Boaz marries Ruth out of love, not obligation, just as Jesus loves the church freely rather than by requirement. The sovereignty of God works through Naomi's counsel, Ruth's faithfulness, and Boaz's trustworthiness to bring them together in marriage in spite of risks. The book of Ruth depicts God's providence and how taking risks can still accord with trusting in God.

2. Ruth 3:1-18

11. He has absolutely no legal obligation to Ruth
whatsoever. He owes her nothing. The legalists,
the moralists, they’ll say, “He is here fulfilling his
obligations according to the law.” No, he’s not.
He’s not marrying her to obey the law because
the law speaks nothing of this situation, gives no
commands to Boaz. So why does he marry her?
He loves her. If you don’t get that, you butcher,
you butcher the whole story. It’s about love.

12. And in this, BOAZ IS LIKE JESUS, and RUTH IS
LIKE THE CHURCH, and Jesus loves us, not
because he’s obligated to, but because he’s
gracious and he’s kind, and he’s affectionate,
and he’s dependable. And it’s all of grace,
not of law, not of legality, not of obligation.

13. •The sovereignty of God is working through all
of these people: through the counsel of Naomi,
though it is risky, to be sure; through the
faithfulness of Ruth; and through the
trustworthiness of Boaz.
•And what we see is that the flip side of the
providence of God, which is the theme of the
Book of Ruth, is that sometime we have to
take calculated risks.

14. • Ruth risks, but ultimately she is trusting Boaz and
God, who Boaz loves very much. And in this, let me
submit to you, that this is perhaps the greatest
love story in all of scripture, and that it transpires
in the context of all of the Bible’s story, which is
the greatest love story ever told.