Woven and Spun, Part 2

Previously in the Written on Our Hearts Series: Intro; Rahab: Got Labels? and That Prostitute is My Grandma; Ruth: Hang On, Woven and Spun Part One

Last week we started looking at Ruth’s eternal definitions in “Woven and Spun, Part One” (click to read).  In summary, we saw how God redeemed Ruth from being foreign to known. Ruth’s growing reputation went from foreigner to loyal and hard working, and it happened to catch the attention of Boaz. Also, God redeemed Ruth from being poor to favored. Boaz unreservedly gave Ruth protection in his fields and more than enough provision.This week we look at how God redeems Ruth from being a widow and childless.

As we finish up, don’t forget to look for the shadows of Christ in the story– Please leave a comment and share what you see!

From Widow to Fought For

A satisfied Ruth returns with an abundance of barley, and she told Naomi all that happened to happen that day. When Ruth mentions Boaz, Naomi remembers or recognizes him as a close relative of Elimelech, someone who could redeem them. So, Ruth continued to glean in Boaz’s field until the end of the harvest season. Hope sprung in Naomi’s heart that day, pumping life back through dry, bitter places. Naomi begins to mentor Ruth in the redemption process. One day, finally, her instructions to Ruth were to wash and anoint herself, get dressed, lay at Boaz’s feet, and wait until he tells you what to do. Ruth responds, “All that you say I will do.” (Ruth 3:1-5)

Boaz wakes up at midnight and notices a woman at his feet! (I include the exclamation point because the Bible does—the author got really excited about this part of the story. So great!) He asks, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” (Ruth 3:9, ESV)

I’m about to get my nerd on, fair warning. The word wings here can be translated more literally as “garment” or “skirt”. Many Bible translations rightfully do so because to cover someone with a garment was an act of protection / covenant in this culture. But it is also translated “wings” by other Bible translations because Ruth uses the same Hebrew word, kanap, that Boaz did a few verses back in the story. When Boaz first noticed Ruth in the field he says to her, “The Lord repay you for what you’ve done, a full reward be given you by the Lord…whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:12)

In this glorious moment, the temporary, literal covering Boaz can offer Ruth and that Ruth is asking for is mirroring…shadowing…prophetically screaming of the eternal covering we have in Christ.

Ruth’s level of loyalty also deepens with her request of Boaz. She has gone from loyalty to Naomi, Naomi’s people, Naomi’s God, to being willing to be loyal to Boaz as well. Boaz recognizes this personal level of loyalty and responds, “You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether rich or poor. Now…do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask…” (Ruth 3:10). We can, also, mirror Ruth’s act of humility to our own discipleship journey. Some of us became Christians because of our upbringing and family traditions. Others became Christians because of an outstanding moment of faith and declaration. Regardless of how we started our relationship with Jesus, it will only last if we continue to deepen our level of loyalty. Discipleship is an up close and personal type of relationship.

It wasn’t enough, though, for Ruth to ask Boaz to be their kinsman-redeemer. It wasn’t enough for Boaz to agree. There was a legal matter that needed to be resolved. Boaz was a redeemer, but there was another relative that was closer and had the right to redeem Ruth before Boaz. He sets out to settle the matter, “…for [Boaz] will not rest but will settle the matter today.” (Ruth 3:18) At the gate of the city, in front of witnesses and elders, Boaz’s confronts the closer relative about Naomi and Ruth. In short, the closer relative gives up his right to redeem Naomi and Ruth because he doesn’t want to impair his own inheritance. So Boaz publicly “buys” or redeems Naomi and Ruth from the closer relative.

There is something profound about Boaz’s untainted kindness. He lavished protection and provision on Ruth, but it was never controlling. When the offer came for him to be a redeemer, Boaz didn’t take a short cut or make a deal under a table. The transaction took place at the gate (Ruth 4:1) in front of witnesses (Ruth 4:11). There was no question about Boaz becoming the kinsman-redeemer. Boaz legally and publicly fought for Ruth.

From Childless to Mother of Generations

The community of Israel is quite remarkable. Loyalty runs deep in her history, present, and future. I see it in two ways as this story concludes. One, at Boaz’s very public redemption transaction, the elders say, “May the Lord make [Ruth], who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel…and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that Lord will give you by this young woman.” (Ruth 4:11-12)

What an incredible blessing from the elders of Israel. This foreign widow is now being grafted into Israel’s very own genealogy because of her loyalty and the kindness of Boaz. Ruth 4:13 says that God gave Ruth conception and she bore a son named Obed. Obed will become the father of Jesse, who will become the father of David.

But wait! There’s more!

The second way we see the deep loyalty in Israel’s community is with Naomi. Remember how she said to women of the city I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty? (Ruth 1:21) When Obed is born to Ruth and Boaz, the same women turn to Naomi and bless her, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer…[Obed] shall be to you a restorer of life and nourisher of your old age.” Then Naomi took Obed and became his nurse, and the women said, “…a son has been born to Naomi.” (Ruth 4:14-17)

When God redeems, no one is left out. When we are loyal to community with God and to community with his people, everybody gets a part of the blessing. Boaz and Ruth are in the blood line of Jesus, but Naomi got to nurse that bloodline.

So, maybe you can relate to Ruth’s temporary circumstances of loss and change. Maybe you identify more with Naomi’s emptiness. If so, I pray you can also see what God can do with every miserable detail. He takes the threads of our past, our present, our future, and marries them to his past, his present, his future IF we pursue him, go with him, stay with him. We become woven and spun into his story in such a brilliant way that we are a detailed, unforgettable part of whole Kingdom of God.

Maybe you relate more to Boaz, and you’ve been waiting for someone to lavish your love upon. Your patience resembles the love of Christ. While you wait, meanwhile…, you are demonstrating to those around you qualities of love: patience, kindness, and not insistent on its own way. (1 Corinthians 13)

Shadows of Christ

When Jesus became human, he became our goel…our kinsman-redeemer. The Trinity did not take a short cut when it comes to redeeming us. Jesus’ public life and death covered all the legalities of our redemption. We have been bought back from the curse of sin because Jesus, our kinsman-redeemer, fought for us. Under his wings we have all the protection and provision we need and then some.

How do you see the work of Christ in the story or Ruth?

(Resource Referral: One of my favorite study tools for the book of Ruth is The Prophetic Romance by Fuchsia Pickett. It’s crazy thorough and full of revelation.)