The harvests had all come and gone, and Naomi still has in mind what's best for Ruth. In order for things to be well for Ruth, she needed to find one as a redeemer. Certainly for mankind to be well and have rest they need a heavenly Boaz to redeem them.
The character of Boaz is not lightly spoken of. Boaz, in the long tense, is winnowing his barley in the threshingfoor. He is a man who is to be an example to Christians by his work habits and God honoring practices. "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." (Eph 4:28)
Ruth needs to be sure to be presentable to Boaz if she stands a chance in his presence with her proposal. The three things that she does are all characteristic of what happened with or is currently happening with believers.
1. Washed - Our first washing was upon conversation, washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5). This is of course once and for all since regeneration would imply a new birth/born again.
For the Christian though, one who has already left behind the Moabite world of ease, there is still the need to wash continually as the disciples had their feet washed (John 13) or as the priest would wash in the laver. This washing is to rid ourselves from the defilement of sin. Just by walking through the country, the disciples would get their feet dirty and need washing. Even so as we walk through this wicked world, or feet will get dirty and need washing. The priest would need to be washed from whatever spot or stain would come upon himself or his garments in the laver made of the mirrors of the women. The Christian needs to wash himself by coming to the laver and looking into the word of God to see our reflection and wash up accordingly. This is the will of Christ with the church of God as Ephesians 5:25-27 points out: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
2. Anoint - Unlike washing, the anointing is ONLY a one time thing. In 2 Cor 1:21, the word of our focus "hath_anointed," is in the aorist participle. A better reading might be "having_anointed:" it is something that has been done but we continue in the good of it. Our anointing was by God with the Holy Spirit upon salvation's moment.
"But ye have an unction [anointing] from the Holy One, and ye know all things." (1 John 2:20). "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (2 Cor 1:21-22)
3. thy raiment - There are several ways to look at this. I will just choose one to focus on, putting on the new man. This act is spoken on is found expressly twice in the scripture:
Colossians 3:10: And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Ephesians 4:24: And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Our call of God is to put on the new man. Just as old clothes are to be cast aside and new ones are to be worn, even so the old man and his love of the flesh is to be mortified so that we might put on the new man. This act is one that is an evidence of salvation. The new man exhibits those characteristics of God on a consistent basis that no man can do apart form the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ruth found much blessing and success due to her willingness to obey. She obeyed her mother-in-law and ended up finding herself in the good field of Boaz. Here too she would obey. The Lord is looking for obedience above all. Our willingness of obey Him under any circumstance for any reason is true worship unto Him. "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." (1 Sam 15:22)
The attention to detail in Ruth's obedience is commendable. It is best when we obey the details and not just the general principles and precepts of the word of God. In order to do this for us, we must have an intelligent knowledge of the scriptures and to have thought about them long enough so that we might apply them to ourselves.
"heap of corn" - what an interesting place for Boaz to lie down no doubt in exhaustion. But could not a mighty man of wealth such as him find a better place to sleep? If nothing else, this would draw the character of Boaz in closer association and picture of our Lord Jesus. Even in the Gospel of the King, Matthew, the Lord Jesus could say about His resting places on earth in Matthew 8:20, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."
The name of Boaz may be under scrutiny following v7 stating that his heart was merry, but surely if Boaz was drunken he would not have woken up in the middle of the night!
"skirt" - can also be translated "wings." Ruth was asking for shelter under Boaz. She had already come under the wings of the LORD God of Israel, but now wishes to come under the wings of a man of God who could support her. Symbolically, this would have been identified by the literal spreading of the skirt over her.
"thy handmaid" - Boaz was introduced to her as the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi. Her reply to who she is is "thy handmaid."
The kindness of Ruth would be described as greater than her first. Likely Boaz is referring to her pursuit of marrying the established Boaz according to the law of the kinsmen-redeemer (goel) instead of trying to find another youthful man. Her kindness was toward her family to carry on their name, though she was a Moabite, by marrying the goel.
No doubt she wouldn't have sought or responded to advances of young men during her time from barley through wheat harvest, about 4 months, seeing she already has a good reputation. All the people who pass in and out of the gate of the city at Bethlehem knew that this woman, who came from a pagan culture, lived a virtuous and God honouring lifestyle.
His reason for fulfilling his role as goel was as followings, "for all the city of my people know that thou art a virtuous woman." Certain a name like this is to be sought after, as Solomon would express in his books. "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches" (Proverbs 22:1) "A good name is better than precious ointment." (Ecclesiastes 7:1)
"the city" - better rendered as the gate OR better yet, referring to all the people of the city who pass in and out of the gate.
A Boaz is the type of a man that a spiritual woman should be seeking after. It was not the beauty of Ruth that attracted him, rather it was her character. Every Ruth needs to seek a Boaz.
"one could know another" - a man could know his neighbour. This was the part of the morning when it was still dark enough that you couldn't recognize someone you knew at a distance, but yet light enough that Ruth could move about comfortably without chance of injury.
The reputation of Boaz and Ruth was both at stake. Although nothing happened, Boaz wanted to avoid all appearance of evil (1 Thes 5:22). Boaz was a man of the Lord, as is obvious by his conduct and manner of life. Ruth too was a follower of the Lord and virtuous, as stated by Boaz in v12 that all of the city knew. The honour of Ruth and Boaz to their family by going through with the role of the goel would have been tarnished if someone would have seen Ruth leave Boaz's threshing floor in the morning.
The generosity and kindness of Boaz is again expressed in his gift of the six measures of barley. It would have also been a token of good faith that Boaz was going to go through with his promise.
"measures" - the measure is not given. Keil and Delitzsch states: "According to the Targum and the Rabbins, it was six seahs = two ephahs. This is certainly incorrect; for Ruth would not have been able to carry that quantity of barley home. When Boaz had given her the barley he measured out, and had sent here away, he also went into the city."
"she went" - he went. The correct rendering is that it was Boaz who went into the city immediately went into the city to work out the action of the goel while Ruth went to Naomi.
"who art thou?" - What have you accomplished?
The patient wisdom of the older Naomi is on display. The act of worrying would be of no use. Her confidence is completely in Boaz that he will do all in his power to redeem, and if not, another will redeem her meaning that the line will continue and Ruth will be taken care of through the seasons of non-harvest.
The importance of relationships between older and younger sisters in the assembly is evident from this conversation. It is important that the older sisters take the younger and teach them the things of God. She is to help nourish the younger sister in spiritual things, and teach her the beauty of purity. "The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity." (I Timothy 5:2)
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