A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
RUTH 3:1-5
Lesson #07
THE PREPARATION FOR A LEGAL CLAIM
- Memory verse: John 1:12
- Chapter 3 in the book of Ruth is frequently misunderstood usually because we view it from the position of our own modern culture. Hopefully, this lesson will get you to view it from the Jewish culture of that time.
- Chapter 2 occurred in the spring around the time of Passover.
- However chapter 3 occurs 50 days later during the time of the wheat harvest and the Jewish festival of Pentecost.
- We find the New Testament day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
- This was the day when God gave birth to the church by sending the Holy Spirit to live inside of a believer for the first time in history.
- The New Testament day of Pentecost occurred at the same time as the Jewish festival of Pentecost. The word Pentecost means = 50 days and was always celebrated 50 days after the Passover.
- Read Ruth 3:1-5 Preparation for the midnight meeting
- We have discussed the Jewish levirate marriage practice where the brother-in-law was obligated to marry the widow of his brother.
- We have discussed the obligations of the kinsman-redeemer to redeem, or buy back, the lost land of his close relative and to marry the widow.
- However, we have not discussed just who bore the responsibility for initiating this redemption.
- In our society, it is the man who usually asks the woman to marry him.
- In Jewish society, it was the widow who was to make the request that the kinsman-redeemer fulfill his obligations.
- If a widow did not make the request, the kinsman had no obligation.
- The redemption of land and the right to marry the next of kin was totally in the hands of the woman.
- Even if a kinsman had a great desire to fulfill these obligations, he could not unless the widow requested it.
- This Jewish Law, established by God, gives the woman a position of power and authority.
- Why?
- This is God’s protection for women and the family.
- In Jewish culture, the family and the continuation of the family were the most important aspects of society.
- Because women are by nature basically and generally the nurturers of children and the family, God had placed this power and authority in her hands.
- Inheritance of the Promise Land was taken very seriously by God.
God said that the land must remain within the family and the tribe to whom it was originally given by God.
The continuation of the family name and the possession of the land were the strength of each Jewish tribe.
It was through women that the future was secure in these respects.
Therefore, it is the woman who had the greatest responsibility to see that the family continue. (Remember the story of Tamar en Gen 38.)
-
-
- During the time between chapter 2 and chapter 3 of the book of Ruth, we do not see Naomi making any request or claim on Boaz, even though she legally had the right to do so.
- Boaz is obviously interested in Ruth, but he can do nothing. Therefore, in chapter 3, Naomi instructs Ruth how to make the claim.
- The Jewish customs on the threshing floor:
- The threshing floor was a flat, circular, hard, clay surface on the top of a hill surrounded by rocks. After the grain was cut, they took it to the threshing floor.
- Oxen drawing a sled trampled the grain.
- Every afternoon the wind blew until evening or later. Workers tossed the grain in the air with a tool. The good grain fell on the threshing floor and the chaff blew away. They continued to do this until the wind stopped.
- Then they celebrated the religious festival singing Psalms and thanking God for the harvest.
- All the families came to the threshing floor for that celebration.
- After the celebration, the men remained at the threshing floor to prevent theft of the harvested grain. In the time of the judges in Israel, theft of harvested grain was very common.
- The men slept in a circle around the grain with their heads toward the grain.
- This is the scene we see in chapter 3.
- Ruth’s preparations for the celebration:
- Naomi is disappointed that Ruth has not made any claim on Boaz. But remember Ruth is a foreigner and does not know the customs.
- Therefore, as a good Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi takes control of the situation.
- Since all marriages were arranged by parents in those days, this is not unusual.
- In verse 1 Naomi says, “…shall I not seek rest for thee”. In other words she is telling Ruth how to claim Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer.
-
The word “rest” in this context means = well being in marriage (see Ruth 1:9).
Ruth is a foreigner. She is modest and does not know how to make the claim on Boaz. He is an important, wealthy man, and he is much older than Ruth.
-
-
- To prepare for the celebration, there are four things Naomi tells Ruth to do:
- =1= She must wash herself.
- =2= She must anoint herself.
- =3= She must change her clothes from widow’s clothes to new clothes.
- =4= She must wait until after the celebration to make her claim. (4)
-
Verse 4 may seem to us to be an improper action but you must remember that the threshing floor is a public place and Boaz is not alone.
Naomi would not tell Ruth to do something immoral.
-
-
- Ruth claims Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer:
- Ruth must put her feet next to his feet pulling the hem of his cloak over her feet.
- The significance of this action:
- The hem of the garment is very important.
- The hem of the garment contained a man’s seal or legal stamp of authority with which he signed legal documents.
- He would press the hem of his garment in soft wax to make the impression of his seal on a legal document.
-
For example: A man could divorce a wife by cutting off the hem of her robe.
Remember David removed the hem of Saul’s robe in 1Samuel 24 indicating that he cut off his authority and identity.
Remember that in the New Testament a woman touched the hem of Jesus’ robe for healing in Mat 14:36 making a claim for healing.
-
-
- Therefore, Ruth is making a legal claim on Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer.
- To make this claim, Ruth must put herself under the legal authority of Boaz (under the hem of his garment) and in submission to him (at his feet).
- You can see that verse 4 refers to a very symbolic action with legal consequences.
- How do Ruth’s actions relate to the Christian today?
- Read Eze 16:8
- Because Boaz is a prefigure of Jesus Christ and Ruth is a prefigure of the New Testament church, we can see that Ruth’s four actions relate to the Christian and his relationship to Christ.
- Read 1Cor 10:6,11 (Heb 9:9, 24)
- The New Testament spiritual parallels in these 4 actions required of Ruth.
- =1= Washing
- Read 2Cor 7:1
- To have a relationship with Jesus Christ, our kinsman-redeemer, the New Testament believer must be free from sin. We accomplish this by repentance of sin and accepting Christ’s forgiveness purchased for us on the cross.
- =2= Anointing
- Read 1John 2:20,27
- The New Testament believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide him in the will of God by revealing sin and truth to him.
- =3= Change garments
- Read Isaiah 61:10
- The New Testament believer is part of the church, the bride of Christ, clothed with the righteousness of Christ making him acceptable to God but he must put off the sins of the world that constantly tempt him.
- =4= Make a claim
- Read Rom 10:9-11 (Gal 4:4-5)
- The importance of a public testimony of your relationship with Jesus Christ cannot be over-emphasized. This is where the church is important. It is before a congregation of believers that one is baptized to declare publically that you are crucified with Christ and raised to a new life in Him. (Remember the birth of the church occurred on the day of Pentecost.)
- Read Mat 10:32
- Jesus said your public declaration of your relationship to Him is important.
-
- Application:
- Ruth submitted to Naomi’s instructions.
- She agreed to make the claim exactly as Naomi told her.
- As believers in Jesus Christ, we must claim Jesus personally as our Lord and Savior.
- It is usually someone else who tells us how to do that (someone like Naomi).
- We must remember that salvation is not automatic.
- Yes, Jesus Christ died for all sinners (that’s all people), but all people do not have eternal salvation.
- We are not all redeemed by our kinsman-redeemer, Jesus Christ. Only those who personally claim Jesus as their Savior have been redeemed.
- Ruth submitted to Naomi’s instructions.
Ruth was not redeemed by Boaz until she claimed him publically.
Boaz had done everything he could for Ruth, but he could not claim her.
In the same way, we need to claim Jesus. Jesus did everything he could for us when He died publically, but He cannot automatically claim us because that would violate God’s precious gift of freewill.
We must claim Him by submitting ourselves to his authority. Notice that Ruth claimed Boaz publically. We must claim Jesus publically.
How do we claim Jesus publically?
=1= By telling others He is our Savior.
=2= By public water baptism.
If you want a closer relationship to the Lord, you must do these same actions:
You may be like Ruth who received Jehovah as her God in chapter 1.
You may have seen God provide for you and guide you as He did for Ruth in chapter 3.
But you may never have claimed him publically. In other words, you may have remained a “closet Christian” and wondered why God has never seemed very close and personal to you.
Pray about making a public claim or public profession of your faith!!
Homework
Ruth 3:7-18
- Application of Ruth 3:1-6
- Have you ever made a public claim or profession that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior?
- If you have not, and the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do that, write here exactly how you plan to make a public claim.
- Preparation for Ruth 3:7-18
- Read Ruth 3:7-18
- 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?
- Of what spiritual significance is Ruth 3:18?
- Memory verse: Psalm 27:14
