There are times in our lives when we can't see beyond. The next move. We have to trust God and step out in faith. Today, on Truth for Life, we'll see an example of this in Ruth's approach to Boaz. And we'll learn how Boaz's response foreshadowed our ultimate kinsman redeemer.
Alice Derbeg is teaching from Ruth chapter 3, focusing on verses 7 through 18. Ruth didn't know, but beyond. Wash your face, put on your clothes, put some perfume on, uncover his feet, and then take it from there. That's not exactly what you would call a rock solid plan, is it? There's a bit of uncertainty there, and yet she proceeds.
And verse 9 to 13, then you have the dialogue in the darkness. Dialogue in the darkness. She goes down. He's lying at the far end of the grain pile. Not exactly what you would call a romantic picture, is it?
He's got all his clothes on, presumably. Who knows how big his belly is as a result of all the food he's been eating? He's certainly pushing grain around like crazy. There's no guarantee. I think it looks like f like uh toe paul and fiddle around the roof myself.
That's him, you know. Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset. You know. That's the kind of flavor here. Is this the little girl I?
Carried. Is this the little boy I knew?
So there he is. snoring down at the end of the grain pile. And Ruth. Cause her mother-in-law said He's going down and next she has to uncover his feet. Which he does.
And in the middle of the night, verse 8, something startled the man. And he turned over. And he discovered a woman lying at his feet. Who are you? he asked.
He said, What do you mean, who are you? He asked. He knew who Ruth was. Listen, have you ever wakened up in the middle of the night and asked your wife who you are? I've had my wife come in the bedroom in the middle of the night and go, who are you?
I'm your wife. What are you talking about? Oh, sorry, okay, that's fine. Who are you? I'm your servant, Ruth, she said.
Wow, okay. You see, also To take all of the kind of sensuality out of this, all of the sort of. 21st century imposed sexuality, the idea of Ruth going down to the threshing floor sort of strutting her stuff, you know. All dressed up to the nines and ready for action is just nowhere in the passage. This actually speaks to the anonymity that was so much a part of Eastern dress.
That it wouldn't be immediately apparent to him, especially in the darkness, just exactly who it was he was dealing with. And so she says, Well, I'm your servant, Ruth. Notice how she describes herself. And then immediately she goes offline. What do you mean she goes offline?
Well, this wasn't in the script. See? You to get yourself washed up, perfume yourself, put on your best clothes, verse 3. Go down to the threshing floor, don't let them know you're there. When he lies down, note where he is, then go uncover his feet, and he will tell you what to do.
So she's done everything, uncovered his feet, he wakes up, he says, who are you? She says, I am Ruth. And then before waiting for him to tell her what to do, she starts asking him to do something for her. Yeah. I just thought that was interesting.
I thought I'd point it out. You see, the law of Moses allowed for a woman. To request marriage from a kinsman redeemer.
Now, I know that on the leap years or something, apparently women can propose to men. That was the old days. Uh the the present climate I'm not sure just exactly how it goes, but in the context in which we're reading this story. It was the law of Moses which made this not unusual. And Cersei says, I want you to spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman redeemer.
Now, it is in the response of Boaz that we understand just exactly what she was doing. What she was doing was proposing marriage. Because he he responds in verse 11. At the end of verse 10, you haven't run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
So he's not in any doubt about what's taking place. He realizes exactly what is taking place.
Now some men may have taken advantage of that circumstance in the midnight hour. Others may have used it as an opportunity for reproach. To condemn the woman harshly, to wake everybody in the barn up and say, hey, hey, look what's going on here. But boys does neither. He is a good and a shrewd judge of character.
He's watched this woman. He has been in her company, albeit not a lot, but enough.
So that he doesn't entertain any suspicious thoughts concerning her. He may have wondered about her method of approach. but he certainly wasn't wondering about her motives or about her purity. And that's why in verse 10 he speaks of her kindness. Bless you, my daughter, he replied.
This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier. What was the kindness that she showed earlier?
Well, our whole life is about kindness. But primarily her kindness to her mother-in-law in the loss of her father-in-law, in the loss of her husband, and in that environment of bereavement. Unlike her sister-in-law, she has come back into the land of Judah. She has committed herself unreservedly to this lady. And the reason that she was out following the harvesters in the field when Boas first was introduced to her was on account of her kindness to Naomi.
And he says, now you're taking this to a whole new level. Are you telling me that you want me to marry you? I can't believe how kind you are. You could have gone and married any younger man. You have no obligation in this.
Whether the young man was rich or whether he was poor, whether he was tall or short, fat or thin, whatever, you could have looked with absolute freedom out over the panorama of opportunity. But I understand. that what you're doing is showing Kindness.
Now, when I got to this point in my study, it just hit me like. I said, this is friendship, isn't it? This is why Naomi And Ruth. We're such. Buds, you know.
Because Naomi, the reason Ruth is here. is because of Naomi's concern For Ruth. But no. The reason Ruth is here is because of Ruth's concern For Naomi. You see, this is friendship, isn't it?
Because friendship like this is a unique and a precious gift. The friend is always looking out for the friend. The friend is not making decisions on the basis of their existence as to how it will impact them primarily, but as to how it will be an encouragement to their friend. And so, Naomi doesn't embitter herself with the fact that she's no longer marriable, with the fact that she no longer will enjoy the privileges of marital relationships. She's not trapped in all of this.
She's looking at this girl and she's saying, You know what? I want you to be settled in life. I want you to have a husband. I want you to have children. I want you to have a future.
And because of what Ruth understands, remember, as an alien and a stranger. About the law of God. She, Amoabites, converted to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead of saying thanks for that and then going out and finding any husband she can, she recognizes that if this thing is to go forward in the way that would bring honor and glory to Naomi and to the memory of Elimelech, then she needs to marry a kinsman redeemer. Therefore, she gives herself away.
First in her commitment to Naomi. And now in her commitment. to bow and Yeah. We could stop here and talk about The desirability of equality of age and marriage and so on. It may be desirable, it's certainly not indispensable.
But I'll tell you what is indispensable. virtue and integrity. Look at verse 11. Don't be afraid, I'll do for you whatever you ask. All my fellow townsmen know what?
That you are a woman of noble character.
Well, that's worth everything, isn't it? Because when it comes to marriage, neither physical beauty nor quick-wittedness nor financial security or a host of other factors will ever be able to take the place of integrity and virtue. But there's a problem. Verse twelve. Although it's true that I'm near of kin, there is a kinsman redeemer nearer than me.
I can't fulfil your request, Ruth, since there is another one with a prior and preferable claim. I'm not going to intrude on the rights of the other man. unless the other man voluntarily surrenders his rights. What a wonderful fellow Boaz is, isn't he? He's going to settle things through the proper means.
Verse 13. In the morning, if he wants to redeem, good, let him redeem. If he's not willing, then I, as surely as the Lord lives, will do it. And then he says to her, Now what I want you to do. is to lie here until morning.
presumably motivated by a concern for her welfare. If she was vulnerable in the barn, she's going to be more vulnerable outside of the barn in the middle of the night. And if he starts to go with her and stirs the whole place up, then it's going to be a fiasco if he gets one of his servants and they go plowing around through the middle of the night. Who knows what will take place? And so discretion is the better part of valor.
It's not an ideal situation. But it's the best decision in light of the undesirability of the factors that are presented. Certain situations in life may cause us to take a course of action which in different circumstances it would be very unwise for us to do. Do you understand? In other words, you need to have common sense in living your Christian life.
Given a clean sheet. It wouldn't be a good idea for Boaz to say to Ruth, you know, why don't you come over for a coffee and then why don't you just lie here beside me, adjacent to me, tangential to me for the whole night? It wouldn't be a good idea and he probably wouldn't do it. But given the way this thing has unfolded, he recognizes that the best thing for her to do is stay put. After all, he knows her motives.
She trusts his integrity. Everyone else is asleep. And of course, he wants her to go out under cover of darkness. Why? Common sense.
He's absolutely clear about Ruth's motives. He's rock solid in relationship to his own reaction, but what can he guarantee? What people who say. And so this is discretion again. There is a place for concealment.
All concealment isn't lying. You're not lying? He's saying, now look. The best thing that you can do. is up and out.
And so she lay at his feet, verse 14, until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized. And he said, Listen, this is perfect. Don't let it be known that a woman came to the threshing floor. He is concerned that there will be no misunderstanding. By others of the nighttime visit.
Incidentally, and in a very particular way. If you think about it in relationship to what's about to take place the following morning, it's absolutely imperative that nothing gets out. Because this man needs to have a fair shot at the game, as it were. And he doesn't need to go at his decision cluttered by all of the innuendo and the speculation regarding the fact that Ruth, this one whom he may take as his kinsman redeemer, somehow or another was hanging around in the barn in the middle of the night with Boaz. And so He says, Listen, give me your shawl, and it was obviously a big shawl.
Because he poured into it six measures of barley. And he put it on her. And he went back to town and then she went back up the road.
Now, this is the second time in the story that she's gone back up the road burdened down by a bunch of grain.
Now, you may read this and say, couldn't he have given her a nose ring or something?
Something with a little bit of a diamond in it, or you know, a little something. Hey, you know, this has been a wonderful evening. Hey, take this, and take this, and take this, and take this. And she's going, hey, thanks very much, you know. And she's either got it on her back or she's got it on her front, and off she goes out the road, and Naomi's watching for her.
And here she comes again. And Naomi said, How did it go, my daughter?
Now I love this next phrase. Then she told her everything. Then she told her everything. Listen. Girls.
Beware of doing anything. That you would not want your affectionate mother to know. You want a rule of thumb? Don't do anything in your life. That you cannot go straight home.
and tell your mother about it. And if you apply that rule. You will be saved untold headache. Heartache. to the gazillions.
Yes, your life may be dull for a time. Yes, you may be regarded as prudish by some. Yes, you may have to divert your plans and your expectations, but I tell you, it will stand you in good stead. Let no young woman or man, for that matter, deal in secrecy and concealment. You see the difference?
If she'd gone home and said, oh, I didn't go down to the barn, that would have been a flat-out lie. If she'd gone home, or whatever it would be, the concealment from the population is not a concealment from Naomi. She went home and she told her everything. Boas. I done for her.
And she added, and he gave me these six measures of barley. Saying your empty days are over. And Naomi said, Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. Because I'm going to guarantee you, the man will not rest until the matter is settled today. Paraphrase He's hard to try.
You can guarantee it's the first light of dawn, he's down. Excuse me, kinsman redeemer. Ruth says, Ruth, you want her? You don't want her? You want her?
Okay, fine, thank you.
Okay, good. Sign here, goodbye. Boom, off the road. But you see how wonderful this story is. You don't know that because you haven't read chapter four yet, have you?
You don't know what happens.
So we have to stop. And save that for next time. But As a little inkling to next time. The way this man does settle issues. is the way that issues should be settled.
In our dealings, especially where they affect other people.
Now, this is a word to me. I don't know if it fits anyone else. But in our dealings, especially as they affect other people, we should make no needless delays. Get the thing sorted out. Get it resolved.
They're waiting for an answer. Give them the answer. Defer nothing until tomorrow that may be done today, especially if it affects the encouragement of somebody else. You might hold off on bad news, but you don't want to hold off on good news. Get the matter dealt with.
Meanwhile, Boais went up to the town gate And he sat there.
So they're both waiting now. We got Naomi waiting over here. With Ruth? And we got boys waiting over here at the gate. And we're waiting till next week.
Until we get back to the story. Can I give you a PS? Remember, we've said that the whole Bible is a book about Jesus? Every time you read this, and every time you see Boas. You should have this feeling in your back of your head that goes like This guy has reminded me of somebody.
I find when I'm watching Boaz or observing his responses. It's I don't know, it's making me think of somebody. Yeah, it's making you think of somebody. Because boss is a foreshadowing. of our kinsman redeemer.
Jesus. Who, according to Hebrews, became one with us. in everything except our sinfulness. In order That he might Redeem us. That as Boaz dealt with Ruth, so Christ deals with everyone of his repentant, believing people.
As she cast herself at the feet of her father, Of Boaz, so we cast ourselves at the feet of Christ. She dependent upon Boaz's mercy, we dependent upon Christ's mercy. She being covered over by the corner of his garment, we being covered over by the blood of the covenant. by which He welcomes us with a steadfast love. She being introduced to all the peace and contentment and security as a result of being brought under the wings, as it were, of this wonderful man.
And we. In the shadow of Christ, find that He soothes our sorrows and He calms our fears and He dries away each tear. She going up the road, burdened by all of His benefits, and we going up the road are made aware of the wonderful provision that God has made for us. She coming to Boaz. as a penniless alien.
And we Coming to Christ. as penniless aliens too. Boas. Taking her to himself and making her his bride. Christ the bridegroom taking us to himself and making us his bride.
And the fantastic thing about this is. This story of Ruth is a real story. Right? This is a real person at a real moment in time, living in a real environment in a Judean village, 1200 years BC.
So the story is not like the front of a Hollywood set. That exists so that some story can be told on the basis of a fabrication. No, this is a real story. But here is the wonder about this book, the Bible. This real story 1200 years before Christ is ultimately a story about who Jesus is and why he came and asks us ultimately this question.
Have you? Ever cast yourself down? at the feet of Christ and asked him to make you his own. And if not, Why not tonight? And if yes, Then it asks the final question: Am I seeking to exhibit in my dealings with others such a spirit of generous love?
That I am reflecting the character. of he who has wooed me And one me. In short, The longer I live with the bridegroom, Do I look more like him? That's a critical question for all of us to think about. Am I looking more like Jesus?
You're listening to Truth for Life with Alastair Begg. Alastair returns in just a minute.
Well, as we've been studying through the Book of Ruth, have you found yourself, like Alastair, wishing you could spend more time in this story of loss and redemption, loyalty, and love?
Well, if so, we've got just the thing for you. It's a six session small group study titled God of the Ordinary. In this study you and your friends, your Sunday school class, can take a deeper look at Ruth's amazing story as you make your way verse by verse through this Old Testament book. Each session begins with ten to fifteen minutes of brand new video teaching from Alastair. And man, let me remind you that the book of Ruth isn't just for ladies.
At its core, this isn't primarily an ancient romance story. It's a book that tells of a faithful man who served God, who blessed those he encountered, and was committed to doing the right thing. Most importantly, this is a story that shows us God's providential care in desperate circumstances a story about an extraordinary, loving God who rescues men and women in need, and a story that points forward to Jesus, our ultimate Redeemer. Ask for your copy of the God of the Ordinary study today when you donate to Truth for Life through our mobile app or online at truthforlife dot org slash donate. Or you can call us at eight eight eight five eight eight seven eight eight four.
Now here's Alastair to close with prayer. Father We thank you for the Bible. What a great book it is, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Thank you for all of the practical implications of our study this evening. But thank you most for the foreshadowing that we have of Christ.
in this lovely man Boaz, As we look to him and through him and beyond him. And there surely is He covered over. This young alien. With the emblems of his protection and provision, so we who are aliens and strangers. Your grace.
I need to come to you and say, cover me over. In royal robes we don't deserve, cover me. We give up all our rags. All of the rags that are marked religion, all of the rags that are marked doing our best, all of the rags that are marked of our endeavors. We throw them down.
And we ask that you would clothe us. Save us. Make us like you. For we pray it in The name of Jesus. Amen.
I'm Bob Lepine. Join us tomorrow when we'll learn about Boaz's response to Ruth's proposal. The Bible teaching of Alastair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life. Where the Learning is for Living.
