Welcome to the fourth part of our series, "The Redeemer."

Text: Ruth 2:1-17

18 She carried it back into town and showed it to her mother-in-law. Ruth also gave her the roasted grain that was left over from her meal.

19 “Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naomi asked. “Where did you work? May the Lord bless the one who helped you!” So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. She said, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.”20 “May the Lord bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.” 21 Then Ruth said, “What’s more, Boaz even told me to come back and stay with his harvesters until the entire harvest is completed.”

22 “Good!” Naomi exclaimed. “Do as he said, my daughter. Stay with his young women right through the whole harvest. You might be harassed in other fields, but you’ll be safe with him.” 23 So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz’s fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer. And all the while she lived with her mother-in-law.

3:1 One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. 2 Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3 Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.”

5 “I will do everything you say,” Ruth replied.

God uses the FAITHFULNESS of ordinary people to REDEEM people in extraordinary ways.

Overall Commentary: 🌎

One of the most significant issues we have when reading the Old Testament is ethnocentrism. The definition of ethnocentrism is:

Evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

It isn't easy to understand why the story of Ruth is so special because we live in such a different time. During Ruth's time, Naomi was in a desperate situation and had lost everything. She needed to be rescued. God did that and started a journey that would end with the birth of Jesus.

God uses ordinary faithfulness to do extraordinary things.

This is never more true than in the book of Ruth. Ruth has been called a master storyteller. It tells a big story in just a few words. The story's bottom line is that God can do more than we could ever imagine if we trust Him.

Commentary.

Verse 18-23- Desperation Turns to Celebration.

This text continues the events from the previous sections of Scripture. Ruth, with courage, took action for her and Naomi’s situation. The result was more than she could have imagined. In one day, Naomi goes from feeling like the Lord had left her to realizing God has been moving the whole time.

Kinsman (Family) Redeemer- This person would be the closest relative to someone who has experienced loss. It was usually a brother. Since there was no “social safety net” like in many countries today, the family stepped in to help those who had experienced tragedy. It was customary and highly suggested that the closest relative step in and help in times of need. They could do the following:

Redeem property- If someone fell on hard times and had to sell their land, a family redeemer would come in and purchase the land. This meant the land could stay within the family and be returned to the previous owner on the year of Jubilee.
Redeem a family name—If a husband died before having a son to continue the family name, the closest relative would marry the widow and have a son with her. The son would be raised as the son of the deceased man, which also ensured the widow's care.
Avenge a death- If someone was murdered, there were no “police” to call. Instead, you called the family redeemer. Their job was to dispense justice.

Verse 18: This shows Ruth and Naomi's desperate situation. Nothing was wasted, not even leftover lunch.

Verse 19: Naomi is overwhelmed by all Ruth has brought, to the point that she starts peppering Ruth with questions. This possibly gives us a window into her mind. She did not know if Ruth would be successful.

Verse 20: In this text, Naomi talks about two things. She says the Lord should bless Boaz and then continues speaking about the Lord. Another way to read this is Naomi saying, May the Lord bless Boaz. The Lord is showing His kindness to us…” This is the moment everything turns for Naomi. She goes from wondering why God is afflicting her to seeing that God is not. The Lord has been working behind the scenes to provide, protect, and prepare a future for her and Ruth.

Verse 21-22: Naomi is catching on. She sees now what the Lord is doing through Boaz. She suggests that Ruth do all Boaz has said. She also sees that Boaz is a man of integrity and can be trusted. This comes into more focus in chapter three.

Verse 23: The time between the barley harvest and the wheat harvest would have been about 6 weeks.

Chapter 3:1-5. Trusting God. Taking Steps. Laying It On the Line.

Verse 1. One day- This shows the passing of time. About six weeks have passed since the end of chapter two.

“permanent home”—The literal Hebrew term here is a “place of rest.” Naomi has been blessed by Ruth, and now she wants to bless Ruth in return. She sees how hard Ruth has worked. She is now aware that God is up to something, so she takes her next steps with confidence.

Verse 2. “Winnowing barley at the threshing floor.” Winnowing was the second step in the harvest process. This involves throwing the stalks into the air so the heavy grain will separate from the rest. The rest will blow in the wind, but the grain will fall to the ground.

“Tonight...”- Boaz would have stayed there all night to guard his crops. This is when his crops are most valuable.

Verse 3. The plan

Take a bath—Unfortunately, in this dry climate, bathing was a luxury due to the lack of water. Therefore, bathing was reserved for special occasions.
Put on perfume—Perfume was exactly what it is today. It was a way to present yourself in the best possible way.
Dress in your nicest clothes- This doesn’t justify what is happening. The literal words here denote that she wasn’t just to pick something besides her work clothes. It indicates that she has likely been wearing a widow’s garment. She is to put on a wedding garment. It’s not quite the same as a wedding dress, but not far off. She lets Boaz know what she is after.
Don’t let Boaz see you- It was common for prostitutes to frequent the threshing floors at this time, too. Naomi was making sure she was not mistaken for a prostitute, so she was to keep her distance. She also makes sure to present herself before Boaz when they are alone. This shows they are trying to be respectful of Boaz. He will have the chance to consider this proposal privately and not put him on the spot.

Verse 4. Sexual Innuendo.

See where he lies down- The goal was to ensure she found him and not wander into someone else.
Uncover his feet—There has been much debate over this. The Hebrew word here has a double meaning. It can mean simply uncovering his feet or uncovering his "private area." Most scholars are united in saying the author does this on purpose. He knows this will create suspicion and intrigue. This suggests that bad things could have easily happened. This is why it is even more honorable that they kept their integrity.
Lie down there—Like the previous phrase, this one has a double meaning. It can be simple or risque. The bottom line is that the author was letting the reader know how close to sin they could have come, but they kept their honor.
Wait for further instructions- Dressing the way she does and doing the things she does lets him know what is expected. However, as the kinsman redeemer, it is still his choice. She is giving him the honor of still being able to make up his mind.

Verse 5. Obedience.

She is trusting Naomi. The way this reads, it appears Ruth is also unaware of the local custom that Naomi is suggesting.

Bottom Line.

When Naomi finally noticed what God was doing, it gave her the confidence to continue to hope. She could make peace with her past and start looking forward. I pray the Lord will give you the same confidence to move forward.

God's Promise: