Ruth Chapter 3 “Gleaning and Redeeming” Micayla Angel
Good morning, for those who may not know me, my name is Micayla, and I’m very honored to be able to share with you today about the next chapter in this story of Ruth, chapter 3. As we make our way through this portion, we’re going to note 5 parallels between Ruth’s role in her relationship with Boaz, and our role towards Jesus. We’re going to see the gospel woven beautifully into this story set in the same town that would eventually become the birthplace of our Savior.
We’re going to start off by reading the last verse of chapter 2, which says:
“So, Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley, and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.”
So, continuing to chapter 3:1-4:
“One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”
If this story was a Hallmark movie, it might be called, “A Home for the Harvest,” and we see that Naomi’s goal in this chapter was to find a home for Ruth, which echoes her prayer for both Ruth and Orpah back in chapter 1:9, where she told them, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the LORD show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the LORD grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”
Naomi’s initial assumption was that the best chance for these women was to remain in Moab, in their homeland, in familiar territory. But God had different plans, and by his grace, Ruth had the courage to hold out for God’s best.
This word for “home” in verse 1 is a Hebrew word which means “settled spot” or “place of rest” These women were certainly lacking rest after the tragic loss of their husbands and for Naomi, her two sons as well, which cost them their security and a large part of their identity. Since Naomi and Ruth returned to Israel, their circumstances were steadily improving. God had been faithfully providing for their needs through the kindness of Boaz.
I’m going to review some of the things Boaz had done for Ruth:
- He noticed her
- He protected her
- He provided food and water for her
- He acknowledged his respect for her courage to leave her homeland to come back with Naomi
- He asked God to bless her
- He told his men to pull out stalks to leave behind for her to glean
Naomi did not take this kindness for granted, and she also did not hesitate to encourage Ruth to respond to Boaz’s kindness.
A key factor in this first part of the story is that Naomi had eyes to see the signs of Boaz’s care for Ruth. If Naomi had remained bitter, focused on herself, and her sorrows, she may have missed these crucial clues, and missed the biggest opportunity for their future. Naomi’s initial reason for coming back to Israel was to escape the despair she had experienced in Moab. But now, it’s as if she is starting to believe that there could possibly be a happier ending to their story than mere survival. As her attention shifts from herself to Ruth, we can almost sense her spark coming back. It seems that Naomi may be remembering the faithfulness of the Lord and noticing his small acts of provision by allowing Ruth to find herself in Boaz’s field and for Boaz to take a special interest in her. Maybe these small signs encouraged her and started to build up her faith again. Her heart starts to soften and develops hope for something she had previously given up on.
In Matt 13:13-15 Jesus explained to his disciples why he spoke in parables to the crowds by saying:
“...because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
Seeing is not as straightforward as we might think. But Naomi did not just see- she recognized what was going on. And Ruth did as well. We’re going to jump back to an exchange that Ruth had with Boaz in chapter 2:8-9 that I believe is helpful to understanding Ruth’s motivations in this chapter. Boaz had given some very specific instructions to Ruth that beautifully displayed his care for her. As we read this, let's put on our spiritual lenses to see beyond the obvious application. He told her: Ruth 2:8-9
“My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”
Notice the direct commands he gave her:
- Listen to me
- Don’t go glean in another field
- Don't go away from here
- Stay here with the women who work for me
- Watch the field where the men are harvesting
- Follow along after the women
- Go get a drink whenever you are thirsty
Notice how earnestly Boaz is speaking to her. He is kind and caring, but also direct and earnest. He says to her the same thing Jesus is saying to us: “My daughter, Listen to me! Don’t go looking for food somewhere else. Stay here! Watch and follow, drink when you are thirsty. You can hear the echo of the Father’s heart from every corner of His Word- Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest! Seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart!”
Is 55:1-3
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.”
Notice how He says “Listen, give ear” Are we listening this morning? Are we listening, are we seeing? Are we seeing the signs of his love for us all around in our individual lives? Or are we too distracted?
Ruth had been listening, and seeing the signs of Boaz’s love for her, and she recognized that he was the one- he was her redeemer.
And that is our first point from this chapter- we also must Recognize our Redeemer
He is calling to us in various ways, both subtle and obvious. Through the joys as well as the heartache. But we must be tuned in to recognize that He is the one redeeming these things. Seeing is not the same as perceiving. We must ask for wisdom to recognize the spiritual element behind the events in our lives. Many times, it is not just coincidence or karma, it is our Redeemer drawing us by his love.
So going back to our text, Naomi senses an opportunity for her and Ruth, and she devises a plan to have Ruth meet privately with Boaz to request him to act as a kinsman redeemer on their behalf. Now in those days, it was the parents’ role to arrange marriages for their children, so Naomi is not out of place in beginning to make these arrangements. We heard last week about the custom of the kinsman redeemer, where an Israelite male could marry his relative’s childless widow with the intent of providing an heir for their family line and keeping the land within that tribe. It’s easy to read Naomi’s instructions and be confused. It sounds dangerously close to an improper and risky situation for Ruth. But there are a few things to consider:
First of all, in that time, it was common for servants to sleep at their master’s feet, so they would be immediately ready if anything was needed in the middle of the night. The fact that Ruth is to position herself specifically at Boaz’s feet is a very important indicator that the intention is to communicate respect, humility, and submission, not anything seductive. So, one could say that Naomi was having Ruth imitate the position of a humble servant by lying at Boaz’s feet.
Also, in that culture, it would be very unusual and even improper for a woman to publicly approach a man to discuss matters of business or marriage. But Naomi and Ruth did not have another male relative to act on
their behalf. They had a legal right to request their kinsman to redeem them, but that meant they had to find a creative way to have this conversation in private. Most likely, Naomi did not want Boaz to feel trapped or pressured into a relationship by approaching him in the daytime, when he would be surrounded by servants and workers. They respected him and wanted to preserve his reputation if he decided to decline their offer for some reason. Maybe she had heard of other women using this method before, or maybe it was something she invented herself. Either way, it involved calculated risk that showed her wisdom and faith in Boaz’s character and intentions.
Naomi instructs Ruth to bathe, put on perfume, and get dressed in her best clothes. It’s possible that Ruth and Naomi had still been wearing mourning clothes, but now, Naomi realized it was time for Ruth to signal that she was available and interested in pursuing a future with a godly man.
We see a similar example in 2 Sam 2:20. King David had been fasting and praying for his sick child. But after his child died, verse 20 says:
“Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.”
So changing clothes has symbolism in the Bible. It can be an outward sign of an inward change. Ruth had made time for grief but was ready to step forward towards a new identity.
Ps 30:11
“You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,”
Ruth answers Naomi in Ruth 3:5-6
“I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. So, she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.”
This was likely an unfamiliar custom to Ruth but notice how she does not question Naomi. She has full confidence in her counsel. We don’t really get much insight into what was going on in Ruth’s mind, but maybe she too was hoping for more than her current situation. Even though she was humble, respectful, and making the most of their situation, she may have been praying and hoping for a miracle. I believe her previous interactions with Boaz had prepared her for this exact moment. She sensed this was the next step to take and did not question it.
Gal 5:25
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
She wants more than just gleaning from Boaz’s fields. When Ruth responds in obedience to Naomi’s instructions, she is declaring that she wants to be Boaz’s wife. She wants more than just external blessings from him; she wants a personal relationship with him. She is willing to exchange her previous identity for that of being His bride.
Similarly, we must each make that decision about our relationship with Jesus. We can benefit greatly by being around Him, around His people. But is that enough for us? Is our soul truly satisfied with that? And is that the response He deserves for everything He has done for us?
Are we content to merely glean, or are we willing to be redeemed? Is it enough to just work for Jesus, or do we crave intimacy with Him?
Our second point is: Respond to His love
In Rev 3:20, Jesus tells us:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
He desires to satisfy our longing heart and set up home in our heart.
Is 43:1
But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
Our Redeemer is calling us closer. Are we willing to step towards him?
Ruth 3:7-9
“When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
9 “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
So, one thing that might come to mind is, why would Boaz be sleeping next to his grain pile? Well, apparently it was common in that day for the owner to sleep next to his grain to guard it from being stolen in the middle of the night. The town would usually share one threshing floor, and the farmers would all take turns using it. The threshing of the grain would usually be started in the evening when there was a nice breeze to help separate the unnecessary chaff from the grain. Once the process was finished, the farmer might have something like a little “harvest party” with his crew to celebrate the completion of that season’s harvest. Then, he would sleep next to the grain and then his workers would start the process of storing or grinding the grain the next morning.
We see that Ruth follows Naomi’s instructions, but when Boaz asks who she is, she goes a little off script. Naomi had told her that Boaz would tell her what to do, but here Ruth makes a humble but bold request:
“Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
The word for “corner” is actually the same Hebrew word for “wings”.
This is a throwback to what Boaz prayed over Ruth in chapter 2:12:
“May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
God uses the same analogy about the nation of Israel in Ez 16:8
“‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.”
So, when God says he is spreading the corner of His garment over us, He is essentially claiming us as His own. We are entering into a covenant with Him. So, Ruth is basically saying to Boaz, “Will you be that refuge for me?” She is bringing his words back to him in faith and asking for him to personally act on it. What does that tell us about her faith? It shows that she was listening to his words and pondering what He said. That Boaz’s words had found fertile soil in her heart. They had taken root and were bearing fruit. And isn’t that exactly what the Lord wants from us? To take him at his word, come boldly to his throne, and pray according to his will? As Heb 4:16 says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
And what is her reasoning for asking this of Boaz? Notice that she said, “Since you are a guardian redeemer for our family.” Not “since I have been
working so hard” or “since I am such a catch.” No- her confidence was in his position, his authority, his capability to act on her behalf. She was essentially powerless, her one move was this bold act of humble faith, and she went all in. So, like Ruth we need to request our Redeemer’s covering.
Our third point is: Request His Covering
And look at Boaz’s response in 3:10-13:
“The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
So, we can note several things from this. He is clearly pleased and moved by her request. He references at least two reasons he did not pursue her more directly himself. First, he mentions that there were younger men she could have chosen. So, it seems that he was possibly expecting her to prefer a relationship with someone younger than himself, and being a gentleman, he did not want to interfere with her prospects. Second, he states that there was a relative who is closer than he is who would have the first right to redeem her. Plot twist! So, he could have been waiting to see if this other relative would step up and redeem her. But now that Ruth has in a sense “forced the issue”, Boaz is now justified in getting involved.
Notice also how he acknowledges her character. He knows she is not suggesting anything inappropriate and assures her he will do everything he can to do right by her. This phrase “woman of noble character” is the same phrase that is used to describe the Proverbs 31 woman, so he clearly thinks very highly of her. He tells her to wait until the morning.
Vs 14-15:
“So, she lay at his feet until morning but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.” He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he went back to town.”
So once again, he makes sure not to send Ruth home empty handed. In a sense, the barley he gives her is a sign of his intentions towards her. Similar to how Paul describes in Eph 1:14 the Holy Spirit as our deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.
Our fourth point is: Like Ruth, we Receive His deposit
Ruth 3:16-18
“When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”
Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”
So, Boaz is a smart man- already thinking of how to impress his potential mother-in-law. And now, all that’s left for them to do is wait. Naomi can sense how urgent this matter is to Boaz and assures Ruth that he will settle the matter quickly.
Just like Ruth was instructed to wait, so we are waiting for our Redeemer to return for us. And just as Boaz would not rest until he settled the matter, Jesus is continuously at work for us, as Rom 8:34 tells us, He “is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
He is not wasting the time we are apart; He is actively working for our good.
Our final point is: Like Ruth, we must Await His Return
The difference is, our waiting period is quite a bit longer than Ruth’s. We do know the end of the story, and we wait both with patience and eagerness to meet our Redeemer face to face and enter the marriage supper of the Lamb.
So, are we tuned in to the Lord like Ruth was to Boaz? Are we catching the signs of His love, His grace, His covering over us? Do we truly want more than living for ourselves? Do we trust Him enough to lay it all on the line at His feet?
Do we recognize his voice compared to the other noise around us?
In John, Jesus speaks to this. He said in John 10:2-4:
“The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.”
How was Ruth prepared for the pivotal moments in this chapter?
She had eyes to see the signs, because her heart was moved by his love, she recognized where her shepherd was leading her- that is why she had the courage to offer herself to him at the threshing floor.
And it takes courage for us as well, because being redeemed does come with a cost. Gleaning is all gain for us, but redemption requires us to surrender our control. When we ask Jesus to redeem us, we must be willing to be made into a brand-new creature. To let Him clean us up.
I have a silly example to close with that came up yesterday while changing my 8-month old’s diaper. If you know anything about that stage, you know that trying to change a diaper is like a wrestling match. They want nothing to do with lying still. But what was ironic to me was that before we were on
the changing table- she was crawling all over the house, hunting me down until she found my feet, pulled up to a stand, and looked in my eyes, squawking at me to pick her up. Once I was holding her, I could tell something was off as she was very clingy and not wanting to be put down. When I ruled out some other causes and realized a dirty diaper was the culprit- that's when the fight began, and an interesting insight began to emerge. She wanted me to comfort her, but not necessarily to clean her. She wanted my presence but didn't really want me to address the root cause of her insecurity and discomfort. She had the instinct to come find me when she had a need, but she also had the instinct to resist lying still. These competing impulses made it challenging for me to help her. And I realized that is human nature in a nutshell- to some extent, we are all hiding our dirty diapers from the only One who can completely cleanse us. None of us want to be laid down and exposed for what we really are. We don't naturally want to be changed. But if we encounter our Redeemer the way Ruth did Boaz, we will have faith that He is the One- He is the Answer. He can handle our mess. We can trust Him. He is qualified, He is gentle, He is kind. So, stop squirming and choose to surrender! Life is so much better with a clean diaper.
