… he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her …
Part
Nine – Sent Away Full
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 vail
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
3:14-18)
Ruth, as a type of the Church centered between the time of the Judges (a
lawless time) and the time of the Kings (a time of too much of man's law and
not enough of God's) is a fascinating narrative of virtue, loyalty, love, and
God's Sovereign Grace. The modern church has fallen woefully short of the
example set by Ruth in all of these qualities. We have ventured from the basis
of having God as our King to social and political concerns taking His place in
our spiritual lives. Political Correctness and downtrodden family morals have
emerged as a new poison in our feasts of insincere worship and man-centered
theology. Ruth kept a single eye to the one that her mother-n-law counseled (a
foreshadowing type of the Holy Ghost), and she never turned her head to
another. Moreover, she followed implicitly the counsel of Boaz just as the
Church should do toward Christ.
It has always been a sinful trait of human nature to forget the essentials of
faith in One who bled and died for them, and to reach out to new and wicked
sins of the flesh and appetite. Now that five black-robed infidels have
declared homosexual marriage worthy of legal respect and acknowledgment, see
how quickly the churches fall into line without whimper or objection. In fact,
they may even rush to embrace the new licentiousness - bowing the knee to their
new master, Mammon.
There are more than a few fascinating points in these last few verses of Ruth,
Chapter 3 – in fact, the entire Book offers enough fascinating facts to keep us
meditating thereupon for a long while.
The advice of Boaz to Ruth, to lie down until the morning, fell on the soil of
a good heart. But that (seed
which fell) on the good ground are they,
which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring
forth fruit with patience. (Luke
8:15) Certainly,
patience is a Christian virtue, and Ruth was full of every virtue. Paul
expresses that patience well: But if we hope for that we see not, then do
we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:25) This is the kind of patience
Ruth will now demonstrate, and further show in the day following. She only has
the word of her Lord of the Harvest (Boaz), but that is enough to justify her
patience for she has come to know him well as one who cares for her. Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due
time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1
Peter 5:6-7)
We have the Word of our Lord, as well, and that is more than enough to
justify faith. Our Lord Promised to redeem us in the fullness of time which He
has done. He has promised to prepare a place for His Bride – the Church
(you and me) – and He shall fulfill the pledge.
Does there remain a rest for the saints? Of course, and it is experienced in
allowing our Lord of the Sabbath to do all creative works in our lives until
the Trumpet of the Lord shall sound on that great SABBATH when all work is
finished and sealed!
Enduring the night on faith alone is sometimes very difficult, but not to one
whose heart is full of faith and love. Even though she waits in darkness, her
Lord is near for she is at his feet. She may not SEE him, but he is right
beside. God is the High Tower of Ruth to see all of her circumstances. He will
work all things to her good. Boaz has promised to marry Ruth if the nearest
kinsman does not redeem. The Angel of the Lord will work on the heart of the
nearest kinsman redeemer to disallow his redemption of Ruth clearing the way
for Boaz. Ruth’s name shall be changed to that of Boaz in due time – it is
certain. She will wait during the dark hours and arise early with her
reward. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall
be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. (Psalms
17:15) Marriage
means taking on the likeness of one’s spouse for they two shall become
one flesh. (Genesis 2:24) 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.
God’s great works are done in and by Him for us. Sometimes the surest way to
allow God’s work to be done is for us to simply get out of the way and stop
trying, by our own power, to accomplish what He is best able to do. Their
strength is to sit still. (Isa 30:7b) This will be the case with
Ruth. Ruth did not commune with Boaz, the Lord of the Harvest, in vain. One
never goes away empty who communes with the Lord of the Harvest. Also he
said, Bring the vail 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. Those who come to the Lord of the Harvest will leave
full just as the five thousand who were fed, from pitifully small portions, by
Jesus; and the four thousand who were fed by seven loaves and two fishes.
Read an interesting comment by Adam Clarke on the numbers of measure to which the
Book refers: If the omer be meant, which is about six pints, the load would
not be so great, as this would amount to but about four gallons and a half; a
very goodly present. The Targum says, that on receiving these six measures it
was said in the spirit of prophecy, that from her should proceed the six
righteous persons of the world, viz., David, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach,
Abednego, and the King Messiah; each of whom should be blessed with six
benedictions. It is, however, remarkable, that the Targum makes the Messiah
to spring from her through the line of David, and goes down to Daniel and his
companions; which Daniel prophesied so clearly, not only of the advent of
Messiah the prince, but also of the very time in which he was to come, and the
sacrificial death he was to die.—Adam Clarke's Commentary. I consider it
remarkable for the Jews did not recognize the Messiah when He sprang forth
though they clearly taught of Him. (JLO)
Note the searching greeting of Naomi: And when she came to her mother in
law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? There is beautiful truth
couched in the inquiry of Naomi. She readily admits Ruth to always be her
daughter, but Who else is she now? Is she the betrothed of Boaz yet? No, but
she is as nearly betrothed to Boaz as he can make her to be under the present
circumstances; however, he wastes no daylight hours in securing the matter as
we shall soon see. We are our old carnal selves until we have taken upon us the
Name of Christ – then we are new creatures in Him. We bear His Name and
likeness forevermore!
And she told her all that the man had done to her. This
has no reference to some carnal or immoral act, but all the kindness and
generosity with which Boaz has treated Ruth, and his strong promise. And
she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not
empty unto thy mother in law. When a man loves a woman, he loves
all of the trappings and kin that are attached to her. The world saw Ruth
as a stranger among the people of Bethlehem – a woman from Moab; but God sees,
even at this moment, in Ruth the wife of Boaz, mother of Obed, of Jesse, of
David, and eventually Jesus Christ! How marvelous are the works of God and
beyond our finding out! Boaz sees clearly the same vision – Ruth will become
his bride if he has his way…..and he will!
Naomi is quite the judge of character, for she has analyzed that character of
Boaz to the fullest: 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. It was quite true that Naomi
recognized, from all that Ruth had told her, that Boaz was madly in love with
Ruth. There are no barriers that will stay the waters of love from flowing and
coursing through the dunes and deserts of impossible odds. Boaz will set about,
without a minute’s waste of daylight, to settle the issue with the nearest
kinsman. He will be wise and subtle in his deliberations with him – not
confiding the beauty and character of Ruth to the nearest kinsman, only the
undesirable consequences to the nearest kinsman of redeeming Naomi and Ruth. He
appeals to the man’s baser character and greed to preserve his inheritance
untarnished by the claims of a relative’s son.
The next chapter is full of beauty and meaning which are a fitting climax to a
wonderful story of love, redemption, and Gospel Shadows for the future Lord of
the Harvest….and of the world.
