Ruth 3: A Request For Covering
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
Open your Bibles to Ruth Chapter 3. Ruth Chapter 3.
Last time
Ruth continues to choose God’s way
We will talk about how astounding this is as we get in to the first part of Chapter 3 today.
“The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge! (Ru 2:12, ESV)
Ruth and Boaz Exemplary Character
Ruth in not doing what other did
Boaz in showing a truly compassionate Spirit.
How contrary these two are to the Spirit of their age.
“until the end of the barley and wheat harvests.” (Ru 2:23, ESV)
Transition
This arraignment, state of affairs, continues for a season. Until the end of barley and wheat harvests, and that is were we being this evening.
But before that, Lets Pray
To Seek Rest
To Seek Rest
1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”
“should I not seek rest for you.” (Ru 3:1, ESV)
“Wash, anoint, put on your cloak,”
Its is a good thing to be pretty.
This is one of those teachable moments
A women of God, first adorns her life with Godly actions and when a Godly man notices she adorns that beauty that God gave her.
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.” (Pr 18:22, ESV)
Men treat your wife as if she is that good gift from the Lord and women be that good gift from the Lord.
“put on your cloak”
most likely this is her only change of cloths.
“not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.” (Ru 3:3, ESV)
This is not wait until he is drunk and try to seduce him. We will talk more about that in a bit.
“All that you say I will do.” (Ru 3:5, ESV).
Ruth is put in a vulnerable position here, her reputation, and her physical safety might be at risk, lets take a look at verse 6-13.
Redeemer Requested
Redeemer Requested
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”
“and his heart was merry” (Ruth 3:6, ESV)
This is not a euphemism for being drunk.
The harvest time was a season of rejoicing a years worth of hard work was ending.
“lie down at the end of the heap of grain”(Ruth 3:6, ESV)
It important to know why he is sleeping there. In this time the grain needed to be guarded until it was properly stored. Boaz and his servants would have slept all around as a guard.
“she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down.” (Ruth 3:7, ESV)
We don’t know why the feet and the laying at the feet.
Most like it is as Cundall and Morris write “The point of this perhaps was to awaken the man as his feet became cold. The position was also a lowly one, and perhaps represented Ruth as a petitioner.”1
“midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet!” (Ru 3:8, ESV)
Some time passes
he was started
“9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” (Ru 3:9, ESV).
“your servant”
“Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”
Cultural context, it was practice for a man to wrap a women he intend to marry in his cloak. Boaz got the meaning the Ruth is asking he to marry her here.
This of the danger that Ruth is in here, the trust he must have had for both Boaz and Naomi.
The pagan festival of harvest and all of the perverse praises that here going on the night all over the land.
But there it more, the wording she is here. She does not say through your clock over me, Boaz knows what she means. She says “Spread your wings over your servant”
Those are the same words Boaz used to her of the Lord in chapter 2.
“The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ru 2:12, ESV)
She is saying I am coming to you, applying to you to be gracious to me and be those wings of blessing that cover me.
She is forced to rely on him, she cannot redeem herself. Think of how vulnerable she is and the trust needed here for both Naomi and Boaz.
Verse 10 - 13 Boaz acts worthily.
“D. B. Macdonald says, ‘Boaz is shown quietly handling the situation like a gentleman, and not either as an old fool or a village lout. He may be countrified but he has dignity and restraint.’”2
Intolerance of scripture and cultural corruption
The pro
Rest and Wait on the Redeemer
Rest and Wait on the Redeemer
14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. 16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”
“Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” (Ruth 3:14, ESV)
Her honor was his concern.
“the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”
Naomi would have known of the closer redeemer. From this comment we see that she chose to point Ruth to Boaz because she trusted him.
I have often said that being a Christian man is the manliest of manly pursues. Boaz plays the man here, he is trust worthy, he is concerned for the needs of this young woman.
The world calls this scene toxic masculinity, God calls it living as a worthy man.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Think of the picture we have seen to night. If Ruth right puts her trust in Boaz who is a worthy redeemer, how much more can you trust Christ! He is the worthy redeemer! And you must come to him as Ruth came to Boaz. You come to Christ and ask him to cover you with his blood. The modern Christian saying that says, I have accepted Jesus borders on blasphemy. We don't come to Christ and say I have accepted you. We come to Christ and say Lord, will you accepted me. I am foreigner. I am an out cast. I am a sinner that has rebelled against you.
And he will, many will say I know the Lord and he will tell them, I never knew you. But no one that comes to him and says, Lord will you know me, will be cast out. Come to Christ today, tomorrow is to late. It doesn’t matter if you have known him for years or if you have never met him. Run to him today, fall at his feet and say, Lord shelter me under your wings. Rest and wait on the redeemer today. He did not rest until it was finished.
Benediction
Benediction
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
All God’s People would say, Amen
References
References
1. Arthur E. Cundall and Leon Morris, Judges and Ruth: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 7, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1968), 279.
2. Ibid
Bibliography
Bibliography
Cundall, Arthur E., and Leon Morris. Judges and Ruth: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 7. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1968.