Ruth 3:1-18
1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncovera his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turnedb himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the cityc of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
15 Also he said, Bring the vaild that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.
16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
Ruth 1-4
The Book of Ruth is a love-story told in four Chapter s. It gives us a glimpse of everyday life in Bethlehem; in home and in harvest-field, in its general gossip and its law-suits, more than three thousand years ago.
I. Glancing back over the lines of this sweet and pure pastoral idyll, we feel that rarely did human story more impressively demonstrate the unspeakable worth of lowly folk, the fine and favourable issues of seemingly suppressed lives, the hidden wealth of true and unobtrusive souls, for nations and for the race. Notoriety counts for nothing in the sum of things. The world's future lay more in quiet Bethlehem, with Naomi and Ruth, than it did at the headquarters of Judge Eli. Let us not despise ourselves. God does not, and our future is with Him. Every name is historic in His estimate.
II. But we are not near enough to the heart of this story to hear its beat and feel its warmth, until we see that it is a true and tender, pure and heroic woman's love that gives such grace to these Hebrew homes and confers such peerless worth on these lowly lives. The spell of the Book of Ruth is Ruth herself, and the chief charm of Ruth is her unselfish and devoted love.
III. Life and love lead to God. For life is God's gift, and love is of God's nature. "We love, because He first loved us." This is true of the love in the home as much as of the love of the Church. All pure and unselfish love comes from God and leads to God.
Thus the story of Ruth is a fragment in a missionary report. It tells of the conversion of a Gentile and illustrates the wisest way of winning souls. God saves the world by love, and we cannot succeed by departing from His method and ignoring His Spirit. Naomi is a typical home missionary, and Ruth is the pattern and prophecy of the success that crowns wise and loving labour.
J. Clifford, Daily Strength for Daily Living,p. 119.
References: Ruth 1:1. Clergyman's Magazine,vol. x., p. 279. Ruth 1:1. Expositor,1st series, vol. ii., p. 81 (also S. Cox, The Book ofRuth,p. 43). Ruth 1:1. Lady A. Blackwood, Sunday Magazine,1885, p. 271.Ruth 1:1. Parker, vol. vi., p. 185.Ruth 1:2. Homiletic Magazine,vol. xi., p. 15.Ruth 1:6. Expositor,1st series, vol. ii., p. 92 (also S. Cox, The Book of Ruth,p. 63). Ruth 1:8. W. M. Statham, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xv., p. 136; Old Testament Outlines,p. 60. Ruth 1:14. Spurgeon, Morning by Morning,p. 350. Ruth 1:14. Sunday Magazine,1885, p. 271.Ruth 1:16. R. M. McCheyne, Additional Remains,p. 267; Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes,p. 54; Homiletic Magazine,vol. xiv., p. 49. Ruth 1:16; Ruth 1:17. G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons,p. 125; Preacher's Monthly,vol. iv., p. 31; Congregationalist,vol. vii., p. 656. Ruth 1:19. W. M. Statham, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xv., p. 105; J. Van Oosterzee, Year of Salvation,vol. ii., p. 414; G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons,p. 283.Ruth 1 Parker, vol. vi., p. 198. Ruth 2:1. Expositor,1st series, vol. ii., p. 165 (also S. Cox, The Book of Ruth,p. 81).