Many believers are quite content just to be saved and know that when they die heaven is their home. To them, salvation is no more than a passport to heaven and a fire escape from hell. Their Christianity is no more than a salvation that takes them to  heaven when they die. For many, their Christianity is not a Saviour that makes heaven real while they live. Many are excited in knowing about the heaven God has prepared. But not many are excited about knowing the God that is preparing heaven. For many there is an interest in golden streets but there is not an intimacy with a glorious Saviour.

As we continue looking at Ruth we find that she was not content with just the blessings found in the field of Boaz. She wanted the blessings that were to be found at the feet of Boaz. She wanted more than the blessings. She wanted the Blesser. She wanted to be more than a worker for Boaz. She wanted to be the wife of Boaz. In Ruth 3, she is no longer in the barley field, but is found at the threshing floor. It is a beautiful scene that suggests several lessons about a believer and the process of an intimate relationship with Christ.

First, notice with me from the story that we see Ruth:

1. GOING DOWN TO THE FLOOR

Notice Ruth 3:4-6, “And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her." Naomi instructs Ruth to go down to the threshing floor where Boaz was threshing the barley. Symbolically, the threshing floor reminds us of a truth that it is involved in a intimate relationship with Christ.

Customarily a threshing floor was located on the top of a hill which was for the purpose of catching the wind in order the blow away the chaff. Ordinarily it was circular with a clay surface that was packed hard and smooth, with rocks lined around it.

The grain would be cut and carried to the threshing floor. Sheaves of grain would be spread on the floor and trampled by oxen drawing a sled. The people would take a flail to throw the grain up in the air so that the chaff would be blown away and the good grain fell down on the threshing floor.

It was usually in the afternoon, that the breeze would come up, and the people would thresh the wheat until the wind died down, whether that be at sundown or midnight. It was a place that all the families came and camped. There would always be several people present. It was not only a time of threshing the wheat, but also a time of feasting for the abundant harvest. They would sing psalms and give praises to God. When the feast was over the men would sleep around the grain. They would sleep with their heads toward the grain and their feet pointing away from the grain.

Now understanding the threshing floor, consider with me the threshing floor and it's significance concerning an intimate relationship with Christ.

First, we see that it was a place of: 

A. Spiritual Meaning

Threshing floors in the Bible are significant. A good example is the threshing floor of Oman the Jebusite. It was there that the judgment of God was stayed in David's day. On that very site, Abraham had offered up Isaac, and years later Solomon would build the Temple. That threshing floor was a place of sacrifice.

In this case, the threshing floor answers to Calvary. At Calvary we see our Lord on God's threshing floor. It was at the threshing floor that Ruth was to claim a relationship with Boaz, and it is at Calvary where we enter into a relationship with our heavenly Boaz.

The work of Calvary is the basis of our individual  union with  Christ and  our intimate communion with Christ. We have acceptance on the basis of Christ's work on Calvary. We also have access on the basis of His work on Calvary. Our relationship with Christ and our fellowship with Christ is based on what Jesus did for us at Calvary. Notice this work illustrated in Boaz.

First we see Boaz eating and drinking. We read, “And when Boaz had eaten and drunk..” (3:7). This is descriptive of the feasting and celebration that was involved. We read in John 4:34, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work."  Jesus said that the will of God was do the work of God that He had been sent to do. That work was Calvary. Jesus ate of that meat and drank of that bitter cup. Jesus went to Calvary, God's threshing floor and paid the price for sin and that men might have a individual relationship  and  intimate fellowship with the Father.

We not only see Boaz eating and drinking, we also see him rejoicing. Notice Ruth 3:7, "And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry..."  Hebrews 12:2 says, "Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before endured the cross." There was judgment, but there was also joy. One can only imagine the joy of our Saviour’s heart as He saw men and women being  brought into a  relationship and fellowship with God.

Boaz was not only eating, drinking, rejoicing, but we also see him sleeping. Notice Ruth 3:7, "And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn."  The day's work was done and now he is resting in that finished work. Jesus finished the work the Father had given Him to do. Jesus cried, "It is finished" (John 19:30), declaring that salvation's plan was complete.

Because of the work Jesus did on God's threshing floor, Calvary is significant to each believer. It is there that we enter into an individual union with Christ and enjoy an intimate communion with Christ. There we see our Heavenly Boaz eating, drinking, rejoicing, and sleeping.

We also see that it was a place of: 

B. Personal Marking

Notice Ruth 3:4, "And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie.."  Naomi gave Ruth instructions to mark the place where he lay down to rest. The word "mark" means "to know, acquaint thyself." She was telling her to pay close attention and be aware of where Boaz was sleeping.

Christians should mark the place where our Lord lay on God's threshing floor. We should become greatly acquainted with our Lord’s work on the cross. That place should be important to us and meaningful to us. Calvary should be more than a historical event. It should be a personal experience. It should be a place that we focus upon and mark in our heart and life. Calvary should be more than a fact of history. It should be a force in our hearts. It should capture our hearts, control our wills, consume our thoughts and check our walk.

Paul said in Philippians 3:10, “That l may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."  Paul had marked the cross and the work of Christ in is his heart. The songwriter marked Calvary in his heart when he wrote:

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross,

Where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

I will mark it for there the Saviour from heaven died and this sinner going to hell began to live. I will mark it for there the Saviour bowed His head and there I opened my heart. I will mark it, for there God gave His Son and there I became a son.

Secondly, we see Ruth:

2. LAYING DOWN AT HIS FEET

We read in Ruth 3:4-7, "And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down."

There is nothing immodest or indecent going on here. Ruth, according to Jewish custom was claiming Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer. She was stating in her actions that she wanted to be the wife of Boaz. Ruth was wanting the closest possible relationship she could have with Boaz. I ask you, do you want an intimate relationship with Christ?

Someone once asked G. Campbell Morgan how real Christ was to him and he held out his hand and said, "He's as real as the skin on my hand." No doubt, the deepest and most intimate relationship one can experience is that of a husband and wife. It is such a closeness and nearness that a believer should desire with Christ.

Look closer with me at this scene. First, notice: 

A. The Privilege She Requested

Several times we have already seen references to a kinsman-redeemer (2:1, 2:20, 3:2). The law of the kinsman is a fascinating study in the Bible. It was established by God and revolved around two things. First there was the division of land. When God had given Israel the land, it was not like the pioneers going west and staking out their claim. The land was divided and assigned by God. God gave certain sections of the land to each of the 12 tribes. Each family within a tribe had a certain plot of land within that section.

Those plots or tracts of land were to be kept in the families of that tribe and passed on to their heirs. It was not to be sold to members of other tribes, such as the heirs of Levi could not sell their land to the heirs of Reuben. Each plot of land was to stay in each tribe.

It also involved the destitution of life. Let's say that someone found themselves in financial straits. Maybe there was crop failure and there was a need for money. The land could be mortgaged. In so doing, the owner would lose his rights to the land.

There was two way's one could get their land back. There was the year of Jubilee that occurred every 50 years. In the year of Jubilee every mortgage was canceled and the land returned to its original owner. By this law, God kept the land in a family and tribe.

One could also get their land back by the means of a kinsman-redeemer. A near kinsman (relative) could redeem the land (pay off the mortgage). This law is found in Leviticus 25:23-25, "The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold."

In the case of a widow, like Naomi and Ruth, the law was even more interesting. We read in Deuteronomy 25:5-6, "If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.  And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel"

A single brother, or in the case where there were no brothers, the nearest single relative, was obligated to marry the widow to care for her and in so doing the land would be kept in the family. Because of this law, the widow had every right to claim the nearest relative as a kinsman.

That is exactly what Ruth is doing. Boaz is a near kinsman of her dead husband. As a widow, when she lay down at his feet, she was saying, "You are a near-kinsman. I am claiming my privilege as a widow." In other words, she was saying, "Boaz, I want you to marry me."  Ruth is expressing a desire for an intimate relationship with Boaz. She was claiming her privilege to have this relationship.

It is the privilege of every believer to have an intimate relationship with Christ. You say, "I would have liked to have been one of the disciples and been as close to Jesus as they were." You can. That is our privilege.

Secondly, notice: 

B. The Promise She Received

Notice Ruth 3:8, "And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.”  Boaz was sleeping with his head toward the threshing floor. Ruth came in softly so as not to wake him up, uncovered his feet, and lay down with her feet next to his. In the night Boaz woke up and was startled (afraid) to find a woman laying at his feet. He asked, "Who are you?" 

I confess to you it would have scared me. I think I would have been somewhat like the fellow walking through the cemetery and fell into an open grave. He tried and tried to get out but could not. He finally just sat down in a corner. In a little while another fellow came along and fell into the grave. He tried and tried to get out, but could not. The first fellow watched him trying to get out and finally said, "It's no use. You can't get out." But he did!

Notice what Ruth said to him in Ruth 3:9, "And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman."  She said, "I am claiming you as a kinsman. Spread your cloak over me as an act of acceptance. Show me that you will allow me to be your wife." The word "skirt" literally means "wings." She was saying, "Take me under your wings."

Notice Ruth 3:10-11, "And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman." Boaz said in effect, "Oh yes, I have loved you since I first saw you in the field. There is nothing I would like any better than for you to be my wife. Yes, I will be your kinsman-redeemer and make you my own."

Ruth requested her privilege and received the promise that Boaz would do all that was necessary. We not only have the privilege of blessed fellowship with Christ, but He assures us that He will allow us to enjoy that closeness.

Do you want to know Christ intimately? He waits with open arms for such a relationship with you. What a privilege and what a promise. We read in Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Also, we read in John 14:23 we read, "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."  He is waiting to spread his skirt over you. Will you claim that privilege?