Ruth had begun gleaning, which is part of the welfare system in Israel. God led her to Elimelech’s relatives’ field so that everyone could be blessed. God always wants to protect, defend, and provide for us if we will lay down our bitterness, not look at the situation through our eyes but allow Him to show us things through His eyes. Boaz likes Ruth, and Naomi is aware, and she sees what must be done.
Ruth 3:1,2a
One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. 2 Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women.
Elimelech is the one that Boaz was closest in relationship. Naomi was the one who could have gone to Boaz to ask him to redeem her, but instead she chose to release that claim, to Ruth. She knew that Ruth had caught Boaz’s eye. She is about to lead Ruth right into Boaz’s arms.
Ruth 3:2b
Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor.
The threshing floor explanation….not just a time for work but a time of celebration each night
Ruth 3:3
Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking.
Wash – we come to Christ, through His washing of us
Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
This is about Christ’s regeneration of us not necessarily through physical baptism but through His washing of us. In John 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus you must be born of water and the spirit in order to be part of the Kingdom of God
Naomi says put on perfume in other words anoint yourself…Titus 3:6
He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
John tells us we need this anointing to understand the truth….1 John 2:20,21
But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies.
We really don’t get anywhere without the Holy Spirit…just further showing how Ruth is a type of the church…We can’t understand God’s word without the leading and guiding, the anointing if you will of the Holy Spirit….I never want to stand up here without the anointing
1 Corinthians 2:9,10
That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.
This is all suggested that she is told to anoint herself…she will understand what God is speaking to her
Last Naomi tells her to come to him to take off her mourning clothes and dress in her beauty.
When we come to Christ, we put on His righteousness. Isaiah prophesied we would be clothed in salvation and His robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10)…. This is so God sees through the eyes of Jesus.
She is going to Boaz to stake her claim…No matter how much Boaz loved her, she had to choose to come to Him….as it is with us
Ruth 3:4-7
Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.”
5 And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
Boaz would lie down by one heap of his grain, guarding it, and others would do the same with other heaps of grain. He would be alone.
She uncovered his feet, so eventually, his feet would get cold and awaken him
Ruth 3:8
Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet.
The phrase turned himself means that he was groping to figure out what was going on. The cold on his feet woke him up….it is dark, and in his groping, he finds Ruth lying at his feet.
Ruth 3:9
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”
This is where she explains why she was there. When she asks for the covering of his robe, she is indicating that she wants to marry him and desires him to redeem her and the land. The hem of the robe contained Boaz’s lineage and authority. Many leaders could simply use an imprint from the hem of their robe to verify their lineage and sign legal documents. Remember in 1 Samuel 24:4 when David cut off part of Saul’s robe, and then he felt guilty about it? It represented Saul’s authority. By being willing to take Ruth under his robe, Boaz was bringing her under his authority and lineage. It was a marriage proposal, and he was willing, but there was a catch.
Ruth 3:10-14
10 “The LORD bless you, my daughter!” Boaz exclaimed. “You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor. 11 Now don’t worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman. 12 But while it’s true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, very well. Let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the LORD lives, I will redeem you myself! Now lie down here until morning.”
14 So Ruth lay at Boaz’s feet until the morning, but she got up before it was light enough for people to recognize each other. For Boaz had said, “No one must know that a woman was here at the threshing floor.”
Notice nothing went on here, he simply covered her with his robe while she lay at his feet! The Hebrew here is NOT the Hebrew words that would explain any can of sexual connation, but one of purity. She came to him. She could have chosen a younger man but she sought him out to be the kinsman redeemer for Naomi and her….Can you see Boaz being played by Brad Pitt or Pierce Brosnan, an older guy but still good-looking, there is another out there who may have been Elimelech’s brother or cousin closer to his age (played by Danny Divito)…..Boaz says, stay perhaps not wanting to make a disturbance but showing that he has accepted her proposal. Protecting her from the thieves and robbers that roam the night.
The kinsman redeemer explained…
Revelation 5:1-8
Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. 4 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7 He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.
Explain this as the redeeming of the people (those Christ knows will come to him and the land, the earth is the Lord’s). Writing on the inside speaking to the indebtedness and the writing on the outside speaking to what must be done to free the indebtedness. Christ redeems. The list of 144,000 can not be the church because we have already been redeemed by the blood of Christ it is those who Christ died for that he knows will come to him even in the midst of the great tribulation.
Ruth 3:15-18
Then Boaz said to her, “Bring your cloak and spread it out.” He measured six scoops of barley into the cloak and placed it on her back. Then he returned to the town.
16 When Ruth went back to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “What happened, my daughter?”
Ruth told Naomi everything Boaz had done for her, 17 and she added, “He gave me these six scoops of barley and said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
18 Then Naomi said to her, “Just be patient, my daughter, until we hear what happens. The man won’t rest until he has settled things today.”
The six measures of barley are a code to Naomi. They were specifically given to give to Naomi. Naomi got it….”The man will not be in rest” rest was a term used to talk about the peace that comes from a marriage. Boaz gave Naomi, six measures of barley which represents the six days of work God did creating the earth and on the seventh day he rested. Boaz sent Naomi the assurance that he was going to be the kinsman redeemer, he wanted to enter into rest with Ruth (marry her)
This sets up next week…
God planned all of this to bless Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, and all of us. I hope this helps you realize that he has a divine plan for you!
No matter what you have gone through, if you choose to trust in the Lord, He will always work things out for your good!
Keep moving, keep following Him, fight to keep your eyes and trust in Him, and watch Him bless you!
Please remember like Boaz, Jesus wants to be your redeemer but you must choose him (he has already chosen you but will not force the situation on you!