1-18 Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
- Because she needs to see that Ruth is taken care of, Naomi instructs her -- bathed, anointed, and dressed in her best clothes -- to go to Boaz at the threshing floor at night, and after he has eaten and drunk, and fallen asleep, to remove the covering from his feet and lie down there. This is both an intimate act and an act of submission, it appears to me. She didn't get into bed with him; she offered herself as the widow of a next of kin, whom he had an obligation to marry but hadn't taken that step -- perhaps because he was so much older than she was -- and respected her wish to marry someone younger.
- She does as Naomi instructs, and at midnight Boaz discovers a woman at his feet and asks who it is.
- She offers herself to be his wife with this words: "I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin."
- He blesses her and assures her that her reputation as a worthy women is well-known, and to remain there for the night. There is a closer kin, with whom he must consult. Ruth leaves early in the morning, before anyone sees her.
- Before she leaves, he gives her 6 measures of barley to take back to Naomi.
- Naomi tells her, knowing Boaz, he will take care of the matter before the day is out.
1-12 The Marriage of Boaz and Ruth
- Boaz goes to the gate and invites the next-of-kin and ten elders to meet with him.
- He offers the opportunity to the next-of-kin to redeem a piece of land belonging to Elimelech. The next-of-kin decides he will redeem it. So is this done just to soften up the next-of-kin, or maybe to make Boaz's marriage to Ruth seem more an after-thought than the real reason for the meeting? Had he received Naomi's permission to sell the land? Have there been conversations between Naomi and Boaz that have not been revealed here? Hm-m-m!
- Boaz reminds the next-of-kin that in redeeming the land he is also "acquiring" Ruth, because she is the one who will maintain Elimelech's name on the land.
- The next-of-kin gives up his right of redemption, because it would damage his own inheritance. He wants the land -- but not if means taking the widow of another man.
- Keeping with tradition, the next-of-kin takes off his sandal and gives it to Boaz to confirm the transaction.
- Boaz: Well, I guess I have the land and the widow -- mind you, it's only in order to maintain Elimelech's inheritance -- not because I care for Ruth.
- I love the blessing they give to Boaz. Just like something you'd see in Fiddler on the Roof. "May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem; and, through the children that the LORD will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah." Now how did these men know that Boaz would be in the lineage of Christ, just as Perez was? Of course, I guess they were just reciting Boaz's own lineage.
- By the way, Boaz just "happens" to be the son of Rahab, of Jericho.
- And Naomi is blessed -- not only with seeing Ruth married -- which was her wish from the beginning, but with a grandson, whom she nurses. Which I find a little strange, since Naomi calls herself an old woman (1:12). And why didn't Ruth nurse the baby? In the text, this seems to be more Naomi's offspring than Ruth's.
- And this is the all-important genealogy: Perez (the son of Jacob by Tamar) - Hezron - Ram - Amminadab - Nahshon - Salmon (the husband of Rahab - Matthew 1:5) - Boaz - Obed - Jesse - David.
A short psalm -- good for memorizing. It speaks of God's grace, his saving power, his judgment of all nations, his continual blessing.
2 Corinthians 6
1-6 Paul's Urgent Mission
- We urge you: Don't waste the grace of God. Now is the time to be saved!
- We do everything we can to minister to you and to others, making ourselves subject to every conceivable physical, mental, psychological, social disgrace and hardship
- There is no restriction in our affection -- only in yours. Please open your hearts to us as we have opened ours to you.
- If you will be God's you can not associate with the ungodly -- darkness, idols, unbelievers.
- We are God's temple, his people, set apart and cleansed for his purposes
- He is the Lord Almighty, and he claims us as his special sons and daughters.
- And then 7:1 - Therefore, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit. Both are important -- you can't be holy in God's eyes when you're doing things you shouldn't with your body; and you can't just keep your body pure and hold on to a defiled mind.
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