Ruth is given provisions from Boaz until the matter of her redemption is settled.

Ruth 3:15-18

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In the previous post on Ruth 3:12-14, Boaz promises Ruth that he will redeem her, but a senior member of the family has the first rights to redeem her. The senior member can refuse to do so, which means Boaz would be the next to have the right to redeem her. Boaz negotiates to make that happen, as seen in the next three posts from Ruth 4:1-12. The verses of this post picks up from here, where Ruth and Naomi are waiting to see how Boaz’s effort goes in redeeming her.

“Also he said, “Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city. When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Is that you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her. And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’” Ruth 3:15-17

As followers of Jesus Christ, our earthly redemption is our born-again experience, which is the Gospel of Christ written on our heart. That is something we do not have to wait for. Our eternal redemption is something that we do wait for, and the Holy Spirit is our guarantee of our eternal redemption, as quoted, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 We are the “purchased redemption”, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.

While Boaz promises to redeem Ruth [Ruth being a Moabite and Boaz being Jewish], he gives her something while she is waiting in the hope of her redemption. Boaz gave her a whole bunch of barley grain. Likewise, God has given us something, through His Son Jesus Christ, while we are waiting for our eternal redemption. He has given us the grain of His word, which is the Gospel of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee He has given us of our eternal redemption in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and earth.

When Ruth came to Naomi, Naomi asked, “Is that you?” At that time, Ruth shared with Naomi everything that Boaz had done for her. Likewise, with the Gospel of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we want to share Him with others. We want those familiar with us to recognize the change in our life and ask, “Is that you!?” That is when we are able to share our born-again experience and tell of everything that Jesus has done for us.

I came to Jesus Christ when I was 20 years of age, and before that I was rooted deeply into everything the 70’s are known for; sex, drugs, rock-n-roll, and cars “souped up” for street racing [mine was a 69′ GTO]. I remember cruising in my GTO, the Hooker Headers rumbling with the 3/4 racing cam, solid lifters, the Holley dual-pump four-barrel carburetor, and the whining of the 4:11 rear end. The music was blaring with “Guns and Roses” and the car filled with the smoke of marijuana. A law-enforcement officer her the sound of my engine and pulled me over. I rolled down my window, roaches in the ash tray, and the fresh smell of marijuana. I thought for sure I was in for big trouble at that time. The officer said he needed me to pop-the-hood and explained that the engine didn’t sound street legal. After looking at the engine, he said from what he could see I was running a street legal car, and he let me go and I was advised to put quieter mufflers on the car. Then I met Jesus Christ, said good-bye to the old life, good-bye to previous friends, and never again went back to a so called, “street legal” lifestyle, but now live by the law of the Holy Spirit, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son…” Romans 8:2-3

“Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.” Ruth 3:18

Naomi advised Ruth to stay put, to sit still until she knows how her redemption by Boaz would turn out. Our Lord Jesus tells us to sit still, to stay put, until the day of our eternal redemption. We sit still by not being part of the values and ways of this world, “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” Revelation 18:4-5

Like Boaz, who would not rest until he was able to redeem Ruth to put her under his wing, our Lord Jesus will not rest until every person has the opportunity of His redemption, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3;9

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1