Introduction
Ruth the love story takes a dramatic turn this week, but we need to remember the prayer we have been praying for the last two weeks:
Lord, break out of the box we try to put you in and destroy everything in our lives that is not of You. Mess up our schedules, plans, and preconceived notions of what a relationship with you should be and bring us into a real, vibrant, living relationship with You. God we are tired of knowing about You, we want to know You. We want more than just Your anointing, we want You, Your presence.
A Christian’s Responsibility
Ruth 3:1
Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
Shall I not seek rest for thee. Rest here is equivalent to marriage. Naomi felt that Ruth should not remain a poor gleaner in the fields. Since Ruth had no mother (in Judah, at any rate), Naomi determined to take the initiative to arrange a marriage.[i]
Is it not true that in the Word of God that the church is the bride and Christ the Bridegroom?
Eph 5:23-32
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
-The lost do not know how to come to Jesus, and He did not leave the command for the angels to win souls. He reserved that privilege for us. It is up to those of us who have walked the path to guide those who follow after us.
Matt 28:19-20
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
To preach, teach, disciple is the reasonability of each Christian, not just a chosen few. I don’t have the gift. It is not a matter of gift but commandment. You might as well say “I don’t have the gift of giving.” That is not a gift either but a command. I don’t have the gift of being a discipleship. That is not a gift either but a command.
See, there is an innate desire within man to worship, to seek after God, but in our fallen state, we are spiritually blind and will follow other ways in an effort to reach God but the road will lead to disaster. We can try to do good works to get to heaven, but a stairway to heaven (God should let me in I gave more money than everyone else in my church combined! God would be so impressed!)
Or people will follow false gods. This is an area of deception by satan. If he can get us off track, following the wrong god (like money, allah, Mary) or like Cain, following the true God but coming to Him in our way (after all, we know better than God what is pleasing to Him, don’t we?) like the thought “we are saved by grace but we must keep our salvation by our works” then it is no more grace but works.
We need to be the let the love of God shine abroad in our hearts, leading others to where they can find the love of God for themselves, finding true love in the right place: with God.
Our Kinsman-Redeemer
Ruth 3:2-4
And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
-Ruth had left all to follow after Naomi and her God. Now she gets instructions on approaching Boaz, the type of Jesus, our Redeemer.-Wash and anoint thyself. When we approach God we need to remember who it is we are coming to, He is God. We need to take the time to cleanse ourselves before approaching Him. Remember how Jesus cleaned the disciples feet? Should we not be our best, dress our best when we come to God? (don’t get me wrong here, God is not judging us, I am saying that we should desire to be our best for God!)
-What she request may seem odd, and some have tried to pervert the thought (she was going to lay with the man before marriage) but this was not the case. She was following the law of the kinsman-redeemer and she did just as the Bible said: laid at his feet.
Ruth 3:5-6
And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
We should be as eager to do right as she was.
Laying Claim to the Right
Ruth 3:7-9
And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.8And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
-There was no inappropriate actions here. He was startled to find a woman at his feet.
-Spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; because thou art a near kinsman. She had already drawn part of the mantle over her; and she asked him now to do it, that the act might become his own. To spread a skirt over one is, in the East, a symbolical action denoting protection. To this day in many parts of the East to say of any one that be put his skirt over a woman is synonymous with saying that he married her; and at all the marriages of the modern Jews and Hindus one part of the ceremony is for the bridegroom to put a silken or cotton cloak around his bride.[ii]
Boaz Accepts Ruth
Ruth 3:10-11
And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
-Thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. A tradition states that Boaz was eighty years old when he married Ruth. She is here commended for not seeking the company of the youthful men who, presumably, would have been more attractive to her. 11. All the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. The term translated virtuous when used of a man describes strength, bravery, and manliness.[iii]
-Boaz accepted the role of kinsman-redeemer and we are reminded that those who seek after Jesus He will in no way cast out. (All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. –John 6:37)
Ruth 3:12-14
And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
-Boaz was a nephew while Elimelech still had a brother living, and as a closer relative he had the right to redeem the land and Ruth. All things must be done in proper order but he did promise Ruth he would do the role if the other refused.
-To tarry the night: it is not proper for a young lady to be wondering around the fields at night, nor is it safe. So she remained at his feet till morning and she left before she could be recognized. Boaz continues to care for and protect Ruth both physically and her reputation. He did not want her reputation marred before the marriage issue was resolved.
Ruth 3:15-17
Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
-As a poor widow woman, the grain would be a blessing.
-Who art thou? Are you a wife now? Is it time for rejoicing? And Ruth explained the situation to her.
Ruth 3:18
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
There is a time for action and a time to wait. This is a time to wait. And there is a time to be still and know God.
She assured her that Boaz, having undertaken this matter, would approve himself a faithful careful friend: He will not be at rest till he have finished the matter. Though it was a busy time with him in his fields and his floor, yet, having undertaken to serve his friend, he would not neglect the business. Naomi believes that Ruth has won his heart, and that therefore he will not be easy till he knows whether she be his or no. This she gives as a reason why Ruth should sit still and not perplex herself about it, that Boaz had undertaken it, and he would be sure to manage it well. Much more reason have good Christians to be careful for nothing, but cast their care on God, because he has promised to care for them: and what need have we to care if he do? Sit still, and see how the matter will fall, for the Lord will perfect that which concerns thee, and will make it to work for good to thee,. Your strength is to sit still.[iv]
Closing Thoughts
-We need to be willing to perform our duty as Christians, and disciple them. All that means is to lead them down the path that we are on.
-We can be saved and not have that close, intimate relationship with God. Are we willing to go that extra mile, do what is necessary to have that relationship even if it means change, or doing things His way instead of ours? Let God out of the box you have put Him in, let Him have His way in your life.
[i] The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press.
[ii] Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.
[iii] The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press
[iv] Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
