Impossible Restoration

Introduction

I remember one time I had a slight chance, a very, very slight chance to attain a home my grandfather built in Bonaire. He had built at least three homes I knew of in Bonaire, maybe more. This home was lived in by my uncle, Papaw’s only surviving son, who was not the best of character.

The home itself was two-story with finished basement apartment. The home had about 5 or 6 bedrooms and at least three baths. There was a full-functioning car garage on the property. There was also an old saw mill there. I went to tour the house because I was so interested in being able to restore something my grandfather built.

Have you ever seen the show hoarders? Every room was piled with random junk. A tree had fallen on one part of the house and there was a massive hole in the roof that had been there for a long time (plants were growing inside). There was water damage and black mold in several places. Some boards on the foundation appeared to be rotted. I was walking around excited and giddy about what it could be. Yet the cost of such a restoration would have been astronomical.

The restoration was deemed impossible. It was decided by the family to go ahead and demolish the home and sell the land. In the story we read today, the hope for restoration seems just as dismal, if not impossible. Before we uncover Ruth 3, let’s turn back to Genesis 19:30-37

Genesis 19:30–37 ESV

Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose. The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

Here you have a story of unimaginable immorality. Just after Lot and his family are rescued from Sodom, Sodom has not been removed from his family. Notice the role of the daughters. They believe there is no hope, they want to preserve offspring, they plot and commit sexual immorality. They do something the Bible explicitly condemns (Lev. 18:6-7).

Anyone reading this story would look at this family and its origin and believe restoration is impossible. In fact, we may believe that it would be better to demolish this family than to try and restore it. One of the things we see from the text is that God restores even when it seems impossible.

One major way to interpret the text we are going to look at today is sexually, that Ruth essentially made a sexual offer to Boaz. I don’t think the text should be taken that way. Nevertheless it is romantic and counter-cultural in some ways. I believe the author purposefully writes in words with sexual overtones and the plot is given in such a provocative way in order to point us back to Genesis 19; the story of Lot and his daughters.

And in this way, the story serves as a type of fulfillment. In stead of a promise being fulfilled, this is a disaster of a family being restored. This is an fulfillment singed with irony in its purest form. With those introductory items, let’s turn to the story at hand.

Scene 1: The Plan

Text

Ruth 3:1–5 “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? Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 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. 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.” And she replied, “All that you say I will do.””

Exegesis

The majority of this chapter is dialogue. Naomi begins her speech with, “My daughter,” which shows the emotional tie she had to Ruth. Notice also the first question Naomi asks: “Should I not seek rest for you, that is may be well with you.” Not only does Naomi address Ruth as her daughter, she also directs her concern toward Ruth. This is an indicator of the selfless devotion these two have toward one another.

One commentator notes about rest that it, “. . . speaks of the security and tranquility that a woman in Israel longed for and expected to find in the home of a loving husband.”

Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 681.

In a similar way the Israelites are promised rest once they enter the promised land. This does not mean they will no longer labor or do any work. Rather, this means they will have peace and not battle enemies or the wilderness elements. The wife could rest in the security, protection, and provision of her husband enabling her to carry out her God given role to the fullest.

This also picks up the imagery of Ruth 2:12 “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!””

The second question Naomi asks is directed toward Boaz. His family status is important to fulfill the kinsman-redeemer laws mentioned in last week’s chapel.

The plan is straightforward. Boaz is winnowing barley in the evening, most likely to get the consistent evening breezes. A threshing floor would be stone and have a slight decline to the center so that the heavy barley seed would pile in the center. After he would finish his job they would eat and sleep nearby most likely to protect the harvest from thieves or critters.

Ruth is to put on her cloak, a heavier garment that would act like a blanket during the cool evening. She is to lie down, uncover his feet, and wait. This is an extremely risky plan and depends all on how Boaz interprets Ruth’s actions. Will Ruth’s origin from deplorable incest taint how Boaz views her? Ruth trusts that Boaz, just like the Lord, will provide rest and does exactly as Naomi instructs.

Application: The Folly of Self-Improvement

Consider this truth for a moment: The Lord provides rest. Hebrews 4:11 “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”

Benjamin Franklin is arguably the first self-made man. From humble and poor origins as the son of a candle maker, he believed through constant self-improvement he could do whatever he wanted to do. America and the American dream is built on the idea of the self-made man or woman. Do what you want, you are what you make yourself to be, strive and strive more. Ecclesiastes reminds us how foolish it is to strive to be the self-made person.

Working hard does not guarantee success

Ecclesiastes 9:11 “Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.”

2. Accumulation does not equal satisfaction

Ecclesiastes 6:7 “All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.”

3. No matter what we make ourselves to be, we still die.

Ecclesiastes 8:8 “No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.”

4. The smallest imperfections still outweigh all the striving

Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.”

Yesterday I was drinking my big glass of ice water outside and looked down to see a small little gnat floating in there. I decided to pour out the entire glass. Don’t you see that you strive and strive and strive to strain out all the bad in your life. Perhaps you strive to meet your parents’ expectations; perhaps you strive to never become your parents; perhaps you strive to have people know you and like you, maybe you strive to make people happy, maybe you strive to go unnoticed, maybe you strive for money, or success, or respect, or to feel achievement; on and on the list can go.

Whatever our ideal life might be, we strive for self-improvement to meet that goal. Yet no matter how much time, energy, money, wisdom, and handwork we spend on this renovation it’s meaningless, pointless. We will never be good enough. We will never attain the goal. We will always see those little gnats swimming in our water. That’s how life works. We get to the end of the rat race and try to gobble down the cheese while being strangled by the mousetrap.

Ruth goes on an extremely risky quest to find rest. Jesus invites us to do the same.

Matthew 11:28–30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””

Scene Two: Ruth and Boaz

Ruth 3:6–13 (ESV)

So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain.

No indication of drunkeness here, but it is designed to point back to the story of Lot and his daughters. The details establish plot expectations, that will take an ironic turn.

Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.

It has been argued by some that feet is a euphemism or circumlocution for something a little more inappropriate because there are uses of this term for that elsewhere in Scripture. However, there is no indication that anything sexual is going on here. In fact, if it were sexual that would go against Ruth’s cause for rest which Boaz desires to grant on the basis of her character.

8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?”

Here is a stark difference between Lot and Boaz. Lot did not know when his daughters lay down or rise. Boaz was startled and then asks her to identify herself. As this is the time of the judges, one would not be surprised to find a prostitute doing such actions; however, Ruth had not adorned herself as a prostitute.

And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

The phrase, “Spread your wings,” is repeated again connected Boaz’s protective role to God’s. This is an idiom for marriage. Ruth is proposing to Boaz. One commentator notes: “Here is a servant demanding that the boss marry her, a Moabite making the demand of an Israelite, a woman making the demand of a man, a poor person making the demand of a rich man.”

Ruth, the antithetical Moabite, asks for redemption—an impossible restoration.

Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, vol. 6, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 692.

10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 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. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I.

It seems as though Boaz has already given this idea some thought before Ruth approaches him. It’s only speculation as to why Boaz has not approached her yet; but, perhaps she had still been wearing the clothes of mourning. Consider this whole thing from Ruth’s perspective. She had no obligation to stay with Naomi, but chose to do so anyway, unlike her sister. Ruth did not pursue other men who could have been better candidates for her selfish whims. Because of her trust in God, she risked it all to be restored God’s way. This is antithetical to what Lot’s daughters did.

13 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.”

Boaz allows her to remain the night. The term “remain” is specifically used to avoid any sexual connotation. Boaz is not going to take advantage of Ruth, but instead is protecting her reputation and safety. For her to leave at midnight could arouse suspicion or danger. Boaz also shows his determination to restore that which seems impossible.

Application: Impossible Restoration

From a human perspective, Ruth’s redemption seems impossible. She is a poor, foreign widow with questionable family origins. And yet, Boaz is eager to redeem her. This is reflected in the three times he says the word “redeem” in verse 13 and in the solemn promise, “As the Lord lives.” It’s also important to note that Boaz is not obligated on basis of the law to carry out this redemption. He could choose not to, he could pass it on to the closer redeemer.

Boaz’s love for Ruth is not bound by legal obligation or insatiable lust. This is steadfast, righteous love that motivates Boaz to redeem Ruth even when that very redemption seems impossible given her status and background.

Consider this truth for a moment that Boaz brings us to: God, motivated by his love, redeems us even when it is impossible. I opened this sermon talking about the house I wanted to restore, but the cost was too high; it was impossible. That house is you and me.

Romans 3:10–18 ESV

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

If I want to experience this total depravity, I just sit in listen to you in my classroom for a moment. How quickly you use your words to cut, your actions to tear down, to show hatred, to show the only things you care about is to avoid dealing with God at any cost.

But how quickly I turn from considering these things to look into my own heart. I see the same things lurking there, but far worse.

Andy Mineo in his song Shame writes:

I chase the moment that when I had it I felt alive But now that the thrill is gone I feel dead inside I feel like everyone know the secrets I wanna hide And everytime they ask me how I'm doing I just say "I'm fine" Too embarrassed to share it or maybe too much pride I create my own prison, holding the keys inside Punishing myself for all of these crimes And I'm trying to convince God that I'm not a waste of His time What's wrong with me? Am I defective? I keep on making a mess Why can't I ever get it together? Soon people gon' find out I'm not what they expected They see who I really am then I end up rejected I try to stand tall, but these knees are collapsing 'Stead of asking for help these apps'll distract me So lonely, but so many people a friend of me While I post, I hope one day to be happy as I pretend to be

Don’t you see how impossible this redemption is? On this side we see all our flaws and depravity and want to hide in shame. On the other side we build ourselves up into something we’re not to get people to like our fake image. All the while we shake our fist at God.

And Satan comes along to tell us the lies, “No one could ever redeem you. What about that secret sin you keep locked away for no one to ever find out? Don’t you know that addiction you’re stuck in? There’s no way out. Don’t you know who you are, where you came from? No one could love that.”

Friends, I hope you can see in Boaz and Ruth a beautiful picture of the gospel. We live in a day where are problems are clear in front of our face, but we would rather do anything else rather than have to deal with them: be distracted, hide them, build something else up instead. The picture looks bleak. The restoration is impossible and yet this is just the sort of redemption that Christ accomplishes. The cost was more than astronomical, it was the blood of the divine-man. Yet he paid it willingly.

Don’t you see this redemption is unmotivated by how much you try to accomplish? Ruth was a poor, foreign widow with a sin riddled origin. Where is your identity found? What skeletons are in your closet? Where is the heart of your shame? Can you hide that from God? No! God does not ignore your faults or run from them. He knows all your faults better than you know them and yet he chooses to love you anyways. Ruth brazenly asks Boaz for redemption and he responds in kind; how much more will God respond to us when we ask?

The gospel does not ignore sin and shame. God says, “Yes, I know your backstory, I know your struggles, I know your shame, I know your sin, I know every sin you will commit; and yet my covenant faithfulness, my love is not based on your goodness.” You see friends, this is true love. True love does not ignore or mitigate faults; rather, it chooses to show faithfulness and kindness while even knowing the worst faults.

Turn to the Lord today. Beg him to give you rest. Find protection in his wings.

The Restless Redeemer

Time does not permit me to say everything I would like about this text; but I do want to mention one last thing. So far, we have seen the foolishness of self-improvement and how God restores even the impossible. This last comment Naomi makes to Ruth is worth noting as well.

Ruth 3:18 “She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.””

This verse forms and inclusio for this chapter. The chapter opens up with Naomi desiring Ruth to find rest. Here we see Naomi again. She says that Boaz will not rest until the matter is settled. What a picture of how God works for our salvation.

John 5:17 “But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.””

Hebrews 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Just like the house I shared with you at the beginning, just like Ruth. The redemption we need is impossible from a human perspective. The cost is too high. The problems too many. The shame is stifling and all the self-improvement is meaningless. And yet God works out an impossible restoration. When reading Genesis 19 and seeing what God did with Sodom and Gomorrah and then reading about Lot and his daughters, it would seem likely for the reader to think, “I bet I know what God will do with the Moabites, he’ll obliterate them just like Sodom.” It seems unlikely, even impossible that he would bring restoration to one of them, let alone bring restoration through them. But this is exactly how God operates.

Matthew 19:26 “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.””

Christ never stops working on behalf of his people until they are all fully redeemed. The story of Ruth’s restoration is a picture of the gospel.