The Life Redeemed

The Life Redeemed Ruth 3 Cascades Fellowship CRC, JX MI February 16, 2003 When I was in the service, I went home to West Virginia over a long weekend. I had been in the Navy about three years or so – just long enough for my face to become unfamiliar in a small town. As was my habit, I left Norfolk with about 7 bucks in my pocket, knowing I could get money from an ATM in Elkins, the city closest to my Mom and Dad’s house. However, when it came time to reinvigorate my cash flow – and in that time cash flowed pretty freely from me, now much to the chagrin of my wife – I decided I didn’t want to pay the ATM fees. Why throw money away on fees when I could spend it whimsically on things frivolous, but fun? I went to the local Kroger’s – the place where I had always cashed my checks when I lived in the area. They would know me – and besides, I had my military ID, the guarantee that whatever check I wrote would be covered. If a sailor’s check bounced, so did his career and the military would garnish his wages to make sure it got paid in full. I confidently strode up to the customer desk and wrote out my check, signing it with a flourish. As a single, noncommissioned officer in the Navy, finances were not a problem. I slid the check along with my ID card across the counter and waited to hear the soft crinkle of money being counted. Dead silence ensued. The customer service person scanned my check, then my card and then me. Apologetically she handed it all back to me and said, “I can’t cash

this.” “Why?” I said. “I used to cash checks for more than this all the time here.” I mistakenly thought that I had written the check for too large a sum – could I have been more arrogant? “It’s an out of state check,” she said simply. I was stunned. I began to stammer something about being good for the money and that the government would make sure that they got paid. Then I railed against a store in a major tourist area – the middle of ski country – not accepting out of state checks. How did they intend to capitalize on out of state business? By the time I had finished my tirade, I think I had referred to people who would enforce such a policy as something that rhymes with boron. Anyway, as I was venting, an idea came to me. “What if I put my permanent address and phone number on the check?” I asked. “Do you live there?” she asked. “When I am in town. It’s my parent’s house.” “What are your parents’ names?” “Cecil and Dorothy Lanham,” I replied tiredly. I was getting frustrated. Little did I know I had spoken the name that would throw open all the doors and grant me access to my every desire. “You’re Cecil’s son? Why didn’t you say so in the first place? Let’s see that check again.” With just the simple mention of my Dad’s name, I had suddenly gained entry into that inner-circle that always gets its checks cashed. I could write checks until

the cows came home, so long as I mentioned my Dad’s name first. I was now part of the homeboy network! I’m not sure what that story has to do with our text – possibly nothing, I’ll let you be the judge – but it’s one that has a number of applications. Through that one episode I gained a wealth of life experience. Besides, I love that story and enjoy telling it. All that aside, this morning we continue our series on Ruth, taking a look at chapter three. Within the story of Ruth, the scene played out for us in chapter three is the most controversial. In a story all about the noble character of the Ruth, this chapter injects a little of the risqué.

We find here activity that titillates, that excites our

imagination. We read this chapter almost breathlessly, so packed is it with intrigue and – quite frankly – the possibility of innuendo. There is a sexual tension in this chapter that doesn’t escape our notice, nor should it. You can be certain that the narrator didn’t intend for it to escape our notice. To get us in the proper frame for our exploration of chapter three, let’s recap our story. In chapter one, we have the story of how Naomi was emptied of all hope and life. After leaving the Promised Land with her family because of famine, she returns bereft of her husband and sons. Only Ruth, her widowed daughter-in-law, remains to her. She is bitter in life and with God. And her bitterness prohibits her from seeing how God is working her suffering into the good he promised those who love him. Then in chapter 2, Ruth shows the quality of her character and the value of her place in Naomi’s life. Ruth goes into the fields to glean in obedience to God’s Law. Her faithfulness and diligence win her favor in the eyes of Boaz, a wealthy relative of

Elimelech – the deceased husband of Naomi. Boaz blesses Ruth and ultimately Naomi by taking Ruth under his protection and providing the means by which she can supply the basic needs of both widows. When Naomi hears that Elimelech is the benefactor of Ruth, she breathes her first words of hope in the story. “He is a kinsman-redeemer.” Kinsman-redeemer. What exactly is a kinsman-redeemer and what does it mean to be a kinsman-redeemer? Look with me at Leviticus 25:25 and then at Deuteronomy 25: 5-7. If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold. If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel. When a person found himself in debt up to his ears in ancient Israel, he not only sold off his property, he also sold himself and his family into slavery to satisfy his debt. Or when a man died without an heir, his land became for all intents and purposes ownerless because ownership was accounted through the men. So a widow, even though her husband owned much, was essentially landless once the husband died and her survival depended upon the kindness of her family. The kinsman-redeemer could “redeem” or buy back the one enslaved, restoring him to his rightful place in the covenant community by paying off his debt.

The

redeemer could also to buy the lands of his deceased relative and marry his widow, holding the land in trust until the first male child born to him and his brother’s widow

was old enough to assume the inheritance. In doing so, the covenant of God with his people was maintained. Now, with this definition under our belt, let’s turn our attention to our story. Chapter three begins with a whole new twist. Where in chapter two, it was Ruth who instigated things, in chapter three it is a revitalized Naomi. Just as it was significant that Ruth took the initiative to glean, as God’s Law provided, we should note that it is Naomi who shows initiative here. Primarily, because it indicates a change of heart in her – a restored hope. Naomi has walked long in the valley of shadow and death. She has become accustomed to darkness. As the psalmist called out in Psalm 42, her tears have been her food day and night and her faith has been assailed by the question burning in her heart “Where is your God?” Finally, Naomi begins to see where God has been. Beside her all the way, providentially granting protection, granting sustenance and granting redemption from the pit of despair. So deep was her despair, she claimed complete emptiness.

She could offer

nothing to Ruth. No chance of marriage and children. No chance of a life lived within the covenant blessings of God. The only thing Naomi could offer was darkness. Call me Mara. Naomi forgot that God always redeems his people. Naomi forgot that the one beloved of God, the one called according to his purpose, always has the hope of redemption to offer. Then she heard the name Boaz. Allow me to just interject something quickly. If the person recently made new in Christ or the person who has yet to know Christ, if he or she were to watch you in the crises of life, would they sense your hope? I don’t mean the sort of mustered hope where

we bravely spout the platitudes of the Christian faith while inside we are dying. I mean real, abiding hope springing from the reality of our redemption. The calm assurance, even in the face of the tempest that comes from knowing that regardless of how you weather the storm, you are in the hands of God. That peace that passes all understanding – as the Scriptures put it – that allows you to say Lord’s Day 1 with conviction and to draw comfort from the fact that in life and in death, body and soul you belong to your faithful Savior Jesus Christ. Does Lord’s Day 1 bring you comfort? Does knowing you are redeemed give you strength for hard times? You see, that’s what Naomi forgot, she was so wrapped up in her pain. She didn’t remember that in life and in death, she belonged to God. So she could draw no comfort from belonging to God’s redeemed people. She couldn’t access the promises and as a result, she failed to extend them to her daughters-in-law. Orpah in the face of such despair fled back home to seek solace in the arms of her family. Ruth, however, flung herself completely upon the mercy of Yahweh. And the strong arms of a Savior caught her. By taking the initiative, Naomi indicates that she is back in the game. She sees her God at work, redeeming his people and she is ready to engage life as she is called to do as one of God’s own. Like Maverick in the final dogfight scene of the movie Top Gun, she has awakened from her long night of despair and is ready to do her duty. She takes up her role as Ruth’s mother-in-law and begins working toward restoring Ruth’s fortunes through the kinsman-redeemer. Naomi begins to walk in the obedience of the redeemed life – a life given to God in faith and love.

Now the real question is what does Naomi have Ruth do? This is the part of the story that really piques our interest. There are a number of interpretations for what happens next in the story – most them informed by the explicit sexuality of the modern day. But the narrator does leave some wiggle room for interpretation – purposely. His use of word pictures from the culture of his day that alluded to eros, or the sensuality of lovers, captivates his readers so fully that the overarching picture being presented can get missed. But I am getting ahead of myself here. Naomi advises Ruth to go and get herself cleaned up, gussied up and dressed up and then to head down to the threshing floor to put the moves on Boaz. But is that what she is really doing? If you read 2 Samuel 12:20, you will note an interesting thing being said about King David. After the son born of his illicit union with Bathsheba dies, David gets up, cleanses himself, puts on lotions, and changes clothes – indicating that his time of mourning has passed. Now look at what the narrator has Naomi instruct Ruth to do in v.3 “…Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes….” Many have said that Naomi instructs Ruth to make herself up to be attractive – to essentially play the part of the harlot. But in the Ancient Near East, it often fell to the family of the deceased husband to tell a young widow when she could put aside her mourning garb and reenter regular society. It was only after her in-laws indicated that her period of mourning was over that she could signify she was eligible for courtship by cleansing herself, putting on perfumes, and the more festive raiment of the eligible bachelorette. Naomi is telling Ruth that her period of mourning is over and that she is ready to wed again.

Now move along here. We know that Naomi then tells Ruth to go down to the threshing floor and to wait until Boaz is properly cheerful from the wine that flowed freely in celebration of the harvest. Then she was to mark where he laid down and under the cover of darkness, go and “uncover his feet” and lay next to them. Here is where the story gets dicey, because the phrase “uncover his feet” was euphemistic in that day and age for sexual behavior.

Indeed, by doing such a thing, Ruth was proclaiming in

language Boaz could never misconstrue that she was making herself available to him. Now, in Naomi’s scheme, Ruth was to say nothing. She was simply to wait upon Boaz to tell her what to do. She wants Ruth to present herself as vulnerable and available – no questions asked. But Ruth, God bless her, she is wiser than Naomi gives her credit. When Boaz wakes up with a start and realizes that there is this desirable young creature at his feet who has sent him a clear message of her availability, look at what Ruth says to him.. Reading from v.9 I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.” Do you see what she does here? In one fell swoop she diffuses the sexual tension by pointing out the duty of Boaz. To “spread the corner of your garment” over someone was to offer them shelter – to protect them. Interestingly enough, the word in the Hebrew translated as “the corner of you garment” in the same word that Boaz uses when he says in chapter two that Ruth has sought refuge under God’s wings. The implication of her statement is all to clear to Boaz. He has prayed that God would reward Ruth richly for her life of obedience and selfless dedication to Naomi. Ruth is now telling Boaz that it is

through him that the prayer he uttered is to be answered. No wonder he calls her a woman of noble character. Now, allow me to note just a few points about the end of the chapter and then we will take a moment to pull back and look at the overall picture. There are two things to note about the end of this chapter. The first is that Boaz begins fulfilling the role of the kinsman-redeemer immediately. He protects Ruth by having her stay near to him for the night. Then, he rises early with her to send her home before someone wakes and begins to speculate. He guards her against the slander of idle minds and tongues who are far too willing to believe the worst, regardless of the truth of the matter. The second thing to note is the fullness of Naomi’s faith. The same Naomi who rushed down to Moab in the midst of the famine now tells Ruth to wait. Allow the structures that God has put in place to do their work. I can almost hear her saying to Ruth, “We have done everything the Law requires of us. Now we need to allow Boaz the opportunity to fulfill his part. He is a worthy man, he will not rest until it is done.” Now, what is the overarching picture presented to us in chapter three of Ruth – that which we said could get overlooked in such a saucy chapter. Simply this, there is a Redeemer. God has provided. Naomi, when she was lost in despair and incapable of helping herself. When she had exhausted her every resource and still found herself wanting – when she could do nothing for herself – God provided a redeemer. Once Naomi heard the name Boaz, she recognized in that name the hope redemption. When I had exerted every ounce of credibility I had my disposal – even after I had groused and growled in dissatisfaction – the only way I could find to make up for my

lack of clout was to speak the name of my dad. Once I realized the power of his name in the town of Elkins, I had all the clout I needed to cash my checks at whim. When we had fallen into sin and found that no amount of good works or obedience could save us – that we owed a debt so great we could not possibly repay, God himself became our kinsman-redeemer. In the incarnation, he put on flesh and bone and walked among us so that he could identify fully with us. He understands our weaknesses, our struggles, our pain, and our fears. He became one of us so that he could redeem us – so that he could pay the wage of our sin with his own body, with his own life, on the cross. S.D. Gordon, a Boston preacher, once told a story about a birdcage. He saw a young boy carrying the cage with several small wild birds in it. He asked the boy what he planned to do with the birds. “I’m going to play with them,” he replied. “Have some fun with them.” “But after that?” the preacher persisted. “Oh, I have some cats at home and they like birds,” said the boy. Compassion tugged at the preacher’s heart and he began to bargain for the cage with the birds. “Mister,” said the boy, surprised “you don’t want these birds. They’re ugly… just field birds. They don’t sing our anything.” Dr. Gordon persisted and finally struck a bargain and purchased the cage. At the first opportunity, he released the birds back into the wild. Then Dr. Gordon interpreted his story this way: “What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked. “I’m going to play with them, tease them, make them marry and divorce, fight and kill each other. I’ll teach them to throw bombs at each other, “ Satan replied. “And when you get tired of playing with them?” Jesus asked. “Then I’ll condemn them,” Satan answered, “They’re no good anyway.” Jesus then asked Satan what he would take for them. “You can’t be serious,” the devil responded. “They would just spit on you. They’d hit you and hammer nails into you. They’re no good.” “How much?” Jesus asked again. “All your tears and all your blood. That’s the price,” Satan said gleefully. Jesus paid the price, and set us free. There is a Redeemer. Have you gone to him and asked, “Spread the corner of your garment over me?” Have you asked to be redeemed? If you have, live the life of the

redeemed. A life that radiates with the quiet confidence of knowing that you belong, body and soul, in life and in death to your faithful Redeemer. Remember, that Jesus is your kinsman-redeemer. Call on him in the day of trouble. If have not come to the Kinsman-Redeemer and asked him to spread the “corner of his garment over you,” today is your day. Christ has already paid the debt – he has already done all that is necessary. You need only receive it. Call on him and start enjoying the life of the redeemed today. Cast yourself upon the grace and mercy of God. Strong arms will catch you and you will live in the loving embrace of the KinsmanRedeemer.