi. Here, she leaves her gods. She leaves her country. She leaves her kindred. She leaves everything and all I have to take care of is her mother-in-law. Is there something wrong with this chick? She loves her. I'm just seeing if you all are still awake. Ruth's dedication and service. Immediately she gets busy doing what she knows is right to do. Go to Proverbs chapter 20 with me today. I want to give you some Bible on this thing this morning because for that great wedding day to take place, that Jew's got to get back on land. Thank God that Jew's back on land. Could be any day. Not only that, but a bunch of Gentiles get to taste the mercy of God. Before that great day, some Gentiles have got to get a taste of the mercy of God. I want to ask this question when I go into Proverbs chapter 20 verse 6. Have you ever tasted the goodness and mercy of God by trusting Him as your Savior? Let me tell you what, that is a prerequisite to the great wedding day. Amen? There's never been a time in your life where you've trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior. There's never been a time in your life where you knew that if you were to drop dead at this very moment, you'd split hell straight open, whether you can do the thing or not, but you're going to go there if you don't have Him. If there's never been a time in your life that you've ever done that, let me tell you, you're not going to the great wedding day. You're not going there. Proverbs 20, verse 6. Wisest man in the Bible, next to Jesus Christ, He said these words. Look at the back part of that verse. It says, A faithful man who can find. How about that? Can I do some preaching just for a minute? Can I do some preaching on faithfulness? That verse is, Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness. You know, you get around people and in just a matter of moments they'll tell you what they're good at. I'll tell you what they did for the last 3,800 years, you know. I spent 10 years here and 15 years and I'm a pro at this and I'm a pro at it and the Bible says most men will proclaim every man his own goodness. It ain't 10, 15 minutes and we know what you're good at, but the Bible says a faithful man who can find. Are you faithful? You know why people aren't faithful? Because the Bible said so. Because that's the only thing in that Bible you were told to be. Do you realize that, Christian? You weren't told to, you were not told to convert the entire world. I know to some independent fundamental Bible, even Baptists, that's heresy, but I don't give a rip what they think. That Bible said you're supposed to be faithful. You say faithful what? Faithful whatever he calls you to do. You realize that, don't you? And Solomon said, but a faithful man who can find... That goes in 2020, August 2020. A faithful man who can find. I'm not climbing on you for your lack of faithfulness, but if you are unfaithfulness, you want to know why? Because that book said that that's the only thing you're supposed to be, and that's what you struggle with. That's why you can be this, you can be that, you can be extremely talented, you can be extremely graceful, you can be good at everything else, but you can't be faithful because that's what you're supposed to be. Proverbs chapter 20 verse 6. You already got one, let's move on to 1 Corinthians chapter 4. You're supposed to be faithful in the Christian life and Ruth, she characterizes faithfulness. Faithfulness. 1 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 2. Now here it is, here it is laid out. You want your marching orders? Here they are. Preacher, what am I supposed to do in the Christian life? Here they are. 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 2. Moreover it is required, stewards, that a man be found faithful. Hasn't the Lord given you something since you got saved? The requirement for your Christian life is faithfulness. Has He given you a measure of health? Then be faithful with it. Quit polluting your body with stinking cancer. Quit overeating and hurting yourself. I'm preaching, I know, I get it, right? Quit it! Be faithful! Put the right things in it. Listen to the right things. Be faithful what He gave you. If you're a steward of what God's given you, has He given you the Bible? Then be faithful with the Bible. Has He given you a mouth that you can talk to Him in prayer? Be faithful in prayer. Has He given you two legs that you can walk? Then get your tail in the church house and be faithful. Why? Moreover it is required. Not because the preacher is going to preach on it, because I never preach on that stuff. But the reason some of you can't be faithful to this cotton-picking house is because you won't be faithful to God. And I say that because I love you, not because I'm angry with you. You say, well, I didn't like that. Well, neither did the devil. You say, well, I think you're singling me out. Well, blame the Holy Spirit. What if I am singling you out? Is that going to hurt you at the judgment seat of Christ? Then zip it shut. Amen. Alright, not only Ruth's conversion, not only Ruth's dedication and service, but how about Ruth's devotion? Ruth's devotion. Some things have got to happen. We see a Gentile bride has to come into favor with Boaz. Now we did a lot of preaching about Ruth's devotion to Boaz, but Ruth's devotion to her mother-in-law, she gives everything up to take care of her mother-in-law. She gives everything up. Ruth's conversion, Ruth's dedication, Ruth's devotion. You know, next we see in Ruth chapter 2 verse 23, you know what we saw? We saw Ruth's loyalty. Loyalty to Boaz. Her loyalty. Ruth chapter 2 verse 23. Some things have got to happen before the great wedding day, Christian. Verse 23, chapter 2. So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of the barley harvest. You know why she did that? Because Boaz told her to. You know what the Lord's told you to do? He said, oh man, quite a bit. Then just do it. Be loyal. Well, I don't really agree. I don't agree either. That whole part about, you know, loving your neighbor as yourself. My neighbor's an idiot. Well, I wonder what he thinks about you. You ever just stop and think about what your neighbor thinks about you? Because everyone's got a neighbor they think's an idiot, man. And some of y'all got a couple. You ever just stop and think that the Lord told you to love your neighbor as yourself? Well, preacher, what that really means is love your neighbor as yourself, that's right. And by the way some of y'all treat and talk about your neighbor, you must hate your own flesh. He says, love your neighbor as yourself. You say, what are you saying? Be loyal. Be loyal to Boaz, a perfect, beautiful type of Jesus Christ. I'm boring some of y'all to tears, but some of you need to hear it. The only thing you're loyal to is your own guts. Loyalty. Who's loyal to the church house anymore? In 2020, who's loyal to the church house? You say, why are you climbing over this? I don't know, must be time to hit it. I think I hit it about a year ago. That's it. Maybe a year ago. Who's loyal to the church house? Oh, we're getting nervous in the service, preacher. Good, you need to get nervous about something. You get nervous when the police get behind you and you're going about 65, you should have been going 55. You know why you're nervous? Because you're wrong. Ruth was loyal. It's hard to find friends that are loyal, isn't it? Isn't it? Sure is. It's hard to find friends that got your back no matter what. Because just about the time you expose your back, you get a knife in it. So I'm going to say amen right there. Ruth was loyal to Boaz. Boaz said what she needed to do and she turned around and did it. And because of that there was a lot of blessing, wasn't there? I see that loyalty, loyalty. Not only loyalty to Boaz in Ruth 3, 22 and 23, she rehearses the words of Boaz to her mother-in-law. You ever rehearsed the words of your Lord and Savior to anybody? She's telling the words of Boaz, her Lord, to her mother-in-law. You ever rehearse the words of the Lord? Boy, she must have loved what he had to say. You love what the Lord has to tell you? You say, yeah, preacher, I sure do. When was the last time you put that thing up? I'm saying some things that gotta happen for the great wedding day. The first thing, that Jew's gotta be back in line. The second thing, some of us Gentile dogs gotta come into favor with Boaz, our Lord and Savior. Man, what a blessing it is to be in His favor, isn't it? You know what I mean? We're not always that and a bag of chips, but when we're in favor with Jesus Christ, man, I mean, Haley's Comet could wipe out half this earth. You're like, I'm in fellowship with Jesus Christ, I don't even care, man. It's like one preacher said, if I found out they were sending a nuclear miss, a nuclear, a nuclear miss, however you say that thing, to the middle of Tawa City, he said, you know where I'd go? I said, where? He says, right where it's going to hit. He said, I'd get there quicker. But when you're in fellowship with Jesus Christ, man, what a blessing. Everything and the things of earth will grow strangely dim. You ever wonder why there's so much noise around you? You ever wonder why there's just so much interference and so much noise and so much distraction? Because you're not in fellowship with Jesus Christ. You've got to get there. Why are you not loyal to Him? Be loyal to His words. Now that we saw Ruth, she prepared, amen. She was loyal in her preparation there in verses, chapter 3, verses 3 to 7. She's loyal to prepare to fellowship. Man, we learn to pass all lessons from being prepared to fellowship with Jesus Christ and then we see In Ruth chapter 3, verse 8 to 18, the preparation pays off, doesn't it? The preparation pays off. You say, how so? Well, her fears were alleviated. In verse 11, chapter 3, we saw this last week. There was an appeal. Once she got before her Lord, that she should stay a little bit longer. And isn't that the case? You get before the Lord Jesus Christ, you want to get in there, you know, say, hey, what's up? How's it going? And get out. And the Lord's like, no, just take a little bit more time. The old hymn writer said, take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord. And many times we just run in, rush in, rush out. And there's an appeal for us to stay longer. See, a lot of us don't even know what that is. Loyalty and her preparation, the preparation pays off. We see the anointing of blessing in verse 10. She gets a blessing going in to fellowship, and she gets a blessing going out in verse 15. She went in to Boaz empty in verse 9, and in verse 17 she goes out full. Amen. You know why so many Christians are empty? Because they're just not going before the Lord. Some of you are so full you've got a stinking leak. Amen. And if you're full of it, amen, I know it in a matter of moments. You're telling me what the Lord's done for you, what a blessing it is, and how the Lord's taken care of you this week, and some of y'all, man, I never hear you say anything about the Lord. Why? You empty? Empty, why? No loyalty. You're loyal to what you love. Do you love Jesus this morning? She goes in empty and verse 9 comes out full, verse 15 and 17, after we see Ruth's conversion, her dedication, her devotion, her loyalty. Man, if we could just get loyalty down in 2020. I'm not talking about to this building, but Christian, let me just say it. If the shoe fits, put it on. Not just to each other, but loyalty to Jesus Christ. I believe many of our troubles would just go away. Loyalty. Some Gentiles got to come into favor. Boaz. Ruth's dedication, devotion, loyalty, and guess what? Now in Ruth chapter 3 verse 18, you know what we see? Ruth's ability to sit still and wait for what? The imminent return of the Lord. Can I tell you that before that great wedding day to take place, the Lord's got to come back. The Lord's got to come back. Have you thought about Him coming back this morning? You say, no, but you've said it about 10 times, so now I kind of have to. Okay. Right. But isn't that wild? The greatest event, the greatest next event in your life is right on the cusp. And some of us haven't even thought about it all week long. Why? Too much noise. Too much distraction. Too much CNN. Oh preacher, I don't watch CNN. Too much Fox News. Too much BBC. Why? Distraction. Looking unto Jesus. Why? Before that great wedding day, the imminent return of Jesus Christ has got to take place. We've got to get out of here. Before that great wedding day. Our Lord has to come back and get us out of here. I'm looking forward to that day. I know you can't tell. I'm not really excited about it yet. But you know what else has to take place? Well, in Ruth chapter 4 and verse 5, look with me here. Not much longer. We see the mention of an inheritance. You see that in verse 5? Look at that. You know what's got to take place? Not only do we have to get raptured out of here. Amen, Christian? But then we've got to get our laundry done. You say, They got a laundromat in heaven? No, that's the judgment seat of Christ. You see the mention in verse 5 of the inheritance, Ruth chapter 4 verse 5, it talks about His inheritance, right? But notice, between verses 5 and 6, I see two types of inheritance. Inheritance that I want, that's in verse 5, and inheritance that's marred in verse 6. You know what I'm afraid of? I'm afraid someone's going to get there, and we're going to find that our inheritance stinks. The earned reward? It's more like a bunch of wood, hay, and stubble. Take your Bible, go to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3, I know you know this, some of you know this, but some of you, you never come to Sunday school, you never come to Wednesday night, you never come to Sunday evening, and you're stunted in your growth for Jesus Christ. I'm done after that. I won't kick it anymore. But I'm going to say it, in this Laodicean church age, our Christian will not grow if he will not get in that book. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 10-17. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 10-17 talks about the judgment seat of Christ. Bob says, According to the grace of God, which is given unto me, a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation. That's your salvation, remember? We just had a special meeting. Preach all about the foundation. and another buildeth thereon. That's you, if you're a child of God, you're supposed to build on that foundation. But let every man take heed, how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Here we go. Here's the inheritance you want. Now if any man build upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones. That's Ruth 4.5. And then the end of that thing is wood, hay, stubble. That's Ruth 4.6, a mart inheritance. You know, a lot of Christians are gonna be at the Judge Seat of Christ for the Martin Heritance, and the eyes of Almighty God are gonna look through the eyes of the flame of fire, it says in the book of Revelation, and that thing's gonna ignite and burn up, and there you'll be standing in a pile of ashes, having done nothing for Jesus Christ and everything for yourself. I see the great wedding day is preceded by the great judgment seat of Christ. I see an inheritance worth having in Ruth chapter 4 verse 5 and I see a martyr inheritance in Ruth chapter 4 verse 6 that you don't want because it all burns up, all goes up in smoke. Take your Bible to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10. The judgment seat of Christ will happen immediately after the rapture of the church. We're raptured with the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ, and then as soon as we're raptured out of here, we're before Him in the judgment seat of Christ getting our laundry done, getting cleaned up. Why? Because when we're presented at the great wedding day, that Bible says there's no spot, there's no wrinkle, we're cleaned up for once in our life, all the laundry's done. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10, the Bible says, for we must, must, must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body, you see that's physical, according to the thing he had done whether it be good or bad. That's an inheritance. Earned reward. Romans chapter 14. One more time. Romans chapter 14. I want you to learn something this morning or be refreshed by it. 14.10. 14.10. The big problem in Independent Fundamental Bible believing Christians and all the rest is everyone's worried about everybody else. Everybody's worried about what they are doing. If He was doing that, He must not be very spiritual. Well, why don't you just shut up about it and worry about yourself. Look at Romans 14.10. Is it alright to be a plain preacher? Is it alright just to kind of throw that thing out there? It says, For we must all appear aware. Judgment seat of Christ. 14.10. 14.10. But why dost thou judge thy brother? That's a great question, ain't it? I just died, man. Or why dost thou set it not thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Well, I thought we were going to be floating on clouds and playing harps. No. When you are raptured out of here, you're going to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and give an account at the judgment seat of Christ. Before that great wedding day, you got to have your laundry done. You got to receive your earned reward. Are you ready? You say, well, I'd like to do some things for Jesus. Okay. You better get after Him. What if He comes today? You've been thinking about it for the last year. Don't you suppose you ought to put one foot forward first? It's time to go, ain't it? We're nearer now than we've ever been. Well, it's the judgment seat of Christ. There's two types of inheritance. One you want, one that's marred. And here's the final thing. Here's the final thing before the great wedding day. Well, that Jew has to come back into his land. Some Gentiles get in at God's mercy. The rapture has to take place. That's the imminent return of Jesus Christ. The judgment seat of Christ is in heaven. And of course, while the judgment seat is going on in heaven, guess what's going on on earth? That's a great tribulation. Jeremiah chapter 30, I believe it's verse 7, that's the time of Jacob's trouble. So we're up in heaven, getting our laundry done, and while that tribulation's going down on the ground. And that first three and a half years is okay, peace and prosperity they say. But I'm telling you what, that last three and a half years, that's the worst thing. You'd never want to be around for that. But you know what last thing's got to take place? Go back to the book of Ruth. Ruth. Chapter 4, verse 7 to 8. The last thing that's got to take place before the great wedding day is that shoe's got to drop. Ruth chapter 4. 7 and 8, the Bible says, now this was the matter in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his testimony, and this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, buy it for thee, so he drew off his shoe. Take your Bible, go to Psalm chapter 60 for a moment. Psalm 60 verse 8. Throughout the book of Ruth, there is Boaz, a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there's a kinsman that is nearer than Boaz. And that's a picture of God the Father. God the Father already had, he already has an inheritance, which is the nation of Israel, so he can't take us, the Gentile bride, lest it mar, Ruth chapter four, verse six, his own inheritance. So when God drops a shoe, look at Psalm 60, verse eight. You see that thing? Psalm 60, verse eight. Before the great wedding, Moab is my washpot. How about that? We're right back in Moab, aren't we? Over Edom will I cast out my shoe. That's Jehovah God talking about. So there you see, before that great wedding day, when you and I were united with Jesus Christ, forever and ever as the bride of Christ, never to ever have any care again in this life, the Lord's got us drop a shoe. And you know what happens when the Lord drops a shoe? When the Lord drops a shoe, there's a slaughter that commences. I'll show you another verse here, same thing. Psalm 108. The Bible says it twice. The Bible says it twice and everybody misses it. 108, 108.9. The Lord's going to drop a shoe. 108.9. 1089, Moab is my washpot over Edom. Will I cast out my shoe over Philistia? Will I triumph? Alright, go to Exodus chapter 3. We've got to run a few scripture references for you to grasp a hold of this thing. Exodus chapter 3, the Lord is going to drop his shoe on whoever is left in the tribulation coming through with the battle of Armageddon. You need to get that. I'm telling you, things have to take place before the great wedding day. We've come all this far, and I'm telling you, the last thing that happens before the great wedding day is who's ever left on this earth, and I don't know if that's you or not, if you're not saved, you're going to be on this earth, and the Lord's going to drop his shoe, and it's going to be bad. Exodus chapter 3, verse 5. Exodus 3, verse 5. The Bible says, He said, draw not hither, put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place where thou standest is holy ground. That's God speaking to Moses. And at that very site, you see over 3,000 people killed later when they mess around with the Ark of the Covenant. Go to one more place in Joshua chapter 5. Joshua chapter 5, verse 15. Joshua 5, 15. You say, why do you take the time on a Sunday morning? Because you need this. You need to know that God's going to take a shoe. Now, any of you have grown up and had a parent that liked to throw a shoe? No, you're not going to admit it. Admit it now and they'll probably put you in jail or something. Let me tell you what, there was a shoe known every now and then to go around my home. And the last thing you want to be do is hit by that shoe, amen? Why, that thing bit. And when God takes his shoe off and dumps that thing over Edom, and he comes up by the king's highway on the path of the second advent, he slaughters about three billion people in the process. I'm telling you, if you're not ready for the great wedding day, that shoe hits you, you're a goner, and you'll be in the lake of fire forever. Joshua chapter 5 verse 15. 5-15 the Bible says, And the captain, the Lord's host, said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe. You see that? You say, what is it? That's right before Jericho where a massive slaughter of troops took place, right? Thousands and thousands and thousands of troops, they marched around that city seven days and seven times on the seventh day, and down come the walls of Jericho, and thousands and thousands and thousands upon thousands were slaughtered. I'm telling you, every time the shoe comes off, there's a slaughter. And there's a slaughter on the horizon that'll make every single world war that ever took place just look like a little day in the neighborhood. I'm telling you, before that great wedding day, the shoe has to drop. Turn to Isaiah chapter 63. Isaiah 63, look at verse 1. Isaiah chapter 63. Christian, before the great wedding day, and I'm excited, I'm excited to go, I'm excited to get married. You say, preacher, you're already married. I'm talking about married to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, one with Him forever and ever. Consummate the marriage and everything. You say, you're ridiculous. No, if you don't believe the Bible, you don't get it. Isaiah 63, verse 1. Now this is about that shoe coming off. Bible says in Isaiah 63, Who is this that cometh from Edom, with thy garments from Basra, this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save, wherefore art thou red in thine apparel? You want to know why he's red in his apparel? You really want to know? That's because he's soaked in blood. He is red in his apparel, not because he's wearing some Fruit Loop red shirt like the Pope does, or purple thing like that, because he's been right through the Valley of Armageddon there. And that Bible says that thing goes right up to the horse's bridle in blood. That's 1,006 furlongs. The book of Revelation says the blood goes 1,006 furlongs, 8 furlongs to a mile, that's 125 cubic miles of blood. Tell me, you think it's a slaughter? You know what happens when the shoe comes off? Are you ready for that shoe to come off? Are you going to be in that 1,006 furlongs? Let me show you the Bible says that. Go to Revelation chapter 14. You say, preacher, you're scaring me. Good. That's about the only thing I can do. Why? I can't convince you otherwise. 14.19. Man, I'll tell you what, a hundred years ago, if preachers heard the way I preach, they'd call me a stinking liberal is what they do. But I'm concerned about the sheep today. I'm concerned about, are they getting fed? Are you growing the way you should be? And are you ready for the great wedding day? So we seem to be casting a little bit of doubt. If I can cast a little bit of doubt, not trying to retread you, make sure you're going in the right direction. Revelation chapter 14, look at verse 19 this morning. 14, 19. The Bible says, And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast in the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse's bridle. That's four feet deep. in the valley of Armageddon by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. That is 125 miles of blood four feet high. I'm telling you when the shoe comes off it's going to get really ugly. You say, well this is kind of like a PG-13 message preacher. Yeah, you watch worse this week. Can you imagine a valley four feet deep with blood? Are you ready for that great wedding day? Now some of you don't like weddings because you've had some bad marriages. Let me tell you what, this is a marriage that will never fail. If you marry Jesus Christ, He'll never divorce you. He'll never leave you. He'll never cheat on you. He'll never run out on you. He'll never leave you when you need Him. He's always there. Looking forward to that great wedding day. That's the shoe coming off. Blood as deep as a horse's bridle. And look where it came from. Back to Ruth. I want you to see where this fits in. It fits in perfect with Scripture. The Lord has been trying to tell us something supernatural. I believe with all my heart. I believe with all my soul. Alright, verse 7. Now this is the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing. For to confirm all things, a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor. And this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. Look what happens in verse 9. The purchase is made. Look what happens in verse 13. The wedding is finalized. Christian, can I tell you the very last thing before the great wedding day is that shoe's got to drop. And if you're here today and you're saved, you will not be here to see that shoe drop. You'll be up in glory, getting your laundry done, and then enjoying the great marriage supper of the Lamb with the Lord Jesus Christ. But if you're not saved, you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you're going to be part of that, you're going to be part of that shoe dropping, you're going to be part of that four foot deep of blood in the valley of Megiddo, and you'll be burning in the lake of fire forever and ever and never get out. I'm heading to the wedding, where are you heading? I'm looking forward to that great wedding day. Every head bow, every eye close, have the wife come to the organ this morning. Some things got to take place before before that great wedding. And that great day finally arrives when Ruth marries Boaz, where that Gentile bride marries the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian, I don't know how you see the thing, but I've never cared much for weddings but my own. But there's one wedding I'm looking forward to, and that's the one with Jesus Christ. And the marriage supper of the Lamb. All my problems, all my troubles will forever be gone. Never another heartache, never another tear, never bury another loved one, never have to pay another bill late, early, or whatever. It'll all be done. And just like Ruth was looking for rest, I'll have eternal rest with my Boaz, the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you looking forward to that great wedding day, Christian? Have you told the Lord how excited you are? Have you told anybody else about that great wedding day? I don't know, maybe you just need to get up here and thank God for the wedding that's coming. And maybe you're here today and you're not sure whether you're going to be at that great wedding or not. Boy, it sure would be a good day to get it settled. Listen, if you're not sure if you're going to be at that wedding, I've got men right now that could help you know that. You could find out and make sure that you know you're heading to that great wedding day. And you can find out today with a matter of minutes. Boy, I sure wouldn't want to... I sure wouldn't want to be uncertain about that shoe dropping. God's going to drop that shoe, Christian. And all your neighbors that you won't tell about Jesus. And all your family that you won't tell about Jesus. And all your friends that you cut up and joke with and never told about Jesus. They're gonna be down there getting that shoe dropped on them while you're up there in the glory. Maybe it's time to tell them about that wedding.