Ruth Chapter 3
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”, in the field. 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 a 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; or suffer financial gain, etc.
Engage
in evangelistic effort akin to Ruth’s short-term project of “gleaning”. We also
engage in long term survival scheme akin to “marriage”.
For 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 circumstance 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.
