Sermon Tone Analysis

Ruth – At the Threshing Floor

Ruth 3:1-18

1. Introduction – We are heading into the climax of the story now.

We’ve seen tragedy, bitterness, loneliness…

a.

But we’ve also seen integrity, loyalty, faithfulness…hard work.

i. We’ve seen God move and work in the seemingly mundane.

1. We’ve seen our main characters go from a bad situation, to a worse situation, to a slightly improved situation…to finding a bit of stability and sustenance in Bethlehem.

ii.

However, there’s still one major issue…well 2 actually.

Both Ruth and Naomi are still widows…there is no male heir to carry on the family name…

1.

And their physical needs have been provided for, but there are still deeper issues that need rectifying.

b.

I debated about spending a couple weeks in this chapter.

There’s a lot here.

As I reading and preparing this week, I think I made something clipped like 81 pages of notes this week.

i.

But as I was preparing, I thought it was better to look at this scene all in one go – so that you better understand the flow of what is happening.

1.

And let me tell you – there is a lot happening.

I was so captivating this week by this chapter that I didn’t even realize I had made that many notes until I was done.

a.

So this morning, instead of going into the nitty gritty detail of this chapter, we are simply going to hit the high points.

i. We’ll seek to understand the basic structure of what’s going on, and we’ll see how a chapter about a midnight rendezvous at a threshing floor can help us today.

c.

But before we read this chapter together, first look at how it is structured.

i.

It actually follows the same pattern as chapter 2.

1.

It starts with a conversation between Ruth and Naomi.

a.

In chapter 2, Ruth tells Naomi her plan to go out and glean in a field.

i.

In chapter 3, Naomi tells Ruth about a plan to get Boaz to act.

1.

After the initial conversation – there is then an encounter between Ruth and Boaz.

b.

In chapter 2 there is an encounter in the field – where Boaz gives Ruth a bunch of instructions.

i.

And in chapter 3, there is an encounter at the threshing floor…and we’ll see what happens there.

ii.

And both chapters 2 and 3 end with a subsequent conversation between Ruth and Naomi as they recap all that took place.

1.

So that’s how it is structure, now let’s read what it says.

Hear God’s Word – Ruth 3:1-18

d.

So here’s what we’re going to do today.

i. We’re going to look at the 3 distinct sections of this chapter.

1. We’ll look at Naomi’s instructions to Ruth, we’ll study the threshing floor encounter between Boaz and Ruth, and we’ll look at the morning after.

2. Naomi’s Plan – If you’ll recall a couple weeks ago when we studied 2:17-23, we came across Naomi telling Ruth that Boaz was one of their redeemers.

a.

We spend lats week discussing the implications of that.

i.

Also a couple weeks ago we looked at the importance of v.23.

Seven weeks after their initial introduction, for 7 weeks Ruth had been gleaning in Boaz’s field.

1.

For 7 weeks Naomi knew that the possibility of redemption existed for them…it was so close at hand…

a.

But nothing had happened for 7 weeks…so Naomi decided to take matters into her own hands and get the ball rolling on her redemption.

ii.

As we dive into the details of Naomi’s plan for Boaz and Ruth, we have to realize that this was a dangerous plan.

1.

The potential for disaster lurked around every corner…and the potential for success was actually very slim.

b.

In vv.1-4, Naomi lays out a very detailed plan for what Ruth is to do.

Obviously, Boaz wasn’t making any moves, so Naomi took it upon herself to get things going.

i.

Right off the bat, I want you to notice this – Naomi gives these instructions purely so that Ruth can have a husband.

1.

In those days, a husband could provide for Ruth for more than her widowed mother-in-law could.

a.

Also notice, this wasn’t a selfish plan – a way for Naomi to secure an heir for Elimelech’s name.

i. Naomi was looking out for Ruth’s best interest.

2. What this shows is that Ruth and Naomi had a healthy relationship.

In healthy relationships, you always look out for the best interest of the other person.

c.

What did Naomi instruct Ruth to do?

First, she gives her some instructions regarding her personal appearance.

i.

First – she tells her to take a bath, to anoint herself, that is with scented olive oil…perfume if you will…and Naomi tells Ruth to put on her cloak.

1.

Now, from a purely modern-day perspective, it looks as if Naomi is telling Ruth to get herself all gussied up in an attempt to seduce a man.

a.

Now, there is a line of interpretation that sees this scene in this way.

i.

This scene is full of tension, full of sexual tension…it is even full of innuendo.

1.

However, I don’t think this chapter is describing an illicit sexual encounter because there is another way to interpret this.

ii.

Instead of seeing this as Ruth preparing herself in order to have a sexual encounter with Boaz, it actually appears that Naomi is telling Ruth that her period of mourning over her widowhood is over and she is to get on with normal life.

1.

We don’t know enough about ancient near eastern widowhood to know how long a widow stayed in her mourning clothes or how long she dressed like a widow…but it seems like here, Naomi is telling Ruth that it is time to get with life.

a.

There is actually a similar scene in 2 Samuel 12:20.

In that chapter David is mourning for his dying child.

i.

And after being informed of his son’s death…David bathed, he anointed himself, but on his cloak…the same word that is used in Ruth 3:3…and he went to the Temple to worship.

iii.

So, it may well be that Ruth always ore the clothes of widowhood – of mourning – even while she was working in the field.

1.

And perhaps this is why Boaz didn’t make any moves – he didn’t want to violate a woman’s right to grieve.

a. So, instead of seeing this as Ruth dressing to kill, or dressing to seduce or wearing a dress that hit her in all the right places…

i. Naomi instructs Ruth to put off the clothes of widowhood…thus letting Boaz know that she is read to return to normal life…and marriage, should that be a possibility.

d.

The next set of instructions that Naomi gives instruct Ruth about where to go and what to do when she gets there.

i.

She was to go to Boaz’s threshing floor.

Now, it may seem a little odd that Boaz was spending the night there…but at winnowing time, landowners would actually sleep at their threshing floors in order to guard the fruits of their labour.

1.

They were there to protect it against thieves.

a.

So Ruth, was to go out there incognito – and she was to observe.