Ruth: The Plan

Now can we turn together in our Bibles to the book of Ruth.

The Old Testament book of Ruth and chapter 3.

Book of Ruth chapter 3.

Ruth 3 · chapter mention

We've come to this next stage in our story where we think about the plan that Naomi puts in place for Ruth's future.

So Ruth chapter 3.

Ruth 3 · chapter mention

We'll read the whole chapter.

One day Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi said to her,

My daughter, I must find a home for you where you will be well provided for.

Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours.

Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.

Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes.

Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.

When he lies down, note the place where he is lying.

Then go and uncover his feet and lie down.

He will tell you what to do.

I will do whatever you say, Ruth answered.

So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,

he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.

Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

In the middle of the night something startled the man.

He turned, and there was a woman lying at his feet.

Who are you? He asked.

I am your servant, Ruth, she said.

Spread the corner of your garment over me,

since you are a guardian redeemer or a kinsman redeemer of our family.

The Lord bless you, my daughter.

He replied, this kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier.

You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.

And now, my daughter, don't be afraid.

I will do for you all you ask.

All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.

Although it is true that I am a guardian redeemer of our family,

there is another who is more closely related than I.

Stay here for the night,

and in the morning, if he wants to do his duty as your guardian redeemer,

good, let him redeem you.

But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives,

I will do it.

Lie here until morning.

So she lay at his feet until morning,

but got up before anyone could be recognized.

And he said, no one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.

He also said, bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.

When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley

and placed the bundle on her.

Then he went back to town.

When Ruth came to her mother-in-law,

Naomi asked, how did it go, my daughter?

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added,

he gave me these six measures of barley, saying,

don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.

Then Naomi said, wait, my daughter,

until you find out what happens.

For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.

Amen.

This is God's word for us this evening.

Quite likely you have heard it said that home is where the heart is.

But perhaps we recognize in a city,

maybe especially like Edinburgh,

that it's sometimes a complicated question

to find out exactly where we feel home is.

Again, recently last week I was in a coffee shop

and listening to someone talk about that,

having moved multiple times as a child

and then moved around as an adult,

moving for study and for work.

Where are one's roots?

Really easy question for some of us

and a really complicated question for others.

I guess instinctively we know

that a place that we can call home,

perhaps a people that we belong to,

that's something that we value,

and that's security, that rest.

But as we find as people,

we're moving for study and for work,

perhaps for marriage, for adventure.

The question of where to find that sense of home

can be a lot harder for people to come by.

Well, the idea of finding a home

and finding a resting place

is one of the dominant themes of the book of Ruth.

And here at the beginning of chapter 3,

we find Naomi feels responsible

to provide this home, this place of rest.

Naomi had already said that

in chapter 1, verse 9,

her desire to find for Ruth

a place of rest,

a home for her.

And now she's back to that theme.

But standing above Naomi's plan

and very much within God's plan

is that desire to give Ruth

a home from which the royal family will come,

from which David will come,

ultimately Jesus comes.

So chapter 3, we see home

as one of the dominant themes.

But there's another theme

and it's kind of connected,

the idea of the Redeemer.

So that was very much in view last week,

Ruth chapter 2,

Ruth 2 · chapter mention

here's Boaz and he's the kinsman Redeemer.

And Naomi in this chapter has this plan

and it very much brings

these two themes together.

Her hope and desire

is that in Boaz,

the kinsman Redeemer,

Ruth can find home.

And those themes we find linked

in other stories also.

Got me thinking of the Toy Story movies.

Boys and girls,

if you've watched the Toy Story movies,

there are certain themes

that keep coming back.

Either Woody or Buzz

will find themselves getting lost

because of some adventure or other.

And then either Woody or Buzz

along with the rest of the toys

have to come and rescue,

always rescuing

so that they might be brought home.

Brought home to Andy

or brought home to the rest of the toys,

whatever it might be.

But a Redeemer

who brings someone home.

And we can find that here.

But we can also, I think,

perhaps find that

in our own hearts as well.

Do we recognize that longing,

that looking for

a saviour,

someone or something

that will give us

a place of security,

someone or something

that will provide us

with a sense of identity,

someone or something

who will provide us

that rest.

Keith read for us

from Luke chapter 15.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Tim Keller

in his book,

The Prodigal God,

makes the observation

that sin

involves looking to someone else

besides God

for our salvation.

And Luke chapter 15

Luke 15 · chapter mention

in many ways

is the classic example

of two ways

that we can do that.

So we find in

the prodigal son's story

the younger son

who wants to find himself

by living wild and free

and ignoring all the rules.

And then

we find the older brother

who wants to

find his identity

by proving himself

and being super moral

and obedient.

And so we find ourselves

perhaps as people

instinctively looking

for someone or something

to save us

and to say,

I have meaning

and I have value

because of this one

or this thing.

And again,

the story of Ruth

tying in with the story

of the Bible

said that's God's desire

for us.

God's desire

that we would find

our identity,

our salvation

in the Redeemer,

Jesus,

that the Father

has provided for us.

So that's just

to set the scene.

Let's get into our text

and let's look at

the first six verses

and recognize

Naomi's plan.

Before we get there,

confession,

I am a fan

of Pride and Prejudice.

I'm not afraid to say that,

especially the BBC

dramatization,

wonderful effort.

I couldn't help

but think of

Mrs. Bennett

when thinking about Naomi.

She is the biblical

version, I think.

If you don't know

the story of Pride and Prejudice,

you meet the Bennett family

and Mrs. Bennett

is very concerned.

Her family

once

grand estate

at risk of poverty

because they only

have daughters

and so

much of the story

finds Mrs. Bennett

trying to find a match

for her girls.

Find the right man

with the right money

with the right estate.

There is

security.

Shame is not

going to come.

Naomi

understands

her and Ruth

in a very vulnerable

position.

There is no security

for them

to widows

trying hard

to survive

in Israel.

And so

Naomi

takes the initiative

in verse 1,

My daughter,

I must

find a home

for you

where you will

be well

provided for.

More than just

a house,

a place of security,

provision,

family,

love.

And it's really

interesting as the

chapter develops

this idea

that one of the

things that a

husband will do

is to provide

shelter.

In chapter 2

in verse 12

Boaz said,

May you be

richly rewarded

by the Lord

the God of Israel

under whose wings

you have come

to take refuge.

That idea of

covering and

protection

as a gift

and a blessing.

And we see very much

this is Naomi's

desire.

There will be

someone who will

cover and

protect Ruth.

She has someone

in view.

Verse 2

is Boaz.

Now Boaz

with whose women

you have worked

is a relative

of ours.

So again,

if you weren't

here,

chapter 2,

what we find

is God

in his providence,

God in his

goodness,

bringing Ruth

to come to

work in the

field of Boaz

and Boaz

coming to

the field

and desiring

to show

kindness

and favour

to Ruth.

And so Naomi

is looking at

that,

recognising

here is God's

provision,

now it's time

to act,

to seek to

find this

home from

Boaz.

And then we

get to verses

3 and 4.

And one of the

interesting things

about the Bible,

isn't it,

is it gives us

insights into

the way other

cultures work

because we have

details that

seem so

perhaps odd

to us.

We understand

Ruth putting on

perfume and

getting dressed

up,

but then the

idea of waiting

till Boaz

falls asleep

and then

sort of uncovering

his feet and

lying under the

cloak seems

unusual.

To me,

anyway,

it seems unusual.

But it's given

us a little insight

into the way

things were done

in other cultures.

Then when we

worked in Glasgow

and we worked

in an international

cafe,

we did one

week where we

explored together

different wedding

practices.

And it's really

interesting to

share cultures.

One of the great

things about living

in cities is now

you get to share

culture.

So I discovered

in China,

traditionally,

rather than

white dresses,

red dresses would

be common,

important colour

for love and

loyalty and those

kind of things.

In Uzbekistan,

we had some

Uzbek students

and they had

a ceremony

where a bride

would be,

as it were,

kidnapped by the

family and then

the groom would

have to go to

the house and

give some gifts

to redeem

the bride.

Not so far away

from redemption

prices that we

have here.

Well,

in Bethlehem,

at the time of

Ruth,

it seems like

this idea of

being covered

by a cloak,

by a garment,

it was a symbol

like, I guess,

our engagement ring.

Here is a commitment

as she wants

Boaz to give

that security,

that protection,

that provision.

And Ruth,

we learn in

verses 5 and 6,

is going to

obey,

I will do

whatever you

say.

It's a risky

scheme.

Here is a woman

going at night

into the fields,

bearing in mind

that she is a

foreigner,

she has no

natural claim

to Boaz,

his heart,

or to Boaz,

his kindness.

But she's trusting.

She's trusting that

God is working out

his good purposes,

and so she's going

to act.

And one of the

things we see as

the story develops

is behind this

bold plan

on Naomi's part

stands God's

purpose,

and we've said that

all throughout.

God has the desire

to give Ruth a home

and a place of

rest.

Because that's

something that's

dear to God's

heart.

That's something

that he wants

to give to

his people.

That's something

he wants to

give to you

and me.

It's a thread

that weaves

its way all

through the

storyline of

the Bible.

Go back to

Genesis 1 and 2,

go back to

the Garden of

Eden,

and what do we

find there?

We find Eden

was a home

for Adam

and for Eve.

It's a place

where they knew

God's kindness.

It's a place

where they knew

God's presence.

It's a place

where they were

invited into

God's rest.

God's good design.

Think about

the story of

Old Testament

Israel.

From Abraham

onwards,

what was the

great hope

and the promise?

It's the land

of Israel,

the promised

land,

a place where

they would know

peace and

security and

rest if they

would obey

God.

And then with

the coming of

Jesus,

these themes

return.

Matthew chapter

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

11,

wonderful words,

come to me,

all you who are

weary,

a burden,

and I will

give you

rest.

That rest is

found when we

take the yoke

of Jesus and

learn from

him.

Life with

Jesus,

learning from

Jesus,

being a follower

of Jesus,

is true

rest.

True rest

comes when we

know God

and we are

living life

with God,

and that's

found in

knowing

Jesus.

And then

when we

think about

the imminent

departure of

Jesus as he

anticipates the

cross and he

speaks to his

troubled disciples,

John 14,

he speaks to

them of his

father's house.

My father's

house has

many rooms,

if it were not

so,

would I have

told you?

And he says,

I'm going

there to

prepare a

place and

I'll come

back and

take you to

be with me

that you

might be

where I

am.

So now,

Jesus wants

for us when

we think about

home and rest

to think of

this is the

reality of

our future

salvation.

Future

salvation is

being at

home with

the Lord

and enjoying

perfect rest,

unbroken rest

for all

eternity.

And that

takes us all

the way to

the end of

the Bible,

to Revelation

21,

and there we

have these

wonderful words.

Look,

God's dwelling

place,

God's home,

is now

among his

people.

God himself

will be with

them and be

their God.

heaven is

home,

the new

heavens and

the new

earth are

true home

for the

people of

God.

And the

imagery that

goes in

Revelation

21 is

wedding

imagery.

Jesus is

the groom

and his

church is

his made

beautiful

bride.

So Naomi's

plan to

give Ruth a

home and

rest is

for us a

window to

see God's

greater plan

to give us

a home

and a

rest in

trusting

Jesus and

having faith

in him and

having that

hope of

future salvation,

future joy.

This is God's

promise and

it's a wonderful

promise when we

think about the

times that we

live in,

how anxious

many people

are,

how restless

so many

people are.

There is a

home,

there is

rest.

We came

across on

Netflix,

a documentary

called

Found,

which follows

the story

of three

girls who

were abandoned

as tiny

babies in

China and

ended up

being adopted

in American

families.

And then

these three,

it turned

out they were

cousins,

they made

this journey

back to

China to

try and

find their

biological

parents.

And you

know our

instinct to

find the

happily ever

after story,

you're sort

of watching this

documentary and

you're just

waiting for,

and then the

detective who's

hired finds

the family.

They never

find their

family.

There's that

longing for

home and

that connection

but it's

never found

as yet.

But I

wonder do we

recognise that

sense of

restlessness that

there often is

in our own

hearts and

then do we

see how the

promise of the

gospel is

such good

news?

in this

life we

discover yes

there is

love but

also there

is loss.

Perhaps we

find a place

where we

really feel

that we

belong but

there are

also times

where we

feel like

strangers.

And all

the way

along we

are invited

to know

and to

remember that

we were

made to

be at

home with

God now

and forever.

when we're

trusting

Christ

when he

has our

heart

we have

that promise

of an

eternal

home

of eternal

rest

that right

now we are

pilgrims

passing through

this world

is not our

home.

Where is

our true

home?

Where do we

look to find

rest?

Are we looking

to find our

rest?

In Jesus

so there's

the plan

and then the

middle section

is really the

plan in action

verses 7

to 13

so as we

said this is a

bold maneuver

it's a risky

maneuver

this is something

that happens

at night

time

what do we

find Ruth

doing in

the field?

She's tracking

Boaz's

movements

she sees

where he

goes to

sleep

she creeps

by perhaps

the other

workers

she picks

up a

corner of

his cloak

she covers

herself

and she

lies down

to wait

to wait

to see

how Boaz

will react

to wait

and see

how God's

going to

work it

all out

and then we

get verse 8

in the middle

of the night

something startled

the man

he turned

and there

was a woman

lying at

his feet

and we

perhaps know

the experience

of waking

up in the

middle of

night

were a bit

chilly

because perhaps

our feet

had been

poking out

the bed

covers

but I

can almost

rest assured

that nobody

has had

this experience

so Boaz

is startled

no surprise

verse 9

he asks

the obvious

question

who are you

it's very

dark

listen to

Ruth's

words

I am

your servant

Ruth

spread the

corner of

your garment

over me

since you

are a

guardian

redeemer

of our

family

so here

is Ruth's

request

she requests

this covering

this protection

and she

couples that

with

Boaz

you're one

of our

kinsmen

redeemers

you put

those two

things together

and what

do we

have

we have

Ruth

in effect

as a

servant

as a

foreigner

making a

marriage

proposal

to Boaz

what a

proposal

Boaz

never saw

it coming

Ruth

calls

herself

a

servant

she

knows

her

only

chance

of

success

lies

in

Boaz's

kindness

ultimately

in

God's

grace

and that's

where Boaz

comes again

as such a

wonderful

character

such a

wonderful

help to

point us

to the

character

of Jesus

what does

Boaz do

verse 10

the Lord

bless you

my daughter

this kindness

is greater

than that

which you

showed

earlier

again

here's

this word

hesed

this word

of

kindness

so his

first instinct

is to

again

praise

Ruth

for her

loyalty

and devotion

to Naomi

but also

to praise

her for

the loyalty

and devotion

now she's

showing to

Boaz

she could

have gone

after someone

younger

or richer

perhaps

but no

she's stuck

with

faithful

Boaz

and we

find

Boaz

is wonderfully

determined

to seek

her

welfare

verse 11

now my

daughter

don't be

afraid

I will

do

for you

all you

ask

he knows

there's

someone

closer

another

kinsman

redeemer

but he

promises

he's not

going to

let the

matter

drop

he's

going to

work

to

resolve

this

we

find

in

Boaz

someone

who

is

wonderfully

willing

to pay

the price

of

redemption

again

think about

the social

cost

because

Ruth is

from Moab

she's a

foreigner

she's a

natural

outsider

think about

the financial

cost

taking on

Naomi

and Ruth

but

Boaz

gladly

acts

in the

spirit

of the

kinsman

redeemer

and he

takes in

verse 13

an oath

before the

Lord

as surely

as the

Lord

lives

I

will

do it

and we

see as the

story develops

he becomes

the Lord's

means of

blessing

Ruth

of providing

for Ruth

and for

Naomi

and again

just to

pause and

to frame

this story

within the

bigger

Bible

story

because

the story

of Naomi

and Ruth

and Boaz

really takes

us to

the gospel

so many

times

perhaps

we can

think about

the reality

that

Christianity

is at

heart

a rescue

religion

it recognizes

that we

are sinful

people

and that

if there

is to

be any

hope of

us being

reconciled

to a

holy

God

we need

someone

from outside

of ourselves

to save

us

to reconcile

us

to redeem

us

our need

is far

greater than

the very

real needs

facing Ruth

and Naomi

for them

it was the

risk of

poverty

and the

lack of

having someone

to keep

on a

family line

insecurity

poverty

but for

us we

need to

understand

that by

nature

because of

our sin

we stand

in a

position of

guilt

before a

holy

God

without

Jesus

we stand

condemned

before

the

righteous

judge

under

his

righteous

anger

ultimately

without

Christ

heading

for

eternal

homelessness

eternal

restlessness

in hell

away from

God

and everything

that is

good

and we

need to be

aware of

that

we need

to be

aware of

the urgent

need that

we all

face

to be

right with

God

to find

the right

redeemer

our hope

and our

rescue

does not

lie

within

ourselves

it's not

let me

try a

little bit

harder

let me

turn over

a new

leaf

let me

begin

some

religious

practices

no we

need

our

kinsman

redeemer

we need

Jesus

to take

on flesh

to dwell

among us

ultimately

to die

for us

and we

discover

in Jesus

one who

is willing

to pay

the redemption

price

as we're

told in

the book

of

first

Peter

we're

redeemed

not with

silver

gold

but by

the precious

blood of

the Lord

Jesus

Jesus

is the

one who

covers us

not with

a garment

but with

the garment

of his

spotless

righteousness

so we

can be

welcomed

and loved

as Jesus

himself

is loved

and Jesus

has so

acted

in his

death and

resurrection

that he

has secured

for us

an eternal

home

and eternal

rest

that we

receive by

faith

before moving

on

maybe it's

worth us

thinking about

the character

of the

church that

this should

produce

when we

think about

someone like

Boaz

shouldn't we

want to be

this kind

of community

where we

are actively

looking to

extend grace

kindness

that crosses

countries and

cultures

that reaches

to the

lonely

and to

the isolated

where we're

pointing by

our words

and our

actions to

Jesus the

Redeemer

to where

home and

rest is to

be found

Paul in

2nd Corinthians

5 says

that we're

ambassadors of

Christ and

we're agents

of reconciliation

therefore we

have this

calling to

serve others

like Boaz

to seek

their welfare

like Boaz

to seek

to honour

like Boaz

that others

might come

under the

wings of

God and

find rest

with him

we come to

the last

section from

verse 14

to verse

18

again

if Naomi

reminded me

of Mrs

Bennett

I couldn't

help but

think of

Hannibal

from the

A team

some of

us I'm

sure are

old enough

to remember

Hannibal

every episode

same line

usually with

a cigar in

his mouth

I love it

when a plan

comes together

and don't

we see

the wonderful

way that

God has

been working

out his

plan and

Naomi begins

to appreciate

remember she

started off

with that

sense of

bitterness

towards

God

but now

God is

working for

her and

she can see

it and

she knows

this is

going to

end well

but picture

Naomi here

is Ruth

she's just

got up

she's got

her barley

she's coming

back home

we can imagine

Naomi can't

we up all

night waiting

to see Ruth

coming waiting

to find word

so verse 16

when Ruth came

to her mother-in-law

Naomi asked

how did it go

my daughter

then she

told her

everything

Boaz had

done for

her and

added

he gave

me these

six measures

of barley

saying don't

go back to

your mother-in-law

empty handed

that barley

is a message

to Naomi

it's a message

of Boaz's

commitment

to her

family

commitment

to act

a sign

of good

faith

and our

chapter ends

with waiting

Naomi said

wait my

daughter

until you

find out

what happens

for the

man will

not rest

until the

matter is

settled

today

she

understands

the character

of Boaz

here is a

redeemer who

will not

wait

he'll not

keep us

waiting

he is going

to work

and to make

sure that

Ruth and

Naomi

will be

redeemed

so here is

Naomi looking

back on this

plan which

was a bold

plan but

ultimately we

know it was

God's plan

remember that

the way Ruth

is written

it reminds us

at the end

that Naomi and

Ruth are

connected to

the royal

family

to the line

of David

God had this

plan to

establish

his royal

line

the king

after his

own heart

ultimately

Jesus

his son

and saviour

as king

and this is

all part

of God's

wonderful

redemption

story

the story

of Ruth

and Boaz

is a great

love story

but there is

a greater

love story

standing

over

and above

it

God's

love story

the story

of Jesus

the son

who left

his home

left his

place of

rest

leaving

glory

the glory

of heaven

coming to

earth

ultimately

to pay

the

ultimate

price

giving

his

life

to

redeem

foreigners

like us

foreigners

to God's

grace

foreigners

to God's

promises

without hope

and without

God

in the world

except for

God's

grace

and God's

redeeming

love

Ephesians

5

speaking of

how

marriage

points us

to the

gospel

speaks of

Jesus

as the

bridegroom

who loves

his church

his bride

who gives

himself

for his

bride

who has

washed

his bride

clean

and will

present her

to himself

as holy

and beautiful

home

and rest

found in

eternal

fellowship

with

the Lord

Jesus

that's

where

God's

love

story

ends

for the

church

and you

know

just as

we leave

the story

with that

promise

that Boaz

as redeemer

will not

rest

until the

job is

done

Jesus

our redeemer

is not

resting from

his work

today

Jesus

is still

praying

for his

church

his bride

Jesus

is still

sending

his spirit

to his

church

Jesus

is still

calling

others

home

to himself

and we

know that

Jesus

ultimately

will not

rest

until all

his people

his whole

church

throughout

history

is at

home

with

him

his

love

for us

is so

great

that he

has bound

his heart

to the

heart

of the

church

he has

bound

his

joy

to

ours

so as

we

enjoy

this

wonderful

love

story

let's

remember

God's

great

love

for his

church

and we'll

come back

next week

to see

how it

all

finishes

now

let's

pray

together

Lord

our

God

we thank

you that

throughout

the

Bible

there are

so many

stories

and pointers

and pictures

towards

your

redeeming

love

thank you

that Jesus

taught us

to read

the Old

Testament

and to

see him

as the

fulfillment

and so

we are

glad

to recognize

that Boaz

is just a

faint shadow

of Jesus

the perfect

Redeemer

thank you

for his

willingness

to act

as our

kinsman

Redeemer

thank you

for his

willingness

to go

to the

cross

to pay

the

redemption

price

to free

us from

our sin

by his

precious

blood

thank you

for his

ongoing

commitment

to his

church

his bride

thank you

that he

will

present

us to

himself

in the

end

holy

and

beautiful

Lord

in those

days

when we

feel

restless

and

homeless

may we

recognize

that you

are drawing

our hearts

to find

our rest

in you

that while

we can

place

so much

time

and energy

on

building

a house

today

may we

be so

much more

careful

to be

preparing

for our

eternal

home

give us

that wisdom

and give

us that

joy

increase

our

understanding

of your

great love

for us

we pray