Sermon Transcript:

This morning, we continue working our way passage by passage through the book of Ruth. As the story unfolds, the anticipation continues to build. What is going to happen to these women? When they set out for Bethlehem, the plan was for Ruth to help Naomi and together, they would scrape by as best they could. When they arrived, they were blessed by the generosity of a man named Boaz and last week we learned that he was a close relative of Naomi’s husband and could redeem them under the law. A kinsman-redeemer was a close relative who had the right to stand in for one who died and purchase land, marry a widow, or provide for a family member in need. This law was designed by God to protect the vulnerable and ensure that the family line continued.

Up to this point, Boaz has been kind but there is no indication he intends to fulfill that role. So, as we come to chapter 3, Naomi hatches a plan. She is thankful for the gifts, but it would be even better to have the giver. In those days, it was the responsibility of parents to arrange marriages for their children and Naomi sees an opportunity with Ruth and Boaz.

It is the women who take the initiative and set this plan in motion. Men, a lot of times we think we are making things happen with our plans and decisions only to find out later we are playing checkers, and the ladies are playing chess. But ultimately it is God who is at work to bring about His ends. We make plans and choices, but underneath all that is the marvelous providence of God, working all things according to His will, for His glory and our good.

I am convinced in every situation God is doing 10,000 different things and we are fortunate if we can see even one or two of them. Friends that’s why we must trust God’s word. God has told us what He is at work to do in the world and in our lives. It isn’t always easy, but we can trust Him. The same was true for these women. It pleased God through their circumstances, both good and bad, to bring a greater blessing. God works through Naomi’s matchmaking to bring a final Redeemer who will give His life to save us from our sins.

Naomi seeks redemption of her husband’s line, but God will use her to bring redemption for all God’s people. This is not just the story of Ruth and Naomi, it is our story and God’s work in their lives illustrates the relationship between Jesus Christ and His church. Here we come to see that in Jesus Christ, we receive endless blessings because in Him we not only receive the gifts, but the giver. Verse 1,

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.

Naomi realizes Boaz is qualified to be a kinsmen redeemer. She has also seen his tenderness and concern for Ruth and that Ruth is receptive to his attention. So, she decides to try and get things moving. It is barley harvest and she knows that Boaz will be at the threshing floor and shares her plan with Ruth.

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.”

Naomi explains to Ruth how to present herself so that Boaz will understand her intentions. This is an act of faith for both ladies and it is risky. If this goes wrong Boaz could be offended and they would end up losing his support. There is a lot going on here but Naomi’s instructions essentially call for Ruth to present herself as a prospective bride. The Bible uses similar language to describe the preparation of believers as the bride of Christ. Boaz’s role as kinsman-redeemer foreshadows Christ’s love and sacrificial care, pointing us to Jesus as the ultimate redeemer.

First, Ruth is told to wash herself. This is an agricultural society in a hot place, without air conditioning or running water. It was easy to get sweaty and dirty. The Jews had many ceremonial washings, and important events were often preceded by washing and putting on new garments. Washing is also used in the Bible to refer to cleansing from sin. It is ultimately God alone who has the power to cleanse us of our sins. Ephesians 5:25–27 says,

25 …Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

As believers, we have been washed clean by the blood of Christ and are cleansed by the word. We must live out our repentance by faith. In the model prayer, Jesus tells us to pray for forgiveness. When David prays for forgiveness in Psalm 51:1–2, he says,

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

In John 13:8-10, when Jesus knelt down to wash Peter’s feet,

8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean…

As we journey through the world, we pick up filth from the road and God calls us to come continually to the fountain of cleansing through our faithful obedience and repentance. Isaiah 1:16 says,

16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil

James 4:8 says,

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Friends, there is a false teaching, a distortion of the biblical understanding of grace, that denies the necessity of repentance. They argue since believers are justified, there is no need to pursue holiness and actively resist sin, but repentance is not just a one-time act. It is a daily turning away from sin and turning back to God. We must live out our faith.

That means we confess our anger or selfishness. We ask God for forgiveness, and seek reconciliation with others we have hurt. It means examining our hearts for pride or self-reliance and asking God to replace it with humility and trust. It means trusting in God’s power to live in a way that honors Christ. Saving grace does not free us to sin, it frees us from sin. The very first word of Jesus’ first sermon is “repent”. Matthew 4:17 says,

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

And in his final words before He ascended to heaven in Luke 24:47 Jesus says,

47 … repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.     

The Bible is clear, repentance is always found wherever there is saving faith. Faith without repentance is the faith of Judas, who kisses Jesus with his lips but denies him with his life. The Puritan Thomas Brooks said it well,

“To argue from mercy to sinful liberty, is the devil’s logic… This is wickedness at the height, for a man to be very bad because God is very good.

A true believer is one who lives every day in the joy of their repentance. We rejoice in full assurance, peace, and freedom knowing God forgives those who repent in faith. Friends, to be saved is to be a daily repenter, not so that we might become saints, but because God has made us saints.

Next, Naomi tells Ruth to anoint herself. Ancient people did not have modern deodorant sticks or shampoo, they used scented oils, lotions and perfumes to make themselves presentable. Anointing was also used ceremoniously to set people apart. For example, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed for their roles.

The word Christ is not Jesus’ last name, it is a title that means “anointed one”. The word Messiah means the same thing. Jesus was anointed by the Spirit for His ministry. The Bible also talks of anointing regarding the work of the Holy Spirit in believers. 1 John 2:20, John says believers “have been anointed by the Holy One” and Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:21–22,

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Ruth is told to put on her cloak. The word refers to an outer garment that covered everything but the head. Poor people also used this covering as a blanket. Ruth isn’t getting dressed up in an alluring way, she is putting on a garment that will cover her and protect her. She wasn’t sure how long she would be out there, and this garment covered her.

The Bible often presents salvation and its benefits in terms of garments. Isaiah 61:10 says,

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness…

Zechariah 3:4 says,

4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”

We are often told in the New Testament to put off the old and put on Christ. In Jesus our filthy rags are exchanged for the pure robes of the righteousness of Jesus which cover us.

After telling Ruth how to prepare herself, she instructs her on how to approach Boaz and present herself to him. Naomi says,

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.”

It was important that Ruth approached him properly. The men often were in the fields during harvest time and so prostitutes would often go out to the winnowing areas and offer themselves to the men for hire. If she did not present herself appropriately the whole plan could easily go off the rails. She had to put herself at his feet in a way that was not misunderstood. Her uncovering of his feet was not a seductive act but a gesture of submission and humility. It was a bold but virtuous move, signaling a marriage proposal in the customs of the culture at that time.

Here is something the world doesn’t understand. We think we can casually approach God anyhow we choose. It is the default instinct of fallen human beings to think we can create our own pathways to God when the Bible is repeatedly telling us there is only one way. We either humble ourselves and come His way, or we cannot come. We can only approach God on His terms.

That doesn’t mean we need to make ourselves acceptable, it means just the opposite. If we come with open hearts and empty hands, God will receive us, but if we come by any other way other than the one God finds acceptable, namely the blood of His son, we will be rejected. Those who will worship must do so in Spirit and in Truth. We must come by way of the Cross. We must give up all our own devices and any thought of our own worthiness and receive the free grace of God’s love poured out in Jesus.

Naomi tells Ruth “and he will tell you what to do.” Friends, if you seek redemption, repent, come to Jesus, lie at his feet, and He will tell you what to do. Ruth tells Naomi, “All that you say I will do.”

We too must come in obedience. We are not to be hearers of the word only, but doers. How often are we disappointed because we come to God with our own expectations rather than seeking Him in obedience and trusting Him and following Him? Ruth doesn’t try to improve the plan, she is willing to trust and obey.

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.”

Boaz has worked hard all day and having had his evening meal he lays down against a pile of grain. Once she sees he is asleep she delicately comes over and uncovers his feet. He wakes up in the middle of the night and there is this woman laying at his feet. It says he was startled, which is probably an understatement. We are so flooded with artificial light that it is difficult for us to appreciate natural darkness the way most people in history have experienced it, but he probably would not have been able to see her clearly, especially coming out of a deep sleep.

Have you ever thought you were alone and felt the presence of another person unexpectedly. It can be terrifying. Not knowing who this is or what they want he calls out “who are you?” Ruth answers “I am Ruth, your servant.”

She calls herself his servant. She is expressing her humility and dependence upon him. In Chapter 2, Boaz rejoiced that Ruth had sought refuge under the wings of God. Now, she uses the same phrase and asks him to spread his wings over her. She had come to Israel and to Yahweh and now she is coming to him. The word used for wings also means skirt or mantle and to spread one’s skirt or mantle over another means you were committing yourself to them. Literally, taking them under your wing. For example, in Ezekiel 16:8 God says,

8 “When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.

In saying this, Ruth is directly asking Boaz to marry her so that she would be under his care.

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.

He gently accepts her and blesses her. It seems perhaps he did not approach her because he assumed she would be more interested in the affections of the younger men but is pleased she wants to be with Him. He tells her not to be afraid, that he will do as she asks. Again, we are pointed to our wonderful savior who is the perfect redeemer.

When we come in faith to Christ for redemption, he accepts us and blesses us. He has every right and every reason to send us away, and yet he doesn’t. We should never be afraid to come close, he invites us to do so. Revelation 22:17 says,

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

And Jesus says in John 6:37,

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

In Jesus we are offered unimaginable blessings and all we must do to receive them is to come to Him in faith. If we really understood the greatness of the love of our Redeemer for us, we would wish to be nowhere else than with Him. If we really understood, nothing else could compete with Him for our affections. Brothers and sisters, fill you minds with the truths of God. See in His word the immeasurable riches of His grace and the boundless depths of His love.

I don’t know all the details of what you may be going through but I know that His love is sufficient to sustain you and fill you whatever it may be. Like Boaz, Jesus tells us to not fear. It is hard sometimes in the darkness to see His face, but like Ruth, even there we can hear His voice calling to us, “fear not”. Fear not. All you ask, I will do. I am with you and you are mine. Friends, our assurance and our confidence do not come from our ability to see clearly all that is happening around us. It doesn’t come from us figuring out every step of the plan. It comes from hearing His voice through His word, calling to us to follow and to fear not.

Why should we fear when we have the promises of God? Is it possible that His plans are no good? Absolutely not, for He is infinitely wise. Could there be an obstacle too great for Him to overcome? Certainly not, because He is sovereign over all. He is omnipotent, and nothing can thwart His will. Is there a chance that His plan might somehow fall short and leave us disappointed? Impossible, for His love for us is immeasurable, proven by the sacrifice of His Son for our redemption.

Remember, brothers and sisters, His promises are sure, and His love is steadfast. We have every reason to trust Him and no reason to fear. Our confidence rests not in our understanding or our ability to navigate life's challenges but in His unchanging character and faithful word. When we are burdened and overwhelmed and unsure about the future, we are invited to bring these cares before the Lord. 1 Peter 5:6–7 says,

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Do you hear His voice in the Scriptures, calling you to trust and fear not. When we look at ourselves, we will find 10,000 reasons to despair, but when we turn our eyes to Jesus, our perfect Redeemer, we discover it is utterly impossible for those who come to Him to be lost, because He loves us and has redeemed us with His own blood.

The redemption of those who have put their trust in Jesus as their savior is not a prospect or a possibility. It is accomplished. Jesus died on a cross for the sins of everyone who would ever put their faith in Him and He has paid the price in full. His blood has purchased our forgiveness as well as our sanctification. All the means required to bring us to God have been secured by His blood and after three days in the grave Jesus rose from the dead. This proves that the Father has accepted His sacrifice. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven where he pleads His blood for all who have faith until He comes again to take us home.

Our redemption is secure, but it was not simple. Neither was that of Ruth. Verse 12 says,

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.” 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.”

Boaz could not simply redeem Ruth because there was another who was closer. Boaz is honest with her about this. The law cannot be set aside, even for redemption. She is blessed, now knowing that either way, she will be redeemed, but there are other claims that must be considered. So it is with us brothers and sisters. Perhaps one of the most amazing things about our salvation is that God, with all His love and mercy, never compromises His righteousness and justice in bringing it about.

Every one of us has sinned and is therefore condemned before the holy law of God. Ezekiel 18:20 says “the soul that sins must die.” Justice requires that those who are guilty must pay for their crimes. People often say they expect God to forgive them. They seem to think that forgiveness is owed to us. Imagine there is a person who committed a terrible crime that led to increased pain and death in the world. They are guilty beyond any doubt. When confronted with their crime, they minimize it and expect they should just be able to get away with it. What would we think of a judge who simply let them go?

There would be an immediate campaign to have them removed from the bench because that is unjust. God is forgiving, but He is never unjust. The law requires the death penalty for sin, and the death penalty must be carried out for any sinner to be redeemed. That is what happened on the Cross. Jesus Christ, who was innocent, took my sin and the sin of everyone who will believe, and he paid the price the law required.

Not a single sin that has ever been committed will be overlooked. Every sin will be punished under the just wrath of God to the extent it deserves. The only question is, will that price be paid by the death of Jesus on the Cross or by the sinner in Hell. The judge can set us free once the fine is paid, but the demands of the law must be satisfied. If we refuse the payment Jesus made, then we must pay the fine ourselves.

Boaz tells her before he can redeem her, the requirements of the law must be fulfilled, and he instructs her to leave before anyone knows she was there.

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.’ ”

He sends her away with additional food, which is another indication of his seriousness in caring for her. Naomi asks how things went, and Ruth tells her everything that happened and that he gave her food.

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.”

There is now nothing Ruth or Naomi can do but wait for Boaz to work. Naomi assures her that he will not be delayed. All they can do now is to trust him and wait. So it is with us. We can be confident that when we put our trust in Jesus, He will settle the matter right away. We cannot add to His work or do anything but rest in the promise that He will do it. Let us therefore go to Him, be washed of our sin, anointed by the Spirit, putting on His robes of righteousness, and doing as He says, trusting in Him to redeem us with the confidence Paul expresses in Philippians 1:6,

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.