Remember the Poor-8

God’s sovereignty is not always easy to comprehend or to see. He works in marvelous ways, even through men and women who may not be truly obeying Him. This is where this story takes us today.

Ruth 3:1  Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? 

Very interesting question! It would seem that Naomi is setting the stage for something that may seem foreign to Ruth.

3:2  "Now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids you were? Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight. 

Reminding Ruth, who already knows this, that Boaz is a kinsman seems redundant. But, Naomi also knows where Boaz would be tonight. How did she know? Why was this important for her to know?

3:3  "Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 

This is beginning to sound like entrapment or enticement. Man looks on the outside and God on the inside. Yet, Naomi doesn’t seem to be leaving anything to ‘chance’! Also, how did she know this routine?

3:4  "It shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do." 

To our 21st century ears, this sounds strange. Of course, we do not know all the customs and traditions of this period of time in the life of the nation of Israel. But, this is in the dark, sneaking into the thrashing floor, waiting until the eating and drinking is overs, and working your way under the cloak of Boaz. All without anyone seeing you and raising suspicion.

3:5  She said to her, "All that you say I will do." 3:6  So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. 

Ruth didn’t seem to question Naomi. Maybe her customs were similar in Moab. Is this what God wanted her to do? This seems to be Naomi’s way of setting a trap for Boaz. But, nothing is outside of the sovereignty of God.

We will see this more clearly as this story unfolds

More next Saturday.