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Speaker 1: Let us pray where thou diest, will I die, and

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Speaker 1: there will I be buried? The Lord do so to

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Speaker 1: me and more also, if aught but death part thee

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Speaker 1: and me Ruth one seventeen, Dear Lord, with a heart

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Speaker 1: of true devotion, I declare that, no matter what hardships

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Speaker 1: I face, like Ruth and Naomi, I will not leave

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Speaker 1: your side. As Ruth committed her life to serving Naomi,

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Speaker 1: I too have made the decision to follow you, Lord

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Speaker 1: and to serve you wholeheartedly. I will not approach my

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Speaker 1: life's purpose with mediocrity and small thinking. Instead, I will

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Speaker 1: move and do everything with excellence, because I know that

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Speaker 1: I am serving the King of kings and the Lord

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Speaker 1: of Lords. When I feel tired, strengthen my mind and

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Speaker 1: body to complete the task in front of me. I

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Speaker 1: decree and declare that I will tend to the opportunities

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Speaker 1: you bring me, god like when Ruth attended to the

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Speaker 1: fields of Boaz. I now know that if I am

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Speaker 1: faithful to the Little Lord, you will bless me with much.

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Speaker 1: I declare that this is my redeeming season. I declare

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Speaker 1: that all my losses are turning into gains. I declare

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Speaker 1: that this is a new season. Then change is all

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Speaker 1: around me in Jesus name. Amen. Thanks for making prayer

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Speaker 1: a priority in your life. To hear the Bible come

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Speaker 1: to life. Stay tuned for the Bible in a Year

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Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a Year dot com.

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Speaker 2: Naomi meets faithful Ruth. In our last story, we learned

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Speaker 2: about Israel's corruption. Their lack of guidance and devotion to

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Speaker 2: God caused a great civil war to break out between

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Speaker 2: the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of Israel. Blood

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Speaker 2: was shed and the people of Israel continued to struggle.

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Speaker 2: Yet God was faithful to rebuild and to restore. Now

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Speaker 2: we peer into the lives of Naomi and Ruth, two

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Speaker 2: women who suffered loss and heartbreak, but found closeness in

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Speaker 2: each other and the favor of God. Inspired by the

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Speaker 2: Book of Ruth.

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Speaker 3: Hello, this is Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of

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Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous reading,

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Speaker 3: we heard how civil war erupted in Israel. The tribe

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Speaker 3: of Benjamin battled the other tribes, killing many of their

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Speaker 3: own fellow Israelites, but in the end it was they

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Speaker 3: who fell to the sword, and they were nearly wiped out.

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Speaker 3: God's people drew close to God again, but for just

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Speaker 3: a little while. Soon they returned to their old ways

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Speaker 3: of sin and rebellion, and there was great separation between

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Speaker 3: God and his own people. Today we turn our attention

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Speaker 3: to a very beautiful story of devotion and love between

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Speaker 3: two widows, a mother and a daughter in law, who

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Speaker 3: are left alone and hurting. The story of Naomi and

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Speaker 3: Ruth is touching and inspiring, and we see God's favor

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Speaker 3: poured out on these two women who loved God and

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Speaker 3: loved each other. Now let's listen to today's reading.

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Speaker 2: It was the era of judges, great warriors of God

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Speaker 2: ruled and protected the nation of Israel from evil forces.

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Speaker 2: Their bravery covered the land and Israel was safe from harm. However,

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Speaker 2: a famine blighted the land of Israel. Crops turned to dust,

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Speaker 2: and the rain ceased to fall for months at a time. Alimelech,

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Speaker 2: a man from Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah, left

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Speaker 2: to the country of Moab with his wife, Naomi and

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Speaker 2: his two sons. There they found fertile ground and raised

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Speaker 2: their family in peace. All was well until Alimelech passed

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Speaker 2: away and left Naomi alone with her son Milan and Chilean.

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Speaker 2: Naomi raised her sons and the love of God, and

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Speaker 2: they grew to be fine young men. They both married

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Speaker 2: Moabide women, Ruth and Orpha. For ten years, the five

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Speaker 2: of them lived as a happy family, enjoying the land

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Speaker 2: and each other's company. However, tragedy knocked on Naomi's door

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Speaker 2: once again, and her two sons died, just as her

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Speaker 2: husband had. There, Naomi was left alone with her two

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Speaker 2: daughter in laws. Naomi's grief sunk its roots down deep.

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Speaker 2: Her sons and her husband had left her, and she

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Speaker 2: felt helpless and alone. In cries of pain, Naomi called

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Speaker 2: for her two daughter in laws, saying, you should go

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Speaker 2: and return to your mother's house. There is nothing left

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Speaker 2: for you here but sadness and despair. Naomi covered her

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Speaker 2: face from them as she wept. She truly loved her daughters,

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Speaker 2: but knew she could not provide a life for them.

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Speaker 2: The two girls kissed her and they all wept. They protested,

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Speaker 2: saying that they would stay with Naomi, but Naomi shook

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Speaker 2: her head. She wiped a few tears from her eyes

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Speaker 2: and said, listen, I cannot give you sons to Mary

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Speaker 2: or food to feed. You go and may God bless

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Speaker 2: you with the same amount he has cursed me. So

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Speaker 2: Opha kissed her mother in law and departed, but Ruth

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Speaker 2: clung to her, refusing to leave her side. Ruth took

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Speaker 2: Naomi's hands and looked her deep in the eyes. With

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Speaker 2: a gentle voice, Ruth said, wherever.

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Speaker 3: You go, I will go.

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Speaker 2: Also. Your people be my people, Your God will be

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Speaker 2: my God. And wherever you die, so I will also.

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Speaker 2: Naomi's heart overflowed with gratitude, and the two women ventured

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Speaker 2: back to Bethlehem to Naomi's family. Ruth displayed true devotion, friendship,

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Speaker 2: and a willingness to share in the joys and failures

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Speaker 2: of life with Naomi. When the two of them arrived

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Speaker 2: at Bethlehem, the whole town stirred and came out of

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Speaker 2: their homes. Naomi has returned, they shouted. They were elated

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Speaker 2: to see her once again. Naomi halted their embrace. Her

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Speaker 2: eyes were swollen from endless tears, and her back was

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Speaker 2: crooked from carrying a heavy load. Do not call me Naomi,

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Speaker 2: she said, call me Mara, for God has given me

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Speaker 2: only bitterness. I am left filled with life, but now

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Speaker 2: I am emptied. So Naomi and Ruth settled in a

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Speaker 2: small home together, and the town respected Naomi's wis and

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Speaker 2: did not bother her. On the other end of town

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Speaker 2: lived Boaz. Boaz was a relative of Naomi's husband. He

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Speaker 2: owned large barley fields and would allow for the impoverished

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Speaker 2: people in town to glean from his field to feed

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Speaker 2: their families. So Ruth went to the fields of Boaz

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Speaker 2: to reap some of the harvest for her in Naomi.

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Speaker 2: She worked hard in the beating sun, taking no breaks.

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Speaker 2: Ruth saw it as her responsibility to look after Naomi,

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Speaker 2: and she did so happily. Boaz entered into the fields

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Speaker 2: to greet his workers. The Lord be with you, he

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Speaker 2: told them. His smile was large and genuine. Boaz was

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Speaker 2: a handsome man, perhaps ten years older than Ruth. He

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Speaker 2: stood tall and strong, but he was not intimidating or brutish.

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Speaker 2: He walked the fields making sure every person had enough

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Speaker 2: to take home to their families. As he was scanning

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Speaker 2: the fields, he spotted Ruth on the corner away from

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Speaker 2: the other women. He turned to the man in charge

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Speaker 2: of the reapers and said, who is that young woman

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Speaker 2: over there? Ah, Yes, that is Ruth, the man said.

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Speaker 2: She is a young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi.

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Speaker 2: She asked if she could glean from the field and

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Speaker 2: has not stopped working since sunrise. Boaz looked at her,

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Speaker 2: concerned that she was working all alone. Boaz turned towards

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Speaker 2: Ruth and walked down to where she was working. Ruth's

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Speaker 2: head was down and her eyes were locked on the

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Speaker 2: barley stalks. Hello, Boaz said. Ruth looked up, startled when

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Speaker 2: she saw it was the man who owned the fields.

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Speaker 2: She relaxed and smiled. The two locked eyes for a moment.

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Speaker 2: They looked in silence for only a few seconds, although

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Speaker 2: it seemed much longer. Boaz shook his head and said,

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Speaker 2: I wanted to welcome you. Do not glean from any

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Speaker 2: other field. You can work in mine as long as

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Speaker 2: you want, but keep close to all the other women

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Speaker 2: over there. Boaz gestured towards the other women working. I

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Speaker 2: have ordered the men to not harass you. If they do,

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Speaker 2: they will have me to deal with. And when you

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Speaker 2: are thirsty, there are vessels that the young men have

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Speaker 2: drawn over there. As Boaz continued to speak, tears began

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Speaker 2: to stream down Ruth's face. Surprised, Boaz stopped talking. Ruth

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Speaker 2: bowed before Bouaz, now sobbing into her hands. Why are

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Speaker 2: you being so kind to me, she asked. Boaz smiled

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Speaker 2: and helped her on to her feet. I heard what

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Speaker 2: you did for your mother in law. I was told

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Speaker 2: of your husband who died, and how you remained with

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Speaker 2: her and take care of her. I want the Lord

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Speaker 2: to repay you for all you have done. It is

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Speaker 2: under his wings you have taken refuge, not mine. Boaz's

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Speaker 2: eyes were kind and his voice was warm and welcoming.

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Speaker 2: It drew Ruth in and comforted her. You have truly

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Speaker 2: comforted me, Ruth said, wiping her eyes. I am not

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Speaker 2: the only one working here, but you chose to speak

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Speaker 2: with me. Boaz then invited her to eat with him

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Speaker 2: and the other servants. Boaz passed out bread and wine

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Speaker 2: to all his reapers and saved extra for Ruth to

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Speaker 2: take home for Naomi. He then instructed the men to

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Speaker 2: allow Ruth to work extra hours so her and Naomi

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Speaker 2: may be taken care of. Ruth continued to watch Boaz

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Speaker 2: from a distance. The way he cared for every servant, reaper,

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Speaker 2: and worker was astounding. Ruth did not know it yet,

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Speaker 2: but she was falling in love with Boaz. Ruth worked

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Speaker 2: until the sun began to set. She brought home which

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Speaker 2: she had gleaned to Naomi and gave her the bread

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Speaker 2: and wine saved by Boaz. The two spoke into the

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Speaker 2: night about Ruth's day. Who on earth took such great

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Speaker 2: care of you? Naomi asked, it was Boaz. Ruth replied,

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Speaker 2: eyes focused on sifting the grain on the table. Naomi

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Speaker 2: stopped her and turned her around. Her eyes were lit

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Speaker 2: up like stars. May Boas be blessed by God. He

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Speaker 2: is a close relative of ours. Not only that, but

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Speaker 2: he is a kinsman, redeemer, a chosen man from the

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Speaker 2: family to be our head and guardian. Ruth smiled. The

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Speaker 2: following weeks, Ruth kept close to the other women of

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Speaker 2: the field and worked. She labored all day and talked

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Speaker 2: with Naomi at night. And each day Boaz and Ruth

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Speaker 2: would catch small glimpses of one another, and Ruth felt

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Speaker 2: safe under his care.

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Speaker 3: Today's story begins with a famine in the land. A

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Speaker 3: man from Bethlehem and Judea named Elimelac leaves his home

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Speaker 3: to go to Moab, where he finds fertile fields in peace,

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Speaker 3: and there, with his wife, Naomi and their children, he

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Speaker 3: makes a life for his family, but Elimelech eventually dies,

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Speaker 3: leaving Naomi a widow with two sons. Her sons Mary,

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Speaker 3: Moabite women Ruth and Orpah. After ten years, the sons

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Speaker 3: also died, leaving Naomi without a husband or children to

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Speaker 3: care for her. She has no one to protect or

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Speaker 3: provide for her, so she tells her daughters in law

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Speaker 3: to return home so that they could find husbands to

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Speaker 3: care for them. After an initial protest Orpi agrees and

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Speaker 3: returns home back to Moab, but Ruth will not abandon Naomi.

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Speaker 3: She pleases her allegiance not only to Naomi, but to

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Speaker 3: Naomi's God and her people. It is a beautiful act

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Speaker 3: of friendship and selflessness, the magnitude of which it is

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Speaker 3: hard for us to grasp. Moabites were by law excluded

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Speaker 3: from being a part of God's covenant, God's people. They

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Speaker 3: were to be rejected, but Ruth confessed the One True

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Speaker 3: God as her lord, received his grace and ghost of

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Speaker 3: Bethlehem with Naomi. Naomi is met with celebration at home,

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Speaker 3: but responds with a request to change her name to Mara,

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Speaker 3: which means bitter. Naomi's circumstances had robbed her of joy,

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Speaker 3: so she is bitter. She blames God for her bitterness. Unfortunately,

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Speaker 3: and rather than look at what she did have her life,

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Speaker 3: a loyal daughter in law and a family in Bethlehem,

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Speaker 3: she was only intent on seeing what she did not have.

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Speaker 3: The two women settled in a home together. Ruth went

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Speaker 3: across town each day to the field of a wealthy

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Speaker 3: man by the name of Boaz, who was generous and

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Speaker 3: would allow the poor to glean from his fields at

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Speaker 3: the time of harvest. Ruth worked hard, and she worked alone.

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Speaker 3: It was a dangerous thing for her to do. Really,

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Speaker 3: she was so very vulnerable, but she wanted to provide

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Speaker 3: for herself and her mother in law, Naomi. She catches

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Speaker 3: the eye of Boas, who asked others who she was.

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Speaker 3: He discovered that she was the Moabite daughter in law

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Speaker 3: of Naomi, so he approaches her and spoke to her,

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Speaker 3: telling her she was welcome to glean, but to stay

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Speaker 3: close to the other women for her safety. He also

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Speaker 3: gave orders to his men to leave her alone. Finally,

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Speaker 3: he told her that should she get thirsty, she should

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Speaker 3: draw from his will. This moves Ruth to tears, and

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Speaker 3: she asks why he is being so kind. Bo As

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Speaker 3: tells Ruth he had heard what she had done for Naomi.

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Speaker 3: Then he says something very remarkable. He says he wants

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Speaker 3: the Lord to repay her for all that she has done,

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Speaker 3: and that she would find refuge with the Lord. Bo

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Speaker 3: As was protecting her, but he wanted to be clear

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Speaker 3: that it was under God's wing, God's protection that Ruth

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Speaker 3: should take refuge. He then invited her to eat with

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Speaker 3: him and his servants and sent her home with extra

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Speaker 3: food for Naomi. When Naomi hears all that has happened,

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Speaker 3: she is absolutely thrilled. Her bitterness gives way to hope

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Speaker 3: and joy, and in Ruth two twenty she says, this,

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Speaker 3: may he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has

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Speaker 3: not forsaken the living or the dead. Naomi said to her, also,

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Speaker 3: the man is a close relative of ours, one of

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Speaker 3: our redeemers. Boaz was a kinsman redeemer to Ruth. Soon enough,

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Speaker 3: Ruth would discover just how true this statement was. And

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Speaker 3: we'll hear about that the next time. It all happened

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Speaker 3: in a place called Bethlehem, dear Lord, thank you for

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Speaker 3: your faithfulness that even in our sorrow, our grief, and

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Speaker 3: our suffering, even when we become bitter and angry, your

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Speaker 3: grace chases us down. Your grace is always with us,

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Speaker 3: and your provision and your promises are always true. Thank

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Speaker 3: you for Jesus, who is our kinsman, redeemer, and we

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Speaker 3: trust you Lord to be our savior and our protector.

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Speaker 3: In Jesus' name, Amen, thank you for listening to today's

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Speaker 3: Bible of the Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas,

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Speaker 3: and you can download the pray dot Com app and

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Speaker 3: make prayer the priority of your life. It is our

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Speaker 3: prayer that you would know Jesus Christ in a personal way.

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Speaker 3: Jesus and knowing him is the key to understanding the Bible.

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Speaker 3: Jesus is on every page in the pathway of Scripture,

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Speaker 3: so I pray that you would know him and look

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Speaker 3: to Him for eternal life. As we see all of

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Speaker 3: these stories, some of them very sordid, we realize just

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Speaker 3: how desperately we all need the Lord. So invite Christ

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Speaker 3: into your life and receive him as your Lord and savior.

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Speaker 3: I would also encourage you to download the Pray dot

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Speaker 3: com app and let others know about this podcast. And

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Speaker 3: if you want more resources on how to know God

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Speaker 3: and experience his presence in your life, be sure to

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Speaker 3: visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless you