A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
RUTH 3:7-18
Lesson #08
SUBMISSION, OBEDIENCE, AND WAITING
- Memory verse: Psalm 27:14
- Naomi had taught Ruth exactly what she must do to claim Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer.
- Naomi told her to lie at Boaz’ feet after the harvest celebration.
- Then she must put his cloak over her feet.
- We discussed how this was not an immoral act but a legal claim according to the culture of that time.
- Symbolically she was submitting to Boaz by putting herself at his feet.
- Symbolically she was putting herself under his authority by putting the hem of his cloak over her.
- Is this the way all claims for a kinsman-redeemer were made?
- No. A woman did not have to even approach the man. She only had to go to the city gate where the court was held and inform the city elders of her claim.
- In the book of Ruth we see a very personal, romantic claim. Why?
- Because Boaz represents Jesus Christ as a prefigure, and Ruth represents the believer, we see that our relationship with Jesus Christ is a very personal one based on love.
- It is not simply a legal claim without the involvement of emotions and a very personal relationship.
- Read Ruth 3:7-18
- The reaction of Boaz:
- Boaz awakes surprised and frightened.
- Remember that the men are there sleeping around the harvested grain to protect it from robbers. The primary enemy during those days of the judges was the Midianites who would steal the harvest at night.
- When Ruth tells him she wants him to be her kinsman-redeemer, he is overjoyed. (10)
- He recognizes the hand of the Lord in guiding his life.
- He is happy because he loved Ruth from when he first saw her.
- He is surprised at her claim because he thought Ruth would pick a younger man.
- The reaction of Boaz:
How old is Boaz?
The Bible does not say exactly. Because he is referred to as a kinsman to Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, he is probably closer to Naomi’s age.
Then couldn’t Naomi claim Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer?
Yes, she could, but remember that Naomi is past the age of child bearing.
The whole purpose of the kinsman-redeemer for a widow was to have children on behalf of her dead husband…to continue the family lineage.
Remember that it is the woman who must make the claim. Naomi decided it was too late in life for her, so she encourages Ruth to make the claim.
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- The potential problem:
- With every good story, just when you see situations work out well for the hero and the heroine, a problem always arises.
- What is the potential problem in the lives of Ruth and Boaz that could ruin everything? (12)
- Boaz tells Ruth that there is a kinsman with a closer relationship.
Why is this a problem?
The kinsman with the nearest relationship must be given the first opportunity to act as kinsman-redeemer.
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- How did Boaz know there was someone closer when evidently Naomi and Ruth did not?
He had probably already consulted the records of the family genealogy because he loved Ruth.
He hoped that it would be he who was the nearest relative.
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- Boaz encourages Ruth:
- Boaz tells Ruth not to be afraid, that all would work out well because she has a good reputation in the city. (11)
- Boaz tells Ruth to wait for the night to pass and all would be resolved in the morning. (12)
- If the other man would not fulfill his obligation, Boaz would happily do it.
- Notice Boaz does not send her home immediately in the middle of the night.
- It would not be safe for her to walk home alone.
- He must stay with his men in the field to protect the grain.
- To protect her, Boaz keeps her there with his men until the morning.
- During the time of the judges, highway robbery was very common. In fact, people often avoided traveling on the main highways because of it.
- The scene in the morning: (14-17)
- Ruth awakes before it is fully light. Then Boaz sends her home.
- Why does Boaz say, “let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.” (14)
- This verse, too, is often misunderstood. To us in our culture, it would appear that they had done something immoral and did not want anyone to know about it.
- However, you must remember that all night she and Boaz are not alone. The men who worked for Boaz are with them. There is no way they could have been alone and his men not have known about it.
- Who must not know that Ruth came to the threshing floor to claim Boaz?
- Boaz does not want the other kinsman to know of Ruth’s preference for her kinsman.
- If the other man is to be her kinsman-redeemer, there must not be any gossip about Ruth’s presence at the threshing floor during the night.
- Notice that everything Boaz did and said had one goal in mind: Ruth’s protection and well-being.
- The gift that spoke louder than words: (15)
- The 6 measures of barley that Boaz gives Ruth is very significant:
- This gift protects her reputation as she walks back into the city so early in the morning.
- This gift is to be a sign to Naomi.
- Notice that when Ruth returns home, Naomi asks her, “who art thou, my daughter?”
- Naomi knew it was her daughter-in-law.
She is asking Ruth if she has a new relationship with Boaz.
In other words, “are you still Ruth, the Moabite, or will you be the wife of Boaz?”
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- Remember that when Boaz awakened to find Ruth at his feet, he asked her who she was. (9)
- She did not say, “I am Ruth, the Moabite”.
- Instead she said, “I am Ruth, they handmaid.” Ruth was making the claim to a new identity.
- Ruth tells Naomi that Boaz sent 6 measures of grain to Naomi. (17)
- This is the gift that spoke louder than words:
- A Jewish mother-in-law would understand the symbolism (18).
- In six days God created the world and everything in it, but on the 7th day God rested.
- Therefore, Boaz is telling Naomi that he will not stop working on the redemption until it is accomplished. Ruth only has to wait.
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- Application: Discussion
- What do we learn about our kinsman-redeemer from this chapter?
- =1= The believer must make the claim to receive Jesus Christ as his kinsman-redeemer.
- The believer must submit to His authority, and,
- The believer must obey Him.
- The believer must confess Jesus Christ before others.
- The believer must be obedient and be baptized in water as a public confession of faith.
- =2= When we claim Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, He rejoices because we have chosen to walk with Him.
- =3= When we claim Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, He is willing to accept us. No one is refused.
- =4= It is Jesus Christ that will do all the work of redeeming us. We have nothing to do but wait on Him.
- We are not saved by works.
- We do not have to clean up our lives to be acceptable to Him. He cleans up our lives after we come to Him.
- The waiting process is what we call sanctification.
- Sanctification is when God sets us apart to work in us by the actions of the indwelling Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out.
- The gradual sanctification process makes us more and more like Christ.
- What is the significance of verse 18?
- “Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.”
- Ruth is told to “sit still” (18).
- The believer is told to “wait”.
- The believer must wait for the complete fulfillment of his redemption.
- Jesus said he goes to prepare a place for us, so we wait for his return and our final resurrection.
- What do we learn about our kinsman-redeemer from this chapter?
However, in every-day life so many times we get ahead of God.
We try to do His work. We must learn to wait on Him.
When we don’t wait on Him, we make a mess of what God is trying to do.
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- Moses gave the people the same command in Exo 14:15 when the Egyptian army was pursuing them.
He said, “stand still”.
Then he told them to march into the Red Sea.
- Moses gave the people the same command in Exo 14:15 when the Egyptian army was pursuing them.
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- There’s a time to stand still and a time to march.
- Mature believers have discovered this truth. How do you learn it?
- You learn it by experience over the years in your intimate walk with the Lord.
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By making mistakes and learning from your mistakes you learn God’s lessons.
Read Psa 46:10
This Psalm tells us to “be still”.
This means = to take your hands off and relax. (Phil 1:6)
Homework
Ruth 4:1-10
- Application of Ruth 3:7-18
- How well do you “wait” on the Lord?
- Why do you think this is so difficult for you?
- What do you need to learn from Ruth’s example that will help you do a better job of “waiting”?
- Preparation for Ruth 4:1-10
- Read Ruth 4:1-10
- What is the most important principle that we can learn about our kinsman-redeemer, Jesus Christ, from this passage?
- If Boaz’ un-named servant (Ruth 2:5) is a prefigure of the Holy Spirit, and Ruth is a prefigure of the believer or the church, and Boaz is a prefigure of Jesus Christ, our kinsman-redeemer, who do you think Naomi represents? (Gal 3:23)
- Who do you think the “nearer relative” represents? (Gal 3:21)
- Read Ruth 4:1-10
- Memory verse: Proverbs 23:11
