I can't imagine how some could conclude that sex happened
here. From everything we know of both
Boaz and Ruth it is unconscionable that sex occurred on the threshing
floor. Naomi sends her daughter-in-law
to the threshing floor with an idea to get Boaz to be a kinsman redeemer according
to Jewish law. That might not entail
becoming Ruth's husband, but merely taking financially responsibility for the
two widows at least until one finds a husband.
Ruth, however, and whether she knew the law of Israel we don't know, is
far bolder, asking for marriage. Boaz is
surprised that she has not instead attempted to get one of the younger men for
herself and he is willing but another has right of first refusal as he is
nearer kin. All that they do here is to
avoid not only scandal but the appearance thereof. Everything is designed that
no one can later claim they were deceived.
He could have sent her out to be seen and that would probably have
assured the other kinsman would have rejected her, but Boaz couldn't be accused
of fixing the deal. Before she leaves,
he again richly provides for her and Naomi out of his own labors.
One of the things Ruth does is boldly approach and make
known her desire. Jesus says that God
wants us to come to Him. He longs for
the opportunity to hold us close, love us, provide shelter for us, and keep us
safe but we will not come. His terms are
clear, repentance, coming for forgiveness and into the bargain He promises
every blessing. We know that from 2
Chronicles 7 and I Kings 8. Jesus speaks
of God's longing for His people to come to Him as Ruth has come to Boaz, for
redemption, and that the prophets' mission has been to convict them of sin so
that He can redeem them, but they will not.
What is keeping us from Him?
Do we pursue godliness in order to be accepted by God or
because we have been accepted by Him? If
we answer the former we have failed to grasp the Good News and we have failed
to understand anything of true righteousness.
The path to God is the path of confession and repentance, the
recognition that if Jesus is the standard we are utter failures and have no
hope. The Gospel is that He is our hope,
He has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves and that the Father has
accepted of His sacrifice on our behalf.
Now, we can pursue godliness and righteousness without the need for self-justification,
we can be honest about our failings because we are His children, irrevocably in
covenant with Him. Our redeemer has
spread his wings over us and tucked us in forever.
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