Ruth is accepted by Boaz
Ruth 3:8–14
Dec 18, 2011

2. Ruth submitted to Boaz (Ruth 3:6–8)
In my last message we looked at Naomi telling Ruth how to prepare herself to propose to Boaz., to show that she was willing to have him as her husband and redeemer. As we open this study, Ruth has completed her preparations and now continues to carry out the instructions of Naomi.
Ruth 3:6 - 8
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.
The harvest season was an especially joyful time for the Jews (Isa. 9:3; 16:10), which is the way God wanted it. “The Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice” (Deut. 16:15, KJV).
Most people today live so separated from the sources of their daily food we don’t realize all that’s involved in producing it. Have you ever thought how different your meal prayers would be if you really understood all the work and hazards that went into the growing and harvesting of that food that you eat so nonchalantly?
Until quite recently the gathering of the harvest was very much a cooperative effort.  In the times of Ancient Israel, the men of the village would take turns using what was called the threshing floor. This was typically a raised platform located just outside the village and it was often on a small ridge or hill where the evening breeze would flow over it. As the men would deposit the sheaves of grain on the floor, the husks and the grain would be separated by oxen walking over it or it would be accomplished by beating the sheaves with a stick. Once the grain had become separated they would toss the grain and the husks into the air where the breeze would catch the lighter husk and carry it away from the heavier grain which would fall directly back to the threshing floor. This grain would then be gathered up to be carried away for storage or to market. The men of these harvest would work late into the evening and would in a lot of cases just go to sleep at the foot of the harvest to protect it from thieves.

In Ruth 2:10 we see Ruth fall to ground at the feet of Boaz in supreme gratitude for what he had just offered to do for her. In this chapter we see the mention of feet four more times (3:4, 7–8, 14) all in preparation of her marriage proposal. She was coming humbly to this man asking him to obey the law of the kinsman redeemer and to take her as his wife.
The act of spreading another person’s mantle over themselves was in essence claiming the owner of the mantle for yourself, especially when it came to marriage. This word mantle is also translated as Skirt or wing. In essence when Ruth refused to go back to her people and her gods in Ruth 1:16 -18, Boaz acknowledged in Ruth 2:12 that she had come under the wings of God and now she was preparing to also come under the wings or shelter of Boaz her husband.

3. Ruth listened to Boaz (Ruth 3:10–14)
In the responses of Boaz to Ruth, we see how the Lord responds to us when we seek to have a deeper fellowship with Him. Just as Boaz spoke to Ruth, so God speaks to us from His Word.
He accepts us (Ruth 3:8–10).
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 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.
There is a famous line that goes like this; “Life is full of rude awakenings!” and more than one biblical character would agree. Adam went to sleep and woke up to discover he’d been through surgery and was now a married man. Jacob woke up to discover he was married to the wrong woman! Boaz woke up at midnight to find a woman lying at his feet.
When he asked who she was, Ruth replied that she was Ruth; but she did not call herself “the Moabitess.” Now she was the “handmaid/servant” of Boaz. She was making a new beginning.
Some may ask the question, “Why did Ruth not wait for Boaz to propose to her first?” Let’s take a look at two possible reasons.
1. Ruth 3:10.
You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.
Despite the affection and concern that Boaz had shown to Ruth earlier in the field, he fully expected Ruth to go after one of the younger more eligible bachelors. Boaz you see was an older man while Ruth was a still a fairly young woman. Boaz apparently had counted himself out of the potential for marrying Ruth, but in his love for her he accepted her, even using the term of endearment by calling her “my daughter” and then pronounced a blessing upon her.
But there was one other slightly more important reason he did not count himself eligible
2. Ruth 3:12
12 And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I.
Since there was a closer redeemer, Boaz knew that he could not propose to marry Ruth no matter how much he may have loved her if there was one more legally eligible. By Ruth’s actions she now forced Boaz to make the next move and approach the nearer redeemer to get him to decide.

He assures us (Ruth 3:11–13).
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.”
In the midnight darkness, Ruth couldn’t see the face of Boaz, but she could hear his voice; and that voice spoke loving assurance to her: “Fear not!”  Not only did Boaz calm Ruth’s fears, but he also made a promise to her concerning the future: “I will do for you all that you request”
During the dark days of  Boxer Rebellion (1898 – 1901), when the workers with the China Inland Mission were experiencing great suffering, the founder James Hudson Taylor, then in his late seventies, said to some colleagues, “I cannot read; I cannot think; I cannot even pray; but I can trust.”
The term “Fear not” or its equivalent is used approximately 95 time throughout scripture. It is the word of assurance that the Lord gave to many of His servants:
to Abraham (Gen. 15:1), “Abram, don’t be afraid. I will defend you, and I will give you a great reward.”
Isaac (Gen 26:24), “I am the God of your father Abraham. Don’t be afraid, because I am with you.
Jacob (Gen 46:3),  “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make your descendants a great nation there. 4 I will go to Egypt with you, and I will bring you out of Egypt again. Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes when you die.”
Joseph (Matt. 1:20),  “Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She is pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Mary (Luke 1:30),  30 The angel told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. 31 You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name him Jesus. 32 He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
the shepherds (Luke 2:10),  The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy. 11 Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city.
In order for us to be able to “Fear not” we have to have faith in the one that can overcome and deal with the situations that cause our fears, and the only one that can do that is God our creator and the only way that happens is described in Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.
Our assurance is not in our feelings or our circumstances but in His Word.
What seemed to Naomi to be a simple procedure has now turned out to be a bit more complicated, because there was a man in Bethlehem who was a nearer kinsman. Boaz didn’t withhold this problem from Ruth, for he didn’t want her to return home with false hopes in her heart. Joy and peace that are based on ignorance of the true facts are but delusions that lead to disappointments. The great concern of Boaz was the redemption of Ruth, even if another kinsman redeemer had to do it.
Ruth had come to a cross road, she could do no more for herself than what she had already done, now it was up to what Boaz could do for her.
The one thing that we need to come to grasp with is; There is nothing that we can do for our salvation accept to be willing to offer ourselves to God and then realize that Whatever God starts, He finishes; and what He does, He does well (Phil. 1:6; Mark 7:37).
This Christmas season let us view it as the beginning of our salvation. We need to remember it was God who said how His creation could be saved, not us.
When it came to Ruth’s redemption, she had the possibility of another redeemer, but God says in Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”
As strange as Ruth’s proposal may seem to you, it was the only way in which Boaz would understand her sincere desire to be near him. And as strange as it may seem to be to you today, God has given us the simple instructions to show Him that we want to be united to Him.
As you think about all the gifts that will be given this year, let’s remember the greatest gift this world has ever known was delivered to us in a manger in the little village of Bethlehem, (house of Bread) in the land of Judah (land of Praise).
So as you think about what you are giving this Christmas season, have you considered what you can give to God? If not, What about giving yourself?