Daughter 2

[Brad Fox]

Continuing on with the story of Ruth and Boaz, I read that Naomi played the part of a Jewish matchmaker in their immortal love affair.  It seems that Naomi knew full well that Boaz was a near kinsman of her dead men folk.  She concocts a plan to get Boaz to act on his attraction to Ruth.  Naomi encourages Ruth to seek him out at the evening threshing activities. 

 

Ancient wheat farmers had to beat the stalks of wheat to separate the grain from the structural parts of the plant.  This was usually done on the top of a hill so that when the crushed plant parts were thrown into the air, the useless light-weight chaff parts would be blown aside by the prevailing breezes, leaving the nutritious grain lying in piles on the hand-made pavement of the threshing floor.

 

 

Apparently, threshing times were quite festive, as the plenteous grain was a good excuse for celebrating the harvest.  Also, many people were involved and interacting with each other during the processing of the grain.  Naomi knew that Boaz would be in good spirits as he and his workers refined their crop.  She told Ruth to perfume herself and wear her best garment, and then wait on the periphery of the threshing floor.  Just close enough to observe what was going on, but not close enough to be noticed or invited in.  After the work and festivities drew to a close, Boaz and his men would sleep next to the valuable grain overnight and guard it until it could be taken to market the next day. 

 

As the celebrations quieted down, the men drifted off to sleep.  Naomi had told Ruth to go to Boaz in the dark and cover herself with the corner of his robe.  Ruth was employing a cultural tradition that served as a means to seek the protection of a man. 

 

It’s at this point that the reader needs to think about where they are “standing” when they read this story.  Are you standing on the threshing floor some 3,000 years ago when a woman’s station in society was much more tenuous than today?  When men ruled society and had all the positions of power and privilege?  When sexual relationships were highly regulated and consequences were lethal for violators?  Or are you standing in a modern culture that accepts deception in human relationships, and manipulation of marriage partners for personal gain?  A culture of prenuptial agreements?  A culture that honors transient sexual liaisons as perfectly normal and possibly even preferable?

 

Where you are standing right now makes all the difference in how you will perceive this story.  Men didn’t wear underwear in those days (it hadn’t been invented yet).  The Old Testament occasionally warns men to cover their “nakedness” as they are ascending steps while worshipping at an elevated altar.  So when Ruth covers herself with Boaz’s robe, it’s an extremely sensitive, yet innocent action.  Later in the night, Boaz wakes with a start and realizes the import and obligations of the situation.  She’s not looking for sex, and Boaz realizes that.  The focus is on a blooming relationship with life-long potential that will bless not only them, but will honor God himself.  Like a lot of women in the Bible, she’s risking everything she is and can become on the grace and mercy of the loving God of Boaz.  She tells him that he is her near kinsman redeemer.  In the culture of their time, God provided that male relatives would marry young widows to protect them and carry on the biological family of the deceased husband.  If you were the so-called near-kinsman, you could elect to deny your responsibility and pass it on to another.

 

True to his benevolent, protective nature, he whispers a promise to Ruth that he will not rest until he acquires her hand in marriage.  But he also advises her to leave immediately under the cover of darkness, lest this threshing floor encounter lead to vicious gossip in the village that could be damaging to her reputation.

 

Boaz’ next stop is the town gate where official legal matters were resolved and witnessed on a daily basis.  He knows for certain that there is actually someone more closely related to Ruth than himself.  He decides to be straightforward and offer the other man first choice of marrying Ruth.  But marrying a widow like Ruth could have complicated financial and estate matters for the other man, so he opts out of the deal.

 

Boaz then offers up his personal interest in Ruth and makes a deal to buy her back through the purchase of Naomi’s property.  They eventually get married and have a little baby boy named Obed.  This would be a rather lovely story even without that baby, but he is significant to the family tree of Jesus.  You see, Obed grows up and becomes the grandfather of King David, the man after God’s own heart.  And David is the great-great-great grandfather of Jesus.

 

So Boaz succeeds as a near kinsman-redeemer.  He gives Ruth a fresh start in life and a fragrant new self-image; something she could never have done on her own.  He gives her grace.

 

The beauty of this lovely story is that Boaz foreshadows the work and sacrifice of Jesus’ life and sacrifice.  You and I desperately need a second chance in life.  It’s not something we can do for ourselves.  We are even more helpless than Ruth was.  She was facing a difficult life on the street; we are facing an eternity without God due to our sin.  Only God can enter into our lives and change us from within.  He is our nearest kinsman; our redeemer.  Ruth and Boaz’ story goes on in our time as well.  Through this eternal love story, we have been asked to accept Jesus as our kinsman redeemer.

 

A final note to young people reading this story.  Ruth and Boaz are models of dating and courtship that you can aspire to.  Ladies, you need to look for a man who honors God in his personal and public life; in his business or profession and among his peers.  To the degree that your boyfriend honors God, he’ll honor and respect you as his love interest.  There are men out there who have the potential to revere the gift of women that God has given them.  Show yourself to be one who loves God above everything else and you’ll attract the finest man imaginable.  You’ll literally make your boyfriend better than he normally would be, left to his own intentions.

 

And guys, take a note from Boaz’ life.  He grew up as the son of a woman whose reputation had been soiled by many selfish, lustful men.  She didn’t want that kind of life, as is shown by her willingness to help godly foreign agents who wanted to take her city by surprise.  In them, she saw men who loved their women folk and respected her in spite of her sinful business.  Boaz no doubt had been hurt by the stories about her sordid past, but he was determined that no one would disparage her as his mother.  And he wasn’t about to stand by and let a young, impoverished widow fend for herself on the streets. 

 

I’m reminded just now about a beautiful scene in Les Miserables, the novel of grace and redemption by Victor Hugo.  A father, Jean Valjean is on the lam from the law after escaping prison punishment years before through the intervention of a priest.   His maturing daughter knows nothing of his criminal past, only his love and protection.  As she is courted and falling in love with a young suitor, she proclaims to him that “my father is a good man; I grew up in his love; his love is my home.” 

 

Guys:  could your love and faithfulness to God and your prospective wife be a home and shelter to your future children?  Will they bless you someday with their appreciation about how you loved their mother?  How you made them feel so secure in such an uncertain world?  How you prepared them for a productive life and their own strong marriages?

 

It would be about the most beautiful legacy you could possibly give them.  As you raise up and bless the woman you love, you will lift everyone around you, and honor God’s name among people.