Vineyard Days – At the Threshing Floor Tonight

“Now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids you were?
Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight.”
Ruth 3:2 NASB

– The removal of the old, in order to establish the new. –

There is a separating in the night that, if embraced, accomplishes the betrothal (be-truthing) of the beloved to the Bridegroom. Where and what is this separating process of which we’ve been speaking?

Before we move on in the Shulamite’s story, the little book of Ruth brings forward a similar message. I cannot stress how significant is the night season for every believer in Jesus Christ. There is one of two ways we can and will learn under cover of darkness:

1) It becomes the time of learning not only to say but know (as intimates) that, “Yours also is the night.” The three previous posts by that title speak directly to that part of the process. Because He is there in the night, the dark is as light to Him. As David said in Psalm 36:9, “For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”

The light is not overcome by the darkness. But it does reveal. We cannot hide anything from Him who sees us as we are and still loves us with all that is in Him, for He is Love. As each revealing is embraced in truth, the night season will give way to daybreak, and what will be seen and known in the light of day is of Him, by Him, and for Him.

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2) It becomes the time of longing for, hiding, condoning, justifying, defending, rationalizing, and a host of other ‘ing’s, the beliefs and behaviors that are evidence we have left part of our heart back in ‘Moab’ (the pagan land from which Ruth was brought out). Or, as was the history of our spiritual forefathers the Israelites, being delivered out of Egypt with ‘Egypt’ not having been stricken from their -or our – lives.

Believers have been brought out of the world of darkness – sin, bondage and the life the enemy had for us. But the other part of the equation is being brought into the fountain of life the Lord has for us. He is the Source. We never get away from our life being found in Him. It comes down to the shadowed life of beliefs and behaviors of ‘Moab’ or the life of one set free, experiencing His grace and favor (His freedom).

We have a choice to make. We’ve always been given the choice. To not choose is to choose. The separation process is going to occur, with or without our cooperation. One day He will reap His harvest.

Hebrews chapter 3 implores believers to not become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Spoken of the children of Israel under the Old Covenant, for believers today under the New Covenant, it is a provocative word best not disregarded. The Israelites didn’t listen to Moses and rebelled. Who are we, who have been lavished with God’s grace, to think we may refuse the words of Christ? Take on His life.

The Book of Ruth is worthy of our time and attention for it signifies the coming of Jesus Christ and the restoration of the Church. Like the Song of Solomon, it too is a divine love story full of revelation and prophetic insight for each one’s life, personally and as part of the corporate Bride of Christ. If we will.

Ruth willed. Let’s join her in a significant place that through obedience turned the tide of her life.

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Boaz (a type of Jesus Christ/Bridegroom), Ruth (the Bride of Christ), and Naomi (a type of Holy Spirit) are the main characters in the story of Ruth. There are others, but for this brief interlude these three are the ones of significance.

{Naomi to Ruth} “Now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids you were? Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight. Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself and put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. It shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do.” She {Ruth} said to her, “All that you say I will do.” (Ruth 3:2-5)

In short, Naomi told her daughter-in-law Ruth that Boaz, for whom she had been working (gleaning in his field with his other maidens who provided safety and welcome – ie. daughters of Jerusalem in the Song), was their nearest kin. As such, it was Boaz who would bring about the full redemption of their lives. If Ruth would do as Naomi was instructing her, not only would Ruth benefit, but Naomi and her generations as well.

Do not glance lightly over this truth. Families and generations remain in the Lord’s mind and plan regardless of what it looks like in our world today. Will you go in obedience to the threshing floor?

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The threshing floor is the place of winnowing – a process not unlike a whirlwind, hurling away the chaff and settling the kernels of wheat that will become the bread of life. It is a confined place where the wind of the night of adversity blows freely and competently, doing what it has been sent to do. It disturbs, it unsettles, it tosses everything up in the air until what remains is life. His life, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 & 17)

It is a time of smoothing and making level. Again in Hebrews (12:13) – we are exhorted to ‘”make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled but rather healed.’ It is in the threshing that our very walk is changed from a limping disablement to a healed gait, focused on and directed by Him.

The Lord is asking His people to ‘meet Me at the threshing floor tonight.’ It is there we come into greater intimacy with Him as the separation takes place. As the breath-wind of Holy Spirit begins to blow upon our hearts and minds – the husk, the counterfeit, the chaff, anything that is not the kernel of truth – the heart of the matter – is separated out.

In the beginning, He…’separated the light from the darkness.’ (Genesis 1:4) The threshing floor is where He accomplishes the same within us.

God’s days begin in evenings, and always end in mornings.
F.B. Meyer

~ Gracefully Free

Shammahs Field LLC/Shammah Ministries is the biblical counseling, life coaching, and spiritual growth ministry entrusted to Wayne & Nancy Bentz. You can learn more about the resources they have to offer at shammahsfield.com and nancybentz.com.

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