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Class Four – 9.12.18
~Discussion
Ruth Chapter 3 Discussion Notes
So today we have arrived at Ruth Chapter 3. Let’s take a minute to recap our previous two weeks. The first week you will recall, we met Naomi, a Judean widow living in Moab with two widowed daughter in laws, Ruth and Orpah. They were in desperate condition because none of them had any children and no visible means of support or provision. Naomi hears that the famine had ended in her hometown of Bethlehem and she makes a difficult decision to embark on an arduous journey back to Judea to try to find help to survive. She urges her two Moabitess daughter in laws to stay in Moab with their own families so they had a chance of remarriage or at least protection in their father’s homes, but one of them, Ruth, declares her loyalty and faithfulness to Naomi and her God – Yahweh. We ended that week with the scene of Naomi and Ruth at the town square, being greeted by former neighbors and kin, with Naomi declaring that she is now to be called Mara, because she went away to Moab full and has returned bitter and empty.
Chapter 2 last week found us witnessing God’s goodness and faithfulness in His providential arrangement of Divine Appointments when Ruth “coincidentally” found herself in Boaz’ barley field, gleaning grain behind Boaz’ workers. That led to a romantic lunch with a dogie bag for Naomi, along with several weeks’ worth of grain to take home. It also led to Boaz’ kind and generous offer of further provision and protection for Ruth, and Naomi, as he offered to allow Ruth to spend the summer working alongside his workers and to be well treated and protected by them. Based on her first day’s efforts we may well assume that Ruth was able to obtain quite a storehouse of grain for she and her mother in law over the course of that summer during the barley and wheat harvest. We ended chapter 2 on an anti-climactic plateau, with our author making sure we understood that Ruth continued to live with Naomi – no further relationship developed. God had provided for half of their biggest need – food – but family was still lacking.
Today, our story picks up at the end of the harvest season, probably about 3 months since the Ruth & Boaz’ first lunch in the barley field. We aren’t told about any further developments in their relationship, but we do know, by inference, that so far, nothing has been done to fulfill the Levirate Marriage or Kinsman Redeemer laws towards either Naomi or Ruth. Remember, that law would have first been applied to Naomi as the widow of Elimilech. Perhaps the kinsman redeemer was aware of his responsibilities towards her but was unwilling to fulfill them due to her advanced age. Perhaps he was aware but unwilling due to Ruth’s foreign origins or perhaps his own wife was unwilling to participate in upholding God’s commands. Perhaps Boaz was willing to fulfill his duties as Kinsman Redeemer but because he wasn’t the closest relative he was being cautious and respectful of the other man, giving him time for his decision. Or perhaps Boaz, being older than most first time grooms, was hesitant to speak out to the women to discuss his interest.
Whatever the case, Naomi decides to take action and initiates a plan to provide protection and “rest” for Ruth. By doing this, Naomi has renounced claim on her status as the widow to be redeemed. She has placed her trust for provision and protection in the hands of her daughter in law Ruth. I believe Ruth demonstrated her heart attitude towards Naomi over and over during the journey back to Bethlehem and her subsequent willingness to work diligently to provide and care for Naomi.
In Chapter 1 verse 9 Naomi tells both of her daughters in law that she wants both of them to find “rest” in the home of another husband. Here again in Chapter 3 verse 1 Naomi uses the same word – rest – Hebrew: Manowach which means resting place; security, specifically through marriage; matrimony. So Naomi embarks on a plan to secure a marriage arrangement with Boaz for Naomi. Even though this seems a little bit scheming to us in modern America, it was totally appropriate for this day and age. Arranged marriages were the norm in this culture – recall Abraham who instructs his manservant to go back to his own people to find a wife for Isaac; Hagar who arranges a marriage for Ishmael; Isaac and Rebekah for Jacob. So a plan is conceived to awaken Boaz to Ruth’s suitability as a spouse. Deuteronomy 25:5 “fulfill the duty of a brother in law to her”. Boaz is a very desirable candidate for the job: He is single; he is successful; wealthy; kind; God fearing and honoring; respects women; maybe these traits had worked against the women – Boaz was too kind and respectful to even imagine that his advances would be well received, so it was time to make Boaz aware of Ruth’s interest in him.
Naomi knows that the harvest is over, the grain had been threshed and now the final step – the winnowing would begin. This meant that after the work was finished, a celebration feast would take place and then Boaz and his workers would sleep near the piles of finished grain at the winnowing floor. It provided the perfect opportunity for Ruth to approach Boaz. Cultural constraints would not have allowed it any other way. She would not have been able to meet with him, alone at night, except in public at the winnowing floor. Even this had the potential to be scandalous if she was discovered spying out his pallet, dressed and perfumed attractively, and then lying down at his feet. Should he have rejected her or if they had been discovered both of their reputations would have been tarnished. Naomi knows this, Ruth knows this as well, but she has made an earlier choice to respect and obey her mother in law, so she agrees to follow Naomi’s instructions.
Verses 7-9
As Boaz spent the night on the threshing floor, protecting his grain, he has a visitor. He is “startled” awake and discovers Ruth at his feet. He ask “Who are YOU?” This was a risk for Ruth. It could have been very embarrassing and humiliating had anyone discovered what she was doing. The act of uncovering a man’s feet was intimate and suggestive and while to us, seemingly innocent, to the Middle Eastern culture the message is clear. Ruth is communicating a proposal. Ruth a Moabite is proposing to an Israelite. Somehow, during the middle of the night, Naomi’s plan becomes Ruth’s plan and she decides to boldly make her request to Boaz: It is me your servant Ruth. Spread your garment over me since you are a kinsman redeemer. Ruth was trusting God to use Boaz to answer her needs and to protect her. Her expression “Spread the corner of your garment over me” was asking Boaz for marriage and the protection it gave her. This is the same protection The Lord promised his bride Jerusalem in Ezekiel 16:8- “When I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness”
Verses 10-11
The risk of rejection is great, but Boaz responds quickly and positively. “The Lord bless you my daughter.” This word is kindness – HESED: Chapter 1:8; 2:20; 3:10=loving kindness, loyalty, compassion, mercy.
Boaz compliments her on her upright conduct in choosing him instead of other younger, more eligible bachelors and commends her for her loyalty and faithfulness to Naomi. He is stunned she pursued him. He treats her with respect, there is no intimate contact, and he praises her noble character. Same wording as in Proverbs 31:10. This may be difficult for us to grasp the value placed on Ruth’s loyalty and steadfast love for Naomi and her respect for the levirate marriage customs. By adhering to this custom, Ruth was also providing an heir to her dead husband Mahlon, choosing that honor instead of placing her own feelings or romantic interests first.
Verses 12-13
Boaz is obviously a willing participant in Naomi’s plan and we seem to be able to read between the lines in the story that he is thrilled and honored by Ruth’s advances, but there is an issue….Boaz mentions a complication in their plan – there is another who is a closer Kinsman redeemer. Perhaps an elder brother of Boaz who would have had the first responsibility. Israel’s marriage custom gave priority to the nearest relative. Boaz, once again, showing himself faithful to obedience to Gods laws, confesses there is a nearer relative. If this unnamed man declines to marry her, her promises he will. Then promises that the first thing in the morning he will settle the matter. If it is the Lord’s will – he will fulfill his duties as the Kinsman Redeemer and marry her. He encourages her to stay with him instead of risking her safety to return to town during the night.
Verses 14-15
Ruth spent the night with Boaz, but they got up early enough to allow her to return to town before others would be aware of the events that transpired on the winnowing floor. He tells her to keep the night between them until he can get the kinsman redeemer situation settled so her reputation is preserved. Boaz is already assuming the role of Ruth’s protector. Further, as an indication of his intention to provide for Ruth as well as Naomi, he generously gifts her with a large amount of grain that she takes home to Naomi.
Verses 16-18
Naomi has been waiting up all night, waiting for news on her plan, when Ruth appears carrying the huge bundle of grain. Don’t you know she is overjoyed and greatly encouraged when Ruth tells her that Boaz has made sure not to send her back to Naomi empty handed. His intention is to meet both their needs – food and family. What relief Naomi must be feeling. Then she instructs Ruth to wait= ABIDE. Wait upon the Lord. Their future is in God’s hand.
~Class Four Homework
Read Chapter 4 of “For Such a Time as This” and answer workbook’s questions.
*if you need to purchase a book for this study and you are local you can purchase a book at the Women’s Ministry at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. If you want to purchase the book online click here.
