← Back to sermon library

You can turn in your Bibles to 
Ruth chapter 3. The book of Ruth chapter 3. Just 
by way of reminder, remember that chapter 1 begins with a 
man by the name of Elimelech and his family, or his wife, 
Naomi, and their two sons. Because of a famine in Judah, 
they depart from Judah, they travel to Moab, and they try 
to ride out the famine in that part of the world. When they 
are there, of course, Elimelech dies, the two sons of Naomi also 
die, and then she has her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi then learns that there 
is food back in Judah, so she and the daughters set out, or 
the daughters-in-law set out for Judah. Now, of course, Naomi 
tries to turn them back. She essentially says, don't follow 
me, you need to find husbands, because without a husband you're 
going to be in a big a big difficult situation. At that particular 
time in history, you couldn't just go out and get a college 
degree and land a secure job. It was very essential that a 
woman have a husband. So, of course, Naomi tries to 
turn them back. Orpah does go back to Moab. goes back to her God, Chemosh, 
but Ruth, as chapter 1, verse 14 says, clung to her. And then 
as Naomi again encourages Ruth to leave her, Ruth makes this 
great confession in verses 16 and 17. And treat me not to leave 
you, or to turn back from following after you. For wherever you go, 
I will go. And wherever you lodge, I will 
lodge. Your people shall be my people, 
and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and 
there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more 
also. If anything but death parts you 
and me." So in that confession, she expresses, of course, her 
love for Naomi and her identification with the covenant people of Israel. 
Your people shall be my people. She leaves Moab not just geographically, 
but she leaves Moab religiously and joins by the grace of God 
with the people of God. As well, she affirms her allegiance 
to Yahweh of Israel and your God, my God. She expresses a 
commitment to the very end, where you die, I will die. and there 
I will be buried." She ratifies this entire sermon by an oath, 
the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts 
you and me. God had done a work in the heart 
of Ruth. She accompanies Naomi. They get 
to Bethlehem. Of course, when they arrive at 
Bethlehem, Naomi says, do not call me Naomi. Do not call me 
pleasant, but rather call me Mara, or bitter, because it has 
been a difficult day for me. Now, in chapter 2, we move from 
famine to feast. Remember the initiative of Ruth. 
Ruth has the idea that she'll go out and find a field so that 
she can glean in. The law of God stipulated gleaning 
rules, so that if the poor were to come along after the harvesters 
had done their thing or the reapers had done their thing, the poor 
could then pick up those things that remain. And she just happens 
to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, chapter 2, 
verse 3. Remember we noted this idea of 
she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz 
is the author's way of drawing attention to the providence of 
God. We know, as readers of this story, 
that nothing happens by chance. She didn't just happen, luckily, 
to come upon this particular land of Boaz. God is behind the 
scene. He is orchestrating every particular 
event. He is moving everything according 
to a particular plan so that, indeed, Ruth and Boaz would ultimately 
come together in marriage, and they would then have a son named 
Obed. Obed would have a son, Jesse, 
and, of course, Jesse would give birth Jesse's wife would give 
birth to David, and it's from the Davidic line that the Lord 
Jesus Christ would come. As we've quoted before, John 
Gill, concerning the whole book, says, The principal design of 
the book of Ruth is to give the genealogy of David, whom Samuel 
had anointed to be king of Israel, and from whom the Messiah was 
to come, and who therefore may be said to be the aim and scope 
of it, as he is all of Scripture, and whereby it appears that he 
sprung from both Jews and Gentiles, and is the Savior of both. And 
there is a good foundation for both to hope in him. And the 
call and conversion of Ruth the Moabitess may be considered as 
a shadow, emblem, and pledge of Version of the Gentiles and 
of course as Ruth continues to work in Boaz's Field Boaz tells 
his servants to make sure that she goes unharmed this Will harassment laws were Learned 
that he wants to be very benevolent and very gracious to Ruth to 
make sure that she does in fact have abundance so the chapter 
ends chapter 2 ends with at least temporarily Ruth and Naomi's 
economic needs taken care of. They now have food. They're back 
in their particular homeland. Chapter 3 is a more permanent 
and elastic solution to these two ladies. So we'll pick up 
reading in chapter 3 at verse 1. Then Naomi, her mother-in-law, 
said to her, my daughter, shall I not seek security for you that 
it may be well with you? Now Boaz, whose young women you 
were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley 
tonight at the threshing floor. Therefore, wash yourself and 
anoint yourself. Put on your garment and go down 
to the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known 
to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Then it 
shall be when he lies down that you shall notice the place where 
he lies and you shall uncover his feet and lie down and he 
will tell you what you should do and all that you say to me 
I will do. So she went down to the threshing 
floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed 
her. And after Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was cheerful, 
he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. And she 
came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. Now it happened 
at midnight that the man was startled and turned himself, 
and there a woman was lying at his feet, and he said, who are 
you? So she answered, I am Ruth, your 
maidservant. Take your maidservant under your 
wing, for you are a close relative. And he said, blessed are you 
of the Lord, my daughter, for you have shown more kindness 
at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after 
young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not 
fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people 
of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. Now it is true 
that I am a close relative, however there is a relative closer than 
I. Stay this night and in the morning it shall be that if he 
will perform the duty of a close relative for you, good, let him 
do it. But if he does not want to perform 
the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you as the 
Lord lives. Lie down until morning." So she 
lay at his feet until morning and she arose before one could 
recognize another. Then he said, do not let it be 
known that the woman came to the threshing floor. Also he 
said, bring the shawl that is on you and hold it. And when 
she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley and laid it 
on her. Then he went into the city. Your margin has the better reading. 
It's not she went into the city. This is a reference to Boaz. 
Then he went into the city. Verse 16, when she came to her 
mother-in-law, she said, is that you, my daughter? And she told 
her all that the man had done for her. And she said, these 
six ephahs of barley he gave me. For he said to me, do not 
go empty-handed to your mother-in-law. And she said, sit still, my daughter, 
until you know how the matter will turn out. For the man will 
not rest until he has concluded the matter this day." Amen. Well, as I said, this provides 
a longer lasting fix for their particular situation. And specifically, 
this chapter breaks down into two broad sections. First, the 
initiative of Naomi, verses 1 to 5, And then secondly, the implementation 
of the plan in verses 6 to 18. Remember, it was Ruth's idea, 
it was Ruth's initiative in chapter 2 to go out and to glean in order 
to get food for her and Naomi. Well, here Naomi, now having 
learned that she gleaned in the field of Boaz, realizes that 
Boaz is a close relative, a go-el, or a kinsman-redeemer, and so 
she has this idea to make a lasting and a secure situation specifically 
for Naomi, or for Ruth, and then of course Naomi would benefit 
as a result of this. So notice her desire in verse 
1. Naomi, her mother-in-law, said 
to her, my daughter shall I not seek security for you that it 
may be well with you." Now from chapter 1 we learn that in many 
ways Naomi was a very negative woman in terms of her theology. 
Not that she was wrong, she acknowledged the sovereignty of God, but she 
only ever saw the sovereignty of God in affliction. She didn't 
stop to consider the fact that she had godly Ruth as a companion. She didn't stop to praise the 
Lord for the fact that now, according to chapter 1, verse 6, there 
was bread in Judah to be had. All she sees is the affliction 
that had been doled out to her. Of course, I pointed that out 
in chapter 1. I felt it was even a little bit 
hard on her. Well, from that point on, Naomi 
only comes across as an exemplary woman of faith throughout the 
book of Ruth. She genuinely has her daughter-in-law's 
security in mind. Shall I not seek security for 
you? that it may be well with you." 
As Naomi exhorted Ruth in Chapter 1, security and stability would 
ultimately come through a husband. So Naomi's plan is precisely 
that. She knows that Boaz is a near 
relative. She knows that in terms of the 
law, there is that law of the Leverite, which means that a 
nearest relative seeks to give progeny path of annihilation. So Naomi thinks she is not part 
of this particular plan. Notice her reason. Verse 1, she 
seeks security. Verse 2, now Boaz, whose young 
women you were with, is he not our relative? Remember, a kinship, 
or as a kinship term, this idea of Goel. himself or herself out of the 
crisis. I mentioned that we have the 
same thing today. He's called father. When your 
child or somebody is in trouble, who do they typically call? They 
call dad. Dad, I need money. Dad, I need 
a new car. Dad, I'm in jail. Hopefully not 
the latter. But typically that's who they 
will call. Well, that's the whole idea of 
this kinsman-redeemer law. Remember that in the Old Testament, 
the kinsman-redeemer could redeem land that was sold during a hardship. He could redeem a family member 
from slavery. Remember in Old Testament Israel, 
if you could not pay a debt and you could... back to debt, then you would 
become a slave to that... the Goel could come and redeem 
you from... according to numbers... As well, 
he could receive restitution money on behalf of a deceased 
victim of a crime. It might be the case that somebody 
that was connected to you family-wise would die in a crime, and you 
might receive whatever property or whatever money that they had. 
Instead of it going to the state, instead of it going to some program, 
on that Goel, or that kinsman-redeemer, and they gave it to him. And 
as well, to ensure that justice was served in a lawsuit involving 
a relative. And then, as I said, the Deuteronomy 
25 passage speaks specifically of what's called the Law of the 
Leverite. If a man dies, his brother will go into his wife, 
not simply to keep the family property, there were a lot of 
legal issues involved in this whole transaction. And so Naomi 
has this idea that she ought to go and approach Boaz in order 
to propose marriage. Naomi is calculating a plan, 
but as well she is mindful of the sovereignty of God. I think 
the book of Ruth illustrates Providence. Providence in the 
ordinary things of life. The book of Ruth isn't packed 
filled with miracles. It's not packed filled with healings. 
It's not packed filled with all the sorts of sensational things 
that we might oftentimes incline ourselves to in terms of study. What we have is a simple family 
that leaves one geographical location to another. When they 
get to that place, there's death. And so the mother and her daughter-in-law 
go back to Judea. In ordinary day-in, day-out activities, 
we see that God is orchestrating this particular plan. Remember, 
the focus of the book is that final few verses in chapter 4 
in terms of the genealogy. The whole point of Ruth is Obed, 
Jesse, and David. So this shows us step by step 
how all of these She's a harlot. She hides spies. She commits treason against the 
city of Jericho. She makes a deal with the particular 
spies that were there, that when Israel came in to decimate Jericho, 
would they make sure that she and her family were safe. You see Rahab there. Well, Rahab 
ultimately marries Amir, and she gave birth to Boaz. in raising this man because the 
book of Ruth is sort of like an appendix to the book of Judges. We see that Judges, for the most 
part, describes dark days in the life of Judges, specifically 
17 to 21. It's actually depressing. And yet what Ruth does is show 
us that even in the midst of that period, when the judges 
ruled, there were bright spots. There were Ruths. There were 
Naomi's. There were Boaz's. There were 
men and women who lived in terms of the covenant that the Lord 
imposed upon them, and they did so in a way that was truly, truly 
admirable. situation. Naomi wants Ruth to 
go seek out Boaz in order to marry him. Notice the instruction 
that she gives. She says, in fact, right in the 
middle of verse 2, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing 
floor. That would be throwing it up 
in the air and then the wind would come and blow the chaff 
away from the actual be gentler. And at this time 
of harvest, we see that Boaz himself is there winnowing. We 
see that Boaz himself sleeps out in the field to make sure 
that Thieves don't come along and as well to protect the barley 
or the grain from animals. So she tells her where to go. Notice the instruction in verses 
3 and following. Therefore, wash yourself and 
anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the 
threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until 
he has finished eating and drinking. Now, as we proceed in the narrative, 
we see that she does something there that some have said was 
overtly sexual. And with reference to that interpretation, 
I mean, face it, she goes to a sleeping man, she uncovers 
his feet, and then she lays at the end of the bed. Now, there 
are a whole lot of people out there that have taken this and 
have put a sexual spin upon it. And certainly when you look at 
verse 3, and Naomi is essentially telling Ruth that she needs to 
doll herself up. Basically, she says, wash yourself, 
anoint yourself, put on your best garment, and go down to 
the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known 
to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Does this 
particular passage endorse that view that she did go and proffer 
sexual favors toward him? Well, let's just look at what's 
going on in verse 3. Wash yourself and anoint yourself. 
Not necessarily for sexual intercourse, but you are going there with 
the expressed intention to try and get him to marry you. That 
much is absolutely correct. When Ruth goes to Boaz, the thing 
she's initiating is a proposal for marriage. I mean, it's a 
little bit unconventional as far as we're concerned. We typically 
think of the young man who brings the flowers and he gets down 
on one knee and he puts the ring up and he says, will you marry 
me? Certainly we don't have a custom that looks like this. But she 
says, wash yourself, anoint yourself, put on your best garment. This 
doesn't need to be best garment. It could simply mean garment. 
Now that doesn't mean that Ruth was naked. It's the same term 
or the same word that refers to that outer garment that Israelites 
wore, especially poor Israelites, that would serve additionally 
as a blanket at night. So when Ruth goes, she is going 
at night. She is going when the weather 
is going to cool down. The text could be interpreted 
sexually, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. In fact, there's 
a good analogy in another book that's not far from here. You 
can go to 2 Samuel for just a moment. 2 Samuel chapter 12. just to show that there is an 
analogy between what Ruth is told to do and what David does 
in 2 Samuel 12. Remember that in David's instance, 
or in David's situation, it was a time of grief. David had been 
mourning over the death of his son. Well, when we look at Ruth, 
can't we suppose that the same conditions were true of her? 
She just saw her husband die. Well, at least in the recent 
past. She just left her home country and has come to Israel. She has been grieving. She has 
been mourning. Notice in 2 Samuel 12, 20. After 
the pronouncement that the baby is dead, verse 20 says, So David 
arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed 
his clothes. and he went into the house of 
the Lord and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, 
and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 
Then his servants said to him, What is this that you have done? 
You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when 
the child died, you arose and ate food." So when David washed 
and changed his clothing, it marked a turn of events. It marked 
a pass from grief into that normal station in life once again. Probably that's what's going 
on when Naomi gives Ruth this particular instruction to wash 
herself, to anoint herself, and to put on her garment. In other 
words, no longer wear your widow's mourning garments, no longer 
engage in that particular process of grief. Go to Boaz, and as 
he sees you, it will be obvious that you are no longer in that 
state of mourning and grief. I think Daniel Bloch explains 
it well. He says, it may well be that 
until this time Ruth had always worn the garments of widowhood. John Gill alludes to this very 
same thing. He goes on to say, even when 
she was working out in the field, perhaps this was the reason for 
Boaz's inertia. Boaz didn't initiate anything 
with Ruth, obviously he cared for her, chapter 2, obviously 
he wanted her protected, obviously he wanted her well cared for, 
and a godly man would know that ultimately it would be a husband 
that would secure that. But there was something about 
the situation whereas Boaz did not initiate this particular 
sort of a relationship. It could very well be the case 
that she was still wearing these garments of widowhood. Back to 
what Block says. As an upright man, Boaz would 
not violate a woman's right to grieve the loss of her husband, 
nor impose himself upon her until she was ready. We know too little 
about how long widows would customarily wear their morning clothes, but 
it may be that Naomi is now telling Ruth the time has come to doff 
her garments of widowhood and let Boaz know that she is ready 
to return to normal life, including marriage, if that should become 
possible. So in many respects, what Naomi 
is doing here is a risky affair. And certainly when Ruth enters 
into it, it is a risky affair. Probably then, like it would 
be now, if a woman uncovered your feet and you woke up and 
found her laying on the end of your bed, you might have an inclination 
that there was something sexual involved. So Naomi, in many respects, 
is risking Ruth's dignity and honor and reputation. And Ruth 
herself is doing that very same thing as well. But probably this 
is what is going on. And she tells him, or tells her 
in verse 4, then it shall be when he lies down that you shall 
notice the place where he lies. And you shall go in, uncover 
his feet, and lie down. And he will tell you what you 
should do. Again. When we consider this 
interpretation that says she is proffering or offering sexual 
favors to him, the context does not legitimize that. The context 
does not indicate or evidence that whatsoever. What she says 
in verse 9 is a specific idiom for marriage, how Boaz responds 
indicates that this is not a sexual situation. Again, Daniel Block 
says, how could Boaz, also a virtuous man, bless Ruth for her action, 
verse 10, and characterize her as a supremely noble woman, verse 
11, if she was seeking sexual favors from him? Now, I spend 
time on this because this is the kind of stuff that we face 
as Bible students or as those who come to the Word of God in 
a perverse and debauched age. People are looking for sex on 
every page of the Scripture. I'm not suggesting that there's 
not sex on some pages of the Scripture. The Bible doesn't, 
you know, whitewash those things. But we ought not to import meanings 
into passages where that meaning is devoid, where that meaning 
is absent. This is not what's happening 
in this particular situation. Block continues, neither Naomi 
nor Ruth seems interested in sex or progeny at this point. 
Naomi is driven throughout by a concern to provide more security 
for Ruth than she, as mother-in-law, can provide. Ruth needs long-range 
protection and support, such as only a husband can provide. And I think that Naomi is operating 
here by faith. Truly, this is an evidence of 
Proverbs 16. Proverbs 16 verse 9 says a man's 
heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Naomi 
is, as I said, taking a bit of a risk in this situation, but 
it's under the auspices of God's sovereignty in Providence. Naomi 
understands they've gotten from this place to this place to this 
place by the hand of God. The fact that Boaz is a near 
relative, a kinsman redeemer, it may be the case that he will 
take you on as his bride, and that will be the security and 
the stability that you need and want and have. So that's the 
backdrop. Now notice, secondly, the implementation 
of the plan, verses 6 to 18. What's Ruth do? Verse 5. She 
said to her, all that you say to me I will do. I mean, is Ruth 
great or what? Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. They're champs in this book. I mean, if you want a great snapshot 
of covenant fidelity in Old Testament Israel, this is your book. This 
is beautiful. All that you say to me I will 
do. Notice the specific risk, as 
I've already mentioned. The hopeful response is that 
she will be married to Boaz. That's the idiom in verse 9. 
We'll see that in just a moment. But the potential response, what 
could happen? Now, as I read, at least Daniel 
Block, he indicated that at harvest time, When men were lying out 
in the fields, it was not uncommon for prostitutes to visit those 
particular men. I mean, if ever you have a group 
of men that have worked hard and then end the day with a bit 
of food and a bit of drink, and I guess the prostitutes thought 
that might be a place for them to make their money. So that 
could have been one way that Boas looked at this particular 
situation. He wakes up. He sees a woman 
lying at the foot of his bed. I mean, again, he doesn't know 
it's Ruth. He asks, who are you? So for 
a typical man, not a Boas, for instance, he could have thought 
she was a prostitute and willingly paid for her favors. That could 
have been a response. And I believe that Ruth probably 
knew this, and Naomi as well. Not to say that Ruth would have 
done that, but these are some potentials. Ruth does not know 
how this is going to shake out. We always have the advantage 
over these biblical characters, don't we? We have the divine 
author giving us a bird's eye view into the lives of these 
people. But we need to make sure that 
we never forget that every step of the way they don't know these 
things. They don't know what's going to happen. They didn't 
read John Gill on the passage. They don't know what the central 
aim and focus is. of their life story is at this 
particular juncture. So Boaz could have thought she 
was a prostitute and willingly accepted her overtures. Secondly, 
Boaz could have thought she was a prostitute, but as a righteous 
Israelite, would have shoot her away. Could have said, wow, if 
you're a prostitute, I don't want you in my bed. You need 
to leave. I'm not that sort of a man. I'm not going to engage 
in that type of activity. But thirdly, Boaz could wake 
up and correctly interpret Ruth's intention. Isn't the Lord sovereign? I mean, something like this, 
which could have gone a few different ways. And I think as we read 
the narrative, we see something of that. In Naomi, go, put yourself 
at the end of his bed, and at the end of verse 4, and he will 
tell you what you should do. She doesn't know for sure that 
Boaz is going to respond favorably. Naomi and Ruth enter into this 
trusting God. This is important. We need to 
enter into things trusting God. We need to enter into things 
realizing that providence is a reality. It's not just a Calvinistic 
concept that we bat around in Sunday school, but providence 
is real. God overrules everything that 
happens in our lives. There is not a hare that is not 
numbered or counted. There is not a bird that falls 
from the air. There is not an event that happens 
in our life, big or small, that is not under the providence and 
rule of God. We need to embrace that. We need 
to take Romans 8.28 seriously and realize that God works all 
things for good. Have you ever considered that 
all things there doesn't just mean all good things? I mean, 
I think that's the common understanding of the passage. Of course God 
works good things out for our good. I mean, that's a no-brainer. I think the context reveals even 
more so it's the bad things that God works out for our good. Do we really need to be told 
that God works out good things for our good? No, he works out 
all things for our good. And if I haven't plugged it lately, 
I'll plug it now. Watson's little book, A Divine 
Cordial. It's printed now as All Things 
for Good. It's an exposition of Romans 
8.28. I highly recommend it if you 
struggle with this doctrine of God's providence and how even 
bad things could work for our good. So Naomi and Ruth step 
out in faith. Not blind faith, but a faith 
in the God of Israel who does all things well. Naomi had learned 
that there is affliction from the Lord, to be sure. Chapter 
1. Here, Naomi is trusting that there is, in fact, good from 
the Lord. And she sends out Ruth with this 
particular errand. Now notice, verses 6 and 7. So she went down to the threshing 
floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed 
her. And after Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was cheerful, 
he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain." Now, some 
have tried to link Lot and his incestuous relationship with 
this particular situation. Now, certainly Ruth is an ancestress 
of Lot's daughter, but that's about where it ends. We don't 
need to interpret Boaz as being hammered here. They are working 
hard. It's harvest time. working, laboring, 
they eat, they drink, they're not getting knocked out, hammered, 
when it says that his heart is cheerful or was cheerful, a full 
day of hard work, a bit of good food and refreshing drink, this 
is how we ought to understand it. He goes, he lies down at 
the end of the heap of grain, and she came softly, uncovered 
his feet, and lay down. Now it happened at midnight that 
the man was startled and turned himself, and there a woman was 
lying at his feet, and he said, who are you? So she answered, 
I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your 
wing, for you are a close relative." If you go back for just a moment, 
back for just a moment into chapter 2, Chapter 2 at verse 12, the 
Lord repay your work and a full reward be given you by the Lord 
God of Israel under whose wings you have come for refuge. That 
same sort of a convention, that same sort of language is used 
here. But as I've said, this is an 
idiom for marriage. And the word idiom simply means 
a figure of speech, a way of saying something. And when we 
look at this turn of a phrase, take your maidservant under your 
wing for you are a close relative, two passages really flesh out 
the marriage idea. Ezekiel chapter 16. You can turn 
there just so you can see what it is Ruth is after. Ruth is 
proposing. I know that seems odd. It seems 
strange. Not necessarily telling you young 
girls to go out and find a fella and propose to him. But that 
is what's going on. Ruth, I'm sorry, Ezekiel 16, 
specifically verse 8. Let me see. Yes, Ezekiel 16, 8. When I passed 
by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the 
time of love. This is God to Israel. So I spread 
my wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore 
an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you and you became 
mine, says the Lord God. This pictures or represents God's 
marriage to Israel. Malachi, the prophet, dealing 
with divorce. In chapter 2, he uses the same 
idiom. Again, we need to be sure what 
Ruth is after in Ruth chapter 3. She is seeking out this kinsman 
redeemer under the instruction of Naomi to be her husband. In 2.16, in the prophet Malachi, 
for the Lord God of Israel says that he hates divorce for it 
covers one's garment with violence. This garment that has been spread, 
this idea of covering another under their particular wing. So what she does is initiate 
this particular situation. Again, Bloch makes this statement, 
and just consider it. I mean, Ruth had a bit of fear 
and trepidation in chapter 2 about the whole idea of gleaning, didn't 
she? She was a Moabitess in Judah. Now, as far as the Judahites 
or the Israelites as a whole were concerned, how well did 
they appreciate Moab? I mean, Moab started off as a 
result of incest in Lot's family. Moab resisted Israel when they 
were journeying through the wilderness. It was the daughters of Moab 
that Israel played the harlot with, according to Numbers 25. 
and God sent wrath and destroyed a great bunch of them. Moab was 
excluded from entering into the assembly of the Lord. Ruth knew 
that as a Moabitess, she was in hostile territory. But nevertheless, 
Ruth trusted God and went and gleaned. Now, it happened that 
she came to Boaz's field. It happened because of God's 
sovereign providence. Well, here, look at what's going 
on. You have a woman initiating with a man. You have a servant 
initiating with the master. You have a foreigner initiating 
with an Israelite. Locke says, 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. Now, if you don't see the hand 
of God involved in this, you're not reading it properly. I mean, 
this is absolutely amazing faith that she is engaged in at this 
particular time. Now, notice Boaz's response in 
verses 10 to 15. First of all, he pronounces her 
blessed. Remember, Boaz is a godly, upright, righteous man. If Ruth 
had been offering favors of a sexual nature, this would not be his 
response. He would not say, blessed are 
you of the Lord, my daughter. John Gill says, instead of calling 
her an immodest woman for laying herself down at his feet, And 
a bold, impudent woman, she being poor, to ask marriage of him, 
and instead of being angry with her and chiding and reproving 
her for disturbing and frightening him in the night, he blesses 
her and prays to God to bless her and prosper her in what she 
had engaged. Boaz then blesses her for showing 
more kindness at the end than at the beginning, specifically 
that she's not out to just bag some young man. Boaz knows the 
score as well. Boaz knows what's at stake as 
kinsman redeemer. This isn't just about Ruth. Naomi's 
going to benefit. That's why when Boaz sends the 
gift of barley back, it's for Naomi. because ultimately he 
is the kinsman redeemer to Naomi because of Olimulet, not because 
of Melot. And so Boaz sees what Ruth is 
doing. You're not just going out for 
some young man. It's not just about love, because 
if he was poor, why would a woman pursue a young man, right? It's 
probably because she loved him and was gaga over him. He realizes 
that this woman is acting in principle and with that hesed 
or that kindness that ought to be in play with every Israelite 
and he pronounces her blessed. You have shown more kindness 
at the end than at the beginning in that you did not go after 
young men, whether poor or rich. Now note the promise. He says, 
And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that 
you request. For all the people of my town 
know that you are a virtuous woman." It's an amazing statement. 
Verse 11, I'm sorry, verse 11, I'm sorry, verse 11, and now 
my daughter, do not fear, I will do for you all that you request. 
I will marry you. I will make you my bride. I will 
cover you under the shadow of my wing." And then look at what 
he says. For all the people of my town 
know that you are a virtuous woman. Remember when we introduced 
the book, we said that in the Hebrew canon, the book of Ruth 
follows the book of Proverbs. The book of Proverbs ends with 
a description of the virtuous woman. So if you were wondering 
what does a virtuous woman look like, here it is, right out before 
your eyes, in the book of Ruth. Twice does the Old Testament 
use this convention outside of Ruth, and both times are in Proverbs. 
Proverbs 12, 4, and Proverbs 31, 10. But isn't it interesting 
to you that not just Boaz knew of her virtue, but the whole 
town knew? All those who gathered at the 
gates knew of this young woman's virtue. Do you think it's because 
she walked around with a sign parading her virtue? Do you think 
it's because she Facebooked her status, I'm a virtuous woman? 
Do you think it's because she tweeted, I'm a virtuous woman? 
No, it's because she was a virtuous woman. You cannot miss this. 
You cannot mistake this. You cannot go wrong when you 
see it with your very own eyes. Again, Block says she did not 
gain this reputation by trying to be somebody, by associating 
with the important people. On the contrary, it was her self-effacing 
embodiment of Israel's lofty covenant standards. Her kindness, 
her kindness and loyalty to the family of her deceased husband, 
especially her mother-in-law, that has won her the praise of 
all. You see, ladies, if you want to pursue the path of virtue, 
it isn't by rallying the troops and saying, aren't I a virtuous 
person? It's by embodying that virtue, 
by displaying that kindness, by showing yourself faithful 
to the living and true God. I find this intriguing. The whole 
town could see the virtue of Ruth. Ruth didn't stand by and 
campaign that she was the most virtuous. She just was virtuous. It is impossible to miss godly 
character. And the people of Bethlehem, 
Ephrathah, when Ruth came on the scene, when they watched 
her day in and day out, walking to the fields, gleaning in the 
fields, conducting herself around the other women, conducting herself 
around the other men, The entirety of the town could say, this woman 
is a woman of virtue. That's beautiful. That's glorious. That's what every woman should 
aspire to. And every man should aspire to 
something of a Boas character here. Now he introduces a problem 
in this section. It says, verse 12, now it is 
true that I am a close relative, however. There is a relative 
closer than I. You see, there's a little bit 
of a wrench in the machine. There's a little bit of a problem 
here. And this sets the stage for what follows in terms of 
that legal process in chapter 4. But notice what Boaz does. He promises that she will be 
taken care of. He promises that she will get 
that security. Verse 13, he gives her a reassurance, 
stay this night and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform 
the duty of a close relative for you, good, let him do it. 
But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will 
perform the duty for you. As the Lord lives, there's that 
oath of affirmation again. As the Lord lives, I'm not gonna 
renege. Boaz promises to Ruth that he 
is going to be that kinsman redeemer lie down until morning so verse 
fourteen she led his feet until morning she rose before one could 
recognize another he said do not let it be known that the 
woman came to the threshing floor also he said bring the shawl 
it is on you and hold it and when she held it he measured 
sixty-five barley and laid it on and i'll keep as a supply 
we don't know exactly how much barley a shawl couldn't carry 
too much though so If we insert a different measure, you could 
get anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds, or even up to 100 pounds. It's 
probably not that. I don't know that Ruth, as sturdy 
as she may have been, could have taken a shawlful of 100 pounds 
and marched that back to Naomi. It probably wasn't that much. But what it was was a reassuring 
token to her and to Naomi that Boaz was on the scene. Boaz knew 
the score, and Boaz was going to do his best to make sure that 
everything was looked after. It truly is kindness. So when 
she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley and laid it 
on her. Now we assume that he went, or that she went back. 
So the next statement, then he went into the city, means that 
Boaz got right on it. He spared no time. He wanted 
to deal with this. He wanted to make sure that all 
of this was on the up and up. He was a man regulated by the 
law. He wanted to do things on a proper level, and so he goes 
to the city to effect a business at hand. So Ruth then returns 
in summary to her mother. She says, is that you, my daughter? 
I don't think it's because she couldn't see. Probably it was 
more like a, what happened? What's going on? Please tell 
me. It would be like your mom asking you if you went out on 
a date. How'd it go? What was it like? 
Tell me the details. Then she told her all that the 
man had done for her, and she said, These six ephahs of barley 
he gave me, for he said to me, Do not go empty-handed to your 
mother-in-law." There's the evidence, there's the hint, there's the 
description, there's the reality. Boaz knows that Ruth is not just 
in it for Ruth. Ruth wants to secure help for 
Naomi as well. And so this gift of barley made 
that well known to these two ladies. Verse 18, then she said, 
sit still my daughter until you know how the matter will turn 
out. What is she saying there? Trust in God. Sit still, don't 
fret, don't chew your fingernails, don't let your knees clack, you 
just sit still until you know how the matter will turn out. 
And when the matter turns out, it'll be obvious and evident, 
and you proceed from there. So she says to trust in the sovereignty 
of God, and as well, she says to realize that Boaz is in fact 
a diligent man. The end of verse 18, for the 
man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day. 
So you see, ordinary people, ordinary events, and an extraordinary 
God. Because as we've seen, every 
step of the way, every small detail, God has overruled it 
to make sure that it falls out according to his plan. When we 
get to next week, specifically chapter 4, and we go through 
this legal process, the outcome shouldn't surprise us. We shouldn't 
say, wow, wasn't that lucky? No, we know that God's hand is 
in it. He is bringing Boaz and Ruth together so that Boaz and 
Ruth can have Obed. So that Obed can have Jesse, 
so that Jesse can have David, and so that David can ultimately 
have the Lord Jesus Christ. God is in the details. We see the righteousness of Naomi, 
her desire to provide security for her daughter-in-law in a 
way that she is unable to do. We see the blessed obedience 
of Ruth, which, incidentally, Ruth is no longer the main character. That's about it in terms of Ruth's 
prominence in the book. Really, the book, if it's an 
according to the most important character, would be the Book 
of Boaz, but it is called the Book of Ruth. She's certainly 
named again in Chapter 4, but she has no place really of prominence. But we see in her blessed obedience 
to Naomi and faithful compliance with the will of God. And then 
the gracious response of Boaz. What a man for us as men to emulate. And Boaz certainly by way of 
conclusion typifies for us the Lord Jesus. He is the kinsman 
redeemer. He is the one that redeems us. He is the one that buys us out 
of the slave market of sin. It's not because we're good, 
it's not because we keep the law, it's not because we clean 
up our acts that we'll ultimately go to heaven. It's because Jesus 
Christ, the kinsman redeemer, the blessed one of God, came 
and lived in obedience to the law, laid down his life as a 
sacrifice and a substitute, was buried, and on the third day 
rose again. And he sits enthroned at the 
right hand of God Most High. And the Bible says that everyone 
who looks to him will have everlasting life. Christ is the Boaz to his 
church. He redeems us for himself. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for Your Word and we thank You that You are in 
the details and in the ordinary providence day by day. We thank 
You for this Book of Ruth and for what it teaches us concerning 
Your character, as well concerning the character of righteous men 
and women during the period of the judges. I pray that you would 
help us to see Christ as that blessed Redeemer, help us to 
see Him and to walk by faith in Him as that one who has saved 
us from our sins. We pray that this gospel would 
be preached throughout the earth and that your grace, or by your 
grace, many would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 
We thank you for this meeting. We thank you for this time together. 
We pray that you would go with us now, and we ask through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen.