Ruth 3: Ruth’s Redeemer

 

Introduction

‘A good man is hard to find’.

So the song goes. It is true today, and it was true in the days of Ruth.

In Ruth 2, we met Boaz- a good man. As the story unfolds we see that he was a man of material wealth and moral worth. He lavished kindness on Ruth and Naomi. He was also a potential redeemer through marriage to Ruth. By the finish of Chapter 2 we want to see Boaz ask Ruth out, but Chapter 2 just leaves us to wonder: will anything happen between these two?

Today, there are various ways in which singles can connect and find a mate. Ruth did not have this option- there wasn’t even a local paper to run a lonely-hearts ad. And if she could have done, who would have been interested in a foreign widower with a mother-in-law to look after?

And yet, today we see how Ruth found a good man.

In our passage we are told that Naomi devises a plan that will lead to Ruth’s proposal to Boaz. Boaz will respond with a promise to Ruth, and provide for her.

Naomi’s Plan

Ruth’s Proposal

Boaz’s Promise

Redeemer’s Provision

Ruth Chapter 3 is a story filled with suspense. We see the narrator deliberately slows things down- he wants us to grasp the risk involved in Naomi’s scheme and the possible consequences of Ruth’s actions.

This is a story told with dramatic tension that points us to deeper truths.

Once again we see the Hand of God at work in the lives of Naomi and Ruth. The provision of Boaz and all the Boaz provides points us to the greater, truer Kinsman-redeemer, Christ Jesus; and we are called to put our faith in Him and His ultimate provision.

Naomi’s Plan

The story begins with the renewed Naomi desiring to find Ruth a husband; in verse 1 we read:

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.

Here we see evidence of how the grace of God is changing Naomi. The covenant-kindness of God, seen in Boaz, melts Naomi’s cold heart. Now Naomi longs for her daughter-in-law to settle down and find peace, protection, and provision through marriage.

So Noami shares her plan with Ruth. In verses 2 to 4 we hear the details outlined. Naomi’s plan involves Ruth making herself presentable and then initiating a meeting with Boaz in the threshing floor at night. More on that later.

For now, let us notice that even though the Book of Ruth highlights the providence of God, the characters are active, not disengaged. Naomi does not say, God is sovereign, so let’s just wait until a husband knocks on the door!

Instead we see that true faith is active and intentional.

Naomi reminds Ruth that Boaz is a relative and informs her that he will be winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. It is striking that Naomi knew this bit of information. How did she receive it? We do not know- perhaps another one of those ‘coincidences’ we read about in Ruth. Previously, Naomi prayed for the Lord to provide a husband and rest, but now she seeks an opportunity to answer her own prayer! She seizes an opportunity that the Lord has provided.

True faith is intentional. Faith is a deliberate reaching out. It is not just passive waiting. In our lives we must seek opportunities to exercise faith in our Redeemer- opportunities to serve Him at home or abroad, opportunities to speak of Him at work or amongst friends, opportunities to use what God has given us to build His Kingdom.

We embrace these opportunities trusting in the God who keeps His promises. We keep our minds and hearts focused on the truth about who God is and the way in which He works. We put our faith in the God whose love is eternal, whose faithfulness is forever, and whose plans are perfect.

True faith is active and intentional; it is also not without it’s risks- humanly speaking at least.

Ruth’s Proposal

Naomi has devised quite the plan. In verses 5 to 9 we read of Ruth’s remarkable commitment to that plan.

 

 

 

Ruth goes to the threshing floor and does what her mother-in-law told her to do. She waits until Boaz’s heart is in good spirits after enjoying God’s gifts of food and fellowship. Ruth observes where Boaz lays down, then approached quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down We can feel the tension as Boaz feels the air on his feet…

Try to image the scene from Boaz’s perspective. He has done a full day’s work. He has eaten well and thanked God for His gifts in creation. Now he is enjoying some rest. All is well. And then he wakes up with cold feet and a woman lying next to him! In his amazement, and in the dark, he asks this woman, ‘Who are you?’. Feel the tension and suspense in this moment.

Ruth answers briefly: ‘I am Ruth, your servant.’. And as she does so, she is identifying herself as having an improved status- she is no longer a Moabitess outsider, but the kind of woman that Boaz might marry.

Notice that Ruth does not follow Naomi’s plan exactly. Ruth takes the initiative instead of awaiting Boaz’s instructions. In verse 9 we read:

“…Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”

She is essentially proposing to Boaz. She clearly communicates her desires to him- ‘Spread the corner of your garment over me’. Ruth is asking Boaz to become part of God’s protection and provision for her life.

Ruth continues to amaze us. Think about what Naomi has asked Ruth to do. This risky strategy depends on the kindness, the integrity, and the status as a kinsman-redeemer, of Boaz.

Here we see another picture of true faith- it is vulnerable. Ruth abandoned all other means of protection and entrusted herself- with great courage- to Boaz.

Make no mistake: Naomi’s plan was a risky plan. Many men in this situation could respond in a variety of negative ways. He could have reacted angrily at being woken from his sleep. Or, more seriously, he could have interpreted Ruth’s actions as a license to sexual sin. If Boaz had wanted to assault Ruth, he could have done so very easily.

There were great risks in this plan. As Naomi gave these instructions and as Ruth wholeheartedly accepted them, they both displayed enormous trust in Boaz’s integrity. The plan all depended upon Boaz and on him alone.

This risky strategy depends on the kindness, the integrity, and the status as a kinsman-redeemer, of Boaz. For us, too, there is one person on whom everything depends: the Lord Jesus.

True faith, then, is vulnerable. Just as Ruth abandoned all other means of protection and entrusted herself to Boaz, so for us faith means coming to Christ and fully trusting in Him alone.

As Believers we are called to live the life of faith- making plans and decisions- in such a way that everything depends on the kindness, integrity, and redeeming power of the Lord Jesus. To the extent that we know we can trust Him, we will take risks to live for Him and to further His Kingdom.

When we do not give ourselves fully to Christ- when we hold certain areas of our lives back from God- we are often betraying a small view of Jesus. Deep down many of us will feel that He cannot be trusted to do what is best for us- in terms of our career, or our family’s future, or our romantic prospects.

 

However, when we see Him as He is- the perfect redeemer of perfect kindness and integrity- then we can trust Him fully and follow Him wholeheartedly. When we do this, we joyfully lean on His character, and rest in His faithfulness. So what risks will you take for Christ and His Kingdom today, this week?

Ruth shows us that true faith involves risks. But it is also grounded in the character and promises of the redeemer…

Boaz’s Promise

Before giving Ruth a direct answer to her proposal, Boaz blesses Ruth. It turns out that he is not put off by her directness but pleased by it; in verse 10 we read:

¹⁰ “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.

In Chapter 2 we saw that Boaz has already been struck by Ruth’s kindness toward Naomi in choosing to journey to Bethlehem with her. Now the ‘kindness’ referred to is Ruth’s desire to provide Naomi with an heir by marrying Boaz.

Notice Boaz’s delight that Ruth has not ‘… run after the younger men, whether rich or poor …’. Ruth could have gone after younger, better-looking men- better prospects from a human perspective. Instead, Ruth, a woman of worth, seeks Boaz, a man of worth.

In the midst of the tension and drama of this story, we are left to marvel at the purity of both Boaz and Ruth. Instead of engaging in some sort of sexual encounter, Boaz praises God for Ruth! Nor does Ruth make any sexual advances toward Boaz in an effort to win him. Both seek to do what is right in God’s eyes.

Then notice Boaz words in verses 11 to 13:

¹¹ And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. ¹² Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. ¹³ Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”

Boaz comforts Ruth- ‘…don’t be afraid…’- words of kindness in a moment of tension and drama. Then Boaz promises to do everything that she has requested, which probably includes taking care of the family and property, not just marrying Ruth. Boaz is willing to pay the cost- whatever it may be- to honour Ruth and her family.

But, just as the happy ending seems secured, Boaz raises a problem: there is an unnamed man, a closer relative who has a more legitimate claim than Boaz. The happy ending is put on hold. But Boaz pledges under God that if the other man is unwilling to redeem Ruth, he himself will marry her. Either way, Ruth will have a redeemer.

Boaz then urges Ruth to remain with him during the night for the purpose of safety. Boaz is a man of worth and honour- he has made promises and he will keep them, no matter the personal cost. Ruth’s courageous faith will be rewarded because of Boaz, her redeemer.

True faith is grounded in the character and promises of the redeemer.

In our story we see Ruth and Naomi put their trust in who they know Boaz to be and what he has promised to do. True faith is not about how we feel but about what we know. Faith is a conscious decision to trust what God has promised.

Faith, then, for the Believer is a calling to mind the promises of God in His Word. Throughout God’s Word we see God make promises and keep promises- we saw that with the children earlier on. True faith is grounded in God’s faithful keeping of His promises- seen most wonderfully in Jesus Christ. In a very real way, we can say to God: ‘You have promised to rescue me and keep me, I trust that you will keep that promise now in this situation I face.’.

True faith is all about our redeemer- in the promises He keeps and in all that He provides…

Redeemer’s Provision

In the final verses we see, once again, the generous provision of Boaz ‘a redeemer’. And so, we are ultimately pointed to the generous provision of Jesus, the truer, greater Redeemer.

In verse 14 we see that in the morning, before he approaches the other redeemer at the city gate, Boaz extends grace once again to Ruth and Naomi. Before it is light enough for people to recognize Ruth, Boaz sends her home. This early send-off is meant to preserve her dignity and reputation- things that obviously matter to Boaz.

He sends Ruth off with a gift- a large amount of grain (about 40 kgs). This generous provision of food would not only have been a means of basic provision for two desperate widows, but would also have explained why Ruth had been at Boaz’s threshing floor, should anyone have seen her leaving. And, of course, it was a symbolic provision- a message to Naomi.

 

 

The nature of that message becomes clear as in verses 16 to 17. When Ruth returns, Naomi is eager to hear about Ruth’s status- she asks, ‘How did it go, my daughter?’- but more literally she asks, ‘Who are you, my daughter?’. Naomi is essentially asking, Did the plan work? Are you going to be his wife? Has everything turned around for us?

Ruth tells Naomi everything that Boaz has done, and how Boaz’s gift was intended to bless Naomi. Boaz is serious about his pursuit of Ruth- so serious that this will involve caring for her mother-in law too. To symbolize this, he provides this extravagant gift.

Naomi had returned empty but now she was receiving her fill- first in grain but more was to come. Throughout our story we witness Naomi’s journey from emptiness to fullness, through the actions of Ruth and Boaz. Her days of emptiness are soon to be over.

In verse 18 Naomi recognizes Boaz’s serious commitment. She trusts Boaz to resolve the complication immediately, and so she urges Ruth to wait and rest in the work of Boaz. She believes Boaz to be a man of his word who will not leave important work unfinished.

True faith involves waiting- trusting in our redeemer as we wait. We are to rest in the work of our redeemer and trust in the sovereign ways of our faithful God.

In our story we see Naomi make a plan which depended on the character of Boaz, a redeemer. Ruth goes beyond that plan with her bold proposal to Boaz and Boaz responds with care and kindness. He promises to help, and sends Ruth away with a generous and symbolic provision of grain.

 

And this is the way the Lord Jesus has dealt with us. Ruth came to Boaz and asked him to be what she needed: a redeemer. Boaz not only promised marriage but also provided for her in the meantime. When we come to Christ, we too can ask for the redemption and provision desperately need. And we can be sure that Jesus has seen us in our need, and has paid the price for us. He clothes us in His righteousness and makes us His own. And then He gives us the most wonderful provision: the Holy Spirit to dwell in us as a seal of our salvation and glory to come.

Right now we wait patiently for His glorious return and our glorification. Jesus has done all that we can ever ask Him to do for us- and will continue to do all that we need Him to. Our Redeemer has changed everything. He has changed our status, brought us into intimate union with Himself, and given us glorious hope for the future.

So let us exercise true faith in our perfect redeemer. Let us leave this place trusting completely in Him and His promises. And let us live a life worthy of Him guided by His Spirit and obedient to His Word.