The Romance of Ruth
PART3
by James W. Skinner
Ruth finds cover under Boaz’s mantle - but that’s okay!
The third chapter of Ruth deals with Ruth on the threshing floor of Boaz. There are a few strange laws I want to explain briefly as a foundation for this third chapter. You would not understand the narrative unless you were to read Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 25 and discover some of these customs of Israel.
Provision for Widows
We have customs and ways that are peculiar to us. We are western, American or Canadian and our ways and thinking are so different from people in other parts of the world. The people of Israel had customs and ways that would seem strange to us. As I mentioned previously, one of these customs had to do with widows. If a husband died, a brother who remained, was to assume the responsibility of taking the widow to be his wife and raising a family to his dead brother. If he were unable or unwilling, then the next of kin, or another kinsman, might be called upon to perform this duty. By doing this, he would keep the name of that family intact in the registry of Israel.
Deuteronomy also records what the procedures were for land that was lost to indebtedness. Every 50th year, the year of Jubilee, in order to keep from the curse of large land owners, all of the land would revert to the original owner. If your land became encumbered with indebtedness and you lost the land, in the 50th year it was restored to you. At the opening of the third chapter of Ruth, Elimelech’s name was no longer in the registry of Israel because he had died along with his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. The land had also been lost, through their poverty, their abandoning it and their going down to Moab.
Duty of Kinsmen
Deuteronomy 25 explains how the nearest kinsman, a brother or other relative, may marry this widow. Sons of that union would restore the name of Elimelech to the registry of Israel. We will find in the fourth chapter how the marriage to the widow and the redeeming of the land go together. You cannot separate them. It’s one package. If you buy the land, you get the widow. If you marry the widow, you get the land. If you study it a little, you will see how that is the case because Elimelech died, his two sons died; no male heirs, therefore, the only one through whom the name of Elimelech can be restored was Ruth.
We use the words, “redeem, redemption, redeemer” and we should be reminded what the word, “redeem” means. “Re-” means “again”, meaning “to get back again something that had been lost.” You remember the story of the little boy who had skill for carving and making things out of wood. He made a beautiful boat. Taking this boat down to the seashore, he played with it in the water, but by mistake it was carried out into the ocean and lost. A few months later, he was walking along the street and in a second-hand store, he saw his beautiful boat. He went home and got his money out of his piggy-bank and went back, paid the price and got his boat. As he clutched the boat to his heart, he says, “you are twice mine, I made you, I lost you, I bought you back again and now you are mine.” That is the meaning of redemption. God made us, he lost us, but he paid the price and bought us back again and now He says, “you are Mine.”
No Immorality Here
Ruth 3 is probably the most misunderstood chapter in the Bible, because according to our western thinking and ways, this would seem to be a highly improper incident for Ruth to have taken part in. It would appear as if she was a person of loose behaviour, one who was willing to compromise her reputation in going to the threshing floor and lying down suggestively at the feet of Boaz. However, there was nothing improper, not a single piece of evidence, that Ruth had compromised her character or her reputation.
At the beginning of the chapter, Naomi says, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you?” Now, security or rest would seem to be associated with her marriage, possibly to Boaz or someone, the establishing of a home, having the dignity and shelter of a godly household, and all that went with it. The plan that she had for finding a place of rest for Ruth was for Ruth to go to the threshing floor of Boaz. Naomi says, “Boaz will be working at the threshing floor tonight, and you should go and do such and such as I will explain to you.”
The work on the threshing floor followed the barley harvest. It was something like a ‘bee’ when all the neighbours come together and they do a big job for one of the farmers. Naomi said to Ruth, “Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself, put on your best garment, and go down to the threshing floor.” These four things that Naomi told Ruth that she should do are the four steps in our redemption too. Ruth had to follow these steps if she was going to be redeemed along with the family name and land. Naomi advised her to, “Put on your best garment.” We must remember that Ruth had been walking around in unattractive widow’s weeds since she had come back from Moab. But Naomi was telling Ruth that the time of mourning for “puny” was past. The old things had passed away, so she was to put on a nice garment and go down to the floor.
The Garment of Praise
Putting on garments, reminds us of Isaiah 61:10 which says, “He has clothed me with the garments of salvation.” So this is what Naomi told Ruth to do in her steps of redemption. Wash yourself, anoint yourself with oil, put on your best garments, and humble yourself down to the floor.
In making a threshing floor, they would select a great circle of ground, possibly 25-40 feet in diameter, water it and beat the ground so that it became almost like cement. They would circle it with rows of stones and then use it to beat out the kernels from the husks of the barley. In Israel, the wind rises each day about 6p.m. and blows quite strongly until about 11p.m. when it subsides. Naturally, these people used that as a time for winnowing the barley. The people would gather and toss the barley up, possibly from shovels, into the air and the wind would blow the chaff away.
By 11 p.m., when there was a great pile of barley on the threshing floor, everyone would have an evening meal and then lie down to sleep until sunrise. They would lie down with their heads towards the pile of barley, rather like the spokes of a wheel. This protected the barley from thieves and animals. This is the situation that Ruth was to come in upon. It was not a secret, separate, dark occasion when Boaz was going to be alone and she was going to creep in and get under his blanket, but rather there were people everywhere, it was not in private or in secret.
Ruth Claims Covering
Ruth came, as her mother-in-law had advised her to do, to the place where Boaz was lying. He was covered with his blanket or his cloak or poncho. She took the corner of the
blanket or cloak and moved it slightly as if to attempt to cover herself a little with it. Boaz wakes up and says, “Who are you?” Ruth says, "I am Ruth, your maidservant: take your maidservant under your wing...” Now here is the punch line, it means everything”...for you are a near kinsman.”
That was the reason for it. She wasn’t there for any other purpose than to let him know that she wanted the covering and protection as a kinsman. She was the one who had to make herself known and claim her kinsman-redeemer. He had shown his willingness, when he showered his kindness upon her in the field of Boaz. She could have claimed him in either of two ways.
She could have called him before the elders of the city and commanded that he perform his duty as a kinsman or she could do what was really more discreet and thoughtful by coming privately to let him know she wanted him to perform his duty as a kinsman. It was thoughtful of her because if he did not want to, there was not all the publicity. He would not be branded as someone who refused to perform it. She was really proposing marriage to Boaz and he seemed to understand just what she was doing.
When we sing the song,
“Cover me, cover me, Extend the border of thy mantle over me, Thou art my saviour, kinsman, redeemer. Cover me, cover me, cover me.”
this is exactly what Ruth was saying. She was saying to Boaz that he was her only saviour, her kinsman, her redeemer, the only one who could save her. His reply indicated his eagerness to be a kinsman.
Some Bad News
Now, he says to her, “You are a virtuous woman,” but he said, “I have bad news for you, there’s a nearer kinsman, there is someone who is more closely related to you than I am. He has to have first chance.” This shows Boaz must have been thinking about it because he knew the situation. However, he says, “I’ll go into the city first thing in the morning and I will find out if he is willing to perform this duty as your kinsman-redeemer. If he says ‘yes,’ then the law says that he must be the one. If he says ‘no.’ then I will gladly perform this duty." He tells Ruth to lie down till morning and then return to the city to her mother-in-law’s early the next day.
Ruth arose as daylight approached and Boaz filled her shawl with six measures of barley to take as a present to Naomi and he said that he would and find out what he would do.
Awaiting the Outcome
When Ruth returned home, Naomi says, “Is that you, my daughter?” Naomi knew who she was, what did she mean? She was really asking, “Who are you really?” “Are you Boaz’s betrothed?” “How did it go?” “Do you belong to me or now to Boaz?” Ruth told her everything. Wise old Naomi said, “Sit still, my daughter,” “Boaz will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.” She knew Boaz would not rest at all that day until it was settled. Boaz was carrying the burden now, it was his responsibility. Ruth could just sit and be at rest.
The third chapter opens with rest being sought and it closes with rest being attained. Ruth was able to cast aside her burdens and problems because Boaz was now in control. Our heavenly Boaz, promises that we can cease from our labours, rest in Him and He will see it through to the end.
Rev. James W. Skinner, former
Missionary, Administrator and pastor, now lives in retirement in Shepherd Lodge, Toronto. He was frequently asked to preach this series of four messages from the Book of Ruth.