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Ruth 3

~ A Sweet & Generous Redeemer ~

Introduction Well apparently:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man

in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man

may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is

so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that

he is considered the rightful property of some one or other

of their daughters.

What would Boaz think if Jane Austin had been around to write

such a provocative little statement in the days of the Judges…?

Would Boaz (the prominent man of noble character) have

recognized his need for a noble wife if Ruth had never come to

that threshing floor?

Perhaps many of the women working in the field of Boaz had

considered him to be the rightful property of some one or other

of their daughters… and yet…it is Naomi (here in Ruth chapter

3) who seeks to act upon this universally recognized truth!

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Recap We’re continuing on today in our series through the book of

Ruth… A book that has been described as “The most beautiful

short story ever written…”

Even more beautiful (dare I say) than a Jane Austen novel…

Indeed the book of Ruth has in fact proven to be beautiful – as it

is written to remind us of this truth:

[SLIDE]

God is at work in the mess!

So that you and I can look into what appears to be hopeless

futures and say with the utmost pain in our hearts: This

suffering (that I am going through) is never for nothing

because God is at work in the mess!

Book Outline We divided the book into 4 sections (or scenes of the story):

[SLIDE]

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In scene 1 we saw Naomi encounter severe suffering &

agonizing grief through a series of sweet and bitter

providences…

We saw that although these events are indeed tragic and painful

– the hidden smile of God was still present even in these

dark days!

In Scene 2 – we saw the hidden hand of God at work in a

series of sweet & sovereign encounters with a man named

Boaz!

Boaz (we discovered) is a relative of Naomi and a very kind and

generous Redeemer!

Boaz had heard about the commitment of Ruth to Naomi in

chapter 1, but even more than this; Boaz had heard about Ruth’s

commitment to God – how she had come to seek refuge under

the shadow of His wings!

And what we saw last week in Ruth chapter 2 was that:

When life seems broken – God provides hope to those who

seek refuge under the shadow of His wings!

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And so when Ruth returns home from gleaning in the fields at

the end of chapter 2, she informs Naomi that she had met Boaz!

Of course that name meant nothing to Ruth (the Moabite)…but

it meant everything to Naomi…

The chapter then ends leaving us with this suspenseful yet

stirring question:

Who or what do you find when you leave the land of death

& return home to the land of life?

And the answer that we discover from today’s chapter; is that

we will find – A Sweet & Generous Redeemer

Today’s Outline We come now to the outline for today’s chapter – which can be

neatly divided up into 3 sections:

[SLIDE]

In Act 1: Verses 1-5 – We have a picture of Risky Faith

In Act 2: Verses 6-13 – We have a picture of Redeeming Faith

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And in Act 3: Verses 14-18 – We have a picture of Resting

Faith

Main Point And the main point that I want us to see here today is this:

Covenant Faith waits upon the hope of a Redeemer and

finds its rest in Him

We begin now at Scene 3 Act 1 – A Risky Faith

[SLIDE]

The author writes this:

Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter,

should I not find rest for you, so that you will be taken

care of? 2 Now isn’t Boaz our relative? Haven’t you been

working with his female servants? This evening he will be

winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on

perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the

threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there

until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies

down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover

his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what

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you should do.” 5 So Ruth said to her, “I will do everything

you say.”

They need a lasting solution In his commentary on Ruth Chapter 3, Christopher Ash

helpfully writes the following statement:

“We are about to accompany a young Moabite widow on

the most extraordinary night of her life. Ruth has, it would

seem, gleaned day after day through the harvest season.

But now the harvest is drawing to its close and we wonder

what will happen next! It is all very well to meet a

generous man of standing, a redeemer who protects and

provides during the harvest. But that, in itself, is not

enough; it may be a kind solution – but it’s not a lasting

solution…”

Naomi gets impatient! It appears that some 4 to 6 weeks have indeed passed since the

ending to Ruth chapter 2… Ruth has managed to stay in the

field of Boaz!

She has continued to faithfully harvest the barely & grain with

his female servants – and she has continued to faithfully provide

food for Naomi! But now here at the beginning of chapter 3

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things with Boaz & Ruth have not gone according to plan –

Boaz and Ruth are still just friends!

Although Boaz is a kind and generous man – he appears to be a

typical male that has missed all the clues!

Food once again And so the harvest is ending, the barley has come – and once

again their future looks utterly hopeless!!! If the harvest has

come, then there’s no more gleaning – and if there’s no more

gleaning there’s no more food!

And so what appeared to be a hope filled future in the fields of

Boaz back in chapter 2; is now coming to a hopeless end!

And Naomi begins to think to herself:

How are we going to find food?!?!

Have you noticed that each and every chapter of the book of

Ruth has begun with the need for food?!?!

From the famine observed in chapter 1…

To the beginning of hunger seen in chapter 2…

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And now here in chapter 3…

Naomi and Ruth are once again in the same place they were

before – hopeless widows in the land of Israel in simple need of

food!

Finding Rest But the difference now, is that here in the beginning of chapter 3

– and for the first time in the story – it is Naomi who is the

first one to act!

It is Naomi who decides that she’s now going to show her

covenant loyalty and kindness for Ruth by finding her food!

And she does this first and foremost by describing her heart:

My daughter (she cries); should I not find rest for you, so

that you will be taken care of?

You may remember back in chapter 1 verse 9 when Naomi said

to Orpah & Ruth: “Go home to your own land so that you may

find rest in the home of a loving husband…”

Because in a society where a woman’s economic security

depended upon finding a man to provide, Naomi knows that

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Ruth’s only hope in finding rest as a Moabite Gentile in the

land of Israel is found in the home of a Redeemer!

Boaz is the necessary piece of the puzzle And so she says there in verse 2:

Is Boaz not our relative? Have you not been working with

his female servants?

Now again we know all of this! We know that Boaz is a relative

of Naomi (we’ve been told before) & we know that Ruth has

been working in his field all season!

Once again the author uses this repetition to draw us in as

readers to the fact that it is Boaz who will be the necessary

piece of the puzzle – it is Boaz who will lead these women to

the Redemption and Kindness of God in the mess!

It is Boaz who is one of our family Redeemers!

The Family Redeemer Now we need to understand what a family redeemer is if we’re

ever going to understand Ruth Chapter 3!

And so:

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[SLIDE]

A family redeemer was the nearest adult male relative,

who was responsible for the well being of another relative

facing a financial crisis, destitution, or some form of

injustice they could not resolve.

That was the job of a family redeemer…

To secure provision for a relative who was destitute, poor, or

facing some kind of social injustice…

Judicial Justice So for instance if your relative was all of a sudden murdered on

the streets of Israel – you as the family-redeemer were the one

who would seek out justice on behalf of the family in order to

secure provision for their spouse and children!

Slavery If a family member found themselves in financial crisis where

they were obligated to sell themselves into slavery; it was the

family-redeemer who would pay money in order to buy them

back and set them free!

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Land If there was a piece of land that the family had to sell for

financial reasons – it was the family redeemer who was to buy

back that land in order to restore it to the family line…

Marriage

And this role of a family redeemer could also apply to

marrying a widow… if the family redeemer was able and

willing to marry a widow (in the family line) – they could

potentially supply offspring for the deceased relative & to

secure the family lineage...

Boaz could say no And Naomi knows all of this… She knows that Boaz is relative

of Elimelech – from the same clan of Ephrathites – and a

potential family redeemer for Ruth to marry!

But Naomi also knows that Boaz (even as a redeemer) was

NOT obligated to marry Ruth! He had the option (even as a

redeemer) to say NO to Ruth!

But Naomi doesn’t want Boaz to say no – she wants him to say

yes!

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A crazy plan And so Naomi tells Ruth exactly what she must do:

That evening Boaz will be winnowing barely at the threshing

floor – because after the season of harvest comes the winnowing

of barely!

Winnowing Barely Now for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term

‘winnowing barley’ allow me to draw on all of my years of

experience as a professional farmer in the days when I used to

winnow barley as a boy! – And for those of you who are new to

church here this morning – I have zero experience in

winnowing barely! (I never even knew what winnowing was;

until this week)…

So apparently winnowing barley is the act of throwing the

mixture of straw – chaff – and grain into the wind by means of a

fork with large teeth… the chaff was blown farthest from the

winnower – the straw less far – and the heavier kernels of grain

would fall back onto the threshing floor!

This was the process by which you would separate the barley –

from the husk – and from its stalk!

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Furthermore (I’m told) this was best done at night time because

the night time breezes were more effective than the gusty winds

of the day!

And this is what Boaz will be doing that very evening! He will

be winnowing barely on the threshing floor! – Talk about a

crazy Saturday night!

The Plan And so here is what you must do my daughter!

1. First and foremost go take a bath – you stink! Given the

hot climate of the day, and given the fact that there was no

deodorant back then – Ruth would have smelt like a grade

8 locker room… she’s been gleaning in the fields all day

long; she needs a bath!

2. Secondly – She is to put on her finest perfume – so that

when Boaz awakes from his sleep; he will smell the sweet

perfume and know that it is a woman who is there to see

him not a thief stealing his grain!

3. Thirdly she is to wear her best garment! – Given that she

will be travelling in the cool of the night, and spending

the evening outside under the stars, she must be kept very

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very warm! So put on a full-length cloak in order to stay

warm with the winnowing breezes at night!

Then you must go down to the threshing floor (the place where

farmers would winnow barley) – and you must wait until the

middle of the night after Boaz has eaten and drank his fill, and

then you must uncover Boaz’s feet (he will get cold and wake

up) – and when he awakes… he will tell you what to do!

Now is this not the most complex and risky plan you have ever

heard?!?! – Like what is she thinking!?!?

Full of risk I mean I cannot stress just how scandalous & risky this plan

truly is!

Think of the implications here! Think of how many things

could go wrong in this!

1. Ruth is a vulnerable woman going out after dark in the

days of the judges! – That is not a good idea!

2. Ruth is a woman going to wake up her very wealthy (and

much older) boss in the middle of the night! Not the

smartest plan if you are wanting future employment!

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3. Risk number 3 – What if Ruth and Boaz are discovered –

How is that going to look for a man who greets people in

the Lord! Ruth is not only putting her reputation on the

line – she’s putting the reputation of Boaz on the line!

4. And lastly – Boaz can still say no at the end! So all of this

would be for nothing!

Ruth still doesn’t know how Boaz is going to react to this entire

situation!

Naomi has no idea! I don’t even think Naomi knows what Boaz is going to say!

We kind of see this at the end of verse 4 – And when he wakes

up from his sleep… “He will tell you what to do…”

She’s got nothing at the end of her plan! – She’s literally

thinking on air at this point!

She is risking it all on Boaz knowing what to do – on Boaz

knowing that he is a family redeemer and that he will know

what he should do!

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The author wants us to feel this And the author wants us to feel this risk!

He wants us to feel this fear!

He wants us to feel this situation!

This is a risky plan – driven by risky faith – in a risky time!

Not a sexual scandal! And by Ruth taking a bath and applying perfume here – there is

even more risk involved!

Because Boaz could take this plan as Ruth’s seduction to bed

him!

He could smell that perfume and think Ruth is there seeking

something more!

But as we will discover Ruth is there – not there to seduce

Boaz!!! But to ask for his hand in marriage!

Ruth is approaching Boaz as a family redeemer – NOT as a one

night stand!

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Ruth is making herself attractive NOT seductive!

She is wearing a full-length body garment NOT a revealing

dress!

There is nothing sexually immoral going on in this story!

Nothing sexual happens this night when Ruth lies down with

Boaz!

Ruth is approaching Boaz as a family-redeemer and she is

approaching him in a godly and honorable way!

As one pastor has said:

The author has given us compelling illustrations of their

godliness prior to this scene in preparation for this

scene!

And for us to think anything else would be a misunderstanding

of the cultural practices of the day…

This was a risky plan NOT a sinful plan!

And the author wants us to feel this risk – he wants us to feel the

desperation!

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These women had nothing else but the hidden hand of God at

work in the mess!

Redeeming Faith Which leads us into point 2 – Redeeming Faith:

Have a look at verse 6:

[SLIDE]

“So she went down to the threshing floor and did

everything her mother-in-law had charged her to

do. 7 After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits, he

went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley, and she

came secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 At

midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying

at his feet was a woman! 9 So he asked, “Who are you?”

She replied “I am Ruth, your servant,” “Take me under

your wing, for you are a family redeemer.”

The Threshing Floor Ruth comes to the place located outside of Bethlehem called the

threshing floor – we don’t know if she had been here in previous

weeks or if this was her first time… perhaps this is where she

had beat out the Ephah of barely we saw back in chapter 2 –

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Perhaps not…

Either way she comes and she finds Boaz…

Boaz is not alone But Boaz is not alone!!! Boaz is surrounded by a whole host of

other men!

Because this is the time of winnowing!

And the time of winnowing in Israel was a time of joy and

celebration! It was the time when farmers of the land would

celebrate the first fruits of the harvest! They would do this by

throwing a party; winnowing their grain; drinking their wine;

and eating their food!

So imagine this placed filled with farmers – winnowing barley,

and having a good time!

And this would have been even more of a celebration

considering the fact that they had just come out of a severe

famine in the land!

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Eat – Drink - & Be Merry And so Boaz is there at this party – he is winnowing his grain –

eating his food – drinking his wine – and working his pile – he

is a righteous man…but he knows how to eat, drink, & work to

the glory of God!

He did NOT get drunk but his heart was merry!

Nighttime comes – people are falling asleep – silence begins to

fall – & everything is completely dark! She could not see a

thing! This is why Naomi had told her “notice the place where

he’s lying!” If you wake up the wrong farmer here Ruth we are

done!

And Ruth with precise obedience to Naomi she waits until Boaz

is fast asleep! She comes over – she pulls back his cloak

exposing his feet – and she lies down… and once again she

waits… and she waits… and she waits… and she waits…

What is going on in her mind? Time continues to pass and one begins to imagine all the

thoughts that are going on in this young woman’s mind at this

very moment:

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1. What if the wrong person wakes up in the middle of the

night…

2. What if one of them smells her perfume & decides to take

advantage of her…

3. What if Boaz wakes up and thinks that she is a thief

stealing his grain!

4. What if this whole thing actually works! What if Boaz

wakes up – says yes – but then (for some reason) God

decides to take His life?!?! Just like he did with Mahlon…

So many unanswered questions – so many unanswered moments

racing through the mind of this young woman – and still so

many things that could go wrong…

One can only imagine the exhaustion from all the adrenaline

racing through her veins…

Forcing herself to not fall asleep because she needs to be ready

when Boaz awakes…

Oh how I wish that I could have listened in at that moment to

the prayers of this young woman… lying at the feet of her

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redeemer and wondering… is God really at work in this

mess…

Boaz awakes – Who are you? And so she waits… and she waits…. And she waits… second by

second – minute by minute – hour by hour…Time continues to

drag on…UNTIL FINALLY!!!

Finally at the midnight hour Boaz awakes!

He wakes up and no doubt smells the perfume that’s she’s

wearing and he asks what many of us would be thinking at this

point… it’s a fair question – it’s a sensible question – it’s

probably the only question I would want to know:

Who are you and what are you doing in my bed of barley?

The Proposal And so immediately we see this plan go south very very

quickly!!!

Contrary to what Naomi had told her – Boaz doesn’t know what

to do!!!

He is about to wake up the entire threshing floor by Ruth’s

unexpected presence!

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And so immediately she goes completely off script and she

explains her intentions before Boaz has a chance to say anything

else:

I am Ruth, your servant,” “Take me under your wing, for

you are a family redeemer.”

Shocked into silence Boaz takes a moment to think about

whether he just heard what Ruth had said…

In his commentary on the book of Ruth, Daniel Block offers the

best explanation on what is going on in this request:

He writes:

This saying “take me under your wing” may be puzzling to

the modern reader, but there was no question about its

meaning in the Israelite context in which it was given…

The gesture of a man covering a woman with his garment

(or his wing) was a symbolic act, which signified “the

establishment of a new relationship, and the declaration of

the husband to provide for his future wife.”

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In other words – by covering herself with the corner of his

garment – Ruth is asking Boaz to redeem her through the

covenant bonds of marriage…

You are a family redeemer (she says) I need you to marry me so

that Naomi and I may have a future hope in the land of Israel!

Same language as chapter 2 And what I love about the way that Ruth phrases this proposal

here is that she intentionally uses the same language that Boaz

used in chapter 2 verse 12 where Boaz had said to Ruth:

“May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and

may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel,

under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

More than just Marriage & Provision So this is more than just a simple request for marriage – this is

more than just a simple request for food – Ruth is asking Boaz

to redeem her & Naomi from their widowed status in the land of

Israel!

See when Elimelech and Naomi left the land of Israel all those

years ago; it was most likely that when Elimelech and his 2

sons died – Naomi inherited the Ephrathite patch of land that

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she could not maintain… Naomi is about to lose her inheritance

in the land!

And so Ruth is asking Boaz to not just provide for her physical

needs – but that he would be the very means by which God

would show His kindness toward Naomi & Ruth by buying back

the portion of land Naomi was about to lose!

What the land represented This is how the Jewish mindset worked – in these days your

land in Israel was far more than just a simple patch of farming

ground that you would use to cultivate food & resources… Your

patch of land in Israel guaranteed your inheritance in the

promises of God!

The land carried with it all the blessings of the covenant God

had made with Abraham – and so to have an inheritance in the

land meant to share in all the blessings God has for God’s

people – but to lose that inheritance would be to lose the

blessings of God!

This is how the Jewish culture worked!

And this is why it was so scandalous for Elimelech and Naomi

to leave the land back in chapter 1 – because they weren’t just

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leaving a geographical location – they were walking away from

the promises of God!

And so this request from Ruth is actually another form of hessed

love (covenant love) that Ruth is displaying for Naomi in asking

Boaz to redeem their portion of the land – to buy back their

portion of the land so that they would NOT lose out on God’s

covenant hope!

It’s a bold request – it’s a loving request – it’s a risky request –

and it shows Ruth’s heart for Naomi!

Even in this she still shows her character!

Boaz’s Response Let see how Boaz responds – verse 10:

Then he said, “May the Lord bless you, my daughter. You

have shown more kindness now than before, because you

have not pursued younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 Now don’t be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you

whatever you say, since all the people in my town know

that you are a woman of noble character.12 Yes, it is true

that I am a family redeemer, but there is a redeemer closer

than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning, if he

wants to redeem you, that’s good. Let him redeem you. But

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if he does not want to redeem you, as the Lord lives, I will.

Now lie down until morning.”

More kindness than before Boaz hears the request for Ruth and Naomi’s redemption and

Boaz is amazed!

He is stunned at the covenant kindness of her heart!

And so Boaz responds and says:

This second kindness is actually far greater than the first

kindness you have shown to Naomi!

See kinder than leaving your father, your mother, your family,

your gods, and finding rest under the covenant wings of God –

Kinder than all of that is the fact that you are willing to marry a

relative of Naomi so that she can once again participate in the

promises of God!

You have NOT gone after younger men in order to start

another family (which you could have done) – but you

have gone after me (a relative of Naomi) in order to secure

her hope in Israel!

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See Boaz knows that if Ruth had gone after younger men – then

Naomi would have lost her last real shot at finding

redemption…

He knows that Ruth had no obligation to stay with Naomi – he

knows that she had no real obligation to cling to Naomi!

And yet by the grace of God – she looked into the eyes of

Naomi and she said with tears in her eyes:

Your people will be my people

Your God will be my God

Where you die I will die

I’m NOT going anywhere!

She refused to forsake Naomi – because she loved God!

And yet even kinder!! than this – was the fact that Ruth was

willing to marry Boaz; for the sake of Naomi’s redemption…

Ruth’s Character – Proverbs 31 Once again it is the character of Ruth that catches the attention

of Boaz! – Did you notice that?!?!

He says:

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“All the people in my town know that you are a woman of

noble character…”

This is actually the same phrase used in proverbs 31 when

speaking of the excellent wife…

Boaz says:

I know your heart – I know your character – and I will do

everything you ask because you are a Proverbs 31 woman!

What are you looking for in a wife? Young brothers what are you looking for in a wife? What are the characteristics that you desire in a woman?

If it’s not that of Ruth (the proverbs 31 woman) – then you will

experience a lifetime of pain for a moment of pleasure…

Listen! Looks fade! Attraction fades! Those hips; those legs;

those features on that woman are going to get ugly!

Because: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a

woman who fears the Lord is to be praised!!!

What are you seeking young men… what are you seeking?

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Ladies Young ladies look at me – a godly man seeks a godly woman –

not a seductive woman!

Real men go after a Proverbs 31 kind of girl… Not one who

looks seductive!

Now looks are okay – attraction is okay – but that’s not the main

thing!

(I mean let’s be honest; a woman like Ruth who can carry 150

bananas home by herself – probably isn’t the most petite

looking thing! Probably had some meat on her! X2) – but Boaz

goes after her – he goes after her heart! Because he loves her

character!

Looks fade; attraction fades; your body fades…

But at the end of the day…When the grey hair comes – and the

strength of your youth is gone – and you can hardly even feed

yourself – the character of a godly spouse is a beautiful thing!

And Boaz saw her heart! – and he liked what he saw…

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Another Redeemer But!!! – Lest we think that this story is beginning to blossom

into a love story between Boaz & Ruth – there is a

complication…

See there is another redeemer closer to the family of Elimelech

that is more eligible to redeem Naomi & Ruth – because

remember! It is the closest adult male relative who is able to

bring redemption!

And so that person first had to relinquish their right and their

responsibility before Boaz could step in to redeem Naomi &

Ruth…

The character of Boaz Now we may think that this would have broken the heart of

Ruth or broken the heart of Naomi; but rather it’s actually quite

the contrary!

You see even in this – even in Boaz saying that he must first

check with this other redeemer before he can step in… we still

see something of the character & heart of Boaz!

Boaz being the man of God that he is – He wants to do things

right!

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He wants to do things according to the law of God!

Even if Boaz was madly in love with Ruth at this point (which

he may be); we still see that he is more concerned with

following after God’s own heart – than trusting His own…

A sweet & generous Redeemer – above all things – must first

and foremost be concerned with the glory of God!

Boaz is indeed a worthy man – Ruth is a worthy woman –

because God is at the center of their lives!

And it’s a glorious thing!

A Resting Faith And this leads us into our third and final act here this morning:

[SLIDE]

A Resting Faith

Have a look at verse 14:

So she lay down at his feet until morning but got up while

it was still dark. Then Boaz said, “Don’t let it be known

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that a woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he told

Ruth, “Bring the shawl you’re wearing (that’s a body

scarf) and hold it out.” When she held it out, he shovelled

six measures of barley into her shawl, and she went into

the town. 16 She went to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who

asked her, “What happened, my daughter?” Then Ruth

told her everything the man had done for her. 17 She said,

“He gave me these six measures of barley, because he

said, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-

handed.’” 18 Naomi said, “My daughter, wait until you

find out how things go, for he won’t rest unless he resolves

this today.”

The Return So Ruth spends the night on the threshing floor – and again

there’s no hint of immorality here – but because of her safety

she is not to return home in the middle of the night – so she

stays until the morning… and then she wakes up early and she

returns home…

Boaz gives her another parting gift – 6 measures of barely; I

don’t know how many bananas that would be but the point is;

it’s a lot! X2

And so Ruth comes home once again with barley!

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She walks in the door and sees Naomi – Naomi looks at Ruth

with her heart racing in her chest – bags under her eyes from the

lack of sleep –– adrenaline pumping through her veins – and her

stomach churching in anticipation…

She looks at Ruth and she asks:

What did he say? X2

Do we have redemption – Ruth are we going to be rescued?!?!

Is he going to redeem us?

What did he say?!?!

From “Empty” to full! And she replies:

Well… he gave us barely again… he gave us some more

barely… but then he said something really strange…

You’re actually not gonna believe what He said!!!

Naomi he said to me:

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Do NOT return home to your mother in law…empty! X2

Once again tears are streaming down the face of Naomi… as she

hears those words and her mind immediately races back to

when she first entered into Bethlehem all those months ago…

And she remembers the words that she used to describe the

condition of her heart:

I went away full, but the Lord brought me

back…empty…” X2

Boaz uses the exact same word that Naomi used in chapter 1…

Most likely Boaz was standing in the crowd that day when they

limped back into Bethlehem broken and empty… And Boaz

would have heard those words fall from her lips that day…

And so Boaz – looks at Ruth – gives her some barely – and he

says “I want you to give a message to Naomi when you return

home…”

I want you to say to Naomi:

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You are not empty anymore!

You have not been abandoned by God…

You are not to be called Mara any longer…

You are Naomi – & the bitterness stops today…

Ruth And then Ruth – Ruth hears those words from Boaz and all of a

sudden she remembers standing next to Naomi in chapter 1 –

and hearing those words fall from her lips… and so Boaz looks

at Ruth and he says to her:

Do you remember when Naomi called you empty – do you

remember when she referred to you as nothing…?!?!

She will call you empty no more!

Boaz is a kind redeemer – he is a sweet redeemer – he is a

generous redeemer!

Wait on the Lord And so Ruth looks at Naomi and she says:

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There’s one last thing Naomi… He said yes! He said that

He’s going to redeem us!

Naomi we’re going to be redeemed – we’re going to be rescued

– we have redemption in our hopeless condition!!!

But we’re gonna have to wait first!… we’re gonna have to wait

on our redeemer… he wants us to rest and wait on Him…

He doesn’t want us to try and fix our broken future by our own

efforts any more! – He wants us to wait & rest in Him!

And Naomi says to Ruth: “Then we will rest in our redeemer…

because He will not rest until the matter is resolved…”

The closing curtains And then the story ends… once again the curtains begin to

close, the lights begin to fade, and we the readers are ONCE

AGAIN left in the dark…

As we come to the end of yet another chapter in the most

beautiful story ever written – we are once again left…wondering

– waiting – resting – thinking – what will happen next!?!?

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Longing for Rest Now I don’t know if you noticed but this entire chapter has been

gravitating around this concept of rest – In fact at the end of

each and every chapter of the book of Ruth; we have been left

waiting & resting on God! We’ve been waiting & resting to see

what will happen next!

But specifically in each section of this chapter we have seen

some element of anticipation – or expectation – or hope of

rest…

• We see Naomi’s desire for Ruth to find rest in verse 1…

• We see the anticipation of Ruth waiting for Boaz on the

threshing floor…

• We see the command of Boaz for Ruth to rest until the

morning in verse 13…

• We see Naomi commanding Ruth to wait in verse 18…

• And of course there is the promise that Boaz himself will

NOT rest until the matter is resolved today…

This is a chapter about rest!!!

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The chapter began with these women longing for rest in the

promised land of God – and the chapter ends with these women

longing for rest in the promised wings of a redeemer!

Ruth chapter 3 is about rest!

It is about rest & it demonstrates for us that sometimes (in the

mess of our lives) although God is working in the mess – Our

job is to wait… to wait and rest in Him!

Because He has NOT abandoned us!

He has NOT left us empty in the mess!

But He has given us a redeemer to wait & rest upon…

We don’t need to run ahead of Him because:

Covenant Faith calls upon the hope of a Redeemer and

finds its rest in Him…

Conclusion See that rest, that these women longed for; actually reveals

something much more profound going on in the heart of each

and every person sitting here today reading Ruth chapter 3!

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Brothers and sisters we all long for rest – we all desire rest – we

all long for the day when our weary hearts will find rest in a safe

& secure location – each and every person sitting in here today

longs for REST when we die!!!

C.S. Lewis the Christian philosopher said it best – when he said:

[SLIDE]

“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can

satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for

another world.”

There’s a reason we say “rest in peace” when someone we love

dies… it’s because we all know that desire we have for rest is

grounded in something greater than anything this world could

offer!

And if you are here this morning – finding in yourselves desires

for which nothing in this world can satisfy – then the only

conclusion you and I have; is that we were made for another

world; we were made for another place; we were made for rest

in a Redeemer who will not rest until he accomplishes our

redemption!

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And the bible says that there is really only 1 way to get there…

there is really only one true path to the fullness of life!

And once again we find that the book of Ruth is pointing us

toward Jesus!

This whole book is pointing us toward the way – the truth - &

the life!

The rest that these women are longing for is the same rest that

each and every person in here is longing for and it’s the only

rest found in the loving arms of a Redeemer – and His Name is

Jesus Christ!

That we must place our faith in Jesus Christ if we are ever

going to find rest when we die!!!

Turn East So let me try and finish here today with this…

If you ever want to get in a fight with me…here is a sure way to

do it… as you are giving me directions to a location, say

something like this:

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“Hey Rhoi – when you get to the lights at the end of the

road – head East…”

And I’ll say to you:

Do I look like Bear Grills?

Do I speak with a British accent?

Does it look like I know how to read the stars?

No! It doesn’t…

So do I turn left or right genius?!?!

The North Star Now the reason why I use that is because before they invented

smart phones and in dash computers in your car – men and

women navigating by finding fixed points in the stars and

finding directions based off of fixed points!

And this was namely done by fixing their eyes on The North

Star…

Because the North Star never seemed to move! And because it

never seemed to move they were able to determine fixed points

and directions on how to get home!

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If there’s not a fixed point – there’s no way to know where

you’re actually going!!!

And if you have no idea on where you’re actually going; then

there’s no real way on knowing how to find rest!

Jesus – Our North Star And so when it comes to finding hope, when it comes to fining

finding rest, when it comes to waiting on the redeemer our

posture is always going to be:

We’re fixing our eyes on Him!

We’re fixing our eyes on the North Star!

There’s no variation or shadow of change in Him!

He is our hope and He is our Redeemer – and He will NOT rest

until he has resolved our redemption before God!

And indeed Jesus Christ has accomplished our redemption –

2,000 years ago He paid the price for our sin – died the death we

should have died – He rose from the grave we could NOT rise

from…

And now we as the children of God wait and rest in Him –

there’s no more need to run ahead and try to fix our hopeless

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situation of sin and rebellion because He has accomplished

redemption for us…

Ruth and Naomi – they had a North star!

They knew the way home!

They knew where they were able to find rest in the home of a

Redeemer!

And we too can find this rest in the arms of Christ!

We keep our eyes on the North Star – we keep our eyes on Him

– Jesus Christ God’s own Son because in Him our sins are fully

& finally forgiven – and in Him we can finally have our rest!!!

Let’s Pray.

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Ruth 3:1-18 Discussion Questions

Main Point: Covenant Faith waits upon the hope of a

Redeemer and finds its rest in Him

Q1. What did Naomi mean by finding rest in the home of a

husband? – What do you think this tells us about the human

hope of rest? – Does this rest point us toward something

greater? Why or why not?

Q2. Is Naomi’s plan in verses 1-5 a good one or a bad one? Why

or why not?

Q3. What would the covering of a man’s garment (wing) have

symbolized back in these days? (Read Ezekiel 16:8) – What

does this tell us about Ruth coming under the wings of God for

refuge in 2:12?

Q4. What is a family redeemer and why is that title such an

important title for Naomi & Ruth? (Read Leviticus 25:25-28;

Numbers 35:6-28; Deuteronomy 19:4-13)

Q5. What does verse 9 tell us about the nature of faith?

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Q6. What does Boaz saying “there is a redeemer closer than I”

show us about Boaz’s kindness and love for God?

Q7. Why was Ruth’s proposal kinder than her first kindness

shown to Naomi?

Q8. How does Boaz describe Ruth?

Q9. Who or what does Boaz represent in the book of Ruth?

Q10. What do verses 14-18 teach us about waiting on God?

Q11. What does the barely in verses 15 & 17 teach us about

God’s heart for us in the middle of the mess of our lives?

Application Questions

Q1. What is so beautiful about the idea of redemption? – Why is

the idea of redemption relevant for us as believers on this side of

the cross?

Q2. Do you find it difficult to wait upon God in hard/pain

circumstances? – Why do you think that is?

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Q3. When you run into pain and suffering in life – Where is the

first place you go to find redemption and a way out? – Where

should you go?

Q4. Let’s assume that Boaz’s gift of barely for Naomi & Ruth

was a present to remind them that in their “empty looking

future” God had not abandoned them! – How has God reminded

you this week that He has not abandoned you?

Q5. In what areas of your life are you seeking to find God’s

reminders of His kindness and care?

Q6. How can we encourage others who are suffering in life to

seek these reminders from God?

Q7. Husbands – Would your wife say that she considers your

home a place of rest for her weary soul? If not why not?

Q8. What are some ways to make our homes a place of rest for

others?

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EXTRA NOTES

3 aspects of Redeeming Faith Brothers and sisters – This is redeeming faith!

This is what it means to have redeeming faith in a redeemer!

Redeeming faith is:

1. Humble!

2. It is Dependent!

3. & And it always has an Object!

Humble 1. Number 1 – Redeeming Faith is always a humble faith!

X2 – Ruth says to Boaz: I am your servant! X2

I am willing to submit myself under the loving care and

guidance of your authority! I am willing to forsake my own life

to follow you!

I am your servant! You are my Master – I submit to you!

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Redeeming faith is always humble – it is never proud!

Dependent 2. Secondly – Redeeming Faith is always a dependent

faith! X2 Ruth says to Boaz: Take me under your wing!

X2

That is, that without you covering me with your protection my

future in the land is hopeless!

I need you as my family redeemer to cover me with your loving

wings says Ruth!

Redeeming faith is always dependent – it is never self-

sufficient!

Object 3. Thirdly – Redeeming Faith always has an object!

It always has something else to look to!

Ruth looks to Boaz and says: “You are a family redeemer!”

You are the only one able to rescue us!

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You are the one that I place my only hope in!

Redeeming faith always looks to an object – it always looks to a

fixed point of reference for its only hope!

The age of Wisdom or Foolishness? Although the first 2 chapters (of the book of Ruth) begin with

the author’s introductory set up of the scene – Chapter 3 has no

such remark…

If Charles Dickens (the author of ‘a tale of two cities’) were to

come back and write the opening lines to chapter 3 – he would

be slightly confused…

Given the plans of Naomi here in Act 1:

Is this the age of wisdom…or is it the age of

foolishness?!?!

We shall soon find out!

This truth was evidenced by the fact:

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1. That Ruth the Moabite (Naomi’s daughter in law) was

standing right beside Naomi as they walked back into

Bethlehem… even after Naomi had lost her home, her

husband, her 2 sons and her identity – She still had the

undying loyalty of her Moabite daughter in law who loves

God and most certainly loves her!

2. Secondly we saw that these 2 women had returned home

to Israel at the beginning of the barley harvest in

Bethlehem… the very place where the bread of life was

going to be born was where God had providentially

carried these 2 widows home!

And things were only just getting started!