Ruth 3

INTRODUCTION

How important is your faith to you? That you’re here tonight shows it is.

Pew Research recently conducted a study on what being a Christian looks like in different countries around the world. Pew looked at a total of 84 countries that have the largest Christian populations, and then asked a series of questions to individuals who self-identified as Christians.

Compared to Europe, the US looks pretty good. The Us ranked first with 68% saying their faith was important to them followed by Israel and Greece at 58%. Then the numbers dropped off considerably.

It's not surprising that similar numbers were found when asked about daily prayer and weekly church attendance. What you might not expect is that out of the top 35 countries, 32 are from Africa or Latin America. The other three countries are the United States, the Philippines and Malaysia.

What the study shows is how the center of Christianity is moving south away from wealthy countries to poorer developing ones. Ethiopia was ranked number one for having the world’s most committed Christians, with 98 percent of self-identified Christians stating their faith is very important in their daily lives. A close second were the self-identified Christians in the Philippines with 91 percent saying their faith was important in their lives. While in the United States, only 68 percent of self-identified Christians stated that their faith was important to their lives.

How important is your faith to you?

SERMON

SLIDE 1 The Bible tells the stories of individuals, but is always interested in the bigger story of God and his love for his people. God loves people and came to create the ultimate love story of Jesus laying down his life. Boaz is a picture of Jesus laying down his life as a redeemer. We see the gospel being displayed in this story of Ruth and Boaz.

We are continuing our journey through the book of Ruth. What you probably don’t know is Michael is preaching through the book of youth with the youth as well. We intentionally planned this for a few reasons. First, the youth and their parents are covering the same passage and can talk about what they learned. Second, Michael and I can help each other. And third, occasionally we will swap. Michael will preach in here and I’ll preach for the youth. And that’s what we’re going to do next week when we look at the first part of chapter 4.

SLIDE 2 So turn with me to Ruth 3. As I mentioned last week, the focus in the first chapter of Ruth is on Naomi and Ruth. In the second chapter the focus shifts to Ruth and Boaz. In the third chapter the focus is still on Ruth and Boaz, but the event that transpires occurs because of the encouragement of Naomi. We see Naomi at the beginning of the chapter and again at the end, but the middle section – the main event – would not have taken place without the gentle hand of Naomi guiding things along.

The kindness of Boaz towards Ruth and Naomi has been extraordinary. He’s gone over and above what was required of him. As a result, Naomi encourages Ruth to work only in the fields of Boaz. He had already promised that she would be protected while she was working, so that was the wise thing to do.

I have to tell you, there are some things that go on in these verses that seem very strange. I was going to say they are a little strange, but that’s not true – they are very strange. At least they are to us. But we must remember they were normal for that culture. There are things we do today that would seem strange to those living just a hundred years ago, so it makes sense the actions of four thousand years ago are odd to us.

1 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.” (Ruth 3:1)

You’ll remember from chapter 1 how Naomi had urged her daughters-in-law to return to their own families and continue with her back to Bethlehem. She did this because she knew it would be easier for them to find husbands back home than it would be to find husbands in Bethlehem as foreigners. Ruth returned with Naomi anyway in order to take care of her. Now Naomi is trying to make sure Ruth is taken care of. She’s trying to find a husband for her. She’s going to play matchmaker – which is the way it would have been done. It would not have been considered polite for Ruth to go out looking for a husband.

2 “Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours.” (Ruth 3:2a)

So this is who Naomi is trying to match Ruth with. A widow without children was to be married to the closest relative – usually a sibling of her deceased husband – and through him have children.

This sounds strange to us. We have laws about marrying relatives. We may even make jokes about it. Do you know the state of motto of West Virginia? “We’re all family here. Really.” But this was the way God was taking care of those who could not care for themselves. Ruth would not be marrying a close relative of her own, she would be marrying a close relative of her deceased husband. It was a way to protect and provide for women who didn’t work outside of the home like so many do today. There was nothing else like it at that time. There was not another culture that made sure the poor, the lame, the defenseless, or widows were provided for. But God did and this was how. Naomi suggests that Boaz could be this close relative that could provide for Ruth. Ruth and Boaz have already developed a relationship. Naomi, wanting things to go to the next level between the two them, makes a plan. The problem was the barley harvest was almost over.

2b “Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.” 5 “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. (Ruth 3:2b-6)

Naomi has a plan. She’s been thinking about this and has thought it through. Once the grain is harvested the threshing begins – the separating of the grain from the chaff.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist used this separation of wheat from chaff to describe the judgment of God. Speaking of the Messiah John said: SLIDE 3

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12)

Just as in threshing the wheat you get rid of what you can’t eat and are left with the grain, John talks about getting rid of the sin in our lives. The fire represents a purifying agent. John Courson writes:

Many people want the power of the Spirit, but they are not interested in the fire, the purity. . . . Many folks want that power, but they don’t want a changed lifestyle.

Similarly, Paul talked about the separating the good from the bad in our lives using the imagery of gold, silver, and costly stones as opposed to wood, hay, and straw. SLIDE 4

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. SLIDE 5 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. SLIDE 6 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. SLIDE 7 It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. SLIDE 8 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

Every day we live we are building our lives. What are we using for that building? Do we build with that which matters or do we spend our time on what in the end will be burned away? Only what we do for God will last.

SLIDE 9 The barley harvest was over, but the work was far from being finished. The edible grain was sill inside the inedible chaff. They had to be separated. This was done on the threshing floor. Because they were only used after the harvest there would have only been one winnowing floor in the community. The land owners would have reserved time to winnow their harvest. Naomi knew where Ruth would be able to find Boaz. Taking advantage of the evening breezes, the grain is thrown into the air allowing the lighter chaff to be blown away. In the evening they would sleep on the threshing floor to protect the harvest.

So Naomi instructs Ruth to clean herself up. They weren’t able to take baths everyday even if they had wanted to. It took too much water and water was too difficult to get. But Ruth is to clean up and put on her Sunday best. This preparation was not just so she would look nice for Boaz. As we’ll see later in the story, it will be dark when Boaz finally sees her. It was more of a sign that the time for her mourning was over. Following the death of her husband there was an expected time of mourning and she may have been wearing garments that expressed it. But that time was over. It was time to move return to regular life which included the possibility of marriage.

Ruth did exactly as Naomi instructed. After the evening meal, when everyone had gone to sleep, she went to lay down at the feet of Boaz.

Laying at his feet was the cultural norm. Again, it sounds a little strange today, but that was the practice. Sitting at the feet was a symbol of submission. Remember what God had said to the serpent in the garden about how Satan would bruise the heal of Jesus, but that Jesus would crush the head of Satan. Jesus would put his foot Satan’s head. We read about how Mary sat at the feet of Jesus as he taught. It was a sign of submission.

Our culture doesn’t like the subject of submission or surrender. No one should be able to tell us what to do. There’s a preacher in North Carolina that’s running for congress that’s being attacked because of sermons he preached from Ephesians 5 where Paul said a wife is to submit to her husband. That goes against everything our culture is teaching about the role of women. As much as we may not like the subject, it is still a part of our everyday lives. When you go to work you don’t do what you want to do, you do what the boss wants you to do. As you drive down the road you mostly drive according to the laws. Each of these are examples of how we submit to authority in our lives.

If we submit in these and other areas of our lives, how much more important is it that we submit to God? We are to follow and obey him. And if we aren’t obeying then we aren’t really following. There are some who place their faith in Jesus, but never surrender to him. They want Jesus to be their Savior, but they aren’t willing to allow Jesus to be Lord. We want Jesus to forgive us, but we don’t get excited about Jesus telling us what to do. But that’s exactly what it means to be a Christian. We do what Jesus tells us to do. If Jesus tells you to forgive someone you need to forgive them. Often the things God tells us to do go against the what the culture says, but in the end it is always best.

Sculptor Thors Walden chiseled a statue of Jesus Christ. Due to the position of his body, however, it is impossible to see his face. A sign next to the statue says:

If you desire to see his face, you must first sit at his feet.

It’s only as you sit at the feet of the sculpture and look up that you are able to see the face of Jesus.

Are you surrendering yourself to Jesus? You continued growth in Jesus is based on your continual submission to him. Is there something in your life you know you haven’t submitted to him?

Ruth submitted to Naomi and followed her instructions. She then showed her submissiveness to Boaz as she slept at his feet.

7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. (Ruth 3:7)

Ruth is not being forward, she is displaying humility. As Naomi had told her, she simply waited for Boaz to tell her what to do next. This was a sign of her trust in Naomi and of Naomi’s assessment of Boaz. She obeyed because she trusted. It’s much easier to submit and obey when there is trust.

8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned – and there was a woman lying at his feet! 9 “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.” (Ruth 3:8-9)

It would seem odd to wake up in the middle of the night to find someone lying at your feet. He was separated from everyone else. There was no one there when he fell asleep. Ruth immediately identifies herself and the reason she is there. He’s a close relative. She’s hoping he will be the one to marry her to provide for her.

The request she makes is that he “spread the corner of [his] garment over [her].” Boaz had made a similar statement in chapter 2 when he blessed Ruth and said:

May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. (Ruth 2:12)

In chapter 2 Boaz was invoking a blessing upon Ruth; here Ruth is asking that Boaz become the means of that blessing. In chapter 2 the prayer of Boaz is that Ruth would come under the wing of God; here Ruth that wing of God is provided through the provision of Boaz.

Throughout the Bible we see how God wants to be a refuge for us. David talks about God as being a stronghold and tower where we can find protection. And Jesus spoke of desiring to gather the people as a hen gathers her chicks. Again, we see the desire to be a place of refuge. Have you ever needed that kind of place?

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.” (Ruth 3:10)

Boaz is moved. That he refers to her as “my daughter” may give us an indication of the difference in their ages. She could have looked for a husband in a much younger man. He sees it as an act of kindness, greater than the first – that being taking care of Naomi. He was certain of how he wanted to respond.

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.” (Ruth 3:11-13)

It’s impossible to know what Boaz had been thinking of Ruth romantically speaking. That he was so quick with an answer would lead us to believe it had at least crossed him mind. There were at least two obstacles. First, there was the difference in age. He didn’t think Ruth would be interested in him. Ruth removed that obstacle. The second was there was someone else that was a closer relative – a nearer guardian-redeemer. Boaz would do what he could to remove that obstacle.

Neither Boaz nor the unnamed relative had any legal obligation to marry Ruth. It was more of a moral obligation. But, as we’ll see next week, there was more than just the provision of Ruth that was at stake here. There was also the land that had belonged to Naomi’s husband Elimelek.

The instructions Boaz gives are to stay where she is till morning. It would be dangerous to go back home in the dark. Boaz is continuing to look out for her.

14 So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.” (Ruth 3:14)

He’s protecting her reputation. Back in verse 11 he had referred to it saying: “Everyone knows you are a virtuous woman.” She had a good reputation. How was she able to achieve that? For starters, everyone knew how she had been a blessing to Naomi by leaving home to take care of her. Too, everyone knew how she was providing for Naomi by working in the fields. None of this had gone unnoticed. But I’m going to guess her attitude towards Naomi meant something as well.

Do you think it might have been easy for Ruth to speak negatively towards Naomi as she gathered with other women at the well for water? As she visited with other women in Bethlehem they would have asked her how things were going just to be polite. I think it would have been easy to have complained some. “It’s hard. Naomi is so bitter. I’m out in the field working in the heat of the day and she’s taking it easy in the shade.” But I think everything she did toward Naomi was right – in her actions, her attitude, and her speech. As a result she had a good reputation. Though she hadn’t been there long, everyone in town had a good opinion of her.

15 He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he went back to town. (Ruth 3:15)

Once again he is taking care of her. It could be seen as a pledge concerning his intentions, but it would also give Ruth a reason to be out so early in the morning – she’d gone out for grain.

16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” (Ruth 3:16a)

Perhaps Naomi expected Ruth to come back engaged. She certainly expected a detailed report on the reaction of Boaz.

16b Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her 17 and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ” 18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.” (Ruth 3:16b-18)

Phase one of Naomi’s plan was complete. The ball was now in Boaz’ court. They would have to wait to see what he found out. And we’ll have to wait until next week.

Some of you may remember this, but we won’t call out in any names.

What might we learn from this chapter?

Even more than you do, God wants his will done in your life.

We have seen, over and over, that God is at work behind the so-called “chance” details of the lives of his people.

God has a way of overcoming obstacles and allowing stumbling blocks to become stepping stones.

People who love God naturally want to do God’s will; his will becomes their will – even when it includes hardships.

In November of 1937 Sadie Hawkins first appeared in Al Capp’s comic strip, Li’l Abner. Sadie was so ugly that her father, the powerful mayor of Dog-patch, U.S.A., was afraid he’d never marry her off. In desperation, he decreed a Sadie Hawkins Day. All unmarried men in Dogpatch had to line up, and they got a ten-second head start before Sadie and the other unmarried women began running after them. The man each woman caught would end up in front of Marryin’ Sam for a shotgun wedding. Apparently Sadie was as quick as she was ugly and caught her man. But the ladies of Dogpatch liked it so much that it became an annual affair cherished by women and dreaded by bachelors.

While we smile at Al Capp’s cartoon world, there is no way around the fact that Ruth said to Boaz, “Marry

me.” Ruth was not a brazen woman and we might wonder what would have happened without the encouragement of Naomi. Ruth would not have presumed anything on her own behalf. But in this chapter we see a woman proposing to a man; a young woman proposing to an older man; a field worker proposing to the field owner; an alien proposing to a native. But she was also showing her obedience to God’s word. She was willing to take part in a Ievirate custom.

Why take such a risk? There is a difference between giving of yourself and giving yourself! It’s the difference in the hen giving an egg for breakfast and the hog giving his life. For the hen it was an offering; for the hog it was total commitment! Everyone in this chapter is a ”giver” not a ”taker.” Naomi sought Ruth's best interest. Ruth sought Naomi's and Boaz's best interests. Boaz sought Ruth's and Naomi's best interest. And sometimes total commitment involves taking risks – by faith!

All three characters in this chapter took risks. All three were motivated by love. The possibilities for misunderstanding were huge! It was possible for Ruth to misunderstand Naomi's reliance on God’s law for the guardian-redeemer. It was possible for Boaz to misunderstand the offer Ruth made him. It was possible for both Ruth and Naomi to misjudge the kind of man Boaz was.

All three characters also reflected the heart of God who also took risks to show his love. God loves us so much that he would rather die than live without us. His love motivated him to become vulnerable – born as a baby, not a king and then to die on a cross. How do we respond?

Prayer

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we

have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim. Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.

Series: Ruth

Title: A Unique Courtship

Scripture: Ruth 3

Date: August 29, 2018

Location: WSCC

Proposition: