Ruth 3:6-13

“Ruth and Boaz Demonstrate Obedience”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Ruth 3:6-13

The scene now moves from the home of Naomi and Ruth to the threshing floor where Boaz is working. We are now about to see the obedience of Ruth to her mother-in-law Naomi as she goes and does exactly as she was instructed. But we will also see obedience in the life of Boaz. He is a man of great character and means. He will also be obedient to not only responding to need, but also to responding to the law of God as delivered to His people, the Jews. Let’s see how the story continues…

  

I.                 Ruth’s Obedience to Naomi    Ruth 3:6-9

a.      We have often heard and even uttered the promise of obedience, but as Verse 6 opens we see Ruth make good on her promise. She not only tells Naomi that she will do exactly as she said, she now proceeds to the threshing floor to do just that. Again, we are see the character of Ruth displayed in daily living. And the text does not say that she went and partially obeyed. It says that she went and “did according to all” that was told to her by her mother-in-law.

b.     Remember that the threshing floor is a flat place where the grain is separated from the chaff. Boaz is there to take his turn at the task of guarding the grain from robbers and to continue the work of preparing it for sale and trade. This place could be nothing more than a flat spot of rock on the hilly terrain, or it may be an open air spot that was prepared for all of the neighbors to use as a community spot to prepare grain. But the point is that the place was up at a level where the cool evening breezes could be felt and could help the winnowing process of blowing the chaff away from the thrown or beaten grain. It was hard work and would weary even the hardiest of workman as the evening went along.

c.      With the conclusion of the work for the evening, Verse 7 tells us that Boaz was tired and hungry from the work that he had accomplished. He sits down and has a meal and drinks his fill before lying down for some much needed rest. We should not take the word “merry” to mean that Boaz was drunk as this scene unfolds. The word means “happy and satisfied”.  He has worked hard. He has now eaten and drank his fill and he goes to lie down in the only bedding available at a threshing floor. There is always a heap of grain, either processed or soon to be processed, where a weary workman can lie down for some rest. He will sleep at the end of the pile, thus receiving the comfort it affords and also protecting it.

d.     Ruth noted where he was going to lie down and now she approaches him as was told her by Naomi. We are not to see this scene through the modern lens of a woman seducing a man for her intended purposes. We have far too much information thus far regarding both the character of both Ruth and Boaz to take this route of interpretation. She has bathed, put on perfume, gone to the threshing floor, and waited until he has laid down to rest. Now she will continue her obedience to Naomi’s instruction by quietly approaching him, uncovering his feet and lying down.

e.      There seems to be a time break between verses 7 and 8. We do not know when Ruth arrived at the threshing floor, or when Boaz laid down to rest, but we now have a time marker of the “middle of the night”. Verse 8 tells the story as Ruth has lain down near the feet of Boaz for some unknown amount of time and now he wakes up for an unknown reason. Whether his feet are cold, or he has woken up and not had full movement, we do not know. But we do know that he wakes up and was startled. You think!? He twists himself around and discovers that there is a woman lying at his feet. Hardly something that you’d expect at the workplace on the midnight shift!

f.      Boaz wastes no time in asking the most obvious question available. Verse 9 tells us that he asks, “Who are you? Ruth is now going to speak for the first time since her commitment to obey Naomi back at the house. She answers, “I am Ruth your maid.” She does not tell him that she is “Ruth, the  Moabitess”. She replies that she is “Ruth, his maid-servant”. Ruth has moved from her previous introduction of herself to an introduction that will speak to her need and her recognition of Boaz and his position in her life.

g.     Ruth continues this discussion under poor lighting by saying that in light of the fact of who she is and who he is, he can “spread his covering over her”. What does this mean? Ruth is in effect requesting that Boaz marry her and provide the security and care for her that Naomi desired when she sent Ruth to this encounter. Why should he do this? Because his is a “close relative”. He is a relative that can possibly serve as the “go-el”, the kinsman redeemer, for Ruth going forward.

h.     There is also some wonderful language that needs to be noted as we consider the greater theological applications of the book for Ruth. If we consider the language of Ruth 2:12, we see that Boaz responded to Ruth’s care of Naomi by asking God to bless her because of this care afforded Naomi and the fact that Ruth had come under the “wings of the God of Israel” for protection. That word “wings” is the same word that we now see as “covering” or “garment” in the verse before us.

II.               Boaz’s Response to Ruth and to God    Ruth 3:10-13

a.      Boaz now responds to all of the actions and words of Ruth as Verse 10 opens up. He pronounces a blessing on her and recognizes again the age differential by noting that she is “his daughter” and that she could have well looked for a husband from the younger men of the community. Boaz notes the kindness and the surprise of her choice (he knows exactly what she has asked of him) by saying that the choice and kindness of her care for Naomi has only been surpassed by the current choice of him as the one to care and support her.

b.     As we think through this entire meeting, we are reminded again that this could have been a potentially humiliating situation had Boaz not received her request and considered it. As Verse 11 tells us, Boaz reassures what must have been a very uneasy young woman by telling her that he will do “whatever you ask”. And why would he do that? Because everyone knows that she is a “woman of excellence”.

c.      But there is a challenge to all that is before them. Verse 12 tells us that while Boaz is a “close relative”, there is one “closer” than he is. While we do not know the exact connection of Boaz to the family, we do know that the order of levirate marriage is that the closest male relative is to have the primary responsibility to care for a widow.

d.     But Boaz is committed to seeing that Ruth receive the care that she needs. He tells her to stay the night, and in the morning it will be found out if this man will fulfill his duty going forward. Boaz does love Ruth, but his primary concern at this point is her care. He will be heartbroken, but he must comply with the law of God as a man of God. But Verse 13 concludes with a vow. Boaz demonstrates his love and his understanding of the needs of this young woman. “As the Lord lives” is a sacred vow that he now makes to Ruth to see to it that she is cared for going forward. If the closer relative will not redeem her, than he will!

III.             An Application For All Of Us

a.      Both Ruth and Boaz are people of character and conviction. And God sees to it that “His wings” cover over these kinds of people, even during the most difficult times.