The Sovereignty of God and Rest

Ruth 3

The Sovereignty of God and Rest

Sunday, November 13, 2022

Pastoral Prayer

Sandoval Baptist Church (w/o a pastor)

Nations

Pray for the marriage of Allison (Gansauer) & Cody Smith

Pray in thanksgiving for our veterans in our midst

Rec. Word

Introduction

Marriage proposals are both exciting and nerve wrecking, especially for the one who is about to propose. Hoping that the other person doesn’t reject you. But have you ever thought how much culture influences proposals? The majority of our culture, even now, it is normally the custom for a guy to get a ring and then get down on one knee, pop the ring out, and say, “Will you Marry Me?”

However, that is not the same in every culture. In parts of the world, a man will pay a bridal price to his soon to be wife’s father as part of the proposal process. Other traditions and cultures, marriages are arranged by the families, the two being married end up having no say in the matter. Culture dictates proposals. Imagine if our culture demanded that instead of a ring and getting on a knee to propose, it was a crown to be given, we would give the crown. If culture dictated us to go and propose by giving chocolate, we would give chocolate for the proposal, and so forth.

In part this culture aspect of wedding proposals is what makes Ruth 3 seem so strange to us. We often read the story of Ruth with our own culture lenses and think how strange this is. And yet, while there are moments of obscurity within Ruth 3, it appears something more culturally normal and not so far fetched than we thought. Ruth 3 is a proposal in the context of ancient Israel, of a woman seeking a man to be her husband, in hopes that she is not rejected. The climax of this love story is approaching. Let’s open together and read Ruth 3.

Main Idea: Absolutely nothing will disrupt God from bringing rest to his people, therefore we must wait patiently on him in faithfulness.

Our faithfulness in seeking rest

God’s faithfulness in bringing rest

Our faithfulness in waiting for rest

The author of Ruth has left little hints along the way, anticipating the coming of Boaz as a redeemer for the family of Elimilech. And the stage has been and continues to be set here in Ruth 3 for a marriage union between Ruth and Boaz. But in the midst of anticipating this grand love story, we need to make sure we don’t miss the remarkable faithfulness of Ruth, Boaz, and even Naomi in the midst of waiting on the culmination of God’s sovereign plan in this marriage union.

The Plan

Following the order of the text, we first have Naomi and her plan of rest for Ruth. Now, there is a lot of debate about Naomi and her plan here. Was Naomi careless in her plan? Was she willing to put Ruth’s safety at risk? For she does tell her in verse 3, “Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.”

I mean whoa, that seems to scream as unwise counsel. Sending a young woman anointed in oil or perfume going in the middle of the night down to the threshing floor where a bunch of men are working. And that she is to wait to go and lie down after Boaz has finished eating and drinking. Scholars whom I respect and trust, disagree here. Some argue at best Naomi seems in a hurry here with her plan. Others think that she shows strategic righteousness here. Or is there a little bit of both here?

For it is certainly unwise to rush God’s plans along and try and force his hand. If Naomi here is trying to force God’s hand by sending Ruth into this dangerous sexually tempting scene, she indeed acts counter to God’s wisdom. For the wise and faithful Christian does not rush God’s timing, they wait patiently on it, knowing it is better. The faithful Christian never compromises faithfulness to God’s given word in pursuit of God’s glory either.

But I don’t think that is what we see Naomi doing here in Ruth 3:1-5 and the context surrounding it, as well as references of Ruth in the New Testament. Consider with me what Naomi has already said to Ruth back in chapter 2, verse 22, “And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.”

If Naomi is concerned for Ruth’s safety in the middle of the day, how much more would she be concerned about her safety in the middle of the night? As Naomi is instructing Ruth to go to Boaz in the middle of the night, she gives her such specific instructions in what to do, to avoid being seen, and to not act, but wait on Boaz to give instructions. The temptation is for us to think of Naomi being rash here and setting Ruth up for potential sexual immorality.

However, consider with me carefully her instructions, starting with verse 1, “ “Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, ‘My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you.’”

Naomi’s primary concern here seems to be the well being of Ruth, not her harm. For she even states, “that it may be well with you.” Faithful living understands that for things to go well with us, we are to follow God’s plans, his ways. Naomi has already experienced what life is like when living in contradiction to God’s instructions. And here, she is no longer appearing to live blinded in despair, thinking that God has abandoned her. For remember, she has already recalled that neither the living nor the dead have been forsaken here with Ruth being providentially led to the field of Boaz. She is seeing much more clearly that God is working and going to provide for both Ruth and her.

Therefore, in verse 2, when she says, “Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.” Naomi is here not pursuing a plan to endanger Ruth. She is recalling a relative who has already shown care, protection, and provision for Ruth, and seeks a way to point Ruth towards him to find her rest.

Therefore, she sees that Boaz is one who is a worthy man and will care well for Ruth. So she encouraged Ruth, in what I see as wisdom to go to him, waiting until he is alone for the sake of seeking a marriage proposal. For notice what Naomi tells Ruth to do there in verse 4, “But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.”

Again, many want to run to the potential of scandal here. For here a woman is to lay at the feet of a man in the middle of the night, sexual immorality seems set up to thrive. But we must again recall how the author has been setting up both Ruth and Boaz, to be worthy people who act in righteousness. In an honor and shame culture, it would have shamed Boaz, an older man, to have asked Ruth to marry him and her reject him. If Ruth would have gone to the house of Boaz, scandal would have been worse, at least in accusation of sexual immorality. Here, Naomi is encouraging Ruth to go to Boaz in the darkness of night to pursue the one set-up to be her redeemer, which was God’s plan and worthy of the risks in pursuing and without delay.

Faithful living doesn’t mean the avoidance of risks. Faithful living means living faithfully despite the risks. Faithful living means risking it all to pursue God and his ways of holy living. For risk taking and remaining above reproach are not at odds here. They go together. Yes, Ruth will have to take risks to go to Boaz in pursuit of the one who was to redeem her, and she must not be seen by others in case of false accusation. She must approach Boaz alone to make the proposal and entrust him as the worthy man that they know him to be.

As followers of Christ, we, like Naomi, must seek to live faithfully. And in doing so, we will have to both know our God and how to apply it wisely in the midst of living. A manual was not given to Naomi on how to care for a daughter-in-law when both were widows. However, Naomi sought to find rest as soon as possible for Ruth. And she does so by giving careful instructions to her to guard her in the pursuit of holiness.

Therefore, in the midst of the unknowns of life, Christian, seek to live wisely by applying the knowledge of God’s word in the pursuit of holiness to the situation. This kind of faithful living will not just happen, it must be pursued, starting with the knowledge of God. The more we know our God through his word, the more we will know how to rightly handle that word and to rightly apply it to the situation at hand. Naomi sent Ruth at night to Boaz, but she carefully instructed her that she was to uncover his feet by touching the blanket, but to not directly touch Boaz. As risky as the plan is, a faithful pursuit of holiness in the midst of the plan seems to be apparent.

The Proposal

For even Ruth affirms this plan, and says she will do all that Naomi has said. And this brings us to the next faithful example of Ruth in her proposal. In verses 6-7, we are told that Ruth went down as instructed to the threshing floor, she waited for Boaz to eat and drink, and after he had laid down, Ruth then went and softly uncovered his feet and laid down. The reason for the uncovering of feet here is to ensure that the cold breeze of night awakens Boaz from sleep. This again shows both the innocence of the plan from Naomi, as well as of Ruth. But even more, the plan works, as we see in verse 9…

Boaz awakens and Ruth, in her faithfulness, says to Boaz, “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” These words are echoing back to what Boaz said to Ruth back in chapter 2, verse 12, which said, “The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

Did you catch that? Ruth is telling Boaz, your prayer for me, your prayer that the Lord fully repay me, you be that payment, you be that answer, you be my redeemer, my husband. This wasn’t at all lost on Boaz, look at his response in verse 10…

Ruth continues to show her faithfulness here in pursuing Boaz. If Ruth was of the world, she would seek after youth, vigor, outward attraction. Instead, she seeks one who is worthy, one whose godliness overflows out of his heart in his actions. She pursues the one who is to redeem her in caring also for her deceased husband and ultimately care for her mother-in-law.

Faithful living is a call to deny the wisdom of the world and pursue the wisdom of God. And the wisdom of God will often look like foolishness in the eyes of the world. In the case of Ruth, the wisdom of the world would have told her to go after young men. But Godly wisdom tells her to honor both her mother-in-law and her dead husband in being given to the family redeemer, a man whose heart overflows with the kindness of God.

Friends, flee the temptation towards the wisdom of the world. The world will tell us to go after what the eyes delight in. Faithfulness tells us to reorient our hearts after the things that God delights in, that of righteousness.

Godly living calls us to take the clear instructions of God and apply them rightly in our lives. In this case, Ruth holds to God’s word about a family redeemer in seeking Boaz. She doesn’t go after just anyone to redeem her. And on top of that, she goes after one who displays God’s character throughout the ways that he lives and has cared already for her. Ruth was faithful in the pursuit and waiting on rest.

The Answer

Then, we come to the example of Boaz in faithfulness in waiting on God. Boaz responds to Ruth’s proposal there in verse 11, “And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.”

Boaz recognizes the worthiness of Ruth, as do others. He even desires Ruth as a wife. Yet, Boaz responds in such integrity as he seeks to live faithfully. For he knows he is not the first in line to redeem Ruth and Naomi. For in verse 12 we read, “And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I.”

Boaz could have not told the other redeemer, he could have done what was right in his own eyes and taken Ruth as his own. But he doesn’t. He tells her that there is another before him, and he must be first asked. Yet, even with this other, he assures Ruth, you will be redeemed, you will find your rest.

In fact, he assures her that the matter will be dealt with the following day. Notice there in verse 13 what Boaz tells Ruth, “‘Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the LORD lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.’”

Ruth’s search for rest is found, she is going to find it one way or another. Either the closer redeemer will redeem her or Boaz will.

The Examples of faithfulness

Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz each here pursue faithfulness as they wait on the consummation of God’s sovereign plan of providing rest for Naomi and Ruth through a redeemer. Naomi carefully planned to pursue faithfulness in caring well for Ruth in seeking rest for her. Ruth was faithful in her pursuit of a marriage with Boaz, the family redeemer. She chose faithfulness over worldliness. And then Boaz was faithful in continuing to care for Ruth, even though he must now go to one nearer than him to settle the matter.

In the midst of waiting for God to fully unfold his sovereign plan to bring them rest, these three sought to live faithfully. They sought this faithfulness not to earn God’s favor, but because of God’s kindness already shown to them.

Christian, like Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi, our faithfulness is to be driven not by our trying to earn God’s favor, but out of our trust that his ways are better. That his decrees are better.

What about us here this morning? Do we consider God’s ways are better? That his decrees are better? If we do, then we need to faithfully seek to hold to his ways above all else. Forsaking traditions for his ways. Forsaking safety and pursuing his ways despite the risk. Forsaking comfort and fear of rejection while pursuing his plans.

And if we don’t consider his ways better, then we are in a great need to reorient our eyes to the beauty and glory of our God. Seeing that the Sovereign Lord who created it all has given us his ways to live rightly in this world. And to trust him is to follow those ways. And we can be sure that they are better, because he is faithful! Which brings us to our second point this morning.

God’s faithfulness in bringing rest

As morning comes, Ruth arises to head back home before the light of day can even allow Boaz and Ruth to see one another. Boaz gives both orders that it is not to be known that Ruth came to the threshing floor to protect her from precarious suspicions of sinful behavior. But not only that, Boaz gives a sign, a gift ensuring that rest is on the way. In verse 15 we read….

Six measures of barley is estimated to be about 6.5 liters. That’s roughly three 2 liter drinks and four 12 ounce cans worth of barley for food. And this is given so that both Naomi and Ruth are assured the matter will be handled, that they will find their rest that they were searching for.

Upon her return home, Ruth and Naomi have a brief recap of the events that took place. Ruth fills her in on what happened and tells why the six measures of barley were given. Then notice Naomi’s response in verse 18….

Naomi, the one left bitter and hopeless in the return to Bethlehem, now tells Ruth to wait, to literally sit, until the matter is settled. And the grounding for this, the reason for it, hinges on that for there in verse 18. “For the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” Rest can finally come to Ruth after laboring so hard and so faithfully to care for herself and Naomi, her mother-in-law. Because nothing will cause the man, Boaz, to rest until the matter is settled. He will not have peace, nor will he be disturbed from his pursuit of bringing the matter of who will redeem Ruth to a close. It is this very reason that Ruth can take comfort and rest with certainty that her redemption is coming.

Like Boaz, there is another who comes and brings such comfort, such certainty in a greater redemption, the man Jesus Christ. One who comes from the seed of Boaz and Ruth. One who comes from the line of David and Abraham.

The father set his plan in motion before the foundation of the world. A strategic plan to rescue his children by sending his only begotten Son into the world. That all who believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life. And this eternal life would be possible because this Son, Jesus, would lay down his own life as a sacrifice for the hopeless, for the needy. He would become sin so that all who believe in him could be made righteous in their union with him!

Redemption is made possible because the plan has been fulfilled through Jesus’ righteous life, for he was without sin. Redemption is made possible, because not only did Jesus die on the cross, he rose from the grave, defeating death! And following his ascension into the sky, he is now seated at the right hand of the Father, awaiting for the earth to be made his footstool.

God has been faithful to carry out his plan, and he will continue to be faithful in bringing it to completion. For despite Israel’s stubborn hearts, God has faithfully orchestrated all things to lead to the birth of his Son, Jesus. Including sovereignly orchestrating this meeting between Ruth and Boaz which would lead to Jesus.

There is nothing that will stop God from bringing his perfect plan of redemption to completion. He will not be disturbed, he will not rest until it is all finished! For he who did not spare his own Son to redeem us will move the heavens and the earth to bring his children home to him.

Wherever you are this morning in your faith journey. Whether you have never believed in Jesus or you have been believing for 50 years, turn your eyes to the faithfulness of God this morning. See the beauty of the redemption made possible through Jesus and believe! Believe for the first time or continue to believe. For it is this belief in Jesus that is the root of our salvation.

Salvation doesn’t come when we walk a church aisle. Salvation doesn’t begin when we are baptized into water. Salvation doesn’t begin when we join a church. Salvation begins and is anchored in our ongoing belief in God’s plan of redemption through his Son, Jesus! Rest in this plan! Let’s pray…