Canvas 9
(Ruth 3: 14-18)
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. 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. 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. And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law. 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.
WAITING FOR THE MORNING
Ruth had done all that was fit for her to do. Boaz had made his intentions
absolutely clear to her. Boaz had given the undertaking to seek their marriage
through the law regarding the nearer kinsman. He resolved the handle and to
manage the details in an efficient manner. His heart and mind were locked in
seeking a positive outcome in the shortest time possible. Ruth lay at his feet
until the morning. There were obvious reasons to keep these matters private, why
it should not be published abroad that Ruth had slept there that night. Boaz
said to Ruth let it not be known what had transpired between them that night. He
takes care to preserve not only his conscience toward God, but also his
reputation and Ruth’s reputation also, among the harvesters and the community
in general. Things were done decently and in the correct order. Personal private
matters need to remain intact.
HOLD THE VAIL
Boaz had a sense of the occasion and regarded it right to send his
prospective bride back from her nights adventure with a gift. She was not to
return home to Naomi empty-handed. So he told her to hold out her Vail or
mantle, an article of clothing, it must have been strong material, when she did
so, he measured out six measures of barley, that amount was indeed a substantial
gift.
The actual garment used by Ruth and the size of the measure used by Boaz is open
to speculation. Though these matters are of minor importance. Certainly the gift
was carried home in a garment with no problem at all.
SIT STILL – WAIT FOR THE OUTCOME
Who art thou? This is not a question of doubting, but of wonder, as if Naomi
had said, Art thou in very deed my daughter? I can hardly believe that you come
home to me in this manner with a gift and so early in the morning. How did you
fare last night, what happened? Ruth did not go into the personal and private
details, though it is obvious that events were favourable on every level. Ruth
told her what the man had done for her in a general way and added Boaz gave me
these six measures of barley saying, do not go home empty handed to your mother
in law. This section is special for it reminds the reader of 1:21. I am sure
that it is no coincidence that the same word empty referred to in that verse is
the very same word used here. Naomi spoke of being brought home ‘empty’. Her
‘empty’ days are now over.
She tells Ruth to sit down and rest for Naomi knew full well
the character of Boaz and the fact that all Ruth could now do was to sit
down and wait until she knows how this matter would reveal itself. Both knew
that Boaz would see the thing through to its ultimate conclusion. Naomi affirms
that he will never rest now, till he has finished the whole affair.
At times in our Christian experience our strength is to sit still. See Isaiah
30:7 Often we may have to wait to see how things will work out for us. Certainly
our Lord Jesus Christ our precious Kinsman Redeemer is at work on our behalf. He
is still working out the details of a forth-coming marriage. Will you be
invited, will you be there
As it was, so it will be. The there and then will
become the here and now. The past will become the future and time will be
embraced with eternity.
