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12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Also he said, “Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city. ~ Ruth 3:12-15
Today, we return to our study of Ruth 3 where Ruth has just made it known to Boaz that if he were to ask for her hand in marriage, she would say, "Yes." Ruth was a picture of the sinner who is saved as a result of asking the Lord to come into his life. And, although Boaz gave full and clear indication that he was going to ask for her hand in marriage, there was wrinkle about to be made known which could jeopardize it.
In v.12 of today's passage we read, "Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I."
As with any great story there are always twists that creates opportunity for God to show Himself strong on the behalf of those who depend upon Him. These twists could be looked upon as frustrations and disappointments, but a life of trusting in the God of the Bible renders a different perspective. Rather than seeing the interruptions as disappointments, faith in the God of the Bible says the disappointments are more opportunities for God to show Himself strong in the life of the trusting believer.
The twist in the story of Ruth is that Boaz knew that there was another relative who could have been the Kinsman Redeemer. We do not know who the other Kinsman was, we are not told of his identity but we do know that he was somebody in the chain in the family tree who was a closer relative than Boaz. So according to the law, Boaz had to use deference and pass it on to him first to see if he wanted to do it.
In Isaiah 45:2-3 we read, "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron . . . That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel."
God has always performed the work of restoration and redemption is the lives of His trusting children. Isaiah wrote, "He makes crooked places straight." And, in order for Him to make crooked places straight, the place has to be made crooked. And, the crooked place here was there was an unnamed relative who legally should have been the Kinsman Redeemer. God uses the trials of life to condition our hearts for His holiness and to increase our spiritual maturity. Our trials are also designed to wean us from our dependence of this world and ourselves.
In v.13 of today's passage we read, "Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning."
These words of Boaz to Ruth were for her concern. We like Ruth are actually alone and destitute in this world. No matter how much we think we might have, even if our bank accounts are overflowing now, there are no guarantees that it will continue. Ruth understood this, but often we fail to see it.
In v.14 of today's passage we read, "So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, 'Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.'"
During the night Ruth laid at the feet of Boaz and awaited his directions. To sit at the feet of someone indicates a desire to learn from that person. It is the place of submission and even servitude. This was where Ruth was that night as she spent the rest of her night pondering how the events of the next day would unfold. This is what it is like for the believer in Christ; daily anticipating His next move in our lives as we are poised to follow His lead into this great adventure with Him that awaits us.
At the earliest showing of light, Ruth "arose" or literally "stood up." The intent was to depart before the shadows turned to recognizable faces. The Hebrew here reads "before one could recognize another." This means Ruth's early departure was a necessary precaution to preserve her integrity.
In v.15 of today's passage we read, "Also he said, 'Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.' And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city."
Before Ruth was to depart from Boaz, he asked for Ruth’s shawl. The word translated "shawl" is used only twice in the Bible. This was a garment that was placed over her shoulders, or maybe tied around her waist that could be used to carry the grains. This particular word literally means to "bear" such as in having children and it was useful for Ruth to carry the barley into the city.
The word ephah is not in the original text. An ephah equates to about a bushel of wheat. One ephah, or one bushel, would be as much as Ruth could carry in a basket, just as she did at the end of her first day of labor in the fields. Unless Ruth had unseen strength, there was no way she could carry six ephahs of barley into the city. The unit of measurement here is not what is most significant. What was important here was Ruth was seen coming from the threshing floor with the barley grain.
Barley is specified here because of what it pictures. Barley is a picture of the resurrection of Christ because according to Leviticus 23 barley was what was presented at the Feast of Firstfruits. This first sheaf came from the first mature crop of barley.
In 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 we read, "20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming."
The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits by being the firstfruits of the resurrection. Others in the Bible (such as Lazarus and Jairus' daughter) had been raised from the dead prior to Christ's resurrection but they were resurrected back into their old bodies which would eventually die again. The Lord Jesus was the first to be raised into a new resurrection body, never to die again!
Oh, the wisdom of God who created the grains, who ordained the time the grains would come forth, and who designed them with particular traits, each resembling the work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The grains and a trillion other items in nature have all been created and ordained to show us truths about God's Son the Lord Jesus Christ who is the main theme of all of the Scriptures.
