(Audio and Text Available)
Title: Bold Moves, Part One
Intro:
(Story on Boldness)
Ben: Mary, before we graduate, we will go on a date.
“Shall I not seek security for you…?”
This word, translated “security” in the NKJV has some various translations in the English texts, what other words do we have for that in your translations?
The Hebrew word is manowach appears only seven times in the Bible and it literally translates as “rest.”
Deu 28:65
“And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul.”
1 Cron. 6:31
Now these are the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark came to rest.
Does anyone know what type of “security” or “rest”, precisely, Naomi is referring to?
Naomi is intrigued by the amount of generosity and kindness that Boaz has shown to Ruth, and she encourages Ruth to make a bold move in faith, to see if Boaz might be interested in making Ruth his wife.
So that she might have “rest” and “security” (manowach) for her days, and not have to toil for the scraps and generosity of others.
“In fact, he is winnowing barely tonight at the threshing floor.”
Naomi wants Ruth to act quickly. Ruth has known Boaz for less than 12 hours at this point.
What is the “Threshing Floor”?
Packer:
This was a cleared area where grain was crushed or torn to separate the chaff, straw, and grains. The harvest was then winnowed, or thrown into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff and let the grains fall directly onto the ground. All this took place in the spring at the time of the harvest festivals. The prophet Hosea refers to the threshing floor as a common site of sexual immorality.
Hos. 9:1
Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples,
For you have played the harlot against your God.
You have made love for hire on every threshing floor.
So Naomi is giving Ruth instructions that are not necessarily sinful, but they are very bold perhaps even dangerous. Why?
- Desperation?
- Faith?
- Intuition?
- Movement of the Spirit?
Thoughts to Consider Before Next Week:
1. Is Christianity “Safe”?
2. Does anybody else see the irony is Naomi seeking safety for Ruth through an incredibly BOLD suggestion?
HUGE POINT:
LIVE intentionally.
(Rant about what the world tells men to be, vs. what the Bible tells men to be.)