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Good Wednesday morning my dear “Walking with Jesus” friends.
In the various cultures and traditions of our world, we know marriages are entered into for lots of different reasons, and the process of engagement and marriage differs widely.
In the third chapter of Ruth we are taken back in time about 3100 years, and to Bethlehem and the ancient Jewish traditions. Naomi and Ruth are both widows, and remember Ruth is a foreigner, she’s from Moab. But in chapter 2 Ruth had been working hard in the fields of a relative of Naomi named Boaz, daily picking up loose grain after the harvesters. Boaz has taken notice of Ruth and treated her kindly. Her hard work is providing food sufficient for Naomi and Ruth to live, at least during harvest season.
Chapter 3 is a beautiful story, but must be understood in the context of the culture then and there. Ruth, while Naomi’s daughter-in-law, is essentially her servant. Her life purpose now, is to work however she can, to provide for the needs of both of them, since they are widows. Naomi is probably doing all she can to keep the house where they live, make clothes for them, cook food, draw water etc. They are both working hard to survive, but Naomi is the leader. Bethlehem is her hometown. She is known here. Ruth is a generation younger and a foreigner, welcomed only because of Naomi.
Naomi is a planner, it’s quite obvious. She and her family left Bethlehem and went to Moab more than 10 years before, because of the famine in Bethlehem. She returned, after many years, to Bethlehem because the famine was over and it was home. She has been coaching Ruth how to live within Jewish culture here in Bethlehem, and now Naomi is looking to the future again, and she’s guiding Ruth how to begin the process of appealing to Boaz as their ‘kinsman-redeemer’, to start the process of assuming formal responsibility for Ruth and Naomi.
Ruth’s approach to sleep on the ground near Boaz was not a seductive move, not even a romantic advance. It was a business proposition. She was offering herself to become a servant of his, in exchange for his assuming financial responsibility for she and Naomi, as their ‘kinsman redeemer’. His kindness in return, allowing her to sleep there through the night, putting a piece of his blanket over her, giving her 6 measures of barley to take back home for food, and promising to speak with the other ‘kinsman-redeemer’, shows us Boaz was a man of God honoring integrity and character.
The fact that he said to her “The LORD bless you my daughter” (3:10) shows us he is a worshiper of Jehovah God, and will not do anything to defile his relationship with God. His use of the word “daughter” suggests he and Naomi are likely about the same age, and Ruth a generation younger. It also suggests Boaz is treating her with proper respect as a younger woman, maybe even as he would a daughter if he had one.
Please take note of how Boaz describes the reputation Ruth has established in these weeks that she and Naomi have been back in Bethlehem. Boaz said to Ruth “All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.” (3:11) What do you suppose Ruth has done, or not done, to have earned that reputation? Oh that all of us would have that reputation, where-ever we live in the world, for God’s honor and glory!
Verse 12 & 13 is the key to this chapter and really the entire story of Ruth. “Although it is true that I am near of kin, there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to redeem, good let him redeem. But if he is not willing, as surely as the LORD lives, I will do it…” This is not a wedding commitment, this is a financial commitment. Some man in town was an even closer relative to Naomi than Boaz.
In Jewish tradition at that time, whoever was the closest relative had first opportunity to act in the kinsman-redeemer role, and assume all financial responsibility for the widow for the rest of her life. If he refused then the opportunity would go to the next closest relative. In this case, it would have meant taking on responsibility for both Naomi and Ruth. It would not necessarily obligate Boaz to marriage, but it would obligate him to financially care for Naomi and Ruth till his death or theirs. We presume Naomi was beyond childbearing age, thus if Boaz chose to marry Ruth and had a son by her, that son would be named in the family line of Naomi’s husband, continuing their family heritage. If they had other children, they would be in Boaz’ family line.
Verse 18 leaves us hanging, like a good drama should! What will Boaz do? What will the other kinsman-redeemer do, when Boaz approaches him? Whichever one of these men agrees to assume full financial responsibility for these two widows, in what kind of relationship? Will the two widows simply be his servants for the rest of their lives, or is it possible he might treat them as family?
As we reflect on this interesting 3rd chapter, may I ask what you see as insight into how God works with His people and how noble character, both for men and women of God, shapes reputations? May I also ask you to notice how God pays close attention to the details going on in the lives of His people, and is always working for His glory and His honor?
Oh Lord Jesus, I ask for your blessing on my dear friends listening to my voice today all over the world, whatever the issues are in their lives…
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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