Saving All My Love For You

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing floor

Beginning from Chapter Three, Naomi moves from being a receiver of calamity to an agent of change and challenge. This was what she recommended to Ruth:

"My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.” (Vv.1-4)

Ruth replied, “All that you say I will do” (v. 5). Ruth thought that this scheme would enable her to secure a long-term survival of Naomi, her mother in-law.

The first meeting between Ruth and Boaz was “by chance”, “public” and “during the day”. But this time, their meeting was “by choice”, “private”, and “at night”. Yet both scenarios held the same potential for life and death.

Ruth took off her widow's costume and put on perfume and attractive clothes. All this signified the end of mourning for the death of her husband and her availability for marriage. Thus began a new chapter in the life of Ruth and Boaz.

Ruth secretly went down to the threshing floor at night and waited until Boaz fell asleep. The narrator describes the scenario, "When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain.”This “happens” to be a secret corner, a bit remote, allowing the two to stay without outside interference.

Ruth carefully uncovered his feet and lay down. Awakened by the chill of night air; Boaz was surprised as he discovered woman lying at his naked feet. So he asked, "Who are you?" (v.8)Ruth replied, “I am your servant Ruth. Spread your wings over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.”(v.9)

Naomi said that Boaz would tell Ruth what to do, but it turned out Ruth was in charge. She told Boaz what to do, “Spread your wings over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer”.

This is the ancient equivalent to “Will you marry me?” Ezekiel 16:8 describes how God “married” Israel using the same term, “I spread the corner of my garment (wings) over you and covered your nakedness.”

A kinsman-redeemer is a member of a clan who is supposed to help out any member of that kinship who is in need. Ruth cleverly recycled Boaz’s own words.

In 2:12,Boaz proclaimed a blessing on Ruth, “May 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!”

Now Ruth has asked Boaz to spread his “wings” over her. Boaz is requested to be the human agent of God’s blessing, which he himself pronounced. A foreign woman has called an Israelite man to responsibility.

What will Boaz’s response be?

"The Lord blesses you, my daughter,” Boaz replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.” (Vv.10-11)

Boaz obviously admires Ruth’s moral qualities, describing her choice of him as a “greater kindness”. The narrator also wants us to see this potential marriage as a perfect match and not to doubt Ruth’s character. That is why Ruth is described as a woman of noble character or “a worthy woman,” and Boaz is a “man of great worth” (2:1).

Ruth is a pro-active, courageous, and virtuous woman. She is a worker of salvation and does well through a risky endeavor. Here we have a story of a risky and delicate scheme on the part of two women and it has resulted in kindness and blessing from a man.

But, much more than that, this is a story of God's redemptive plan unfolding in Bethlehem. It is here that the saving grace of God takes place.

The plots became complicated as Boaz explained, “Although it is true that I am a near kinsman, but there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning, if he wants to redeem you, well; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing to redeem you, as surely as the LORD lives I will redeem you. Lie here until morning.” (v.12)

Under Israel’s law, the nearest kinsman-redeemer is first in line to marry Ruth. Boaz is willing to abide by the law and thereby risks losing her. This is an act of risky righteousness on Boaz’s part.

Boaz wanted to make sure that no one thought wrongly of them, so he sent Ruth back before sunrise, or “before anyone could be recognized” (v.14). He carefully protected her reputation as well as his own.

He also sent her back with a down payment of grain. Boaz said to her, “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 (vv.14-15).

Ruth came to her mother-in-law, and Naomi asks, “How did you fare, my daughter (v.16)?” Then Ruth told Naomi all that the man had done for her and saying: “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, you cannot go back empty-handed to see your mother (v.17).”

This echoed Naomi’s words when she just arrived at Bethlehem and complained to the women, saying, “I went out full and the LORD brought me back empty” (1:21).

"Empty-handed" and "empty" is the same word. Naomi’s “empty” is reversed because Ruth did not come back empty-handed.

Naomi advices Ruth, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today” (v.18).

Conclusion

The three protagonists, Ruth, Naomi and Boaz, think and act for the benefit of others even though doing so requires risk-taking and self-sacrifice. And what drives them to do so is “kindness” (hesed).

Hesed in the Old Testament carries the connotations of love, generosity, loyalty, and faithfulness. It is often marked by going beyond what is required by duty or obligation. 

This reminds us of the God’s hesed. God gave His own Son while we were His enemies. He sent Jesus to die on a cross so that we might be redeemed. In darkness much deeper than that on the threshing floor, Jesus not just risked his life but gave it up so that we might be released from our destitution of sin and death.

Application

We proclaim the good news of Jesus ‘salvation to the world that sinners can be saved by accepting Jesus as Savior, and the destitute and the oppressed can be set free! The world, in turn, is now challenging us as Ruth challenges Boaz, to walk the talk.

In response to the loving-kindness that God has shown us, we must continue to show loving-kindness in these ways:

Attend to people around us who are struggling, or hurting, or sick, or lonely. Even at the risk of the loss of time or other costs; Share the gospel with non-Christians even at the risk of your reputation being tarnished in their eyes; Engage in evangelistic effort akin to Ruth’s short term project of “gleaning”. We also engage in long term survival scheme akin to “marriage”, examples: street feeding, the drop-in centre, schools and tuition centers, vocation training centers, rehab centers, nursing home, etc; Attend to a newcomer or the little ones in the church at the cost of feeling uncomfortable or even at the cost of sacrificing “hanging-out” time with friends after this service.

Lastly, we must recognize that behind all human effort there is God’s hidden hand working. In chapter 3, the LORD is mentioned twice:

Boaz blessed Ruth, "May the LORD bless you, 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.”(v. 10) When Boaz decided to marry Ruth, he promised,” As the LORD lives, I will redeem you” (v. 13).

The narrator stresses that good things happened to Ruth are actually the work of the LORD. Boaz's oath also showed his determination to fulfill his obligation but at the same time he committed the matter to the Lord. Ruth acted swiftly and it all turned out smoothly because she had many apparent “coincidences” ordered by the Lord.

God’s providence can be in the form of miraculous divine intervention like manna from heaven, departing of Red Sea and turning water into wine. In Ruth, God’s providence is in the form of “God’s hidden hand through many coincidences”. Nevertheless it is this kind of providence that we today experience most and can identify with.

The grace of God is sufficient to carry us through every season. If we truly trust the Lord, in every circumstances we are to constantly seek God’s will, rely on His grace, abide in Him, and give thanks to Him for everything that happen to us.