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Ruth 3 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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A very good morning to you all. Please join me in Ruth chapter 3.
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!
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In Ruth chapter 1, verses 1-5, the narrator established for us the conflict for the story.
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There we read,
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In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab.
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This was east of Israel.
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He and his wife and his two sons.
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So they flee away to find food.
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The name of the man, verse 2 says, was Elimelech, and the names of his wife, Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Malon and Chilion.
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They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah.
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They went into the country of Moab and remained there.
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But Elimelech, verse 3, right into the story,
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the husband of Naomi died, and she was left with her two sons.
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These took Moabite wives.
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The name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other, Ruth.
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They lived there about ten years.
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And both Malon and Chilion died.
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So that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
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So we have these three widows left, and the story is centered at this moment on Naomi,
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who has just about everything taken away from her.
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But she hears that the famine is over in Bethlehem,
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and she decides to return to her hometown.
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Her daughters-in-law, who seem to have great affection for her, begin to accompany her.
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But she pleads with them to return to their families.
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And Orpah does so back to her family and to the gods of Moab.
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But Ruth, in chapter 1 and verse 16, says,
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Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.
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For where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge.
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Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
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And this is, as I have suggested, perhaps the moment of Ruth's conversion.
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Maybe it had happened prior to that, but there's certainly this declaration
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that she will commit herself to Naomi, but also to her people,
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and of most importance to God, to Yahweh, the one true and living God.
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I've told you that the overarching theme of this narrative is the providence of God,
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his sovereign working of all circumstances for the good of his people.
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That we get to witness it in the lives of the characters of this drama.
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And it serves us so beautifully to see it all unfolded, right?
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We can see how all the details work out, and perhaps it encourages us in our lives.
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We see a little hint of God's providential work at the end of chapter 1.
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Now, remember that Naomi and Ruth have no means of provision,
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but we see in verse 22 that Naomi returns,
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and Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law with her,
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who returned from the country of Moab,
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and they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
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So, the harvest is coming in.
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The provision is being collected.
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And that sets us up for the next scene.
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At the beginning of chapter 2,
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Ruth makes a plan and asks Naomi's permission
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to take advantage of the gleaning laws
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so that they might have food.
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The gleaning laws allowed for people who did not own land
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to gather what was left behind by the harvesters, right?
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The little mistakes that were being made,
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the things that were being dropped.
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They were meant to be left for those less fortunate.
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Ruth finds herself in the field of a man named Boaz,
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who is carefully introduced as a relative of Naomi's
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in chapter 2 and verse 1.
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He takes notice of Ruth,
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and he generously grants her the ability
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to continue gleaning his field through the harvest,
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and he gives her protection.
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He feeds her.
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He invites her to a meal,
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and even instructs the harvesters
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to leave plenty for her sake,
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leave behind things for her to gather.
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And Ruth responds in chapter 2,
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beginning in verse 10 and following,
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by falling on her face,
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bowing to the ground,
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and saying to Boaz,
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Why have I found favor in your eyes
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that you should take notice of me
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since I am a foreigner?
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But Boaz answers her,
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All that you have done for your mother-in-law
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since the death of your husband
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has been fully told to me,
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and how you left your father and mother
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and your native land
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and came to a people
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that you did not know before.
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Your great kindness has been told to me,
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and so he's being kind in response.
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And then verse 12 says,
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He says to her,
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The Lord repay you for what you have done,
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and a full reward be given you
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by the Lord, the God of Israel,
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under whose wings you have come
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to take refuge.
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And then Ruth replies,
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I have found favor in your eyes, my Lord,
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for you have comforted me
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and spoken kindly to your servant,
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though I am not one of your servants.
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And then chapter 2 concludes,
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So she, Ruth,
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kept close to the young women of Boaz,
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gleaning until the end
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of the barley and wheat harvest,
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which would have been
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about a two-month period of time.
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And she lived with her mother-in-law.
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So beginning in the final verse of chapter 1
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to the final verse of chapter 2,
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we see that God has provided,
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He has been providential
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in His care for Naomi and Ruth.
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He has not done so
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apart from human agency.
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All three characters,
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Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz,
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are presented making decisions
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and acting,
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but we ought not fail to notice
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that God is the primary character
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that the narrator intends for us to see
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orchestrating the care
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of these two widows.
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Now, they have temporal provision,
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but how long will this last?
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How are Naomi and Ruth
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to be cared for long term?
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The space between chapter 2
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and chapter 3
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should leave us asking this question.
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It was certainly on the mind of Naomi,
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as we shall see.
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Now, remember,
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there's nothing for them as widows, right?
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There's some things in the law
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that are going to be a help to them.
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How is it that they're going to survive long term?
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It's a question on the table.
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But now, before we can read the chapter before us,
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we need to understand a few things
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about the laws concerning the redemption of property,
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which you can read about if you'd like to
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in Leviticus chapter 25,
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and the laws about leverate marriage,
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which is a Latin word
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from which we get the term brother-in-law.
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It actually means brother marriage.
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It's found in Deuteronomy chapter 25.
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So, redemption of property laws
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and leverate marriage laws.
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Now, rather than reading from these two chapters
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and then me laboring to explain the laws to you myself,
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I came across a tidy little summary,
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and so I'm going to read that tidy little summary to you,
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which I just believe is going to serve us better this morning
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than my long explanation would.
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So, three points,
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kind of summarizing these two categories of law.
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So first,
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when an Israelite family became very poor
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and had to sell their land to survive,
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the nearest male relative,
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the kinsman, redeemer, they were called,
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had the responsibility of rescuing them from poverty
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by buying their land back
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and restoring it to the family.
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This was called redemption of property.
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Secondly,
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if they'd become so poor
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that they had to sell themselves into slavery,
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a rich relative had to rescue them
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by buying their freedom.
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And this, too,
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was called redemption.
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You can read about that further
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in Leviticus 25.
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Finally,
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if a man died leaving his widow without children,
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this is the situation that Ruth and Naomi
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had found themselves in,
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their nearest male relative
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had to step in and marry his widow
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and enable her to have children
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so they could inherit their father's property
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and keep it in the family,
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which was this third kind of redemption.
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So there's a little summary of Old Testament law
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going on there.
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Again, Leviticus 25
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and Deuteronomy 25,
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which helps us,
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sets us up, right?
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So with that arsenal of knowledge,
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let's read Ruth chapter 3
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and consider it together.
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Before I read it,
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let me remind you, beloved,
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that this is God's word to us
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written for his glory
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and our good.
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And so we do well to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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Then Naomi, her mother-in-law,
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said to her,
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My daughter,
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should I not seek rest for you
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that it may be well with you?
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Is not Boaz our relative
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with whose young women you were?
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See, he is winnowing barley tonight
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at the threshing floor.
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Wash therefore and anoint yourself
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and put on your cloak
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and go down to the threshing floor,
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but do not make yourself known
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to the man
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until he has finished eating
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and drinking.
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But when he lies down,
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observe the place where he lies.
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And she replied,
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All that you say, I will do.
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So she went down to the threshing floor
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and did just as her mother-in-law
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had commanded her.
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And when Boaz had eaten and drunk
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and his heart was merry,
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he went to lie down
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at the end of the heap of grain.
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Then she came softly
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and uncovered his feet
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and lay down.
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At midnight,
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the man was startled
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and turned over
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and behold,
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a woman lay at his feet.
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He said,
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Who are you?
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And she answered,
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I am Ruth,
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your servant.
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Spread your wings
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over your servant,
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for you are a redeemer.
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And he said,
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May you be blessed
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by the Lord,
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my daughter.
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You have made
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this last kindness
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greater than the first
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in that you have not gone
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after young men,
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whether poor or rich.
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And now,
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my daughter,
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do not fear.
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I will do for you
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all that you ask,
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for all my fellow townsmen
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know that you
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are a worthy woman.
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And now it is true
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that I am a redeemer.
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Yet there is a redeemer
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nearer than I.
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Remain tonight
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and in the morning.
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If he will redeem you,
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good,
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let him do it.
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But if he is not willing
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to redeem you,
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then as the Lord lives,
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I will redeem you.
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Lie down until the morning.
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So she lay at his feet
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until the morning,
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but arose before one
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could recognize another.
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And he said,
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Let it be known
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that the woman came,
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let it not be known
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that the woman came
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to the threshing floor.
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Important distinction.
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And he said,
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Bring the garment
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you are wearing
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and hold it out.
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So she held it
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and he measured out
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six measures of barley
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and put it on her.
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Then she went
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into the city.
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And when she came
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to her mother-in-law,
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she said,
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How did you fare,
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my daughter?
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Then she told her
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all that the man
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had done for her,
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saying,
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These six measures
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of barley he gave to me,
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for he said to me,
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You must not go back
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empty-handed
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to your mother-in-law.
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She replied,
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Wait, my daughter,
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until you learn
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how the matter turns out,
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for the man
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will not rest,
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but will settle
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the matter today.
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Well, this chapter
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largely develops
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the story
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for what will happen
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in the next chapter.
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It's really setting us up
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for this final scene
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in this narrative.
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But there are some matters
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that are worth paying
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careful attention to
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this morning
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rather than
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piling the two chapters
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together.
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So we're going to do so
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and we're going to do it
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in the following outline.
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I'm a little proud
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of this outline.
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Are you ready for it?
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Number one,
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a plan.
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Number two,
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a proposition.
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And number three,
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a promise.
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Yes, it alliterates.
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I think preachers
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are really happy
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about alliteration
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because we read
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a lot of really good
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commentaries
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written by brilliant men
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that alliterate things
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so we feel like
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maybe a little smart
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when we manage
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to pull it off
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on our own.
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Okay, so number one,
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a plan.
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And we see this
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in verses one
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through five, right?
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Naomi
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says to Ruth,
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my daughter,
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should I not
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seek rest for you
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that it may
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be well
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with you?
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So at the end
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of this harvest period,
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she asks this question
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and she has a plan
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to follow it.
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I want to take
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the longest pause
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from our narrative
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at this point.
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Maybe the most
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helpful,
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relevant piece
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for us today
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at this point
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other than just
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understanding the story
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for what will happen
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in the next chapter.
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I want us to think
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a little bit together
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about rest.
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Naomi says to Ruth,
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my daughter,
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should I not
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seek rest for you
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that it may be
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well with you?
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When she pleads
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with Ruth
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and Orpah
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to return
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to their families,
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this is what
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Naomi says
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to them,
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the Lord grant
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that you may
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find rest,
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each of you
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in the house
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of her husband,
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right?
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Implying that there
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should be another
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husband for them
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having been
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widowed.
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In the Bible,
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rest indicates
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completeness
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or wholeness.
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Think about God
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resting on the
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seventh day.
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The world has been
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created and it is
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as it should be,
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right?
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Everything is good,
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good,
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good,
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and very good.
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Recall
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Naomi's words
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upon her return
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to Bethlehem,
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right?
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There are people
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who are recognizing
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her.
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They're saying,
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isn't this Naomi?
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Which means
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pleasant.
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And she says
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in chapter 1
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and verse 20,
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do not call me
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Naomi,
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call me
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Mara,
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which means
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bitter.
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For the Almighty
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has dealt
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very bitterly
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with me.
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I went away
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full
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and the Lord
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has brought me
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back
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empty.
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It's a picture
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of a woman
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not at
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rest.
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So both of them,
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Naomi and Ruth,
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as we see them
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at the beginning
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of chapter 3,
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are not
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at rest.
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But Naomi
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loves her
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daughter-in-law
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and doesn't
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want her
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to remain
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this way.
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Now,
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I am not here
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arguing,
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please hear me
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carefully,
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that any
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unwearied woman
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cannot be whole.
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That's not at all
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what I'm trying
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to say to you
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this morning.
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You most certainly
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can and should
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find your full
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satisfaction
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in the Lord.
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The narrator
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in recording
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Naomi's comments
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is speaking
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of Ruth's
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temporal wholeness
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in a day
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when her
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well-being
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depended on
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provision
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and the
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prospect
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of progeny,
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of offspring.
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But I believe
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he is also
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tapping the
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larger rest
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narrative
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that we find
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in the Bible.
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It's so very
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cool as we read
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through these
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narratives
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to understand
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that this
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scripture
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ultimately has
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a single author,
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right?
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By the spirit,
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these men
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are led
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along with
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the words
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that they
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record for
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us.
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And it
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taps this
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higher idea
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of rest.
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Naomi wants
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Ruth to
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find rest.
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Where is she
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going to find
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that rest?
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She's going to
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find it
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from a
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redeemer.
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Typologically,
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right?
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We're having
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things set up
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for us
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in this
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narrative.
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I do not
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think that
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this is the
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central theme
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of Ruth.
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I do want
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to be clear.
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I don't
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think that
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Boaz as
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the kinsman
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redeemer is
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the primary
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point,
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right?
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I think the
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central theme
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is the
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unfolded
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providence
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of God,
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but we
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should not
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miss what's
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happening here,
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right?
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It is a
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significant
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thing that
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is going
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on and
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we'll develop
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it further
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next week.
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A couple
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of other
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texts for
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you just
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as we
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stop for
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a moment
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and think
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about this
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idea of
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rest,
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of wholeness,
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of completion.
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The prophet
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Isaiah says
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in Isaiah 57
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and verse 20,
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but the wicked
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are like the
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tossing sea
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for it
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cannot be
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quiet and
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its waters
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toss up
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mire and
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dirt.
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The state
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of the soul
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of the wicked
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not at
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rest.
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rest.
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And this
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theme goes
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on and
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on and
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on in
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the scripture.
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We come
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to the
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New Testament,
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Matthew 11,
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verse 28,
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and following,
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Jesus says
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there,
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come to
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me,
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all who
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labor and
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are heavy
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laden,
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and I
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will give
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you,
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you know
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the word,
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rest.
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Rest from
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what?
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This life
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is work.
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We labor
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each and
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every day.
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Just because
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we're Christians
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doesn't mean
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that we
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stop working.
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Of course,
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there are
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things to
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be done.
19:10
God's
19:11
providence
19:11
comes to
19:12
us through
19:12
human agency.
19:13
We have
19:14
things to
19:15
be accomplished.
19:17
give us,
19:18
what is
19:18
resting?
19:19
Our souls
19:20
are at
19:22
rest if
19:22
we are in
19:23
Christ.
19:24
No longer
19:25
like the
19:25
wicked,
19:26
tossing
19:27
seas.
19:29
No longer
19:30
working to
19:30
be accepted
19:31
by God,
19:33
rather
19:33
resting
19:34
in
19:35
completed
19:36
work,
19:37
work that
19:37
Christ
19:38
has
19:38
accomplished
19:39
for us.
19:42
You will
19:42
find,
19:43
here it is,
19:43
rest for
19:45
your
19:46
souls.
19:48
So this
19:49
theme is
19:50
picking up
19:50
in chapter
19:51
three,
19:51
and we're
19:52
going to
19:52
see it
19:52
kind of
19:52
launch out
19:53
from
19:54
chapter
19:54
four.
19:55
The
19:55
narrative
19:56
ought to
19:56
carry our
19:57
thinking all
19:58
the way to
19:58
the New
19:59
Testament,
20:00
and the
20:00
ultimate
20:01
and the
20:01
final
20:02
Redeemer
20:02
that is
20:03
the Lord
20:04
Jesus
20:05
Christ.
20:07
So
20:07
practical
20:09
application
20:09
for us
20:10
today.
20:11
If you
20:12
are already
20:13
in Christ,
20:14
you have
20:14
this
20:15
status
20:16
rest for
20:17
your soul,
20:17
you're no
20:18
longer
20:18
laboring to
20:19
be accepted
20:19
by God,
20:21
realize the
20:22
reality of
20:23
what that
20:23
means for
20:24
you,
20:25
and settle
20:26
in,
20:26
and be
20:27
at rest.
20:30
You are
20:30
God's.
20:31
You belong
20:32
to Him
20:33
because of
20:33
what Christ
20:34
has done
20:35
on your
20:35
behalf.
20:37
If you
20:38
are not
20:38
in Christ,
20:39
if you've
20:39
never placed
20:40
believing faith
20:41
in Him,
20:41
then you
20:41
are that
20:42
wicked
20:43
person
20:43
being tossed
20:44
about.
20:45
You're not
20:46
at rest.
20:49
And you
20:49
can feel it
20:50
deep down
20:50
in.
20:51
You bear
20:51
the guilt
20:52
of your
20:52
sin.
20:53
You know
20:53
that you're
20:54
not living
20:54
a life
20:55
that's
20:55
pleasing to
20:56
God.
20:56
Flee
20:57
to Christ.
20:59
Look to
20:59
His
21:00
work.
21:01
Place your
21:02
faith in
21:03
Him and
21:03
what He
21:03
has
21:04
accomplished.
21:06
And find
21:06
rest for
21:08
your weary
21:08
soul.
21:10
So we
21:11
see here
21:11
in this
21:12
text,
21:12
this temporal
21:14
thing that
21:14
Naomi is
21:15
trying to
21:16
achieve on
21:17
behalf of
21:17
Ruth and
21:18
how it
21:18
helps us
21:18
think bigger
21:20
and broader
21:21
and more
21:21
importantly
21:22
about
21:24
eternal
21:25
rest.
21:26
rest.
21:27
So she
21:28
has a
21:28
plan.
21:29
She
21:30
goes on
21:30
to divulge
21:30
it in
21:31
verse 2
21:32
and following.
21:34
The statement
21:35
again, which
21:35
we've seen a
21:36
couple of
21:36
times, is
21:36
not Boaz
21:37
our
21:38
relative.
21:40
It maintains
21:41
the possibility
21:41
that he
21:42
could be a
21:43
redeemer.
21:45
And he
21:45
is out
21:46
winnowing
21:47
barley
21:47
tonight
21:48
at the
21:49
threshing
21:50
floor.
21:51
And this
21:51
activity was
21:52
the activity
21:53
of throwing
21:53
grain up
21:54
into the
21:54
air so
21:55
it would
21:55
get separated
21:56
from that
21:56
part that
21:57
was edible
21:57
and that
21:57
part that
21:58
was inedible.
21:59
And in
22:00
doing that
22:00
and tossing
22:01
it in the
22:01
air, the
22:01
wind would
22:02
carry away
22:03
the lighter
22:03
material that
22:04
was not
22:05
edible.
22:06
And so
22:06
they're
22:06
processing
22:07
this harvest
22:09
that has
22:09
been gathered.
22:11
And we
22:12
see Boaz
22:12
as this
22:13
wonderful man
22:14
of character.
22:15
He's been
22:15
out in his
22:16
fields in
22:16
chapter 2.
22:17
He's paying
22:18
attention.
22:18
He's attending
22:19
to the work
22:19
that's going
22:20
on.
22:21
Here we see
22:21
him now
22:22
there in
22:23
the processing
22:24
place.
22:25
He's got
22:25
servants that
22:26
are there to
22:26
do this
22:26
work but
22:27
he's there
22:28
along with
22:29
them.
22:30
It was
22:30
standard that
22:32
people would
22:32
stay.
22:34
This grain
22:34
needed to be
22:35
processed.
22:36
It needed to
22:36
be stored
22:37
safely so
22:37
that vermin
22:39
wouldn't get
22:39
into it.
22:40
So they're
22:41
there.
22:41
They're going
22:41
to work
22:41
long hours.
22:43
They would
22:43
often just
22:43
stay the
22:44
night there.
22:45
They're also
22:45
protecting that
22:47
grain from
22:48
being pillaged
22:48
by others.
22:50
So he's out
22:51
there.
22:51
He's active.
22:52
He's with
22:53
the people.
22:54
He's working
22:55
in that
22:56
place.
22:57
So she
22:58
gives a
22:58
plan to
22:59
her to
23:00
wash and
23:01
anoint
23:01
herself.
23:02
So clean
23:03
up.
23:03
Likely
23:04
anoint with
23:05
perfume.
23:06
Put on
23:07
your cloak.
23:08
This would
23:08
have been a
23:08
warm garment
23:09
and go
23:10
down to
23:11
the threshing
23:12
floor.
23:12
But do
23:13
not make
23:13
yourself known
23:14
to the
23:14
man until
23:15
he has
23:15
finished
23:15
eating
23:16
and drinking.
23:18
So she's
23:18
there amongst
23:19
the hubbub of
23:20
what's going
23:21
on in the
23:22
dark.
23:23
But when
23:24
he lies
23:24
down,
23:26
you're going
23:26
to note
23:26
where he
23:27
lies down.
23:27
Remember,
23:28
it's dark.
23:29
And you're
23:29
going to go
23:30
and uncover
23:30
his feet
23:31
and lie
23:31
down.
23:32
And then
23:32
he will
23:32
tell you
23:33
what you
23:33
are to
23:35
do.
23:35
This is
23:36
an interesting
23:36
chapter.
23:37
I think it
23:37
makes a lot
23:37
of us
23:38
scratch our
23:38
heads.
23:38
What is
23:39
going on
23:39
in this
23:40
chapter?
23:42
I found
23:43
two explanations
23:44
for why
23:44
Ruth was
23:45
instructed
23:45
to do
23:46
this.
23:47
In
23:47
either
23:48
case,
23:49
we ought
23:50
not
23:50
think
23:50
this
23:50
act
23:51
as
23:51
a
23:52
salacious
23:52
act.
23:54
As
23:54
both
23:55
Ruth and
23:55
Boaz
23:55
have been
23:56
and will
23:57
be
23:57
presented
23:57
as
23:58
upright
23:59
in
23:59
character.
24:00
This
24:00
thing
24:01
that's
24:01
going
24:01
on
24:01
is in
24:02
no
24:02
way
24:03
kinky.
24:05
Everything
24:05
is above
24:06
board
24:06
that's
24:07
happening
24:07
in this
24:09
case.
24:10
There's
24:10
a lot
24:10
of talk
24:10
today
24:11
about
24:11
power
24:12
couples.
24:12
You may
24:12
have heard
24:13
that term.
24:14
People
24:14
that can
24:15
together
24:16
kick
24:16
butt
24:16
and take
24:17
names.
24:18
Not to
24:19
be
24:19
exemplified,
24:20
this
24:20
is a
24:20
couple
24:21
for us
24:22
to look
24:23
at
24:24
and to
24:24
consider
24:25
and to
24:25
be
24:26
more
24:27
like.
24:29
In
24:29
the
24:29
Jewish
24:29
tradition,
24:30
the
24:30
book
24:31
of
24:31
Ruth
24:32
directly
24:33
follows
24:33
the
24:34
book
24:34
of
24:34
Proverbs
24:35
and
24:35
it's
24:36
often
24:36
suggested
24:37
that
24:37
that
24:37
Proverbs
24:38
31
24:39
woman
24:39
is
24:39
being
24:40
exemplified
24:41
by
24:42
Ruth
24:42
as it
24:42
follows
24:43
right
24:43
along
24:44
behind
24:45
that
24:46
final
24:46
chapter
24:47
perhaps.
24:49
So
24:49
nothing
24:50
salacious
24:51
going
24:51
on
24:52
here.
24:53
The
24:53
first
24:53
explanation
24:54
is that
24:55
Naomi
24:56
knew
24:56
that
24:57
Boaz
24:57
was not
24:57
first
24:58
in line
24:58
as a
24:59
redeemer
25:00
but because
25:01
of his
25:01
expressed
25:02
kindness
25:03
toward
25:03
Ruth
25:04
thought
25:05
him
25:05
the
25:05
most
25:06
appropriate
25:06
candidate
25:07
to marry
25:08
her.
25:09
Two
25:10
months
25:10
has gone
25:10
by.
25:11
Maybe
25:11
they've
25:11
talked
25:12
a little
25:12
about
25:12
his
25:13
kindness
25:14
and
25:14
maybe
25:15
some
25:15
growing
25:15
affection
25:16
on
25:16
Ruth's
25:17
behalf
25:18
toward
25:18
Boaz.
25:20
The
25:21
prospect
25:21
of
25:21
Ruth
25:22
marrying
25:22
Boaz
25:22
needed
25:23
to happen
25:24
in secret
25:24
because
25:25
it was
25:26
out of
25:26
the
25:26
norm.
25:27
She
25:28
was
25:28
circumnavigating
25:29
the
25:29
normative
25:30
thing
25:31
that would
25:31
have
25:31
been
25:32
done
25:32
in the
25:33
seeking
25:33
of a
25:34
redeemer.
25:35
We
25:35
find out
25:35
there's
25:36
another
25:36
before
25:37
him.
25:40
Ruth
25:40
uncovered
25:41
his
25:41
feet
25:41
and
25:42
lays
25:43
at
25:43
his
25:43
feet
25:44
so
25:44
that
25:44
he
25:45
will
25:45
awaken
25:45
at
25:45
some
25:46
point
25:47
and
25:48
they
25:48
can
25:48
converse
25:49
on
25:49
his
25:50
terms.
25:50
Again,
25:51
so I'm
25:51
talking about
25:51
the first
25:52
explanation
25:52
of what's
25:52
going on
25:53
here.
25:53
She
25:53
uncovers
25:54
his
25:54
feet
25:54
so at
25:54
some
25:54
point
25:55
he's
25:55
going
25:55
to
25:55
get
25:55
uncomfortable
25:56
and his
25:56
feet
25:56
are
25:57
going
25:57
to
25:57
get
25:57
cold
25:57
and
25:58
he's
25:58
going
25:58
to
25:58
wake
25:58
up
25:58
and
25:59
she'll
25:59
be
25:59
laying
26:00
!
26:00
there
26:00
and
26:00
he gets
26:01
to
26:01
decide
26:01
what
26:02
happens.
26:03
So an
26:03
option
26:03
would have
26:04
been
26:04
like
26:04
who
26:05
are
26:05
you
26:05
and
26:05
why
26:05
are
26:06
you
26:06
laying
26:06
at
26:06
my
26:06
feet
26:06
get
26:07
away
26:07
is
26:08
the
26:08
thing
26:08
that
26:08
Boaz
26:09
could
26:09
have
26:09
said.
26:10
Rather
26:11
than
26:11
her
26:11
going
26:12
and
26:12
waking
26:12
him
26:12
up
26:13
in
26:13
the
26:13
middle
26:13
of
26:13
the
26:13
night
26:13
and
26:14
demanding
26:14
something
26:14
of
26:14
him
26:15
she
26:16
rather
26:16
sets
26:18
the
26:18
stage
26:19
that
26:19
he
26:19
wakes
26:20
up
26:20
and
26:20
he
26:21
can
26:21
now
26:21
figure
26:22
out
26:22
what
26:22
to
26:22
do
26:23
in
26:23
the
26:23
midst
26:24
of
26:24
this
26:25
situation.
26:31
An
26:31
ancient
26:31
Near
26:32
Eastern
26:32
proposal
26:33
tradition.
26:36
A
26:37
pastor
26:37
I
26:37
respect
26:38
immensely
26:38
said
26:39
this
26:39
matter
26:40
of
26:40
factly
26:40
and
26:41
I
26:42
looked
26:42
for
26:42
supporting
26:43
evidence
26:43
with
26:44
just a few
26:45
minutes
26:45
that I
26:45
had to
26:45
look for
26:45
supporting
26:46
evidence
26:46
and I
26:46
couldn't
26:46
find
26:47
anything
26:47
that
26:47
supported
26:47
it
26:48
at
26:48
all
26:48
so
26:49
I
26:49
like
26:49
the
26:49
former
26:50
possibility
26:51
simply
26:52
because
26:52
it's
26:52
text
26:53
driven
26:53
right
26:53
it
26:54
seems
26:54
to
26:54
all
26:54
be
26:54
found
26:55
right
26:55
here
26:55
in
26:55
the
26:56
book
26:56
of
26:57
Ruth
26:57
what
26:57
is
26:57
going
26:58
on
26:59
here
26:59
I
27:01
think
27:01
this
27:01
is
27:01
a
27:01
bold
27:02
plan
27:02
that
27:02
Naomi
27:02
comes
27:03
up
27:03
with
27:03
to
27:04
seek
27:04
the
27:05
highest
27:06
good
27:06
of
27:07
Ruth
27:08
this
27:08
is
27:08
a
27:08
way
27:09
you
27:09
can
27:09
go
27:10
properly
27:11
in
27:12
secret
27:12
speak
27:14
to
27:14
Boaz
27:14
let
27:15
him
27:15
know
27:16
what
27:16
you
27:16
would
27:16
like
27:16
to
27:17
see
27:17
happen
27:18
and
27:19
she
27:20
replies
27:20
in
27:20
verse
27:20
5
27:21
all
27:22
that
27:22
you
27:22
say
27:22
I
27:24
will
27:24
do
27:24
so
27:26
then
27:26
we
27:26
see
27:26
secondly
27:27
a
27:27
proposition
27:28
this
27:28
is
27:28
verses
27:28
6
27:29
through
27:29
12
27:31
so
27:32
verse
27:32
6
27:32
says
27:32
she
27:32
goes
27:32
down
27:33
to
27:33
the
27:33
threshing
27:33
floor
27:33
and
27:34
she
27:34
did
27:34
just
27:34
as
27:34
her
27:35
mother-in-law
27:35
had
27:36
commanded
27:36
her
27:37
right
27:37
Boaz
27:37
eats
27:38
and
27:38
he
27:38
drinks
27:38
his
27:38
heart
27:39
is
27:39
merry
27:39
he
27:40
goes
27:40
and
27:40
lies
27:40
down
27:40
at
27:41
the
27:41
end
27:41
of
27:41
the
27:41
heap
27:42
of
27:43
grain
27:43
he's
27:44
asleep
27:45
she
27:45
comes
27:45
softly
27:46
she
27:46
uncovers
27:47
his
27:47
feet
27:47
and
27:48
she
27:48
lays
27:48
down
27:49
and
27:50
at
27:50
midnight
27:50
the
27:51
man
27:51
was
27:51
startled
27:52
I'm
27:52
assuming
27:52
!
27:53
I don't
27:53
know why
27:54
for sure
27:54
but I'm
27:54
reading into
27:55
it
27:55
that
27:56
his
27:56
feet
27:56
were
27:56
cold
27:57
and
27:57
he
27:58
as
27:58
we do
27:59
sometimes
27:59
sucked
27:59
his
28:00
feet
28:00
up
28:00
underneath
28:00
his
28:00
blanket
28:01
and
28:01
startled
28:02
him
28:02
awake
28:02
and
28:03
there
28:03
was
28:03
a
28:03
woman
28:03
laying
28:04
at
28:05
his
28:05
feet
28:06
and
28:06
it's
28:06
dark
28:07
and
28:07
so
28:07
he
28:07
just
28:08
says
28:08
who
28:08
are
28:09
you
28:09
and
28:11
she
28:11
answers
28:11
I
28:12
am
28:12
Ruth
28:13
your
28:13
servant
28:14
spread
28:15
your
28:15
wings
28:15
over
28:16
your
28:16
servant
28:16
for
28:17
you
28:18
are
28:19
a
28:19
redeemer
28:20
Ruth's
28:22
response
28:22
amounts
28:23
to a
28:24
marriage
28:25
proposal
28:25
that's
28:26
what
28:26
Boaz
28:27
would
28:27
have
28:27
heard
28:27
from
28:29
her
28:29
exactly
28:30
what
28:31
she
28:31
is
28:31
suggesting
28:31
here
28:32
notice
28:33
what
28:34
she
28:34
does
28:35
so
28:36
masterfully
28:37
she
28:39
says
28:39
spread
28:40
your
28:40
wings
28:40
over
28:41
your
28:41
servant
28:42
for
28:42
you
28:42
are
28:42
a
28:43
redeemer
28:44
do
28:45
you
28:45
remember
28:46
Boaz's
28:47
blessing
28:47
from
28:47
chapter
28:48
2
28:49
reason
28:50
that I
28:51
read
28:51
it
28:51
previously
28:52
just in
28:52
case
28:52
you
28:52
weren't
28:52
paying
28:53
attention
28:53
chapter
28:54
2
28:54
verse
28:54
12
28:55
he
28:56
says
28:56
the
28:56
Lord
28:57
repay
28:57
you
28:57
for
28:58
what
28:58
you
28:58
have
28:58
done
28:59
and
28:59
a
28:59
full
29:00
reward
29:00
be
29:00
given
29:01
you
29:01
by
29:01
the
29:01
Lord
29:02
the
29:02
God
29:02
of
29:02
Israel
29:03
under
29:04
whose
29:04
wings
29:05
you
29:05
have
29:05
come
29:05
to
29:06
take
29:07
refuge
29:07
Ruth
29:09
recognizes
29:10
God's
29:11
providence
29:12
works
29:13
with
29:14
human
29:14
agency
29:16
she
29:17
is
29:17
asking
29:18
Boaz
29:18
to be
29:19
used
29:19
of
29:20
God
29:20
to
29:21
fulfill
29:22
the
29:22
very
29:23
blessing
29:24
that
29:24
Boaz
29:25
spoke
29:25
over
29:26
her
29:26
it's
29:27
really
29:28
a
29:28
beautiful
29:29
expression
29:29
love
29:31
faith
29:32
now
29:33
ladies
29:34
if
29:34
you
29:35
want
29:35
to
29:35
use
29:36
our
29:36
words
29:36
against
29:37
us
29:37
do
29:39
it
29:39
like
29:39
this
29:39
this
29:40
is a
29:40
really
29:40
good
29:40
way
29:40
to
29:41
go
29:42
about
29:43
that
29:43
let
29:45
Ruth
29:45
set
29:45
the
29:46
model
29:46
for
29:47
you
29:47
and
29:49
his
29:49
response
29:50
he
29:50
says
29:50
may
29:50
you
29:51
be
29:51
blessed
29:51
by
29:52
the
29:52
Lord
29:52
my
29:53
daughter
29:53
you
29:54
have
29:54
made
29:54
this
29:55
last
29:55
kindness
29:56
greater
29:56
than the first, and that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my
30:03
daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you
30:09
are a worthy woman. Not only does he know that it's true, but they all know that it's true,
30:17
a woman worth marrying. It is most probable that Boaz is a generation older than Ruth, which is why
30:27
he calls her his daughter. We do not know how old Ruth was, but she could have easily been married
30:36
in her teens, been Malon's wife for 10 years, and still be quite young. So Boaz really may not have
30:45
been all that old. I think I'm old enough now to say that, and also old enough to consider myself old.
30:54
But he sees, nonetheless, her proposition as a great kindness. Boaz is not a married man, and we don't
31:04
get the details why he certainly seems like a worthy man to be married. But to this date, we have no
31:11
evidence that he was married. And here, this worthy woman seeks marriage with him. He says that this is a
31:21
kindness greater than the first, which I suggest to you refers not to her laying at his feet, but to her
31:30
departure from her people and her devotion to Naomi. Remember again what he says in chapter 2,
31:38
all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me,
31:43
and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not
31:50
know before. I think that's the first kindness. And he's saying, and now that you're here, this is
31:56
a kindness greater than that one that you would consider marrying me.
32:02
So a proposition is made. But an astute listener to my sermon on chapter 1, or just a careful student
32:10
of the Bible, will recall the commands of God for the Jewish people not to marry foreigners. So what is
32:18
happening here? Is Boaz breaking God's law if he marries Ruth? It seems that Boaz is concerned about
32:27
God's law, so I venture to say no, it's not what's going on. But the people of Israel have been
32:33
commanded not to intermarry with foreigners, but not for ethnic purity, as some have made the case,
32:42
but rather because of the potential for idolatry. You can read in Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse 2 and
32:50
following there, God commands, you shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them.
32:55
You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters
32:59
for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me to serve other gods. Then the
33:08
anger of the Lord would be kindled against you and he would destroy you quickly. So a command given for
33:14
the sake of mercy, right, that your sons wouldn't turn away from worshiping me because then my wrath
33:22
would be due you. So Ruth, while a Moabite ethnically, was no longer an idolater, but a worshiper of the
33:33
one true and loving God. We saw that in chapter 1. I think this is why Boaz is able to entertain the
33:41
idea of marrying her. There is, however, another obstacle that stands in the way of their marital bliss.
33:52
Verse 12 says, and now it is true that I am a redeemer, yet there is a redeemer nearer than I.
34:01
So again, Boaz, as a man of upstanding character, cares about God's law and he says,
34:07
I'd like to do this thing that you've asked me to do, but we must take care of this matter first.
34:16
So he makes a promise. This is the third point.
34:20
Remain tonight, this is verse 13, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good, let him do it.
34:28
And I just love that Boaz sees that as proper and right. If we follow God's law, things will turn out
34:34
the way they are supposed to turn out, right? He understands God's providence. But he goes on,
34:42
if he is not willing to redeem you, then as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the
34:49
morning, right? Boaz's devotion is firstly to God and God's law. So he's obligated to obey it. But Boaz's
34:58
promise to Ruth is that one way or another, you will be redeemed. He's going to go do the leg work to be
35:07
sure that this happens on her behalf. So she lays at his feet till the morning, verse 14 says, but she
35:14
arises before one could recognize another. So it's still dark. It's early, early. It's still dark.
35:20
And he said, let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor. And I take this last
35:27
phrase as a command to his servants that this unrecognized woman is not to be spoken of. He
35:34
protects her reputation and his, right? Nothing improper has happened, but he wants to be sure
35:40
that no one is harmed in the process. The threshing floor could be a place of impropriety. Husbands were
35:48
away from home for the night. Listen to a judgment uttered against Israel in Hosea chapter 9 and
35:56
verse 1. This is Hosea 9 verse 1. Rejoice not, O Israel. Exult not like the peoples, for you have
36:04
played the whore forsaking your God. You have loved a prostitute's wages on all threshing floors. And so
36:13
it would seem this was a practice and a thing that happened, but not so with Boaz and Ruth. And he
36:21
wants to be sure that no rumors spread, right? Once again, protecting, caring for her, even though
36:29
she's not recognized. He is then once again generous toward Ruth and Naomi. Perhaps it's been suggested
36:38
as a pledge of his promise. We don't know how much six measures of barley are. There's no specific
36:47
measure being given to us there, but it seems to be a lot. She's had spread out her garment. It's a,
36:54
it's that cloak more than likely, and it's being filled full. And she's taking it back to Naomi
37:01
because he says, you must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law. And then Naomi gives her this
37:09
final instruction. But we'll settle the matter today. So the narrator leaves us cliffhanger at the end of
37:19
chapter 3, right? Tune in next time when Boaz, the Redeemer, the stage is set for chapter 4.
37:29
What will happen with Ruth and Boaz and, therefore, Naomi? Now, you likely know the story. It's so
37:39
much better than any of them could possibly imagine at this point in the narration. You can just read
37:46
ahead if you would like to. But I do hope you'll look forward to studying its conclusion with me
37:51
next Lord's Day. And I do hope that between now and then you're resting in the completed work.
37:59
of Christ. Let's pray.