Ruth 3
Pastor Mark Hudson
Scene three of the book of Ruth is at the threshing floor of Boaz. This is a fascinating turn of events. Naomi has been rather passive up to this point. Her husband dies, then her two sons die. She does initiate the conversation with her 2 daughters-in-law in Moab convincing Orpah to stay in Moab. She travels back to the land of Israel but there Ruth shows most of the initiative. Naomi changes in chapter 3 almost springing into action. Her attitude changes from despair to hope. Naomi has a plan and Ruth is at the center of her schemes.
Naomi tells Ruth to clean up, dress up, splash on some perfume and go surreptitiously to where the men are winnowing barley. After Boaz lays down to sleep, go and lay down at his feet, Naomi directs Ruth. This is a way to ask Boaz if she will marry Ruth. This is risky but if it works it protects both Ruth and Boaz. Naomi probably wants Boaz to marry Ruth yet she knows there is a closer relative who has first dibs on Ruth. If Boaz says no, Boaz is not embarrassed and if no one sees Ruth, she is not either.
But it is risky because a single woman hanging around a threshing floor with men who might be a little tipsy is not a good look for Ruth. Plus Boaz might not think it is proper for Ruth to be so forward. As it turned out, Boaz was startled to find a woman at his feet when he woke up in the middle of the night.
The threshing floor was a place where men would toss the grain in the air and the wind would blow the chaff in one pile and the grain would fall straight down in a separate pile. This was a labor intensive process. The men sleeping there was a way to protect their investment. The threshing floor has its own history in the Bible. In 2 Sam 24:18ff, the famous threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite is mentioned which eventually become the site of the temple in Jerusalem. At times, the kings of Samaria would sit on their thrones at threshing floors (1 Kings 22:10) and our Lord used this concept of God’s judgment in Matthew 3:12.
Ruth may have told Ruth what to say. That is difficult to determine. Ruth is repeating what Boaz said about God in 2:12. Boaz told Ruth that she would be repaid by God for her loyalty to Naomi by God, “under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth is almost saying that Boaz can fulfill that blessing himself. Boaz can provide protection and rest for Ruth himself. What Ruth says at that moment, in the middle of the night, is crucial. She has to relay the fact that she would marry Boaz without begging. She says, “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”
Evidently Boaz is head over heels for Ruth. Boaz loves her response to his question in v. 9. Now Boaz becomes a man of action. He blesses Ruth and now Boaz has his own plan. At this point, the reader can get carried away with the love story. This story is so loved because of the worthy (there is a theme to follow in Ruth) people like Ruth and Boaz who “find” one another.
But this is a story of grace. Especially of story of God’s grace. I love 1:22, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” God is in what we call loss, tragedy, heartache, sorrow, and grief. I particular like the word barley because at the end of chapters 1, 2, and 3, we find barley mentioned. I wonder if Ruth and Boaz talked about and joked about barley the rest of their married life. God is working in our lives when He is invisible to teary eyes, sad hearts, and minds consumed with our losses.
Naomi says in 1:21, that she comes back “empty” but Boaz tell Ruth not to return “empty-handed.” Naomi was full in Moab but never empty in Bethlehem. She had Ruth but more importantly she had the God of Israel watching over her. Naomi wants rest or shalom for Ruth and that peace is found in God. But a husband provides God’s care and protection in a tangible way. Naomi want to seek rest for Ruth in 3:1 nor will Boaz rest in 3:18 until he settles the matter.
We see in chapter 3, so many threads are coming together. At the beginning of the story of Naomi her life starts great but gets rather bleak. But in chapter 2, there is some hope barely visible. But in our chapter, love is in the air, and hope rushes in so that even Naomi is caught up in joyful hope. Naomi’s plan worked better than she dreamed for. Now all they had to do is wait.
In this story, we can see God’s grace as Boaz changes the fortunes and destinies of Naomi and Ruth. But this story is working something even more profound. Boaz and Ruth are part of King David’s lineage and therefore a part of Christ’s genealogy as we read in Matt. 1:5ff. Boaz and Ruth are included in the Scriptures as a part of David’s family and therefore Christ’s family. This wonderful story is bigger than Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Bigger even than the story of King David. This is a story, one among many, that point us to everlasting joy in heaven because of the glorious gospel.
Worthy is a word that is repeated in this short book. It appears that Ruth and Boaz are attracted to each other because they are such good people. A person is never more attractive to the opposite sex when they are worthy, godly people.
Dear heavenly Father, we love a good love story and this is one of the best. More than admiring Ruth and Boaz, we remember that Your tender love to us is more than we could ever hope for or imagine. You delight in providing for us. While You continue to bless and protect, we imagine that You really want to take things away from us. Drive into our hard hearts and dull minds the splendor of Your everlasting grace. May we find rest in Jesus Christ. In Whose name we pray, Amen.