July 27, 2023
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Reading along with us in Ruth? Here’s today’s reading:
Ruth 3 (NIV)
Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor
1 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. 2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.…..Continue Reading
Naomi is clearly well versed in custom, law, and human behavior. She gives Ruth wise counsel to humbly seek Boaz for marriage instead of claiming what is owed them so to speak. Boaz is a man of great character and sees the same character in Ruth and yet still instead of just marrying her he seeks to take the appropriate steps first.
Here with u
Ruth listens to Naomi and does by Jewish what she needs to do for she has lost her husband and the nearest or in this case the next nearest kinsman would redeem her and the land. She is humble toward Naomi and does what she tells her. She knows that Naomi loves her and is trying to help her. God bless each one of us.
These customs are foreign to us but Boaz understands what Ruth is communicating through her actions. So Ruth is wise to follow Naomi’s advice. Ruth also shows great character and humility in her speech which is more beautiful than however dolled up she was for the occasion. But dolled up doesn’t hurt either. 🙂 And Boaz shows himself again to be a man of character, kindness and generosity and that is more important than how well off he may be. He recognizes that there is someone else who is in a position that gives him a greater right to be the kinsman redeemer and so he will approach him first. He is also a man of action and will take care of it quickly.
Jesus is our kinsman redeemer. Here, Boaz is a kinsman redeemer for Ruth and Naomi. I’m not sure about the the custom of lying at the feet of your kinsman redeemer, but it seems fitting.
Ruth 3
I find this socially confusing. I have to sustain a cognitive dissonance to think this is a good plan.
Wouldn’t spending the night on the threshing floor be damaging to Ruth’s reputation…and Boaz’s for that matter? Wouldn’t it be socially unacceptable for a woman to be on the threshing floor….at night….in bed with a man?
It is clear that Boaz does not take advantage of her, “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.”
“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.”
I would imagine that it would have been socially acceptable, since Naomi suggests it and Boaz responds with favor upon it.
Naomi has a plan, that may have been inspired by the Holy Spirit, about what Ruth was to do and how to do it. Ruth continues to be loyal to her, and she is willing to follow through with it. Boaz responds favorably to Ruth’s actions, exclaiming of her great kindness, and he handles the task of having her redeemed. And the one who will be redeemed will have a descendant who will redeem all mankind. God’s plan is perfect.