Ben Zornes

INTRODUCTION

The Story of Ruth begins in agony, and ends in ecstasy. The darkest chapter has past, but faith lays hold on the promise through sorrow and sunshine, and does not relent until faith has been made sight. Ruth, by faith, lays hold and doesn’t relinquish her hold. The Saint is one who lays hold on God, for God has first laid hold of them. God’s hand has been behind all these events, and now Ruth lays hold of God’s promise. This is the true life of faith.

THE TEXT

Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. […] (Ruth 3).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Naomi puts into action a plan to fulfill her duty to bring rest to Ruth by appealing to Boaz to fulfill his duty as kinsman redeemer (vv1-2). That very night Boaz was holding a celebratory harvest feast (v2); Naomi instructs Ruth to wash, anoint, and adorn herself, then go in secret to Boaz’s threshing floor, mark where he would lay down to sleep, uncover his feet, and lay down at them (vv3-4). Naomi assures her that Boaz would take it from there (v4b), and Ruth assents to obeying these instruction (v5).

At the threshing floor, Boaz––after all the merry-making––lies down behind a pile of corn, and Ruth discretely makes her way to lay down at his feet (v6-7). Boaz is startled at midnight by her presence (v8). He asks who she is, and she replies that she is Ruth, and petitions him to spread his skirt over her, for he is the goel––the kinsman redeemer (v9). He blesses her and praises her for her kindness to him by seeking him out as the kinsman; instead of sporting with the young bucks, she came in unto him (v10). Boaz agrees to do what Ruth requires, and declares her a virtuous woman (v11).

Then he gives her bad news. There is one who is a closer kinsman (v12); nevertheless, Boaz vows to settle the matter first thing in the morning, and permits Ruth to lay with him until the morning (v13), she does so, but at his feet. In the early dawn, Ruth sets out to depart, Boaz requests (either in prayer or instruction to his stewards) that it not be known that a woman had been with him that night at the threshing floor (v14). Then he fills Ruth’s veil with six measures of barley; a symbolic impregnation (v15). Upon arriving at Naomi’s lodging, Ruth reports the evening’s events, and Naomi predicts that Boaz will not rest until he has brought Ruth the rest which Naomi promised at the beginning of this chapter (vv16-18).

THE STRANGE OR VIRTUOUS WOMAN

Every ounce of tension in this section must be felt. This episode is laden with euphemisms and “callbacks” to other events in Scripture. We are meant to grab our hair and say, “Oh no, not again.” Ruth goes in to Boaz, in a way that clearly has sexual connotations. He is merry with wine and asleep. Ruth coming in unto him conjures up some of the worst episodes of the Bible. Ham coming in and seeing Noah’s nakedness. Lot’s daughters sleeping with their father to conceive children. There’s even a reminiscence of Potiphar’s wife grabbing hold of Joseph’s garment when Ruth asks for Boaz to spread his garment over her.

The difference here, is that Ruth comes lawfully. She comes to petition her redeemer to grant salvation, to give her the rightful Seed. God had promised Abraham a Seed; a Seed that would bless the entire world. God had promised Judah a Scepter. Ruth comes in faith to Boaz. In the Hebrew ordering of the OT, Ruth comes right after Proverbs (with its many warnings about the strange woman, and its closing praise of the virtuous woman) and it leads into the Song of Solomon (with its portrait of the glory of sexual union between the Shulamite and her Beloved). Solomon asks “Who can find a virtuous woman (אֵֽשֶׁת־חַיִל) (Pro. 31:10)?” and then in the story of Ruth, Boaz answers the question, “all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman (אֵֽשֶׁת־חַיִל) (3:11).

We’re led to think Ruth is an Eve offering forbidden fruit to Boaz’s Adam. Or Noah’s son. Or Lot’s daughter. Or Balaam’s whores. But Boaz, the kinsman redeemer, surprises us: he pronounces blessing upon her, and proclaims her a virtuous woman, whose price is far above rubies. This woman is like Rahab. She is like Tamar (Gen. 38:26). She is like Sarah.

THE THRESHING FLOOR

It shouldn’t escape our notice that this episode takes place on a threshing floor. This is where the grain would be gathered and then the ox would tread out the grain. This is the place of fertility. It would be a favorite trysting place, and in paganism a place for sexual immorality & wicked fertility rituals.
The Beloved in Solomon’s song likens the Shulamite’s belly to a heap of grain. In one of Job’s speeches, he states that if he’s sinned may his wife become anothers, and uses imagery of a threshing floor to express that curse (Job 31:10). Gideon was called to deliver Israel at a threshing floor. Later on, the destroying angel would cease at Ornan the Jebusite’s threshing floor, and that would be the place where God would tell David that the temple should be built, by Solomon his son.
Which should lead us to see that later moment in light of this one. Why would God select a gentile’s threshing floor for the spot to call a ceasefire on His just judgement, and then command that as the place where His name & temple should dwell? Because that is the place where righteous faith took hold of the promise that God would raise up a Conquering Seed.

UNDER THE WINGS OF BOAZ

In the previous chapter we saw that Ruth had come to rest under Jehovah’s wings. This is Boaz’s way of saying that by the blood of the Mercy Seat, under the cherubims’ wings, Ruth was welcomed into God’s covenant, with all its attendant promises of blessing. But now Ruth asks for Boaz to spread his skirts (the word here is the same: wings) over her.

Put simply, this is a story of covenant mercies above and below, within and without. She had come to hide under Jehovah’s wings by faith, but this covenant of grace always insisted on being incarnated. Boaz was to be a foreshadow of the incarnation of Christ. Here he’s the incarnation of Jehovah’s covenantal promises to Ruth. By vowing to be her kinsman redeemer, Boaz became the incarnation of the Lord’s redemption for Ruth. He foreshadows Christ in this vow to redeem the barren widow, and grant her the fruit she desires.

REST

Naomi’s plan was intended to bring Ruth rest. Boaz is then restless until he procures that rest. The Gospel is on display here. We are that barren and fruitless widow. The first husband could not bring about fruit, and now he was dead, utterly powerless.
But from the fall in Eden until the Resurrection, God set about to redeem His chosen people. The Lord was restless, as it were, until He secured our eternal Rest. The Lord vowed and would not relent until He secured our salvation. We come to Christ alone. We cling to Him alone. He is our rest. Would you be fruitful? Would you find rest? You must come to Christ, the mighty man, the goel, and He will raise you up. After all, He rose from the grave on the first day of the barley

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INTRODUCTION

Each chapter of the tale of Ruth builds with tension. In this chapter, we’re introduced to a mighty man, who could save our distressed damsels. But will he? This portion of the story is a real cliff-hanger. It doesn’t give any resolution, but it does leave us important hints. It foreshadows, without giving anything away.

THE TEXT

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.  And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? […] (Ruth 2).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Naomi & Ruth returned empty to Bethlehem, during the barley harvest (1:22). They were empty, but Bethlehem was full. The disaster has befallen, but now we witness a hero arise, a mighty man, of the kinfolk of Naomi, Boaz was his name. His name means “fleetness” or “in him is strength” (v1, Cf. 3:18); a clear contrast with Mahlon. Ruth sets out–with Naomi’s blessing, and likely due to Naomi’s instruction–to busy herself with the lawful means of subsistence given to widows & strangers (v2; Cf. Lev. 19:9). God’s hand is clearly at work, for she “happens upon” the field of Boaz, Naomi’s kinsman (v3). A diligent man, Boaz comes to see the state of his harvest with a blessing for his reapers who bless him in return (v4). Like any good love story, he spots the fair maiden, and inquires of his steward as to who she was (v5); the steward provides a thorough report: 1) she was the Moabitess who’d returned with Naomi, 2) she’d sought permission to exercise her right to glean, and 3) she’d displayed a remarkable work-ethic (vv6-7).

Boaz speaks to Ruth, inviting her to glean permanently in his fields, permitting her to work alongside his maidens without harassment by his young men, and encouraging her to help herself to the cool waters of his wells (vv8-9, Cf. 2 Sam. 23:15). She bows in reverence, asking as to how she, a stranger, should procure his grace (v10). He explains that he’d heard the full tale of her loyalty to Naomi, forsaking her own land (v11), and he speaks a word of covenant blessing over her, for by her faith Jehovah’s wings were spread over her (v12). She expresses her gratitude (v13), but his kindness to her is not yet done, for he welcomes her to dine with him & his harvesters (v14), and then instructs his reapers to purposefully make her gleaning both easier (v15), more abundant, and hassle-free (v16).

After Ruth’s full day of work, she returned to Naomi with the abundance of her industry: arms full of blessing (vv17-18). Naomi insists on knowing who to bless for this bounty, and Ruth informs her it was Boaz (v19). This news incites Naomi to burst forth in prayer & praise, explaining the importance of their relation to Boaz (v20). Ruth and Naomi then agree that this gleaning arrangement should be continued (vv21-23).

THE ONE WHO CLUNG

In some Rabbinic tradition Orpah is known as “the one who kissed,” and Ruth is known as “the one who clung.” Ruth clung to Naomi, displaying a true conversion to the God of Naomi. In Chapter 2, Boaz invites Ruth to cling to his fields amidst his handmaids and young men until the end of the harvest (Cf. 2:8,21); which is the very thing she does (2:23).

This is the same word that’s elsewhere used to describe a husband cleaving to his wife (Gen. 2:24). The Lord repeatedly tells Israel to cleave unto Him (Deu. 10:20, 11:22, 13:4, 30:20); and to not cling unto the cursed things (Deu. 13:17) or else the curses will cling to them (Deu. 28). Joshua renews the insistence that Israel continue cleaving to the Lord, if she would enjoy the Deuteronomic blessing (Jos. 22:5, 23:8,12).

But Bethlehem has been under the curse of God, as evident by the famine. However, Ruth has come to cling to Naomi and her God; and now in Boaz, she clings to the fields of Israel. In contrast, Elimelech forsook the fields of Israel for the fields of Moab. Ruth has clung to God, and as the story unfolds we wait to see whether this clinging will result in blessing. We often want to see the blessing before we cling in faith. But Ruth displays the life of true faith, clinging comes first. Faith and then sight. As the hymn writer put it, “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.”

THE MIGHTY MAN

The arrival of Boaz into the narrative is meant to tantalize us, but not satisfy us. He’s a close kin of Naomi, and thus he could fulfill the required duty of redeeming her, and raising up an heir for Elimelech (Deu. 25:5).

There are a few things we learn about Boaz. He himself apparently doesn’t have an heir. He was the son of Salmon and Rahab. Some scholars object to the timeline, and insist that the genealogy at the end of the book must have been streamlined. But this just shows a lack of imagination and basic math skills.  John Tyler (born 1790), our tenth president (1841-1845), still has a living grandson. In other words, it is not at all unlikely that Boaz’s mother was indeed that famous Jerichoite, Rahab.

So his own mother had been a Gentile stranger who came to rest in the land of Israel. He was likely rather old, as his referring to Ruth as “my daughter” indicates. His care of her is initially paternal. He is a mighty one. And, as we see, a man of profound generosity. His charity is notable, and worthy of emulation. But most importantly, he’s a possible Kinsman-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth.

LIGHT IN THE SHADOWS

This whole section is laden with important symbolism. There’s a contrast being made between how Boaz treats this Moabitess with how Moab treated Israel during her wanderings (Deut. 23:3-4). Another shadow which is being illuminated for us is in the language used to describe Ruth’s departure from the land of her nativity (2:11). It calls to mind Abram’s departure out of Ur. Boaz’s feast invites us to see in him a sort of Melchizedek, bringing wine and bread to this feminine version of Abram.

The first man, Elimelech & his sons, left Naomi and Ruth in a wasteland. Not unlike Adam in Eden. Boaz arises to be a sort of second Adam. He is painted as what a good and godly king ought to be. Mighty, diligent to know the state of his flocks & fields (Pro 27:23), overflowing generosity, a mouth full of blessing. He is indeed a portrait of a godly patriarch, and all this is aimed to reinforce the Davidic Kingdom.

UNDER JEHOVAH’S WINGS

The only place of protection is under the wings of Jehovah. This expression will come into play again in the next chapter. But to be under the wings of Jehovah is likely a reference to the wings of the cherubim, which covered the ark of covenant. It was by the blood, sprinkled on the mercy seat, whereby all of Israel rested under the blessing and protection of God.

The story of Ruth is the story of the Redemption of the world in miniature. It sets before you the question: have you come to rest under the wings of Jehovah? Ruth the barren, brings to Naomi, in the midst of her bitter trial, armloads of sweet blessing. Where did this abundance come from? It came from resting under the Shadow of the Almighty. But the blessings here only foreshadow greater blessings which await these godly women.

This truth remains unchanged. Many people want God’s blessing, but they do not want to forsake Moab’s fields. They want their arms loaded full with the harvest, but they do not want to cleave to the fields of Boaz. God’s blessing is found, even in the midst of bitter trial, by clinging to Him alone, obeying His Covenant Word, and steadfastly hoping in the promised Seed.

Naomi gives a speech at the end of each chapter. The first chapter is her cry of godly despair; she even refuses to call God by His covenant name, opting instead to call Him El Shaddai (the Almighty). But here at the close of chapter 2, she praises Jehovah, and His covenant-mercies. The Redeemer arises, to make good on all the promised covenant blessings.

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INTRODUCTION

The story of Ruth isn’t fairy tale tucked away in a corner of the OT. Though there’s high drama, disaster, intrigue, even romance, this episode is more than just thrilling narrative. Rather, it’s an anticipation of the redemption of all things in the coming of the promised Seed. The literature is delightful, the story is thrilling, but the providence & purpose behind it all is glorious beyond compare.

THE TEXT

“Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband…” (Ruth 1:1-22).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

During the wild-west days of Israel, when the judges judged, a famine came upon Israel (Cf. Jdg. 6:3-4) and the severity compelled Elimelech to resort to sojourning in the fields of Moab, along with his wife, Naomi, and his two aptly named sons Mahlon & Chilion (vv1-2). Then the hard times got harder when Elimelech died. Though Naomi’s hope arose through the marriage of her two sons to Moabitess women (Ruth & Orpah), it was soon dashed to pieces by the tragic death of the sons before they’d brought forth any sons themselves (vv3-5).

Rumor of returned abundance upon the Lord’s people reached Naomi, so she set out to return to Bethlehem, accompanied by her daughters-in-law (vv6-7). She gives them her blessing to depart without any obligation to her (vv8-9); initially, they both refuse (v10). She reasons a second time with them, remonstrating with them that she has no hope of providing them husbands, in satisfaction of the Levirate law (Cf. Deu. 25:5); this demonstrates–not for the last time–her godliness & piety (vv11-13). Ruth & Orpah are clearly affected by her speech, but whereas Orpah is compelled to return home, Ruth clings the closer to Naomi (v14).

Naomi tries a third time to persuade Ruth (v15); but Ruth wonderfully avows her steadfast resolve to remain united to both the people & God of Naomi (vv16-17). Seeing Ruth’s resolve, Naomi ends the debate; they come at last to Bethlehem, causing a great hubbub amongst the Bethlehemites (vv18-19). Naomi insists on being renamed “Mara” to reflect the afflictions which the Lord’s hand had brought upon her (v20-21). Like any good story, a clue is given to us by informing us that the return to Bethlehem took place at a specific season of the year: the barley harvest (v22).

SETTING THE STAGE

The initial crisis of this story is striking: a breadless house of bread. It’s likely that this famine came about during Gideon’s time, when the Midianites had brought ruin upon the fields of Israel. This tale (likely written by Samuel) is intended as an origin story for the house of David. That being the case, admitting to his “tainted” ancestry seems problematic. But the story “leans into” this controversy. In the end we see that God always intended the arc of Israelite history result in gathering in the Gentiles into the harvest of Redemption.
Moabites were descended from the incestuous union of Lot and his eldest daughter (Gen 19:37). Moses had warned against marrying “strange women” (Ex. 34:16); Solomon, later on, repeatedly warns his sons against being enticed by the “strange woman” (Pr. 2:16, 7:5). Balaam had prophesied that a scepter would arise from Israel, destroying Moab (Num. 24:17); he then concocted the scheme to seduce Israel into whoredom; this led to Phinehas’ heroic act (Num. 25:7-8). Moses died in the realm of Moab (Deu. 34:5). Moab had repeatedly persecuted Israel in the days of the judges, most famously by the tyranny of the enormous Eglon (Jdg. 3). In other words, by every token, we should be suspicious of Ruth.

THE BREADLESS HOUSE OF BREAD

Naomi had fled the breadless House of Bread full (of offspring); but now the House of Bread was full of bread once more while she had been emptied. She is barren, and is accompanied by a barren, but loyal, daughter-in-law. The hope of having their inheritance in Israel preserved hangs by a thread.
Namoi could have resentfully claimed that the deuteronomic blessing rang hollow: “And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. […] The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee (Lev. 26:5,10; Deu. 28:8).” Yet we find her devoutly explaining the Law to her daughters-in-law (Deu. 25:5). In the depths of bitter suffering, she endures without becoming bitter.
Her three debates with Ruth & Orpah aren’t marked by the briny waters of self-pity. Her return to Bethlehem is a return of hope that the Lord who’d brought the judgement of famine upon His people, had now visited them with abundance. It was this hope which Ruth, by Naomi’s faithful witness, wished to join herself. Even in Ruth’s famous lines, we see a depth of understanding of Israelite law which can only be attributed to Naomi. Indeed, Naomi embodies the lines of that wonderful hymn:

Though vine nor fig tree neither their yearly fruit should bear,
though all the fields should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there,
yet God, the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice,
for while in Him confiding I cannot but rejoice.

WE DON’T NAME OURSELVES

One of the ironic features of this story is Naomi’s attempt to rename herself. She tasted the bitter cup which providence had sent her, and she thought she knew the ending of the story. But the Storyteller refuses to go along with her renaming. Despite telling everyone to call her Mara (bitterness), we get no indication that the Bethlehemites complied, and the narrative certainly doesn’t.

Naomi, in her just complaint, is learning the lesson which every saint must learn, to hope in God’s goodness, even when confronted with the most bitter trial. This is the same truth which Naomi’s descendant David would one day wonderfully compose in the 42nd Psalm. Why are you downcast? Hope in God. We don’t know the end of the matter. Thus we must trust ourselves to the One who shall give to His redeemed a new name (Cf. Rev. 2:17).

FORSAKING FOREIGN GODS

The most poignant moment in this first act of the story is when Ruth avows her loyalty to the laws of Moses, the people of Israel, and, above all, Jehovah God. This is true faith. In Ruth, through Naomi’s witness of suffering through famine, exile, the valley of the shadow of death, and the pain of barrenness, we see that true faith looks not to circumstance but to the promise.

Though there are many practical lessons to glean from these characters, and their example is worthy of emulation, the golden thread is found in Ruth’s confession of faith. Redemption is of God. The foreign gods are impotent. They won’t raise up a promised Seed. Out of Jacob shall the scepter rise, a promised Seed springing up to bring deliverance from all evil. The barley harvest has come, even for the barren woman.

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