RUTH 3 - RESTING IN THE RESTLESS REDEEMER
Ruth 3
Having no welfare system or social network in the ancient Middle East, God provided that the male next of kin, the “Guardian-Reedmer” was required in Israel to bear, as stated in the Jewish Encyclopedia, “any duty which a man could not perform by himself”. The guardian-redeemer was the closest next of kin who would care for even distant family members who had become orphaned, widowed, homeless and/or otherwise destitute.
What a beautiful and accurate picture of God’s offer of salvation. Unable to bear the burden of our own sins, spiritually destitute and without any means of recovery, God offers us a Guardian-Redeemer in Jesus Christ.
Ruth and Naomi have been living off the kindness of Boaz, gathering left over grain from the edges of his field as God had commanded land owners to allow (another part of God’s social safety net for the poor). Barely surviving day to day, Naomi seeks more permanent respite for herself and her young daughter-in-law, Ruth. She tells Ruth that the answer to their dilemma lies in Ruth offering herself to Boaz, a guardian-redeemer for their family. “Go down to the threshing floor,” Ruth is encouraged by Naomi, “and 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.” (v. 3-4).
What a beautiful picture of Ruth offering herself to Boaz. Likewise we are called to come and sit at the feet of our Redeemer and offer ourselves to Him. When we uncover the feet of Jesus we will find the nail holes that pierced His feet as He died upon a cross for your sins and mine.
Knowing this option, one has to wonder why Naomi and Ruth did not seek the salvation of the guardian-redeemer sooner. Instead, we are told in chapter 2 that Ruth continued to gather from Boaz’s farm through both the barley and wheat harvest. Here they were barely scraping together a survival, chasing the crumbs from the masters table, when they could have offered themselves to the master and become the mistresses of the house, with total access to all the master owns. Why wait? That is God’s offer to us. 2 Corinthians 6:2 tells us “….behold, now is the day of salvation.” And so the question arises, what is keeping us from the master’s table? Maybe you are unaware that Jesus offers to be your guardian-redeemer? Maybe you have been too scared, for fear of rejection, to come, sit at Jesus’ feet and offer yourself to Him?
But there is no rejection at the feet of Jesus. You will find only acceptance.
As God tells us in Isaiah 43, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” All God awaits is for us to recognize our place, come and rest at His feet and offer ourselves to Him. And when we do, as Naomi tells Ruth in v. 18, God “will not rest until the matter is settled today.” If that is your desire today the bible tells us How. Isaiah 59:20 tells us, “And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” Come sit at your Redeemer’s feet, turn and repent from your sins, offer yourself to Him, and you too can trade the scraps of the field for the feast of the House of our Lord.