Ruth - Week 5

Redeemed: The Heart of God Revealed in Ruth

Bible Passage: Ruth 3:1-18

1. Plan of Redemption

Ruth 3:1-5

Even though Naomi was bitter with God previous, she always had love for Ruth. She was always wanting the best for Ruth.

Now that Ruth is seeking Boaz for a husband, Naomi is helping her toward that goal. She desires to “seek security” so that “it may be well” with her.

We want this for our own children I think? A good life. Security.

Security - “Manoah” - Hebrew word for “Resting place.”

This foreshadow shows us the power of the imagery in this book.

Naomi is a loving family member who wants rest & security for Ruth. Something that she herself cannot offer (which is why she is seeking it), but can only be offered by one who can redeem Ruth so she can find that rest in the security of redemption.

If Ruth could marry Boaz, she would be in a marriage covenant where she could be protected from exploitation and oppression, enjoying the inheritance and security that comes with the family of Boaz.

This is like us joining the family of God when we accept Jesus as Savior.

Before Christ, we’re exposed to the tricks of the enemy. We’re missing out on the inheritance that God has for us. We’re in need of security, rest… the very root in restoration is rest.

We can rest knowing that God will restore and redeem.

Did you know that despite the tragedy, hardships, trials we go through in our walk and purpose as a Christian, God didn’t start off thinking, “How can I make this hard?” He started with love. He started with a path of redemption.

Think about a gardener nurturing a plant through the seasons. The gardener knows when to water, when to prune, and when to shield from storms. Similarly, in our lives, God, like that gardener, tends to us with love. Some seasons may feel harsh and overwhelming, but they are essential for our growth and ultimate blossom—just as the plant will eventually thrive in the sunshine after weathering the storm. Embrace the care of the Divine Gardener amidst toil!

As people who can relate to the plants, not the gardener, we don’t know how to do this on our own. We might be able to drink the water when it rains, but when the rain stops, we need that divine help.

God has a plan for redemption. To bring the lost back to Him.

If you’re feeling stagnant in your faith or unsure about your role in God’s plan, take a cue from Ruth and take actionable steps towards growth.

Start a small group Bible study in your home that focuses on sharing God’s redemptive story.

Invite friends or neighbors, creating a space for discussion and prayer.

Set a goal of discussing one person’s faith journey each week.

By delving into Scripture together, you strengthen your community's bonds and discern collectively how you can participate in God’s mission of bringing the lost back to Him.

God is always working behind the scenes. You might not know that the people around you are desperate and lost, searching for purpose and love.

I can’t tell you who, but I guarantee that there are. If they don’t find God, they will look for it in the wrong places, ending up in a mess that is not part of their growth, but their separation from God.

Part of God’s caring for us and others is using His followers to reach those who are desperate like Ruth and need redemption that only Christ can offer.

Wash yourself

Anoint yourself

Put on your best clothes

Go down to the the threshing floor - A level outdoor area used for threshing sheaves of grain. Threshing floors were often located on the top of a rock or on a hilltop. Sheaves were laid out and either beaten with a flail or threshed by oxen dragging a heavy object over them.

How much do we prepare for an encounter with God? How much do we seek it?

She prepared herself for an encounter with Boaz and went to the threshing floor, but he is working… so wait.

God can do anything He wants. But don’t you think sometimes, when He’s moving… when He’s working, He wants us to be ready and patient for Him. That after the work, we will see the move of God in our life.

Its frustrating… when we see Him moving in other people live’s. Doing things that we want to happen for us.

Jesus might be in the threshing floor right now, but when we stand ready to meet Him and don’t run off to whatever is the fastest, then we’ll be truly seeking only Him.

2. Plea for Redemption

Ruth 3:6-9

This definitely could be a weird passage to read…

Scripture says:

Matthew 7:21 (NASB95)

21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

When you do the will of someone else, you’re submitting to them. If you’re submitting to them, there is a desire to do their will.

Otherwise, even if you say you love them, or you follow them, or you respect them, or honor them, the words mean nothing without the substance of action and desire.

When we come to God, we don’t have to understand everything, but we have to have a desire to submit and earnestly seek Him.

Ruth sought Boaz.

Ruth went to Boaz as a courageous act of faith with a willingness to submit and seek out redemption from Boaz. She boldly approached Boaz trusting that he would meet that willingness with a response.

Laying at his feet is a symbolic image of humility and desperation of that resting place that is God’s will for us and should be our desire.

Its a position of humility that shows that she’s not presuming her position of inheritance, but taking the lowly place to only be at his feet.

Don’t get trick into entitlement because of what you’ve been through. Don’t think that just because you’ve found your redeemer, that you have found a blessing or reward to make up for every tragedy or wrongdoing.

Ruth didn’t approach Boaz as a widow as she did before. She washed, anointed, put best clothes… approached in humility, not entitlement. Didn’t interrupt his work because she deserved his time… no. She didn’t go for the head. She went for the feet. Instead of the high place, she went for the low (maybe even dirty) place.

We might go right for the head. Eye contact. Your voice speaking directly to the redeemer when He’s in the middle of working that you forget that the nature of God is about humility and serving as the hands and feet.

Before Christ redeemed the world, it was the feet that He used to show His humility to His disciples

When He washed His disciples feet, it was to show His humility, but also show them how to be a servant leader and humble in their walk.

They argued over who was best, but Christ knelt down to the lowly place and washed feet.

Ruth didn’t go to Boaz in the middle of the day, making a spectacle of herself and her bold faith. She went in the dark and went to the lowly place.

You don’t have to show up loud and proud to have bold faith. Sometimes that boldness is just between you and God.

A humble heart in a lowly place.

3. Promise of Redemption

Ruth 3:10-14

When we watch American Idol or similar, we see a panel of judges who will determine if you will advance onto the next portion of the show based on what you’re doing. In the end, there is a winner and a whole lot of losers. The winner usually has a combination of not just talent, but drive, determination, boldness perhaps to get where he/she is going. The thing about the losers is they might also have drive, determination, and boldness, but they lack the talent. While theres nothing wrong with this in the context of these shows, we see God looking for our willingness to show up and our boldness toward Him.

Boaz is impressed that she would go after him when there were many younger, richer, potentially more attractive options.

The world sometimes looks more attractive. There is instant gratification that doesn’t require humility or boldness.

Boaz had a willingness to redeem based on Ruth’s heart for him.

There was a problem: There was another relative that was apparently closer in relation. But Boaz said to her “do not fear.”

There will be situations we face where we want to give control to God, but it looks like something or someone else has laid claim. We get to decide if we’ll give up, or stay firm.

You might have a desire to submit to God, but you feel like you’re “not good enough” because of something you’ve done or are doing. But this isn’t a talent where you have to prove how good you are, or don’t get in because you’re not good enough…. you get credit for showing up. However you show up, God’s not looking at your talent. In fact, He’s planning to work His power through your weakness.

“Remain this night…lie down until morning.”

Where do we go off to in the night instead of laying down and resting in His promise and presence?

Do we go to prove ourselves when it seems like we’re not getting anywhere? “I’ll show the world. I’ll show them I can do it.”

Do we have to have the answer right when we ask? Or can we trust in the security of His resting place? Which just happens to be a place of humility lacking recognition from the world.

The time we might spend worrying in the night might also lead us to something or someone else. It might lead us to trying to find the answer rather than staying where we don’t have to search, but rest.

We have to stay in His presence to receive redemption, not run from it.

When we run from God, He chases after us, but we also leave that redemption with Him. So He hasn’t abandoned us, but we have left Him.

4. Provision in Redemption

Ruth 3:15-18

Worship Team

Have you ever said something that people doubted because it didn’t look or seem realistic? Maybe even far fetched? Naomi sent her out to be redeemed by Boaz. She came back with barley.

Have you ever ordered food at a busy restaurant and you see your waiter coming toward you with a tray of food. You’ve been waiting and waiting and finally here they come. You’re sitting there hungry and frustrated but the waiter just seems to be really calm (which makes you more mad). The food is just the appetizers or the side salad you ordered.. you were expecting the full thing, but only a little came out. Your calm waiter isn’t worried because they know your meal is being prepared in the kitchen. God may take his time. It might look like its not coming. It might look like its not the full thing, but He’s crafting something special for us to move and act on when we rest in His supply now.

There are people who are redeemed and living in God’s provision that you look at and pass judgement on for whatever “status” you assign to them… whatever they’re carrying around.

What has God done for them and what is He doing? What time in the night did they spend at His feet while you were busy proving to the world that you’re good enough?

Just because they didn’t make a TikTok video about their struggles or blessing doesn’t mean that they don’t have any.

Ruth was sent out to Boaz and encountered him in the night with no one to see or hear and she humbled herself. It was a setup for her inheritance and redemption.

Ruth cam back to Naomi with no husband or redemption, but some barley. Not an abundance or inheritance.

God might have an abundance from our inheritance that He wants us to share with the world, but sometimes He’ll send us out with enough for the night but still declaring that we have an abundance.

People might think we’re crazy, but its about displaying our faith to God more than showing it off to others.

Its interesting that Boaz says, “give me your cloak.” where did she get a cloak?

A cloak symbolizes someone’s status or role. The removing of the cloak shows us that our status and role is not a factor in God’s supplying of our needs.

Luke 12:28 (NASB95)

28“But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!

Take off whatever labels you have given yourself. Strip yourself of the weight and burden of it.

Believe that it won’t be what gets you through and hear God saying, “I will give you supply. I will give you what you need. It might me in the night when no one else can see it. But you must believe it.”

Many of you might be struggling with overwhelming responsibilities—family obligations, work pressures, or health issues. I encourage you to take a moment today to intentionally surrender these burdens to God in prayer and rest in His security….even when you don’t see the fullness of it. Give it up to God and during the worship song, lay them at the cross.

This tangible act symbolizes your trust in God’s provision and invites Him into your circumstances, reminding you that He is in control, even when life feels chaotic.

Prayer Team