Naomi and Ruth's Faith in the Providence of God
Studying Ruth 3.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is to stop trying to handle circumstances in life, get out of God’s way, and let Him handle things.
However, there are also times when God expects His people to take action, to demonstrate our faith by our works (James 2:14-26).
In Ruth 3, we find God’s providence still at work for Ruth and Naomi while they put their faith and trust in God into action.
Naomi Seeks Security for Ruth.
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do."
And she said to her, "All that you say to me I will do." (Ruth 3:1-5)
Naomi wants to secure Ruth’s future by arranging her marriage to Boaz. If something happened to Naomi, Ruth would have been in an even more desperate position, being a foreign widow in Israel.
We’ve seen Ruth’s dedication to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17), and now we see Ruth's mother-in-law’s concern for her.
Naomi advises Ruth to wash herself, perfume herself, and put on her best clothes to go to Boaz that evening.
Some think that Naomi was advising Ruth to dress herself like a bride to make her intentions clear to Boaz.
Some think that Naomi is advising Ruth to end her mourning period as a widow, which was common in that culture.
Naomi wants to secure Ruth’s future, and the way for her to do that in this time and culture is to arrange for her marriage to a good man. But not just any man – Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s and a man of great wealth and strong character (Ruth 2:1).
Ruth agrees to do what Naomi tells her to do.
Ruth Goes to Boaz.
So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. And he said, "Who are you?" So she answered, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative."
Then he said, "Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the LORD lives! Lie down until morning." (Ruth 3:6-13)
At the threshing floor, they would have tossed the grain into the air with a large pitchfork-like tool in the early mornings and evenings – when the breeze picked up and would blow away the chaff and straw while the heavier grain would have fallen back to the threshing floor.
Boaz probably slept on the threshing floor to protect the harvest against thieves and perhaps so he could be prepared to get an early start on work since the breeze picked up in the early morning hours.
Ruth did as Naomi directed and waited until Boaz went to sleep, and then she uncovered his feet and lay down at his feet. At midnight, Boaz is startled and wakes up to find a woman at his feet – and he says, “Who are you?”
Ruth identifies herself as Boaz’s servant and then asks him to take her under his wing since he is a close family relative.
Ruth is asking for Boaz to marry her as is his responsibility as a close relative to the family – this is one way God ensured widows would be taken care of in the Old Testament, and the family line would continue. She is asking for his protection and provision for her.
She repeats almost word for word what Boaz said to her the first time they met (Ruth 2:12). She asks Boaz to be the answer to his own prayer.
This took a lot of courage from Ruth.
She could have been accused of immoral behavior by Boaz - and most likely, Boaz’s word would have been believed over her word.
Boaz could have taken advantage of her since they were alone and likely several miles outside of town.
However, Boaz does what is right in this situation and does not take advantage of Ruth. He calls Ruth a “virtuous woman” and understands that she is seeking a “kinsman redeemer.”
The “kinsman redeemer” would use his resources to help his family members when they were in distress – especially when they could not get themselves out of trouble. It was designed to maintain the family name even after the person had died. Each family had land that God had given them – Boaz becoming the “kinsman redeemer” would mean Naomi would get her land back.
Boaz tells Ruth that he will certainly redeem her – however, there is a closer relative than him. That relative would have the first option to redeem Ruth, but if he declined, then Boaz promised to do it.
He told her to lay back down at his feet to sleep and then leave early in the morning. This was to protect against any gossip being spread.
Ruth Returns to Naomi.
So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, "Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor." Also he said, "Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it." And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.
When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "Is that you, my daughter?" Then she told her all that the man had done for her. And she said, "These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, 'Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.' " Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day." (Ruth 3:14-18)
As Ruth prepared to leave early in the morning when it was still dark enough that you couldn’t recognize anyone, Boaz filled her shawl with grain to take back to Naomi.
When Ruth arrives home, Naomi immediately wants to know – “So, how did it go?” Ruth told her everything and showed her the grain Boaz had given her. The grain probably would have been viewed as the groom’s gift to the bride’s family.
Naomi tells Ruth to “sit still” until they know how the matter will turn out – she knows Boaz would make this the top priority in his day.
God had provided for Naomi and Ruth through the kindness of Boaz (Ruth 2). God was going to provide for Ruth’s future through the loving concern of Naomi.
Will we allow the Lord to work through us by trusting Him?
God works through His people who are willing to take risks, step out of their comfort zone, and help others.
Do we really believe the words of Jesus? (Acts 20:35).
I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' (Acts 20:35)
It will be by our actions and not merely our words that we will demonstrate whether or not we believe our Savior - our Redeemer.
