Plan one’s own path

 Ruth 3:1-9; 09/04/2022; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

 Introduction

To understand the book of Ruth, we must follow several clues to fully understand it. First, Naomi led Ruth to return home to find her husband.  Second, Boaz gradually fell in love with Ruth.  Third, God arranged the ancestors for David and even became the bloodline of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus.  Today, we will pay more attention to the journey of Naomi leading Ruth back home to find her husband.  Look at the first point:

 Mother-in-law’s love to daughter-in-law

          Naomi is not a superwoman,  and has the thoughts and feelings of ordinary people, right?    First, concern is chaos.  When people’s concern reaches a certain level, it is easy to be disturbed by it.  Ruth gave up returning to Moab.  For Naomi, she owed Ruth a favor.  In life, you are not afraid of monetary debts, but you are afraid of debt of favor, right?  Because there is no way to pay it back, it is easy to fall into the predicament of continuous cutting and chaos. Ruth was so young, she could remarry when she returned to Moab!  Now accompany me the old woman back to Bethlehem, what is this?  So, hurriedly helping Ruth find a husband, it became Naomi’s burden.  She said to Ruth: “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.”  Once people fall into such a situation of “heart debt”, they will also enter into the chaos of “concern and chaos”.   If you figure this out, you’ll understand why it’s hard to raise children, right?

         Second, the old horse knows the way.  By comparison, Naomi is certainly a bit more experienced, right?  Not only is she well versed in the affairs of men and women, but she also knows the customs of her hometown in Bethlehem very well.  Of course Naomi knew who Boaz was, as well as Boaz’s property and status in the family! Based on Naomi’s life experience, it shouldn’t be difficult to grasp the message that “tonight Boaz will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. ”  As a wealthy man, Boaz had no shortage of housekeepers and workers.  He shouldn’t go to the threshing floor for the night very often, so the opportunity is rare.  Likewise, Luther did not often spend the night outside, and it was also a rare opportunity.  As an experienced person,  Naomi certainly knows how to seize opportunities.

          Finally, do whatever it takes.  As a result, a mother-in-law taught her daughter-in-law to seduce her future son-in-law.  “Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.  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.” (Ruth 3:30-4)”  There is no need to judge, how could something like this happen to a child of God? Yes, it will happen!  Because mother-in-law loves her daughter-in-law!  I am doing this all for your own good!  Familiar, right?  As long as the motives are good, do methods and means matter?  Naomi repaid her debt,  Ruth regained her husband, and Naomi might get a son because of this!  Why not do it?  In order to achieve great things, there is no need to stick to small details.  Isn’t that the measurement in our hearts?  Look at the second point:

 Daughter-in-law submits to mother-in-law

          Ruth played a small role in Naomi’s big game, but she knew it well.  First, good motivation. In the writings of theologians of all dynasties, Ruth was almost a perfect person, and no one dared to say anything about her.  From the perspective of Ruth’s mentality, it is indeed the same!  I’m much better than my sister-in-law, right?  I take Yahweh as my God, I take the people of the kingdom of God as my relatives, and I take the Promised Land as my new home. More importantly, I also kept God’s commandments and honored my mother-in-law Naomi, right?  But I am still young after all!  It is quite natural that my mother-in-law proposed a remarriage for me!  If I did have a baby with Boaz in the future,  it would be in Naomi’s name.  I am willing to do all this!  Is there a problem?

      Second, submit to authority. “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. (Ruth 3:5) ”  Yes, Ruth was obedient!  But who is she obeying?  Some people will cite Romans 13 as the basis for submitting to the upper authorities, and require people to adopt an attitude of submission to any authority, including the genocide, anti-humanity, religious persecution and other evils committed by the regime of Antichrist.  However, in the previous book of Romans, the fifth chapter of Acts,   Peter said to the high priest:  Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!”  Ruth’s attitude of obeying her mother-in-law was right, but she should not obey her mother-in-law’s selfishness and her plans in the dark.  Under any circumstances,  people should have the right and freedom to say no, unless they agree with it.

          Finally, walk in the light.  Ruth found a reason to walk in the light for the darkness she was about to walk:  it was my mother-in-law who asked me to do it!   She bathed and changed in grandeur at her mother-in-law’s house.  Wouldn’t she just burn an incense so that Boaz would like it more? Everything is according to Naomi’s command, “When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. (Ruth 3:7)”  What is the difference between this and the corruption blockbuster staged in the wall country today?   If the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection came to investigate,   the officials could even say that they were all “under the decree of corruption and mistresses”! When the secret becomes the public,   the ugly deed becomes a public secret.  If Ruth and Boaz did the so-called “good deeds”at the suspicious place in the moonlight , the servants would not dare to say it, but what would they think?  Look at the third point:

 God finally reigns

       In fact, they don’t have to worry too much! Had Naomi been willing to pray quietly and seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness of God, the outcome would have been very different!   First, lying down per order.  Ruth went down to the field and did as her mother-in-law instructed her, which seemed reasonable.  Or, even if something did happen that night, it didn’t seem like a big deal, would it?  There was once a pair of elders who were introduced to marriage through the help of their children.  As a result, the two elderly people had a relationship on their first day.  I criticized them and blamed them for doing it wrong!   Their children said to me in turn: At such an old age, the pastor still manages so much, and they were unhappy!  Ruth was already married for the second time, and Boaz was not too young, so why take it too seriously?

          Second, being startled in the middle of the night.  Boaz ate and drank, probably drinking.   It stands to reason that the chances of Boaz waking up in the middle of the night are not high.  In a daze, it is a high-probability event to have an affair and have a relationship with Ruth who was approaching him.  However, Boaz was startled suddenly in the middle of the night, according to the Bible. When he turned over, a woman was lying at his feet.  This shows that Boaz didn’t have any thoughts about Ruth before going to bed, and he didn’t pretend to be asleep.  It’s justifiable to make a mistake after drinking!  This kind of drama should be used a lot in the business field and workplaces today, right?  The one who can revive our souls is, of course, God!  Ruth’s ancestor, Lot’s daughter, was wrong, and the people of Moab and Ammon were never allowed to enter the assembly of the Lord.  If Ruth followed the example of her ancestors today, how could the name of God be worthy of it!

          Finally, tell the reason. Now that he woke up and saw Ruth, of course he had to ask clearly.  Who are you?  Ruth said:  “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family. (Ruth 3:9)”  Some people say, male chase females, like climbing a huge mountain; while females chase male like a piece of cake.  Ruth was proposing to Boaz, and she kept her stature very low, and for good reasons. Because of God’s protection, a crisis that might have occurred was avoided.  When both men and women are talking about the reasons, they might probably calm down.

Conclusion

          Thank God!  Although Naomi and Ruth are planning their own paths.   But the way of the Lord is higher than the way of man!  Whether it is out of human love or obedience to human beings, not God, the Lord who loves us is the Lord who reigns and holds the preeminence!  “He refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)”

      Let us pray……

Ruth 3:1-9

1 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home[a] for you, where you will be well provided for. 

2 Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 

3 Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 

4 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.”

5 “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. 

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 

8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

9 “Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[b] of our family.”