NAOMI'S PLAN
WEEK 3 | DAY 1 | RUTH 3:1-5
1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” 5 And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”
REFLECTION
Naomi seeks “rest” for Ruth. This is “rest” in the fullest sense. Naomi wants Ruth to be made whole again after all the loss she has suffered. Of course, becoming a follower of YHWH is all we need to be made whole. Jesus is all we need to receive gospel rest. Naomi is seeking for Ruth to be made whole by having her human redeemer – Boaz – redeem her story. So, Naomi points out to her that Boaz will be at the threshing floor tonight. She advises her to put on some perfume and to make herself known to Boaz at the threshing floor. Although the threshing floor may have a history of scandal, Boaz and Ruth are both godly people. Naomi instructs Ruth to go to where Boaz and sleeping and uncover his feet and lie down there. After this Boaz will tell her what to do. Ruth shows submissiveness and obedience to the request of Naomi.
Read Matthew 11:28-30. This is the gospel rest Jesus offers Christians. How has this rest satisfied your soul?
There is an innate trust that Ruth has in Naomi now. This is emblematic of the trust we are to have in God. What is He asking you to obey?
WEEK THREE MEMORY VERSE
So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.
RUTH EXECUTES THE PLAN
WEEK 3 | DAY 2 | RUTH 3:6-15
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings[a] over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” 10 And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. 12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. 13 Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”
14 So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city.
REFLECTION
So, Ruth goes to the threshing floor as Naomi told her. Boaz had eaten and drunk and had gone to sleep. Ruth then approaches Boaz, uncovers his feet and lays down. Boaz was startled because it was quite dark, and he had no idea who was there. Because he is a godly man, he is not looking for a threshing floor scandal. So, he asks who is there, and Ruth informs him. Here she calls herself a “servant” of Boaz. Ruth’s confidence has clearly grown because in 2:13 she says she is not his servant. She then requests for him to spread his wings over her as a redeemer. The request is multifaceted, but she is quite certainly requesting to marry Boaz. Boaz is overwhelmed with gratitude and pours on the compliments in verse 10. He then calls her a “worthy woman” as he was called in 2:1. The writer clearly wants the reader to know this night at the threshing floor was pure. Boaz ensures Ruth he wants to marry her but lets her know there is another redeemer “nearer” than he is. But Boaz wants to marry Ruth. She stayed there until morning for safety but then leaves early. Boaz gives another large amount of food to her to take to Naomi indicating that he will take care of them both.
While the night had potential for scandal, the two honor God. How can we seek to honor God in all situations, even if they are tempting?
Boaz is grateful for the clear gift of God that Ruth is to him. How can you show gratitude to your spouse? (Or spouse-to-be in the future – even if you have not met)
These two fight for purity. How can you fight for purity in your marriage? How can you fight for purity in your life if you are not yet married?
RUTH'S REPORT TO NAOMI
WEEK 3 | DAY 3 | RUTH 3:16-18
16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, 17 saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” 18 She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”
REFLECTION
Ruth comes back to Naomi to give her the full report. Naomi wants to know if she is Mrs. Boaz yet. Ruth tells Naomi all that Boaz has done for her. Naomi then advises her to wait and rest. There is nothing more that Ruth can do to be redeemed. It is all up to Boaz. And Boaz will not rest until the work is done!
Is there anyone you can show kindness and generosity to today?
Rest in the good news of the gospel today. Trust that Jesus has done everything needed to be saved. We can rest because Jesus has done the work to save. It is finished!
