210910 Ruth 6

 Ruth 6                                                                                             210919

The story of Ruth begins as a growing tragedy and moves forward to an amazing triumph.

A quick review:

A famine drove the family of Naomi and Elimelech to leave their home town of Bethlehem and go to Moab. This must have been a hard decision because Moab had been an enemy of Israel for 100’s of years.

After arriving in Moab their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, took Moabite wives. During their residency of about 10 years the three men died leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law without husbands or children. Naomi heard that the famine had ended in Israel. As she was setting out she urged her two daughters-in-law to stay in Moab. There they could remarry with Moabite men. One of them, Orpah, decided to stay where she had grown up. Ruth choose to go with Naomi. Ruth’s commitment to Naomi is one of the most moving speeches I know of. It is found in Ruth 1:16-17.  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.” This settled the matter for Ruth and Naomi accepted it without comment.

The two of them came to Bethlehem where the people had not seen Naomi for 10+ years. They were the talk of the town, And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” to which she replied, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹ I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” “Naomi” means “Pleasant” while “Mara” means “Bitter”. She seems to have lost her faith in Yahweh, the Great “I AM”! She had witnessed her husband who trusted God, went to Moab and died there leaving her in a serious mess. Naomi’s depth of faith is very common. Many people have found themselves in a negative situation and, though they had prayed and planned, they had everything fall around them. She said, “the almighty has brought calamity upon me.”

Isn’t it interesting how God is at fault when our plans don’t work out? She should have looked at her situation in faith. True, her husband and two sons had died. But she was left with the most loving and generous daughter-in-law possible. The testimony of the women the town was Ruth was better than seven sons. Also there was at least one relative of her dead husband who could serve as a redeemer. That fact could not have escaped Naomi’s awareness. She, and Ruth, arrived at the beginning of barley harvest allowing a means of support while they got settled in. Naomi could not see the positives in her situation. Perhaps she was not content that, though the sons were married, she was not a grandmother. Of course, God gives children and grandchildren at the right time to his people. Ruth was much more available than she would have been if she had children. God had a plan for Ruth’s offspring. And it wasn’t being the wife of a Moabite. No disrespect intended. I accept her first husband as an upright individual. He had a handicap that could not be overcome. He was not Boaz!

We are not told the name of the other possible redeemer. His name really did not matter. God set the plan in action and man cannot stop him!

For whatever reason what’s his name could not see a path that would allow him to be the redeemer. Probably the property was all he was interested in. The ten man jury heard his affirmation and saw the exchange of a sandal.

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. ¹⁰ Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” (Ruth 4:9-10)

Boaz fulfilled an important role in the history of the land that was Elimelech’s. The continuation of the family name was as important as the recovery of the land.

There was rejoicing in Bethlehem that day. The broken family relationship would be restored for the land and the line of family inheritance would be assured.

Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, ¹² and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.” (Ruth 4:11-12)

Ruth had been kept from conception because God had plans for her. She had become a follower of Yahweh, the God of Israel. Now she would take her place in the genetic line that would bring an anointed messiah into the world to be the kinsman redeemer of all who will put their faith in him.

 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. ¹⁴ Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! ¹⁵ He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” ¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. ¹⁷ And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:13-17).

A shortened genealogy was included to show future generations what this story is really all about.

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, ¹⁹ Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, ²⁰ Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, ²¹ Salmon fathered

Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, ²² Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. (Ruth 4:18-22). This record made clear the qualifications of a kinsman redeemer had been fulfilled. The settlement that day was a very agreeable experience. Let’s look to the Old Testament for the rule they would follow.

It is recorded in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. ⁶ And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. ⁷ And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ ⁸ Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ ⁹ then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ ¹⁰ And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.” 

The law of Moses assumed a hostile setting where there was no willing kinsman redeemer. The name of the closer redeemer was never revealed by the writer. We do not know his name or his relationship. I suspect he was a first-cousin and Boaz was at least one step removed. Boaz immediately pressed his claim and made clear his intention regarding the property of Elimelech and his direct heirs. The most important part of the transaction was this -- along with the property he would take the widow. The first boy baby would be recorded as the son of Mahlon and would then inherit the property that would have been held in trust for him.

 

You might ask, “What does this mean to me?” it is an interesting story. If you are a romantic you might see it as a well written love story. But it happened a long time ago. It could be a case study in property ownership many years later. For whatever reason this story is important to us. The story of Ruth teaches us that God does not discriminate against women or against other races. Let’s look at the qualifications of a kinsman redeemer and apply them to Jesus. Thus showing that Jesus became our kinsman redeemer.

Old Testament qualifications and Jesus’ meeting them for us.

First, it is necessary that the one who would serve as a redeemer have a blood relationship. What does the New Testament tell us about Jesus?

Galatians 4:3- 5; In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. ⁴ But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And, Hebrews 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

The redeemer must have the resources. At least in the recovery of the land. 1 Peter 1:17--19 ,  And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, ¹⁸ knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

The redeemer had to be willing to redeem the property and marry the widow. John 10:15-18 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Boaz personifies Jesus who, “had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17), Jesus redeemed those who were slaves to sin. “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:15–18)  Jesus redeemed those who had lost all earthly privilege in the Fall in the Garden of Eden and had been alienated from God by sin. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18–21).

Boaz stands in the direct line of Christ. This turn of events marks the point where Naomi’s human emptiness (Ruth 1:21) begins to be refilled by the Lord. Her night of earthly doubt has been broken by the dawning of new hope.

Have you recognized your need for a redeemer? One who can buy you back from the fields of this age and allow you to work alongside those who are servants of the King of the Universe? See how a citizen of a foreign nation can become a member of the people of God? Have you trusted Jesus as your Lord?

All scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2016. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society..

210912 Ruth 5

 Ruth 5                                                                                             210912

The story of Ruth begins as a growing tragedy and moves forward to an amazing triumph. Within 10 years Elimelech, Malon and Chilion died leaving the widows without a man. One day Naomi heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had restored Israel.

 This period in history was extremely hard. The record of the Judges concludes by telling us, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). Prejudice is a malicious social disease that destroys any opportunity to build a strong community.

Naomi was in no mood to trust God in her situation. She had been on hand when Elimelech had trusted God, moved to Moab, and died!

Ruth was determined to be loyal to Naomi. She 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.” (Ruth 1:16-17). This testimony shows her conversion to the family of the living God, Yahweh!

When the two women arrived in Bethlehem they were the talk of the town! In reply to the question, “Is this Naomi?” She answered, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹ I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:21).

“Naomi” means “Pleasant” and “Mara” means “Bitter”.

Ruth’s confession of faith had included a rejection of the Moabite god, chemosh! Ruth surrendered her life to Naomi and the one true God, “Yahweh”.

Naomi was in so much pain that she could not imagine Ruth as an asset. God is often blamed when things seem to go “wrong”. Man takes the credit when things seem to go “right”!

Chapter one ends with a hint of how they might survive, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.” (Ruth1:22b) There were two things Naomi and Ruth had to have in order to survive: food and family. They had gleaned for food in the fields of Moab. So they knew how to “get by” for food but there was certainly no future in that.

Chapter two begins with, “Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. (Ruth 2:1) Ruth and Naomi may have discussed their closest relatives but they would not have known which relatives had survived.

Naomi’s comment, “I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty,” (Ruth 1:20) certainly indicates she could not see anything positive in their situation. Yahweh Himself was Ruth’s and Naomi’s only real asset. But Naomi did not give Ruth any consideration. Apparently she did not trust Yahweh! So Ruth takes it upon herself to provide for their needs. She asked Naomi’s permission before she went out to gather what grain she could. God’s unseen hand reached out.

Ruth just “happened” to come to the field being harvested by Boaz, one of their kinsman redeemers!

Now I don’t believe in chance or luck. I do believe in providence!

God had provided for gleaning in the Law of Moses. One of the laws of compassion allow for the poor to glean after the harvesters. “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” (Deuteronomy 24:19).

When she set out that morning Ruth was not looking for Boaz’s field she was just looking for food for her and her beloved Naomi. I do not think Ruth planned to arrive in Boaz’s field. I believe God guided her there. This was not a scheme by the two widows to trap a man. It was part of a long-term plan arranged by God with a specific goal. Look at the evidence of Boaz and his crew showing their common faith. Ruth arrived just as, “Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” (Ruth 2:4) It just happened that Boaz arrived while Ruth was gleaning in his field. I believe God’s unseen hand guided her to family, food and a future all wrapped up in one package. A package named Boaz. When he arrived on the scene he did not ask, “Who is the young woman?” He asked, “Whose young woman is this?” The difference is subtle. Boaz did not want to know who she was as much as he wanted to know if she was free and if not who did she belong to. 

Boaz checked in with his crew and gave them instructions then he approached Ruth. Boaz had instructed his crew, male and female, to keep Ruth from harm and to make sure she had all she needed. He also told the young men to leave plenty of grain for her to gather. She was to be allowed to drink from the workers’ water jars. She knew that this was not common practice. And she was bold enough to ask, “Why”?

Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:11-12) Ruth’s loyalty had paid off in real dividends. She could see that she was being treated like one of his servants and not like a poor foreigner.

Boaz went a step further. At the end of the day he and his crew ate together. He invited Ruth to join in the meal. He even served her with his own hands. At the end of the day Ruth beat out the grain she had gathered. Naomi was excited about the size of Ruth’s harvest. Obviously, someone had blessed her. I am not sure Naomi was ready to recognize God’s hand. But we know that God was her benefactor. Just as Boaz had said, “The Lord repay you for what you have done.”(Ruth 2:12) Barley harvest usually began about mid-April and wheat harvest extended to mid-June—a period of intense labor for about two months. This generally coincided with the seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost.

For a couple of months Ruth had worked in the fields of Boaz alongside his young women. During that time her reputation was growing. Later, Boaz would call her a worthy woman. That same phrase is used to describe the excellent wife beginning in Proverbs 31:10. No doubt he was smitten by her and did not know exactly what to do about it. I believe he was older than she and had likely given up on having a wife and family. He may have been too busy bringing his business through the famine. This may have been one explanation of why he was not already married.

Of course he was not married! God was holding him in reserve to become the great-grandfather of David the King. Meanwhile, “She lived with her mother-in-law.”  (Ruth 2:23b) As soon as Naomi heard the name, “Boaz” she knew what to say and do. “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.” (Ruth 3:2-5).

The scene was set. Most of the servants of Boaz would have the day, or certainly the evening, off. Winnowing was a man’s job. The female servants brought in the harvest and the men would have separated the grain from the chaff. The fact that Boaz was there working alongside of his crew in doing the work speaks well of him.

Ruth had bathed and put on perfume. I expect she had, up till then, been dressed in the clothes of a widow. She would have put the “widows weeds” aside and, with her clothing, shown that she was ready to lay aside the past and get on with life. She went to the winnowing floor and let the darkness protect her identity. Following Naomi’s instructions she watched Boaz very carefully. She did not want to approach the wrong man when she moved into action. She watched where he lay down and waited until she was certain he was sound asleep.

Then she softly moved to his feet and turned his robe back and lay down. In our world that would have been a very provocative act. In their world this was acceptable. I believe at least one of Boaz’s servants was awake and aware of what was happening. That servant would have been very loyal to his good master. His duties would have included maintaining a fire and watching over the gathered grain. He would have also known Ruth was worthy and to be trusted.

That would have been who Boaz spoke to when he said, ““Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (Ruth 3:14)

In the middle of the night Boaz was awakened and he uncovered Ruth. He asked, “Who are you?” Her reply would have settled all of his doubts about her and their future.

The word she used for covering might be translated “wings”, “skirt”, or “hem”. It was the same word Boaz used when referring to her relationship with the God of Israel. Ruth was serious about her relationship with Boaz. She said, “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.

(Ruth 3:9b-11). Then Boaz revealed that he had been considering exactly what Ruth proposed. He had done his research but he had kept quiet about what he knew.

He said, “And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a 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.” (Ruth 3:10-13), Ruth wanted there to be no doubt in Boaz’s mind. Naomi had given her instruction to let Boaz discover her and then follow his directions. “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.” (Ruth 3:7). Ruth did not stop with the unveiling she added to Naomi’s words.  “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

(Ruth 3:9b) Boaz was a man of honor. He would make sure Ruth’s reputation was secure. He would also make sure there was no time for the “closer redeemer” to hear about the scene at the threshing floor.

At the same time, he would protect her physically by having her stay until morning twilight to go home. Also he gave her an abundance of grain so Naomi could no longer say God brought her back empty. Then he promised to settle the matter immediately. He must not let too much time pass. The whole community would have known what was going on soon enough. If the nearer redeemer had time to work out the nuances of Ruth and the property she represented he would have found a way to make it work. So, Boaz is ready to strike while the iron is hot! Before his cousin (at least I think they were cousins) realized there would be a way to add to his land, father a male heir, and still keep his estate separate. ********

 

In the meantime, Ruth came to their apartment in the city with a story to tell and a large supply of barley. Naomi assured Ruth, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” (Ruth 3:18).

In his excitement Boaz hurried to the city gate. He had, had little sleep and lots of anticipation. I believe he knew what time each day what’s his name would pass through that gate. I expect Boaz had watched what’s his name going through his daily routines long enough to act on the information he had gathered. When the unnamed redeemer arrived at the gate he found Boaz ready to close the trap.

Boaz quickly organized a 10 man quorum (I believe he had already “packed the court”) and now he presented his case.

Boaz began with a simple statement of facts. Notice, he did not begin with a mention of Ruth. He began with Naomi. She would have been the person having ownership. When Elimelech took his family to Moab he did not sell his land. In fact he could not sell it because he really didn’t own it. God did! Land was very important! God had laid down property law based on Leviticus 25:23-24, “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the country you possess, you shall allow a redemption of the land.” God intended to maintain ownership of the land forever. The people were simply leaseholders.

Besides all that, there would not have been a market for land in a time of famine. I believe there would have been a hut on their plot of land and nothing else. Aside from the unseen direction of God’s hand, Elimelech’s land would have been nearby. The land plan of God was to keep families and clans together. That would maintain a safe and secure community.

Boaz reports to what’s his name that Naomi wanted to turn her inherited land into cash. Now that he had the kinsman’s attention, “he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. ⁴ So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” (Ruth 4:3-4).

Without thought, the kinsman immediately said, “I will redeem it.”

Now was the time for Boaz to toss in a little complication. “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” (Ruth 4:5). I believe there would have been legal ways to unravel the complications raised by bringing Ruth into his household. Boaz had taken the time to research the possibilities. What’s his name would not have done the research and may not have been aware of Ruth. Perhaps Boaz could have married Ruth some other way. Whatever the complications may have been they were enough to stop the deal with the unnamed kinsman.

Upon hearing about the marriage inheritance part of the deal he said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. ⁸ So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. (Ruth 4:6-8)

For whatever reason what’s his name could not see a path that would allow him to be the redeemer. Probably the property was all he was interested in. The ten man jury heard his affirmation and saw the exchange of a sandal.

This was a very agreeable experience. We will look at the record of what might have been. It is recorded in Deuteronomy 25:5-10.

⁵ “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. ⁶ And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. ⁷ And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ ⁸ Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ ⁹ then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ ¹⁰ And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.”  

The record of law assumed a hostile setting where there was no willing kinsman redeemer. What’s his name was never revealed by the writer. We do not know his name or his relationship. I suspect he was a first-cousin and Boaz was at least one step removed. Boaz immediately pressed his claim and made clear his intention regarding the property of Elimelech and his direct heirs. The most important part of the transaction was this along with the property he would take the widow. The first boy baby would be recorded as the son of Mahlon and would then inherit the property that would have been held in trust for him.

Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. ¹⁰ Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” (Ruth 4:9-10)

Boaz fulfilled an important role in the history of the land that was Elimelech’s. The perpetuation of the family name was as important as the recovery of the land.

There was rejoicing in Bethlehem that day. The broken family relationship would be restored for the land and the inheritance assured.

Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, ¹² and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.” (Ruth 4:11-12)

Ruth had been kept from conception because God had plans for her. She had become a follower of Yahweh, the God of Israel. Now she would take her place in the genetic line that would bring an anointed messiah into the world to be the kinsman redeemer of all who will put their faith in him.

 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. ¹⁴ Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! ¹⁵ He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” ¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. ¹⁷ And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:13-17).

The shortened genealogy was included to show future generations what this story is really all about.

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, ¹⁹ Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, ²⁰ Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, ²¹ Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, ²² Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. (Ruth 4:18-22).

 

Boaz personifies Jesus who, “had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17), Jesus redeemed those who were slaves to sin. “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:15–18)  Jesus redeemed those who had lost all earthly privilege in the Fall and had been alienated by sin from God. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18–21).

Boaz stands in the direct line of Christ. This turn of events marks the point where Naomi’s human emptiness (Ruth 1:21) begins to be refilled by the Lord. Her night of earthly doubt has been broken by the dawning of new hope.

Have you recognized your need for a redeemer? One who can buy you back from the fields of this age and allow you to work alongside those who are servants of the King of the Universe? See how a citizen of a foreign nation can become a member of the people of God? Have you trusted Jesus as your Lord?

All scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2016. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society..

 Ruth 4                                                                                             210905

The story of Ruth begins as a growing tragedy and moves forward to an amazing triumph. Famine had led to the young family’s departure from Bethlehem and immigration to Moab. Elimelech believed this would be the best way to care for his wife Naomi and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. We do not know how much time passed before Elimelech died leaving Naomi with two sons. The boys took wives, Orpah and Ruth. After about 10 years the sons also died leaving Naomi with her two childless daughters-in-law. It seems they survived in Moab by working in the fields. One day Naomi heard in the fields of Moab “that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. (Ruth 1:6b-7)

This period in history was extremely hard. The record of the Judges concludes by telling us, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). The conditions in Bethlehem must have been very bad for Elimelech to take his family to Moab. It must have been equally hard for Naomi to allow her two sons to marry Moabite women. The three widows had little to look forward to. In Moab the two younger would have been tarnished because they had married Israelites. In Israel they would be labeled “foreigners”. Prejudice is a malicious social disease that destroys any opportunity to build a strong community.

If these two younger widows had been Israelites the Law of Moses would have required the nearest male relative to take the widow as a wife, protect her and raise up children in the name of the deceased. If he refused he would have been shamed. (Deuteronomy 25:5).

Naomi was in no mood to trust God in her situation. She had been on hand when Elimelech had trusted God, moved to Moab, and died!

Ruth and Orpah must have had a very loving relationship with Naomi. They were willing to go with her to Bethlehem. For their own good she urged them to return to their families. That was the only way she could see for them to be taken care of. They divided on the issue and Orpah choose to go back to her family but Ruth was determined to be loyal to Naomi. She 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.” (Ruth 1:16-17). This testimony shows her conversion to the family of the living God, Yahweh!

When the two women arrived in Bethlehem they were the talk of the town! In reply to the question, “Is this Naomi?” She answered, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹ I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:21).

“Naomi” means “Pleasant” and “Mara” means “Bitter”.

Ruth’s confession of faith had included a rejection of the Moabite god, chemosh! Ruth surrendered her life to Naomi and the one true God, “Yahweh”.

Naomi was in so much pain that she could not imagine Ruth as an asset. God is often blamed when things seem to go “wrong”. Man takes the credit when things seem to go “right”!

Chapter one ends with a hint of how they might survive, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.” (Ruth1:22b) There were two things Naomi and Ruth had to have in order to survive: food and family. They had gleaned for food in the fields of Moab. So they knew how to “get by” for food but there was certainly no future in that.

Chapter two begins with, “Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. (Ruth 2:1) Ruth and Naomi may have discussed their closest relatives but they would not have known which relatives had survived.

Naomi’s comment, “I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty,” (Ruth 1:20) certainly indicates she could not see anything positive in their situation. Yahweh Himself was Ruth’s and Naomi’s only real asset. But Naomi did not give Ruth any consideration. Apparently she did not trust Yahweh! So Ruth takes it upon herself to provide for their needs. She asked Naomi’s permission before she went out to gather what grain she could. God’s unseen hand reached out.

Ruth just “happened” to come to the field being harvested by Boaz, one of their kinsman redeemers!

Now I don’t believe in chance or luck. I do believe in providence!

God had provided for gleaning in the Law of Moses. One of the laws of compassion allow for the poor to glean after the harvesters. “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” (Deuteronomy 24:19).

When she set out that morning Ruth was not looking for Boaz’s field she was just looking for food for her and her beloved Naomi. I do not think Ruth planned to arrive in Boaz’s field. I believe God guided her there. This was not a scheme by the two widows to trap a man. It was part of a long-term plan arranged by God with a specific goal. Look at the evidence of Boaz and his crew showing their common faith. Ruth arrived just as, “Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” (Ruth 2:4) It just happened that Boaz arrived while Ruth was gleaning in his field. I believe God’s unseen hand guided her to family, food and a future all wrapped up in one package. A package named Boaz. When he arrived on the scene he did not ask, “Who is the young woman?” He asked, “Whose young woman is this?” The difference is subtle. Boaz did not want to know who she was as much as he wanted to know if she was free and if not who did she belong to. 

Boaz checked in with his crew and gave them instructions then he approached Ruth. Boaz had instructed his crew, male and female, to keep Ruth from harm and to make sure she had all she needed. He also told the young men to leave plenty of grain for her to gather. She was to be allowed to drink from the workers’ water jars. She knew that this was not common practice. And she was bold enough to ask, “Why”?

Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:11-12) Ruth’s loyalty had paid off in real dividends. She could see that she was being treated like one of his servants and not like a poor foreigner.

Boaz went a step further. At the end of the day he and his crew ate together. He invited Ruth to join in the meal. He even served her with his own hands. At the end of the day Ruth beat out the grain she had gathered. Naomi was excited about the size of Ruth’s harvest. Obviously, someone had blessed her. I am not sure Naomi was ready to recognize God’s hand. But we know that God was her benefactor. Just as Boaz had said, “The Lord repay you for what you have done.”(Ruth 2:12) Barley harvest usually began about mid-April and wheat harvest extended to mid-June—a period of intense labor for about two months. This generally coincided with the seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost.

For a couple of months Ruth had worked in the fields of Boaz alongside his young women. During that time her reputation was growing. Later, Boaz would call her a worthy woman. That same phrase is used to describe the excellent wife beginning in Proverbs 31:10. No doubt he was smitten by her and did not know exactly what to do about it. I believe he was older than she and had likely given up on having a wife and family. He may have been too busy bringing his business through the famine. This may have been one explanation of why he was not already married.

Of course he was not married! God was holding him in reserve to become the great-grandfather of David the King. Meanwhile, “She lived with her mother-in-law.”  (Ruth 2:23b) As soon as Naomi heard the name, “Boaz” she knew what to say and do. “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.” (Ruth 3:2-5).

The scene was set. Most of the servants of Boaz would have the day, or certainly the evening, off. Winnowing was a man’s job. The female servants brought in the harvest and the men would have separated the grain from the chaff. The fact that Boaz was there working alongside of his crew in doing the work speaks well of him.

Ruth had bathed and put on perfume. I expect she had, up till then, been dressed in the clothes of a widow. She would have put the “widows weeds” aside and, with her clothing, shown that she was ready to lay aside the past and get on with life. She went to the winnowing floor and let the darkness protect her identity. Following Naomi’s instructions she watched Boaz very carefully. She did not want to approach the wrong man when she moved into action. She watched where he lay down and waited until she was certain he was sound asleep.

Then she softly moved to his feet and turned his robe back and lay down. In our world that would have been a very provocative act. In their world this was acceptable. I believe at least one of Boaz’s servants was awake and aware of what was happening. That servant would have been very loyal to his good master. His duties would have included maintaining a fire and watching over the gathered grain. He would have also known Ruth was worthy and to be trusted.

That would have been who Boaz spoke to when he said, ““Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (Ruth 3:14)

In the middle of the night Boaz was awakened and he uncovered Ruth. He asked, “Who are you?” Her reply would have settled all of his doubts about her and their future.

The word she used for covering might be translated “wings”, “skirt”, or “hem”. It was the same word Boaz used when referring to her relationship with the God of Israel. Ruth was serious about her relationship with Boaz. She said, “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.

(Ruth 3:9b-11). Then Boaz revealed that he had been considering exactly what Ruth proposed. He had done his research but he had kept quiet about what he knew.

He said, “And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a 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.” (Ruth 3:10-13), Ruth wanted there to be no doubt in Boaz’s mind. Naomi had given her instruction to let Boaz discover her and then follow his directions. “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.” (Ruth 3:7). Ruth did not stop with the unveiling she added to Naomi’s words.  “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

(Ruth 3:9b) Boaz was a man of honor. He would make sure Ruth’s reputation was secure. He would also make sure there was no time for the “closer redeemer” to hear about the scene at the threshing floor.

At the same time, he would protect her physically by having her stay until morning twilight to go home. Also he gave her an abundance of grain so Naomi could no longer say God brought her back empty. Then he promised to settle the matter immediately. He must not let too much time pass. The whole community would have known what was going on soon enough. If the nearer redeemer had time to work out the nuances of Ruth and the property she represented he would have found a way to make it work. So, Boaz is ready to strike while the iron is hot! Before his cousin (at least I think they were cousins) realized there would be a way to add to his land, father a male heir, and still keep his estate separate.

In the meantime, Ruth came to their apartment in the city with a story to tell and a supply of barley. Naomi assured Ruth, ““Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” (Ruth 3:18).

In his excitement Boaz hurried to the city gate. He had, had little sleep and lots of anticipation. I believe he knew what time what’s his name would pass through that gate. I expect Boaz had watched what’s his name going through his daily routines long enough to act on the information he had gathered. When the unnamed redeemer stepped up Boaz quickly organized a 10 man quorum and presented his case. God willing we will pick up the story at the city gate next Sunday.

 

All scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2016. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

 

Boaz personifies Jesus who, “had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17), Jesus redeemed those who were slaves to sin. “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:15–18)  Jesus redeemed those who had lost all earthly privilege in the Fall, and had been alienated by sin from God. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18–21).

Boaz stands in the direct line of Christ. This turn of events marks the point where Naomi’s human emptiness (Ruth 1:21) begins to be refilled by the Lord. Her night of earthly doubt has been broken by the dawning of new hope.

Have you recognized your need for a redeemer? One who can buy you back from the fields of this age and allow you to work alongside those who are servants of the King of the Universe? See how a citizen of a foreign nation can become a member of the people of God? Have you trusted Jesus as your Lord?

 

All scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2016. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

 

 

210822 Ruth 3                                                                                             

Our God not only has a plan He has a process and a purpose. Ruth was chosen by God to be the only Gentile woman in the genealogy of Jesus, His Son and our Saviour. If he can put Ruth in place so she can end up in the grain fields of Boaz and become the great-grandmother of David the King -- our God will meet all our needs.

The story of Ruth begins in a growing tragedy and moves forward to an amazing triumph. From decline and emptiness to full.

A couple of weeks ago we looked at the first chapter of Ruth. We saw the departure from Bethlehem and immigration to Moab. The death of Elimelech, the marriages of Mahlon and Chilion followed by the death of the two sons.  Last week we looked at the return to Bethlehem of two childless widows, Naomi and Ruth as recorded in Ruth chapter 2.  Let’s review the two chapters. They began with a family limited to Elimelech, Naomi (his wife) and their two sons. They have some land but what use is that in a time of famine?

Today, that distance would not be a problem because your family car would reduce the time traveled to about 2 or 3 hours.

This period in history was extremely hard. The record of the Judges concludes by telling us, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). Political chaos was the social atmosphere and may have contributed to Elimelech’s willingness to immigrate. The nation of Moab was made up of the descendants of an act of incest between Abraham’s nephew, Lot, and his oldest daughter. I suppose that makes them distant cousins of the Israelites. That was after the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The Moabites were enemies of the Israelites and tried to destroy them while they were travelling through the wilderness. During the time of the Judges Moab was one of the nations who, for a time, ruled over Israel. The conditions in Bethlehem must have been very bad for Elimelech to take his family to Moab. It must have been hard to allow their two sons to marry Moabite women. Elimelech died after the family settled in Moab. The two sons had married Moabite women and they died leaving Naomi with two young widows. The three widows had little to look forward to.

If they had been Israelites the Law of Moses would have required the nearest male relative to take the widow as a wife, protect her and raise up children in the name of the deceased. (Deuteronomy 25:5).

It seems that the childless widows were gleaning in the fields of Moab when Naomi heard that the Lord had visited his people and gave them food. Naomi was in no mood to trust God in her situation. She had been on hand when Elimelech had trusted God, moved to Moab, and died!

Ruth and Orpah must have had a very loving relationship with Naomi. However she had no way of providing for them. She could not produce a new husband for them. For their own good she urged them to return to their family. That was the only she could see for them to be taken care of. They divided on the issue Orpah choose to go back to her family and Ruth determined to be loyal to Naomi. She 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.” (Ruth 1:16-17). Generosity and loyalty are themes shown throughout this wonderful little story.

When the two women got to Bethlehem the women of the town were amazed. They were the talk of the town! In reply to the question, “Is this Naomi?” She answered, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹ I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:21).

“Naomi” means “Pleasant” and “Mara” means “Bitter”. Ruth’s confession of faith was a rejection of the Moabite god, Chemosh! Ruth surrendered her life to Naomi and the true God, “Yahweh”.

Too often God is blamed when things seem to go “wrong”. Man is given the credit when things seem to go “right”! Naomi was in so much pain that she could not imagine Ruth as an asset. We will see about that.

Chapter one ends with a hint of how they might survive, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.”

There were two things Naomi and Ruth had to have in order to survive: food and family. I believe they had gleaned for food in the fields of Moab. So they knew how to “get by” but there was certainly no future in that.

Chapter two begins with, “Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. (Ruth 2:1) Ruth and Naomi may have discussed the closest relatives but we are not told that. This information may have been added by the person who wrote the account. Naomi’s comment, “I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty,” certainly indicates she could not see anything positive in their situation. That should have included Ruth. In reality, Yahweh Himself was Ruth’s and Naomi’s only asset. But Naomi did not give Ruth any consideration. So Ruth takes it upon herself to provide for their needs.

Coincidence would have it, or, many would say, “As luck would have it.” I don’t believe in chance or luck. I believe in providence!

God had provided for gleaning in the Law of Moses. One of the laws of compassion allowed for the poor to glean after the harvesters. “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” (Deuteronomy 24:19).

This is a practice still recognized in many countries where crops are harvested by hand.

Ruth was not looking for Boaz’s field she was just looking for food for her and her beloved Naomi. She “happened” to come to a field belonging to Boaz. It just happened! I don’t think so. Neither do I think Ruth planned to arrive in Boaz’s field. I believe God guided her there. This was not a scheme by the two widows to trap a man.

At the same time, “And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.”(Ruth 2:4) Not, it just happened that Boaz arrived while Ruth was gleaning in his field. I believe God’s unseen hand guided her to family, food and a future all wrapped up in one package. When Boaz arrived on the scene he did not ask, “Who is the young woman?” He asked, “Whose young woman is this?” The difference is subtle. Boaz did not want to know who she was he wanted to know if she was free and if not who did she belong to. 

Boaz checked in with his crew and gave them instructions then he approached her.

Boaz instructed his crew, male and female, to keep Ruth from harm and to make sure she had all she needed. She knew that this was not common practice. She was bold enough to ask, “Why”?

Ruth’s loyalty had paid off in real dividends. She could see that she was being treated like one of his servants and not like a poor foreigner.

Boaz went a step further. At the end of the day Boaz and his crew ate together. He invited Ruth to join in the meal. He even served her with his own hands. At the end of the day Ruth beat out the grain she had gathered. It came to about an ephah of barley. That would be about eleven 2 liter bottles full. Naomi was excited about Ruth’s harvest. Obviously, someone had blessed her. I am not sure she was ready to recognize God’s hand. But we know that God was her benefactor.

Barley harvest usually began about mid-April and wheat harvest extended to mid-June—a period of intense labor for about two months. This generally coincided with the seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost.

For seven weeks, or so, Ruth was working in the fields of Boaz alongside his young women. During that time her reputation was growing. Later Boaz would call her a worthy woman. That same phrase is used to describe the excellent wife beginning in Proverbs 31:10. No doubt he was smitten by her and did not know exactly what to do about it. I believe he was older than she and had likely given up on having a wife and family. This may have been one explanation of why he was not married already. Of course he was not married! God was holding him in reserve to become the great-grandfather of David the King. More about that later! Meanwhile, “She lived with her mother-in-law.”  (Ruth 2:23b) As soon as Naomi heard the name, “Boaz” she knew what to say and do. “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.” (Ruth 3:2-5).

The scene was set. Most of the servants of Boaz would have the day, or certainly the evening, off. Winnowing was a man’s job. The female servants brought in the harvest and the men would have separated the grain from the chaff. The fact that Boaz was there working alongside of his crew in doing the work speaks well of him.

Ruth had bathed and put on perfume. I expect she had, up till then, been dressed in the clothes of a widow. She would have put the “widows weeds” aside and with her clothing shown that she was ready to lay aside the past and get on with life. She went to the winnowing floor and let the darkness protect her identity. Following Naomi’s advice she watched Boaz very carefully. She did not want to approach the wrong man when she moved into action. She watched where he lay down and waited until she was certain he was sound asleep.

Then she softly moved to his feet and turned his robe back and lay down. In our world that would have been a very provocative act. In their world this was acceptable. I believe at least one of Boaz’s servants was awake and aware of what was happening. That servant would have been very loyal to his good master. His duties would have included maintaining a fire and watching over the gathered grain. He would have also known Ruth was worthy and to be trusted.

That would have been who Boaz spoke to when he said, ““Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (Ruth 3:14)

In the middle of the night Boaz was awakened and he uncovered Ruth. He asked, “Who are you?” Her reply would have settled all of his doubts about her and their future.

The word she used for covering might be translated “wings”, “skirt”, or “hem”. It was the same word Boaz used when referring to her relationship with the God of Israel. Ruth was serious about her relationship with Boaz. She said, “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.

(Ruth 3:9b-11). Then Boaz revealed that he had been considering exactly what Ruth proposed. He had done his research.

He said, “And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a 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.” (Ruth 3:10-13), Ruth wanted there to be no doubt in Boaz”s mind. Naomi had instructed her to let Boaz discover her and then, “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.”

Ruth did not stop with the unveiling she added, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

Boaz was a man of honor. He would make sure Ruth’s reputation was secure. He would also make sure there was no time for the “closer redeemer” to hear about the scene at the threshing floor. At the same time, he would protect her physically by having her stay until evening twilight to go home. Also he gave her an abundance of grain so Naomi could no longer say God brought her back empty. Then he promised to settle the matter immediately.

Boaz personifies Jesus who, “had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17), Jesus redeemed those who (1) were slaves to sin, “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:15–18), (2) had lost all earthly privilege in the Fall, and (3) had been alienated by sin from God All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18–21).

Boaz stands in the direct line of Christ. This turn of events marks the point where Naomi’s human emptiness (Ruth 1:21) begins to be refilled by the Lord. Her night of earthly doubt has been broken by the dawning of new hope.

Have you recognized your need for a redeemer? One who can buy you back from the fields of this age and allow you to work alongside those who are servants of the King of the Universe? See how a citizen of a foreign nation can become a member of the people of God? Have you trusted Jesus as your Lord?

All scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2016. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Ruth 2                                                                                             210815

Our God always has a plan. Unlike us, Our Father does not wake up in the morning thinking, “I wonder what is going to happen today.” In fact he does not wake up because he does not sleep. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. ⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  (Psalm 121:3-4)

The story of Ruth teaches us that God knows where we are and what we are doing every moment of our lives. God did not look around one day and say, “Where did Elimelech get off to now?” God did not discover that, to his surprise, Elimelech had died and was buried in Moab, or that he had left Naomi with two sons and two daughters-in-law.

From the beginning of the universe our God has a perfect plan. We can listen to (Isaiah 45:4-6) “I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. ⁵ I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, ⁶ that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.”

Our God not only has a plan He has a process and a purpose. Ruth was chosen by God to be the only Gentile woman in the genealogy of Jesus, his son and our Saviour. If he can put Ruth in place so she can end up in the grain fields of Boaz and become the great-grandmother of David the King -- our God will meet all our needs.

A couple of weeks ago we looked at the first chapter of Ruth. Let’s review that first chapter. I believe it is a biographic account looking back during the early days of King David’s reign.

The writer, who is unknown to us (God is ultimately the author), wants us to understand the location and point in time when the story was set. The characters in the beginning of the story are limited to Elimelech, Naomi (his wife) and their two sons.

There is a famine in the region of Bethlehem and Elimelech took his small family and traveled about 10 days away where the food situation was better. Today, that distance would not be a problem because your family car would reduce the time traveled to about 2 or 3 hours.

The period of time was extremely hard. The record of Judges tells us, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). Political chaos was the social atmosphere and may have contributed to the willingness to immigrate. The nation of Moab was made up of the descendants of incest between Abraham’s nephew, Lot, and his oldest daughter. That was after the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The Moabites were enemies of the Israelites and tried to destroy them while they were travelling through the wilderness. During the time of the judges Moab were one of the nations who ruled over Israel. The situation must have been very bad for Elimelech to take his family to Moab. It must have been hard to allow their two sons to marry Moabite women. After the family settled in Moab Elimelech died. The two sons had married and also died leaving Naomi with two young widows. The three widows had little to look forward to. If they had been Israelites the Law of Moses would have required the nearest male relative to take the widow as a wife and protect her and raise up children in the name of the deceased. (Deuteronomy 25:5). Since the young widows were Moabites they were not required to follow the Law of Moses.

Naomi was in no mood to trust God in her situation. Ruth and Orpah had a very loving relationship with Naomi. At the same time, she urged them to return to their family because staying in Moab seemed to be the only way they would find new husbands. Orpah choose to go back to her family but Ruth would not. Instead Ruth gave an eloquent oration of loyalty to Naomi. “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.” (Ruth 1:16-17). Generosity and loyalty are themes shown throughout this wonderful little story.

When the two women got to Bethlehem the women of the town were amazed. They were the talk of the town! In reply to the question, “Is this Naomi?” She answered, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹ I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” (Ruth 1:21).

“Naomi” means “Pleasant” and “Mara” means “Bitter”. In Ruth’s confession of faith was a rejection of the Moabite god, Chemosh! Ruth surrendered her life to Naomi and the true God, “Yahweh”.

She was in so much pain that she could not imagine Ruth as an asset. We will see about that.

The writer gives us a hint of what to expect with the last sentence in chapter one, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.”

There were two things Naomi and Ruth had to have: food and family. I believe they had gleaned for food in the fields of Moab. I am sure it was hard work. Even dangerous work. When we look at the words of Boaz he refers to Ruth needing protection. So they knew how to “get by” but there was certainly no future in that.

Chapter two begins with, “Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. (Ruth 2:1) Ruth and Naomi may have discussed the closest relatives but we are not told that. This information may have been added by the person who wrote the account. Naomi’s comment, “I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty,” certainly indicates she had no assets. That should have included Ruth. In reality Ruth was her only asset. But Naomi did not give Ruth any consideration. So Ruth takes it upon herself. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

It just so happens that she was looking for a man in whose sight she would find favor. Coincidence would have it, or, many would say, “As luck would have it.” I don’t believe in chance or luck. I believe in providence!

God had provided for gleaning in the Law of Moses. One of the laws of compassion allowed for the poor to glean after the harvesters. “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” (Deuteronomy 24:19.

This is a practice still recognized in many countries where crops are harvested by hand.

So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. (Ruth 2:3) Apparently, Ruth was not looking for Boaz’s field she was just looking for food for her and her beloved Naomi. She happened to come to a field belonging to Boaz. It just happened! I don’t think so. Neither do I think Ruth planned to arrive in Boaz’s field. I believe God guided her there.

At the same time, “And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.”

Not, it just happened that Boaz arrived while Ruth was gleaning in his field. Again I believe God’s unseen hand guided her.

Bill Gaither told it this way: “There is an unseen hand to me. That leads through ways I cannot see. While going through this world of woe this hand still leads me as I go.”

Note the greetings “The Lord be with you” and “The Lord bless you.”

What a great place to work! Owner and crew looking to God for direction. After the greetings Boaz and his foreman got to the important management issues. Instead, “Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” ⁶ And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. ⁷ She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.” (Ruth 2:5-7). Not, “Who is the young woman?” but “Whose young woman is this?” The difference is subtle. Boaz did not want to know who she was he wanted to know who she belonged to. 

Boaz checked with his crew and gave them instructions then he approached her. “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. ⁹ Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” ¹⁰ Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” (Ruth 2:8-10).

Boaz instructed his crew, male and female, to keep Ruth from harm and to make sure she had all she needed. She knew that this was not common practice. She was bold enough to ask, “Why”.

Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. ¹² The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” ¹³ Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.” (Ruth 2:11-13). Ruth’s loyalty paid off in real dividends. She could see that she was being treated like one of his servants and not like a poor foreigner.

Boaz went a step further. And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. ¹⁵ When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. ¹⁶ And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.” (Ruth 2:14-16)

At the end of the day Boaz and his crew ate together. He invited Ruth to join in the meal. He even served her with his own hands. At the end of the day Ruth beat out the grain she had gathered. It came to about an ephah of barley. That would be about eleven 2 liter bottles full.

Naomi was excited about Ruth’s harvest. Obviously, someone had blessed her. Naomi said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” ²⁰ 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 redeemers.” ²¹ And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ” ²² And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” ²³ So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Barley harvest usually began about mid-April and wheat harvest extended to mid-June—a period of intense labor for about two months. This generally coincided with the seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost.

For seven weeks, or so, Ruth was working in the fields of Boaz alongside his young women. During that time her reputation was growing. Later Boaz would call her a worthy woman. That same phrase is used to describe the excellent wife of Proverbs 31. No doubt he was taken by her and did not know exactly what to do about it. This may have been one explanation of why he was not married already. Of course he was not married because God was holding him in reserve to become the great-grandfather of David the King.

Boaz pictures Jesus who, “had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17), Jesus redeemed those who (1) were slaves to sin What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:15–18), (2) had lost all earthly privilege in the Fall, and (3) had been alienated by sin from God All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:18–21).

Boaz stands in the direct line of Christ. This turn of events marks the point where Naomi’s human emptiness (Ruth 1:21) begins to be refilled by the Lord. Her night of earthly doubt has been broken by the dawning of new hope.

Have you recognized your need for a redeemer? One who can buy you back from the fields of this age and allow you to work alongside those who are servants of the King of the Universe? See how a citizen of a foreign nation can become a member of the people of God? Have you trusted Jesus as your Lord?

All scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2016. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.