Ruth 3

PRAY & INTRO: Clara and I met when I was still in Junior High and she was in High School. When we were both in high school, a mutual interest developed toward one another, and that led to spending time together, but without dating or anything because our school culture and rules didn’t really allow for that, which turned out to be for the best, as we were still too young to get serious about a relationship. But you can guess, we looked for any excuse to be together, whether hanging out with a group of friends or being allowed to sit and talk just the two of us in an open, public area, with others in eyesight.

We had no idea at the time if God would see fit to preserve that friendship and let it lead eventually to marriage. But the longer we stayed together, the more we desired that it might please God to keep us together. But we were still in high school (older high school by now, but still in high school), so we knew that it would be unwise to try to make any particular plans. We needed to trust God and let him lead us, especially since Clara would graduate and leave school before me and be all the way here in the US for college while I was still back in Venezuela.

I have no idea how some other college hottie didn’t capture Clara’s interest and heart while I was still finishing high school, but I do know that God used that time to focus my attention on spiritual growth and learning to be a servant leader among my Christian peers. God was growing Clara into adulthood and in Christian maturity as well.

To finish the story for you, since we were still interested in each other when I graduated high school, I made the leap to make sure we were attending the same Christian college, to see if God would be pleased for this to lead toward marriage (which of course we still didn’t know for sure). But God allowed us to grow closer to one another while knowing that we both desired to grow closer to Him, and I eventually proposed to Clara on a visit back down to the school in Venezuela where we met. The following summer, after she graduated from college, we were married.

I tell you that long but personal intro story simply as a bridge between what we see in Ruth chapter 3 to our own lives and present situations. I can look back and see God’s hand of blessing on our relationship, but at the time, I didn’t know the outcome. So too, because we were so young when our interest began, how little did I know the primary importance of the underlying theme of godly character that is brought out in examples of Ruth and Boaz in this little treasure in God’s holy word.

The primary takeaway from Ruth 3 is…

Chapter 3: The Godly Character of Those Who Entrust Outcomes to God

This chapter is rather quirky and fun, because there are customs unfamiliar to our culture, and an oddly unique marriage proposal (but not in the “do something really creative so that she knows how much you love her” sort of oddity of our culture). Overshadowing their intersecting hopes for a potential better future together is the clear emphasis on the godly character of these people who are entrusting themselves to God and his care, and therefore entrusting the outcomes to God as well.

Ruth 3:1–5 ESV

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

[Comments while going through the verses]

v. 1 By “rest” it seems Naomi means the restful blessing of having a husband and home, and perhaps bear children, if there’s anything that Naomi can possibly do to help. Again, this is really up to God, and Naomi knows that, but Naomi also seeks to be diligent in whatever she is able to do. (That goes along with an emphasis in chapter 2.)

vv. 2-5 So Naomi’s plan, which is so oddly different from our culture that we wouldn’t understand without knowing how it turns out, is that this is evidently to be a way in which Ruth will propose that Boaz consider taking her as his wife as well as redeeming the land that belongs to Naomi’s family.

Here’s an example picture of what Boaz was doing and where she would find him. [threshing floor image]

NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as it Unfolds throughout Scripture Chapter 3

The final four steps of the harvest take place at the threshing floor: (1) threshing, separating the husk from the grain, requires either beating the husks with a stick or using a toothed threshing sledge (2:17;

Why would Boaz be there overnight? We don’t know for sure, but we might surmise that he did it to protect the grain from being stolen, and he was already working there late. But Naomi saw his plans as a unique opportunity for Ruth’s request. Ruth committed to and followed Naomi’s advice.

Ruth 3:6–13 ESV

6 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. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 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. 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.”

[Comments while going through the verses]

vv. 6-8 Ruth uncovers his feet by folding back the edge of Boaz’s tunic, to expose his feet, so that at some point he might wake up and find her there at his feet, which is exactly what takes place. Although Ruth’s action are indeed forward in the sense of initiating this proposal, there is nothing of moral compromise for either Ruth or Boaz in this activity. (Remember, they may be asleep, but there seem to be at least some other people around. Boaz’s words in v. 14 seem to indicate this.)

v. 9 She speaks of the edge of his robe as if such would symbolize his “wings” being spread over her, in the same way that Boaz had mentioned to her that the had sought refuge under the wings of the God of Israel. Ruth is suggesting that Boaz be God’s means of blessing her and Naomi, for which he had prayed. ‘Would you be the answer to your prayer for our care?’ Now that’s a decent proposal!

And calling him a redeemer indicates her intent is to ask that he marry her and redeem the inheritance of Naomi’s family, both. - It seems that by this time in Jewish custom they had come to combine the redemption of the land with levirate marriage (which was specifically that a brother should marry a widow of his deceased brother if she still had no heir). This appears to be a blending of the two customs. Boaz was of course not the brother of Mahlon and Chilion, so this was a request and not a requirement.

vv. 10-11 As before, Boaz is exceedingly impressed by Ruth’s character: not only has she stayed committed to caring for Naomi, but she also does not seek after the kind of earthly things that would make her pursue a younger man, but she seeks what she sees in Boaz. Yes, he is older, which he knows could make him less attractive in fleshly ways. But instead she is drawn to the character of a man who is diligent in his work, kind to his servants, compassionate and generous to a foreigner, and so on.

And her worthy character, Boaz says, is known broadly in the community of Bethlehem. She is a worthy woman, a woman of noble character. The only other place this phrase comes up is in proverbs, both times in the context of an excellent woman to be married to (Prov 12:4, Proverbs 31:10 “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.”).

v. 13 Boaz is willing, but there’s a catch that puts the whole thing in doubt. At the same time, however, the way he handles this reveals Boaz’s integrity of character. Again, this is the very kind of man she should want to marry.

Ruth 3:14–18 ESV

14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” 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.”

[Comments while going through the verses]

v. 14 Both Ruth and Boaz are concerned that there be no appearance of evil. There had been no impropriety, so they wouldn’t want anyone thinking that there is, which could tarnish their godly character before their fellow townspeople. Again, this isn’t simply about keeping up appearances, but rather about being careful to be “above reproach,” as the language of the NT puts it.

vv. 15-17 As an indication of his kindness and good intentions, Boaz sends Ruth back with barley in her garment. (We don’t know the amount because the measurement mentioned is ambiguous, not specific.) It appears though that Boaz wanted to be sure that both women were aware of his intentions and his desire to be kind to them.

v. 18 Finally, the way that Naomi answers Ruth may indicate that Ruth perhaps showed concern on her face or in her voice, or that Naomi intuitively understood the mental and emotional stress of the matter that still hung in the balance. Ruth knew Boaz’s desire to take her as his wife, but not if he could yet, for there might be some other man that she might have to marry, that she didn’t even know or know if she could trust. She knew Boaz’s character because she had seen it in action and had been the beneficiary of it.

Naomi also knows the kind of man that Boaz is and that he will take care of this right away to not leave it hanging in the balance, so she comforts Ruth that she will not have to wait too long to know something more.

So chapter 3 closes on the note we have said is the emphasis that has come to the forefront.

Chapter 3: The Godly Character of Those Who Entrust Outcomes to God

Those who fear God know that what God thinks of us matters more than what others think of us, and matters more than our pursuit of earthly pleasures and expediency. In the story of your life, who gets the glory has more to do with your character and less to do with any perceived outcome.

This means that even in the process of our diligence, and in our aims to display the kindness of God, we must still wait upon the Lord, resting in him and placing both the process and the outcomes in his infinitely capable hands.

Rest in God and wait on Him.

Even in our efforts to be diligent and to be Christlike and to see justice and mercy on the earth as much as we can, we must ultimately trust in a Sovereign God who is good and who is working all things in ways that he sees as greater good than we can see.

This sounds good but is difficult in practice, no doubt.

After all the gleaning and working, all the planning and taking steps toward a goal, we must ultimately rest in God and wait on him, trusting that the outcome is in his hands, and that what he determines is best.

But again, in terms of our relationship to God, we must…

Choose godly character over convenient compromise.

Just as we previously said in chapter one that we should be like Ruth and choose conviction over comfort, so too here we learn that we should choose character before God over what is convenient, whether because it is expedient or because we are attracted to it for fleshly reasons.

In what area or areas have you already caved to compromise? …where you need to now confess sin to God and others, and to set up new guardrails to walk in integrity and stay away from that temptation? (You may need to talk to someone older than you for some accountability in this area and to seek wise counsel.)

In discussion groups, you might talk together about positive examples to follow and positive steps that we can take to plan for growing in God-honoring character.

Finally, there are a couple of applications we can make regarding considerations for marriage.

When considering an interest in someone for marriage, what should matter most to you is what matters most to God.

Not the least of which is godly character. What matters most to God is what should matter most to us. In fact, we should pray that God will give us eyes to see beyond merely surface qualities to the attractiveness of godly character.

If God should give you the gift of singleness, your focus still remains on growing in character that pleases God.

This may be for a season only or for a lifetime, but we trust in God’s providence and provision and timing.

Examples of areas to grow in godly character: Learning where to find true fulfillment, what it means to trust God, the value of delayed gratification, and that we are weak but God is strong.

We are ordinary, but the perfect and almighty God is pleased to display his extraordinary grace to and through ordinary people, like us.

PRAY

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