Ruth’s Romance – Part 2 – Ruth 3

In this message we continue the study of the romance between Ruth and Boaz which provides some wonderful lessons on Christian courtship. The salvation typology also continues in this chapter in a most beautiful way.

“The Book of Ruth sets forth a lovely picture of life in Israel during the time of the Judges. It was not written by Ruth, but is rather about Ruth. The name “Ruth” means “friendship” or “beautiful”. It is commonly believed that the prophet Samuel is the author of the Book.” (Sorenson)

Suggested Outline for Ruth

• Ruth’s Repentance (Chap. 1)
• Ruth’s Romance (Chap. 2-3)
• Ruth’s Redemption (Chap. 4:1-12)
• Ruth’s Reward (Chap. 4:13-22)

In our last message we looked at Ruth’s Repentance, how she turned from her pagan idolatry to the One True God of Israel. In this message we study the romance between Ruth and Boaz which provides some wonderful lessons on Christian courtship as well as a beautiful type of Christ and his bride the church.

We are studying the beautiful romance the Holy Spirit has recorded between Boaz and Ruth and the salvation pictures we encounter along the way.

The Providence of the Romance (Vs. 1-7)

The Providence of God is clearly seen at work in this godly romance. God was working to bring this couple together.

The People in the Romance (Vs. 8-23)

We considered the character of the three main characters involved in this romance – Boaz, Ruth and Noami.

1. Boaz – The Portrait of a Godly Man (Vs. 8-9, 11-12, 14-16)
2. Ruth – The Portrait of a Virtuous Woman (Vs. 2-3, 7, 10, 13)
3. Naomi – the Portrait of a Selfless Parent (Vs. 18-23)

The Plan for the Romance (Vs. 1-6)

Naomi now gives Ruth some helpful counsel on the way forward in her romance with Boaz. It highlights how godly council can function as a guide in a godly relationship.

The Motive of Naomi’s Counsel (Vs. 1)

1. Naomi’s counsel was motivated by a desire for Ruth’s rest and wellbeing. Naomi is characterized by her selflessness in this whole situation. Ruth was providing for her at this stage of her life. She could have selfishly tried to hang on to her but we see the opposite. Naomi’s selflessness would be wonderfully rewarded (See Ruth 4:14-17).
2. Naomi’s desire was to help Ruth find a place of “rest” with her own home and husband. What a beautiful picture of both the salvation and sanctification of the believer.
   1. Salvation rest – Ruth would cease from her own labors and would come to rest in Boaz’s work on her behalf (Chap. 4). In like manner, salvation involves us resting in Christ’s finished work, not trusting in our own works (John 19:30; Eph. 2:8-9).
   2. Sanctification rest – once Ruth was married to Boaz, she was probably busier than ever, especially once Obed was born. But it was labor in the context of Boaz’s bountiful resources and provisions for her. The rest of the Christian is not a rest of inactivity. It is soul rest in the midst of service. It is serving in God’s strength. It is Christ doing the work through us (John 15 – vine and branches).
3. Naomi provides a good example to parents. As parents we should desire that our children marry well in God’s will and seek to be a help to God’s plan, not a hindrance.

The Wisdom of Naomi’s Counsel (Vs. 2-4)

Naomi’s counsel was:

1. Practical (Vs. 2-3) – on a practical level Naomi understood the value of a couple of things as an older woman.
   1. The importance of a woman’s grooming (Vs. 3). Naomi advises Ruth to prepare for her audience with Boaz. She was to:
      1. Wash herself – cleanliness and hygiene are important in a good relationship. It is not spiritual to be stinky, dirty and greasy!
      2. Anoint herself – an oil to enhance her appearance. Possibly it was scented so an ancient perfume.
      3. Cloth herself – she was to put on her best clothes for this audience with Boaz. It is not wrong to dress up for the one you love so long as it is within the bounds of biblical modesty. God has made a woman to be a creature of beauty. The world and the devil use feminine appeal to destructive ends. A godly woman can use her feminine appeal within her marriage to be a blessing to her husband.
      4. Good grooming is important in the lead up to marriage but it is also important that it be maintained after marriage.
      5. Note: We should be appropriately groomed for our audience with our Heavenly Bridegroom when we come to meet with Him in the local church.
   2. The importance of a man’s eating (Vs. 3b).
      1. She wisely advised Ruth not to approach Boaz until he had finished eating and drinking. As an older woman, Naomi understood something about men – looking after their appetite is very important. Further, the outcome of the meeting was likely to be more favorable after he had a full stomach.
      2. Note: Prospective wives need to learn how to cook if they are going to care for a husband and family one day. If you don’t like cooking as a wife, pray and get used to it!
2. Scriptural (Vs. 4)
   1. Naomi was advising her daughter in line with Old Testament law in relation to Levirate marriage (See Deut. 25:5-10) and the Jewish customs of her time. William Macdonald explains, “The Law of Moses required that when a man died childless, a close relative should marry the widow thus perpetuating the family name and keeping the land in the family. It was especially important that when a man died without a son, someone should marry his widow so that a son would be born and the name carried on.”
   2. The principle is that counseling needs to be Bible based, not opinion based!

The Acceptance of Naomi’s Counsel (Vs. 5-6)

1. Ruth recognized the value of Naomi’s counsel. She must have had some confidence given the background of her blossoming friendship with Boaz.
2. Ruth voluntarily followed her mother in laws advice. There relationship was clearly built on mutual respect. This is important. It was important that Ruth give Naomi’s advise respectful consideration. It was also important that Naomi respect Ruth’s will in the whole matter.
3. Parents need to remember to give balanced, biblical advice to help guide their son or daughter’s courtship. They need to make sure that the motive behind their advice is with the child’s best interest at heart. They need to make sure their advice is a help and not a hindrance to what God is doing in their adult child’s life. They need to remember to respect the adulthood and individual soul liberty of their son or daughter. Some parents are carnal, controlling and manipulative with their adult children and they weaponize their carnal counsel by giving it a fake spiritual veneer when in reality the inner motive is out of order.
4. Adult children need to value Spirit lead, Scriptural advice from the authorities in their life (e.g., parents, pastors). There is safety in godly counsel (Prov. 11:14; 24:6).

The Progression of the Romance (Vs. 7-13)

Ruth’s Appeal (Vs. 7-9)

The posture of her appeal (Vs. 7)

1. Winnowing – After sunset the cool, Mediterranean winds would blow. The chaff and grain would be thrown from a shovel high into the breeze and this would blow away the light chaff while the heavier grain would fall to the floor. The threshing floor of Boaz is a happy scene. Here Ruth’s destiny as a mother in Israel was determined. (Flanigan) A threshing floor was usually a large hard area of earth or stone on the downwind (east) side of the village where threshing took place.
2. Ruth came to where Boaz was sleeping, uncovered his feet and lay down. This was a symbolic gesture that she was seeking to shelter under his protection as her kinsman redeemer.
3. Note: Please don’t read this account through the lens of our sexualized, seductive culture. Ruth was not going to seduce Boaz. She was not going dressed like a harlot. There was no plan for immoral conduct at the threshing floor. The whole romance is pure, wholesome, appropriate and holy.
4. In salvation, we find a place of safety, shelter and protection at the nail scarred feet of our Lord Jesus. To be saved you must bow in humility at Christ’s feet and ask him to spread his garment of salvation over you.

The plea of her appeal (Vs. 8-9)

1. She pleads for Boaz to cover her – “spread thy skirt over thine handmaid”.
   1. Ruth asked that Boaz take the fringe of his long, flowing robe and spread it over her to symbolize her desire to shelter under him as her kinsman redeemer. Interestingly, the Hebrew word translated “skirt” here is the same word translated “wings” in Ruth 2:12. Boaz became a part of the answer of his own prayer for Ruth! The Hebrew word is ‘kanaph’. The prophecy of Malachi 4:2 revealed that Messiah would have healing power in the wings (kanaph) of his garment. Malachi 4:2 “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;” This is why the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem or border of Christ’s garment and received instant healing (Matt. 9:20; Mk. 5:27; Lk. 8:44).
   2. Ruth is asking for more than a material covering. She is asking for the protection of a redeemer, which, in the circumstances would imply marriage. Adam Clarke enlarges, saying, “Spread therefore thy skirt over thine hand maid, Hebrew, Spread thy wing. The wing is the emblem of protection, and is a metaphor taken from the young of fowls, which run under the wings of their mothers, that they may be saved from birds of prey.”
   3. Similar imagery is used by God in describing His marriage to Israel in Ezekiel 16:8 “Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.”
   4. Illustration: Even today in Jewish weddings, there is a custom where the couple is wrapped in a tallit (prayer shawl) around the shoulders, a symbol of their unity and love.
   5. Praise God the day we got saved we were covered with the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
2. She pleads for Boaz to redeem her – “for thou art a near kinsman”.
   1. Ruth was requesting that he fulfill the role of kinsman redeemer on her behalf. Marriage was clearly implied in her request.
   2. Christ is our near kinsman; he was born of a woman and thus became related in his humanity to the whole human race (Gal. 4:4). Christ came to redeem us and the price he paid for our redemption was His own life’s blood. Colossians 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” 1 Peter 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Boaz’s Answer (Vs. 10-13)

Ruth’s plea was bountifully rewarded. Boaz answered her plea with:

Praise for Ruth (Vs. 10, 11a).

1. Boaz praised her for making a spiritual rather than a carnal choice for a husband. The exact age gap between Ruth and Boaz is not disclosed in the Bible but if he was a near kinsman of Elimelech’s who appears to have died prematurely, we have reason to believe that it was not excessive. Boaz was clearly an active, fit man even though he was Ruth’s senior. This is not an example of an old, frail grandpa marrying an 18-year-old! He was clearly able to be her ‘companion’ in marriage physically and mentally (Mal. 2:14).¹
2. Boaz praises her for being a virtuous woman. The basic meaning of the noun is “strength”.² The same Hebrew word is translated elsewhere multiple times as “valour” or “valiant”. Also, “power”, “strong/strength”, “might”. Boaz had found a priceless gem in Ruth. Proverbs 31:10 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10-31 outline the character traits of such a woman.

Promises for Ruth (Vs. 11-13)

1. “I will do to thee all that thou requirest” (Vs. 11a)
2. “then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth” (Vs. 13b)
3. Ruth’s appeal received an abundant answer of assurance from Boaz. In like manner, a salvation plea to the Lord Jesus Christ is richly rewarded in accordance with His precious promises. Romans 10:12-13 “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The Peace of the Romance (Vs. 14-18)

Ruth is now at a place of rest, peace and trust in Boaz’s grace and love for her. We see her:

Resting in his Presence (Vs. 14)

1. Ruth resumes her place of rest at Boaz’s feet. Nothing impure or inappropriate takes place here. It is very likely other men were there at the threshing floor that night. Ruth leaves before dawn in order to avoid being detected and Boaz issues an instruction that the matter be kept private, not to cover up a scandalous affair but to protect their integrity.
2. It says much for the virtue of both, that, alone together on the threshing floor in the night hours, they remained pure. Bishop Hall writes, “Boaz, instead of touching her as a wanton, blesseth her as a father, encourageth her as a friend, promiseth her as a kinsman, rewards her as a patron, and sends her away laden with hopes and gifts, no less chaste, more happy than she came. O admirable temperance, worthy the progenitor of him in whose lips and heart there was no guile.”

1. Ruth’s posture provides a good example for the believer. We can to the feet of Christ for salvation and it is at His feet we continue to find a place of fellowship and security. Illustration: Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His Word (Luke 10:39).

Resting in his Provision (Vs. 15)

1. Boaz gives Ruth six measures of grain, a lovely token of His love and care for her. His word to her was “go not empty”. Through his kind provision, emptiness was a thing of the past. So it is with all who come to know the Saviour. Hearts that once were empty are filled with God and His grace.
2. The grain was also a lovely token that he would follow through and fulfill his promises to her.
3. On a practical note, It was also an act of kindness towards Ruth’s mother-in-law as well as a desire to provide for his bride to be.
4. Praise God our Heavenly Bridegroom provides for all our needs. He has given us the Holy Spirit as the earnest (downpayment) of our inheritance (Eph. 1:13-14).

Resting on his Promises (Vs. 16-18)

1. “When Ruth returned home, her mother-in-law asked her, “Who art thou?” i.e., as what person, in what circumstances dost thou come? The real meaning is, What hast thou accomplished? Whereupon she related all that the man had done (cf. Rth_3:10-14), and that he had given her six measures of barley for her mother.” (Keil & Delitzsch)
2. Naomi counsels Ruth to “sit still” and wait upon Boaz to perform his promises to her. Note again how Ruth is in a posture of rest. Up until now she has been working and labouring in the fields. Now she ceases from her own labours and rests in the labours of Boaz.
3. In like manner, we must come to rest in faith upon the work of our Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. We are to “believe on” the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts. 16:31).

Conclusion

Have you come to that place of salvation rest at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you commit as a single man or woman to honoring God in the area of romance?

References

1. “yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant” (Mal. 2:14).
2. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, p. 271.

Sermon 3 of 4 in Ruth Series

Sermon Audio Id: 51724822116596