Memory Verse: Genesis 2: 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam[g] there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the LORD God caused a(U) deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made[h] into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,

“This at last is(V) bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was(W) taken out of Man.”[i]

Introduction: Does She or Doesn’t She (Clairol Shampoo)The world sees Christianity as a male dominant religion. It’s seen as a religion dominated by men, for men. But we know that God loves women - God created woman, and has used women to bring about His plan for the world.

Assignment: Tell the world about your favourite woman in the Bible. Who is she? How did the world judge her? How does God see her? How did God use her? How has this woman affected your life? How does she inspire you to walk out your relationship with God?

Photo: Has some great artist through history painted or depicted your Bible woman? Show us your Bible woman through art.

This moon is the Moon of Abib - the Barley Moon. Scripture says we are to celebrate a  Feast to the Lord on the 14th of the Barley Moon, the it is to be the first moon of the year.  We know it's the Barley moon because it's the moon when the Barley is ripe and ready to be harvested.

Ruth at this point in time was in the Promised Land, in the land alotted to Judah. Ruth was a Moabitess. Naomi and Ruth probably traveled south of the Dead Sea to enter the land of Judah, or through the land of Rueben, across the Jordan river and then down into Judah.  Their destination was to the area around Bethelem. - we know this because King David was born in Bethlehem - otherwise known as the city of David, and Boaz was the grandfather of King David.  Ruth is a foreigner, a woman of no means, a widow, daughter in law to a widow, Naomi, another woman of no means. Their only hope is to return to Naomi's ancestral lands and hope that family will take care of them.

They find themselves near the farm of Boaz, at the time of the Barley Harvest - which is the season of Passover. Just like the Israelites who cossed the Red Sea at Passover, Ruth crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land. God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, Ruth too was delivered from a life of suffering in Moab. She was a Gentile.. a pagan, lost and without God.. but when she decided to stay with Naomi, she declares, Your God will be My God, Your Land will be My Land. In crossing over from her Moabite life, she becomes a Hebrew - on who has crossed over - and becomes adopted into the House of Israel, the Bride of Messiah - the Children of God.  Ruth isn't forced to, Ruth's sister in law makes another choice, to return to her pagan Moabite gods.

Sisters, we are just like Ruth. We have chosen to follow the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,  the God of Jacob.. .. the God of Naomi. We too were once Gentiles, lost  - but now we have entered into a relationship with God - the God of Naomi, Her people are our people, Her God is our God.

Boaz is the Kinsemen Redeemer.  That kind of means the family protector...  Yeshua is our Kinsmen Redeemer.  When Boaz makes provisions for Ruth to be able to gleen the barley and have sufficient for her and Naomi to eat, he is taking on the responsibility for the two widows.  Torah tells us to take care of widows and orphans, it's a Mitzvot, a good deed.  Naomi recognizes this kindness and calls for Ruth to go to Boaz and "lay at his feet". Doesn't our Messiah call us to come lay our burdens at the foot of the cross.. Ruth does this - recognizing that her whole life is a burden.. she has NOTHING of her own to provide for her. Boaz accepts the roll of Kinsmen Redeemer, and marries her - bringing her from the position of foreigner, poor, defenseless.. and restores her to a position of wife, loved, adopted.

We too are the Bride to our Messiah. We were once nothing, lost, helpless, alone. But now He has drawn us near to Him.  He has redeemed us

Tonight is the Passover.  It's a very special Passover as it has the same timing as the Passover when Yeshua was hung on the cross.  It is nearly 3pm my time.. it is very near the hour of His death. It is also very near the hour when the Passover lambs were slain.  The Israelites will soon take home their slaughtered lambs, roast them and prepare the Seder mea and a High Sabbathl. Yeshua will be taken off the cross, wrapped in linen cloths and laid in the tomb before Sundown, and will spend the first "night" in the grave.  Tomorrow morning, while the Messiah lays in the grave for his first "day" we'll rest for this Shabbaton - Sabbath like day. This Sabbath is the first day of the Feast of Unleaven Bread. We'll have another regular day, a day to prepare the spices for the washing of the body of our Lord, and a day to prepare for the regular weekly Sabbath Our Lord will be in the grave for this whole day of preparation, a "night and a day".  Then it's the  Weekly Sabbath, again, the Lord is in the grave for a "night and a day". Following the Sabbath, on what we consider Saturday night, the women will go to the grave, and find the stone rolled away, the Messiah is Risen - having layn in the grave for 3 nights and 3 days.This day is also the beginning of the Feast of First Fruits - for our Messiah IS the First Fruit of our Lord.

Ruth will celebrate her first Passover with this new Israelite Familiy.

How does the story of Ruth affect MY life? How has she influenced me? She has taught me the lovely submission to my Messiah - in love I have come to his feet