So Boaz Took Off His Shoe

(Ruth 4:8b)

Sermon Notes, Pastor Carolyn Sissom

August 24, 2008

Last Wednesday night, I had a vision.  The Holy Spirit had been strong upon me for two days, but due to duties and responsibilities, it was difficult to surrender.  At Wednesday night prayer, I lay on the floor before the altar as the others continued with the corporate prayer in the Fellowship Hall.

Vision:  I first saw the feet of the Lord in gold sandals.  His stature was at least as tall as the height of the church ceiling.  I was hesitant to touch His feet because my first thought was my flesh was not worthy.  He took off one of His golden sandals and handed it to me.  He then asked me to give him my sandal.  I did, but took off both sandals.  I only handed Him one.

 I was lifted in the spirit into a white cloud.   I was very light and that felt nice.  His garment was white with a wide golden belt.  He then took a flap of His garment or mantle and wrapped me in it.  It was a soft cushy fabric and a soft place to rest. 

Prior to the vision, I had prayed by face for everyone in the church, Don, my family, your families, the election, the nations, our nation, ministries, etc.   However, the only things He spoke to me about were ministers and ministries.  He showed me our extended and changing relationship with several ministers.  It was all good, but nothing I will reveal at this time.

The vision lifted about 9:10 p.m. which is our normal time to adjourn Wednesday night prayer.

So what does this mean, not just for me, but the church and how the Holy Spirit is moving at this time universally?  It is not a coincidence that we are in a study of the Book of Ruth.  It is by Divine direction.  I have gone through the scripture and studied again the covenant of the sandal/shoe.  I believe the revelation is in the Book of Ruth.  Do not lay this vision aside lightly or carelessly.

4: 7-8:  “Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was a testimony in Israel.  Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, buy it for yourself.  So he (Boaz) drew off his shoe.”

Chapter 3:  1-3:  “then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, my daughter, shall I not seek rest for you that it may be well with you?  And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens you were?  Behold, he winnows barley tonight in the threshing floor.  Wash yourself, and anoint yourself, and put your raiment upon you, and get you down to the floor: 

This reveals the principle of the Day of Atonement (sifting, pruning, cleansing, purifying) in preparation for the fullness.  In the evening of this age, Jesus is separating the wheat and the tares (Matt. 13).  The high places of our land have become places of idolatry instead of a place where the living Word can divide.  The Lord is shaking everything that can be shaken.  Ruth is to wash herself (in the Word) then she is to anoint herself (with the Spirit in prayer and in devotion before the Lord).   Her raiment would be the garment of praise, girdle of righteousness and faithfulness, wrought gold, scarlet, tapestry, silk, power from on high, and humility.(Isa. 61:3; 11:5; Ps. 45:12-17; Prov 31: 21-22; Lk. 24:49; 1 Pet. 5:5; etc.)  Then get down to the floor in humility.  Wash, Watch, and Wait.  “Make not yourself known”. (Phil. 2: 1-11) Don’t barge in, show respect.

 Bobby Conner, “If we are to walk with God we too must seek to be pure and without self-seeking ambition.  The Lord warned in this experience that for every ounce of self-promotion that we engage in we would reap a pound of shame.”(Altar of Incense – Page 24)

These are steps for pressing in to do the will of God.  Don’t wait until the end of the harvest.  Move in now to press your claim while Jesus sifts the first fruits.  We must wash and be cleansed from the dust and the grime of the field, (envy, jealousy, pettiness, sentiments, traditions, human feelings, etc.).  God doesn’t really deal with us until we can endure the stripping.  This dust is the fine points of the flesh.  There are three Hebrew and Greek words for the anointing:  Pour out, Smear on, and Rub in.   Finally we must lower ourselves to the floor, where all the chaff is removed to expose the inner kernel of the life of the Spirit. (11 Cor. 4:7) 

Verse 4:  And it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall mark the place where he shall lie, and you shall go in, and uncover his feet, and lay down; and he will tell you what your shall do.”

This is the rest and finished work of the Jesus.  Mark that place of the total victory of His Lordship.  You can’t see this dimension until you’ve tasted of 3:3.  Once you see it, then you can press toward it.  This place that he has gone to prepare is his Throne.  Ruth unveiled Boaz’s feet and received a revelation of the feet company of Overcomers (Rev. 1:15; 2:1) who shall bear the weight of the Body of Christ.  Naomi can teach the Kingdom message of the Feast of Tabernacles, but Ruth will walk in it.  Chapter 3 & 4 pertain to the realm of the Holy of Holies.  The key to our coming into union with and living in that realm is to get a revelation of the walk of the Pattern Son, our Heavenly Boaz.  Let us wait for His Word.

Ruth obeyed Naomi.  Once you know the program of God, there is nothing left to do but to obey!  The way up to the Throne is down to the floor

It was the custom of the owner of the field to sleep on the threshing floor to guard his crop (3:3-4).  At the end of this age there will be a gathering and a piling of the Word.  The Heap of corn is also the body of Christ at the end of this age. 

Jesus is happy and filled with joy because of the magnitude of the harvest and because the chaff has been blown away in separation.  Lt us be barefoot in our work (Ex. 3) our warfare (Josh. 5), and our Worship (the priest).  Once you see it, you will lay down in worship and awe.  Let us come covered (wrapped).

Verse 8:  “And it came to pass at midnight,” Midnight reveals the principle of the middle of two ages or the overlap or transition of two realms.  Ruth pressed in to possess her inheritance.  May we behold the truth that at the Midnight Hour there is a church lying at the feet of Jesus?

Let us go in!  We must experience the Passover of the Kingdom and see our inner prisons shattered.  We must go out to meet Him and assure others on this world system headed for the rocks that all is well.  As darkness will cover the earth, may the Glory of the Lord be seen upon us!  Jesus is accustomed to those who want the corn (Word) but not Him. 

Verse 9:  “And he said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your handmaid; spread your garment over your handmaid for you are a near kinsman.”

Kelly Varner says this is the key and the pivotal verse to the whole book.  Everything is determined by our understanding of and response to this verse.  Every dealing of God was condensed down into Boaz’s question.  Mock humility would have completely blown this critical moment.  Ruth must know who she is.  I am Ruth (Friend of God). 

The MANTLE OR ANOINTING of Jesus has been dispensed and dispersed over the Church, the Body of Christ. (Psa. 133)  If we can see Him in His Ascension and exaltation, we will receive a double portion of His Spirit.  We are to be covered with His nature, ministry, character, and authority.  We have a right to this because of His Righteousness. (1 Cor. 1:30)  All that he is and all that he has is to be shared with us.

(Verse 10) “And he said, ‘Blessed be you of the Lord, my daughter.”

The Lord responds to us positively when we approach Him on the basis of a Covenant of Blood.  Those who have pressed out of Passover and Pentecost, and come into the Seventh (perfection, completion, maturity) month of the Feast of Tabernacles ever demonstrate more of the nature of God.  We have not run after the lesser realms or a watered-down message.  We cannot be bought at any price.

Boaz wants to bless Ruth now.  It is a fearful thing to risk your reputation and become one of the outcasts of Israel.  She has turned down the system priests.

At the time of Harvest, we must not allow others to “takeover” our ministries.  I saw this past week that a certain Board of Directors was taking over the ministry of a fallen minister.  Jesus does not do this.   The Lord gave the ministry to the one who is presently on the Threshing Floor.  He did not give it to the Board of Directors.  It doesn’t work that way.  God gave Eastgate Ministries to me to bring into fruition.  He also gave this location for that purpose.  If anyone tires to take it over, it will not be a blessed work.  It is folly to “takeover’ another person’s ministry.

(Verse 12)  And now it is true that I am your near kinsman:  yet there is a kinsman nearer than I.  Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto you the part of a kinsman well; let him do the kinsman’s part; but if he will not, then will I do it.  As the Lord lives: 

Tarry this night is the dark season of Ruth’s faith.  You will know the answer in the morning.  This matter is either of law or of grace.  He blesses her and sends her back to Naomi with a double portion.

Verse 18:  “Then said Naomi, ‘sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall:  for the man will not be in rest, until he has finished the thing this day.”

Everything is in the hand of Jesus.  He will complete our redemption.

4: 1-22:

Boaz went up to the gate.  The Gate was the center of the life of the city.  He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, sit you down here.  Ten men are required for a synagogue service.  Boaz stopped the near Kinsman as he passed by the gate and told him his business.  “Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, sells a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s.  If you will redeem it, redeem it: but if you will not redeem it, then tell me and I may know:  for there is not to redeem it besides you; and I am after you.  And he said, “I will redeem it.” (This is the Law)

Then Boaz said, “What day you buy the field of the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.”

Here is revealed the purpose of the book of Ruth:  to raise up the Name of the dead.  “What Day?” The Day of the Lord.  The law is challenged to redeem both the Jew and the Greek.  This proves to be impossible, for the law is filled with prejudice.  There is no life in it to raise up in resurrection power the name of the dead.

“And the kinsman said, ‘I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem you my right to yourself: for I cannot redeem it.”

The Law speaks.  It cannot.  The purpose of God is to call forth from among the nations His Holy nation, and the law is restricted to one nation. 

Verse 7:  “Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel.”

His shoe, a symbol of the property rights.  One’s God-given legal right to walk on the land of promises any time, any way, or any how he wants-his privilege).  It symbolized all claims upon the land or property. (Josh. 1:3; Psa. 60:8; Deut. 1:36; 11:24).  Don’t confuse this passage with the account of Deut. 26: 5-10.  The loosing of the sandal was the sign that the transaction was completed.  Ruth 4 shows how it was done when a man simply passed his rights on to another.  Deut. 25 shows how he was humiliated when he refused to carry out his responsibilities under family law. 

The law was our schoolmaster until Christ (Gal. 3:24).  It transferred all its own claims to Him.  Jesus is heir of all things.  Jesus received the shoe and obtained the promise of a more excellent ministry, according to Heb. *; 1-6.  He can walk on all things.  We are His Seed and are joint-heirs of that ministry.  Naomi sold “an allotment of land that was given according to the spoken word and Boaz bought it. 

There has come a change from the Old covenant to the New.  Death has been given over to Life.  The Law was (and has been) tried under the most favorable circumstances and was proved helpless.  Redemption of the Spirit, Soul and body of man must be by Grace.  Jesus confirmed the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He confirmed all things. 

“Therefore the kinsman said to Boaz, ‘buy it for thee.’ So he drew off his shoe.”

This is what the law says to Grace.  The responsibility is passed to Boaz.  So he Drew off (plucked off) his shoe and give it to him.

Jesus took upon Himself our redemption.  The law of sin and death has relinquished all claims and property rights to us!  Sin shall not have dominion over us.  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, ‘ you are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s and all that was Chi lion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.”

Boaz establishes is full right to the family possession.  Jesus redeemed the Greek (all nations).  “Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: you are witnesses this day.’”