Ruth 3

The best example of threshing I've seen is in the move Sweet Land, a movie about immigrants to the U.S. Midwest. They thresh the grain the old-fashioned way. Impressive work for such a small amount of grain. It is hard to describe, yet it forms many of the images of the Bible, particularly in the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus. The threshing floor is also the scene for Ruth 3.

This Sunday's sermon also deals with the messy issue of family. Nobody's family is perfect.

Sunday's text is one part embarassing, one part romantic, and one part confusing. Ruth makes a courageous move toward Boaz, one that could have ended poorly, shaming Boaz and herself.

When the term "next-of-kin" is used, another rendering of this term is "kinsman redeemer." Since land in Israel reverted to the tribe during jubilee years, only a family member could redeem family land in dispute. Only a family member could redeem a family member.