Ruth Series: A Statement Of Redemption Series

BOOK OF RUTH: A STATEMENT OF REDEMPTION

RUTH 3:1-18

#bookofruth

INTRODUCTION / SERIES REMINDER

Welcome to week 3 of 4 as we work our way through the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. Ruth is the 8th book overall in the Bible and is a historical narrative in short form as it only has four chapters containing a whopping 85 verses. The events of the book happen mostly in the little town of Bethlehem during the time of “the Judges” which was the very chaotic and violent time before the prophet Samuel ordained the first kings in Israel.

The first week we were in Ruth 1 we took note of Ruth’s wonderful statement of faith with which she confessed her faith in God, but also her willingness to stay with Naomi and die with her.

READ RUTH 1:16-17 (ESV)

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

The second week we were in Ruth 2 we took note of Naomi’s statement of blessing which is not only the point of chapter 2, but also the central point of the entire book of Ruth. Ruth 2:20 is quite a significant verse.

READ RUTH 2:20 (ESV, ‘kinsman’ added)

“And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our kinsman-redeemers.”

This week we now come to chapter 3 and we will discover more about the term I asked you to keep in mind from last week… “kinsman-redeemer.” That word is important in Ruth and is important in chapters 3-4. Let’s read from Ruth 3:

READ RUTH 3:1-8 (ESV, ‘kinsman’ added)

Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

POSSIBLE Ruth 3

00 "Seriously! I am trying to sleep here!" he replied. 00 "You woke me up because you are destitute and want someone to take care of you and your nagging old mother-in-law. 00 You should have stayed in Moab!” 00 At this, Boaz turned over and went back to sleep.”

That of course, is not how the passage goes. If the interaction had gone that way between Boaz and Ruth I am pretty sure we would not be studying this book. We know from what we have seen thus far that Boaz is a man of much integrity, but also he is quite attracted to Ruth both on the inside and the outside.

READ RUTH 3:8-18 (ESV, ‘kinsman’ added)

“At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a kinsman-redeemer. Yet there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”