For the Ruth 2:10-13 PODCAST, click here
10 So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” 13 Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.” ~ Ruth 2:10-13
Today, we return to our study of Ruth 2 where the events of Ruth's life have led her to a field owned by a very wealthy man named Boaz. With the backdrop of the times of the Judges as the historical setting, this true story is key in the coming of the Messiah. This true story is yet again another reminder of the goodness and kindness of God. We must never permit the bad news of the sinfulness of man to rob us of the good news of the grace of God.
I find it most instructive when I read of Ruth's background as a Moabite. In fact, in chapter two we read at least 20 times that Ruth was a Moabite, a people hated by the Jews. These were folks who were thought of by the Jews as godless and dangerous. And yet here’s this woman, this Moabite who loved the Lord. In fact, her heart for the Lord allowed God to guide her to the one man in Bethlehem whom she needed to meet the most; a man who himself loved the Lord. We love the Lord because He first loved us.
In v.10 of today's passage we read, "So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, 'Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?'"
Ruth was stunned by the kindness of Boaz. In response, she fell down before him, asking him why he was showing her so much favor. Ruth’s response was typical of ancient Near Eastern expressions of gratitude and humility. Being overwhelmed by Boaz' generosity, Ruth fell on her face, embracing the posture of one who stood before a king. Then she asked, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?"
This is what the grace of God as seen in the cross of the Lord Jesus has done to the believer who understands the depths to which He went to redeem us. Like Ruth who was defined by God's mercy and grace, knowing that we do not deserve His acceptance, we bow in humble adoration before His kindness and goodness.
In Romans 12, the Apostle reminds us of the mercy of God that rescued us from eternal damnation. When we catch a view of God’s mercy, we will, out of gratitude, offer our lives to God as living sacrifices. Like Ruth, when we are harnessed by God's mercy, we can't help but to be changed people. This is significant due to the fact that Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, was so bitter toward the Lord. Ruth was a remarkable person because even though the most important person to her at that time was not walking with the Lord, she was being defined by Him. This is the nature of God's mercy and grace. Coextensive with God’s mercy is His grace. Just as God has always dealt mercifully toward people, He has also always provided grace which has granted us the spiritual awakening that results in a personal relationship with Him.
In v.11-12 of today's passage we read, "11 And Boaz answered and said to her, 'It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.'"
In response to the humility of Ruth, Boaz revealed that he knew the story of how Ruth honored her mother-in-law. In fact, Boaz revealed he was fully aware of the entirety of Ruth’s story. In his response to Ruth, Boaz did not focus on her status as a foreigner, but rather on her acts of kindness toward a bitter mother-in-law.
The book of Ruth is replete with interesting word choices that continually drive home the book’s intended message. This passage is no different as the Hebrew word for "wings" delivers the image of a bird tenderly protecting its young. Like a defenseless bird, Ruth sits securely under Yahweh’s mighty wings. All of her life, God in His sovereignty, watched over Ruth, something Boaz clearly recognized. And, since he was a man after God's heart, Boaz treated Ruth accordingly.
In v.13 of today's passage we read, "Then she said, 'Let me find favor in your sight, my lord; for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.'"
Ruth responds to the words of Boaz with another display of surprise at the mercy and grace being bestowed upon her by Boaz. Ruth showed respect to Boaz by addressing him as "my lord." Here, Ruth was not pleading with Boaz to continue to be kind to her; she was grateful that he had been kind to her in the first place. She said these words because the kindness of Boaz had looked out for her in specific ways. The word translated "comforted" is a Hebrew word that literally means "to breathe deeply" highlighting Ruth's condition before such an important man in Bethlehem. By using this word, Ruth revealed that any tension she might have had before disappeared because of Boaz' kindness. The literal translation of the word "kindly" is "heart." Ruth literally said to Boaz, "You have spoken directly to my heart."
Then, Ruth responded by the using the word "maidservant," noting her recognition that Boaz was not like most in Bethlehem at that time. Here, Ruth revealed that Boaz had no concern for any racial or societal status when it came to Ruth. In the mind of Ruth, she was not worthy of such recognition and compassion, yet Boaz was such to her. Sinclair Ferguson once said, "We are not able to detect with perfect clarity the hand of God in the circumstances of our lives….But when we find his autograph in the narratives of biblical history, we begin to recognize the same or similar patterns and principles emerging in our own lives too."
Once again, we are directed to the only one who can satisfy our souls. Boaz pictures the Lord Jesus who knew all that we were even before we had begun to turn to Him for salvation. Boaz and Ruth were both like God because they had both experienced first hand His kindness and goodness. This is what prepared them for this moment. Such is the nature of the culture of God in the soul of a believer. We love others because God loved us first.
