Ruth 3:16-18

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16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Is that you, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 And she said, “These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” 18 Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.” ~ Ruth 3:16-18

Today, we close out our study of Ruth 3 where Ruth has gone from growing up on the other side of the tracks to establishing a meaningful relationship with one of the wealthiest men around. You will recall that God had given Ruth favor in the eyes of Boaz who allowed her to glean substantial amounts of grain from his field. This led to Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi, advising her to make it known to him that if he asked her to marry him, she would say, "Yes." In fact, Ruth had done just that and now she has returned home to her mother-in-law after discovering a potential fly in the ointment.

In v.16-17 of today's passage we read, "16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, 'Is that you, my daughter?' Then she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 And she said, 'These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, ‘Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'"

When Ruth returned to Naomi's house, there was excitement in the air. Interestingly, the writer of this book did not depict Ruth sharing any of the details of the night’s events other than mentioning the fact that Boaz had provided Ruth barley so that when she returned to Naomi she would not have returned empty handed. Of further interest, this statement by Ruth is the last recorded words by her in this book. The phrase "empty-handed" hearkened back to the sorrow Naomi expressed earlier when she and Ruth returned to Bethlehem. Boaz’ actions here seemed to suggest a change was in order for Naomi.

The setting at Naomi's house must have provided such a great context for there to be great joy shared between Naomi and Ruth. Just a short time earlier, these two widowed women stood on the dusty roads of Moab weeping at the grim prospects of their future, not knowing the plans the Lord had in store for them. And now, they were within hours of finding security and rest in one who would perform for them redemption. The only question that remained was not "if," but "who."

The grain Boaz gave to Ruth was a great sign of good things to come. The analogy drawn for all who follow the God of the Bible bears the significance of the completion of His work on our behalf and our assured entrance into the rest which was anticipated since the dawning of man. This "rest," which was lost to Adam, had not yet been available to anyone until the Lord Jesus Christ came to bear the sin of all who would believe in Him. The rest that He offers is predicated upon His resurrection from the dead.

It is significant that the barley passed from a Gentile to a Jew, not the other way around. Though it originally came from a Jewish man, it went through Ruth and then to Naomi. It is a Gentile who carried it until it was time to be handed to the one for whom it was originally intended. Despite his intentions to be betrothed to Ruth, Boaz still maintained compassion for, and a desire to support, Naomi. Again, it is an important consideration to understanding the entire scope of what is pictured here. From the very beginning of time, the gospel of the Lord Jesus was meant for the Jews and the Gentiles.

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "Then she said, 'Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.'"

Naomi knew the anxiety of Ruth’s heart and that she anticipated a breakthrough in her life. Perhaps, Ruth was pacing the floors of Naomi's house as she patiently waited for the plan of God to unfold. And, her excitement and impatience would only intensify as the moments passed with each hour. And so Naomi rightfully asked Ruth to sit and relax until the matter, which was out of her control, would be settled. This is a picture of our walk with the Lord. As we anticipate Him awakening another sinner from their sin or as we anticipate a call from our doctor's office, we have no other choice but to wait and the sup with our God. This is important because it is in these moments of life that intimacy with Him and offered to you and me. The key is to patiently look to Him with our hearts.

God knows the beginning to the end and everything happens for Him in the instantaneous now. Knowing this, we can rest in His will because we can be assured that Father knows best. 

In Ecclesiastes 11:3 we read, "If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie."

Once the tree has fallen, there is no way it will get up and move. When the matter of Ruth’s redemption falls, and in eternity it had, it will be once and for all-time decided. And when a man breathes his last and falls to the ground, his eternal fate will be  settled. There is a finality in the idea of that which falls. Here in this verse remains the question: "Who will be Ruth’s redeemer?"

Boaz had given assurance to Ruth by giving her grain, and he had departed at the first dawning of the morning to work out the consummation of his plans. Naomi therefore knew, with all certainty, that he was intent on seeing the matter through. Having seen his actions towards Ruth in the past and his kind attitude which accompanied him, she knew that he had his heart set on her and he had every intention of marrying her. But first it had to be determined if he was the one qualified and able to bring about her redemption. The question remained, "Was Boaz God's choice?" This is so crucial for all of us. God must be our pursuit and pursuant to Him is His will.

Everything so far in this love story has been carefully detailed and recorded for the sole purpose of helping us to see the work of the Lord Jesus Christ  in advance. This is a story of great love, both in the immediate story, but also in the picture it presents. The Lord Jesus Christ waited patiently for the fullness of time to come and then He came to earth in order to procure a bride for Himself. He also submitted to the authority of the Father and He followed the law to the letter, fulfilling it completely. Thus He embodied the law for us. 

There is a time, and it may not be far off now, when we will see the consummation of this great plan. Christ will come for His bride and He will sweep us away to be with Him forever. God chose this beautiful story of Ruth to show us hints of the unfolding of our story with Him. When we responded affirmatively to the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," we became a part of His bride.

Getting back to the waiting game for Naomi and Ruth. There should always for the believer in Christ a note of confidence in the invisible hand of God, who directs our lives with pinpoint accuracy. The key is that we practice patience in the Eternal One. Just as the six days of creation were incomplete without the seventh day of rest, Boaz' generous gift of seed was incomplete until Ruth gave to him her hand in marriage. This is a picture of our consummation with the Lord. 

Ruth 3:12-15

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12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning.” 14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, “Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Also he said, “Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.” And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city. ~ Ruth 3:12-15

Today, we return to our study of Ruth 3 where Ruth has just made it known to Boaz that if he were to ask for her hand in marriage, she would say, "Yes." Ruth was a picture of the sinner who is saved as a result of asking the Lord to come into his life. And, although Boaz gave full and clear indication that he was going to ask for her hand in marriage, there was wrinkle about to be made known which could jeopardize it. 

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I."

As with any great story there are always twists that creates opportunity for God to show Himself strong on the behalf of those who depend upon Him. These twists could be looked upon as frustrations and disappointments, but a life of trusting in the God of the Bible renders a different perspective. Rather than seeing the interruptions as disappointments, faith in the God of the Bible says the disappointments are more opportunities for God to show Himself strong in the life of the trusting believer.

The twist in the story of Ruth is that Boaz knew that there was another relative who could have been the Kinsman Redeemer. We do not know who the other Kinsman was, we are not told of his identity but we do know that he was somebody in the chain in the family tree who was a closer relative than Boaz. So according to the law, Boaz had to use deference and pass it on to him first to see if he wanted to do it.

In Isaiah 45:2-3 we read, "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron . . . That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel."

God has always performed the work of restoration and redemption is the lives of His trusting children. Isaiah wrote, "He makes crooked places straight." And, in order for Him to make crooked places straight, the place has to be made crooked. And, the crooked place here was there was an unnamed relative who legally should have been the Kinsman Redeemer. God uses the trials of life to condition our hearts for His holiness and to increase our spiritual maturity. Our trials are also designed to wean us from our dependence of this world and ourselves.

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning."

These words of Boaz to Ruth were for her concern. We like Ruth are actually alone and destitute in this world. No matter how much we think we might have, even if our bank accounts are overflowing now, there are no guarantees that it will continue. Ruth understood this, but often we fail to see it. 

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, 'Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.'"

During the night Ruth laid at the feet of Boaz and awaited his directions. To sit at the feet of someone indicates a desire to learn from that person. It is the place of submission and even servitude. This was where Ruth was that night as she spent the rest of her night pondering how the events of the next day would unfold. This is what it is like for the believer in Christ; daily anticipating His next move in our lives as we are poised to follow His lead into this great adventure with Him that awaits us.

At the earliest showing of light, Ruth "arose" or literally "stood up." The intent was to depart before the shadows turned to recognizable faces. The Hebrew here reads "before one could recognize another." This means Ruth's early departure was a necessary precaution to preserve her integrity. 

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "Also he said, 'Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it.' And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city." 

Before Ruth was to depart from Boaz, he asked for Ruth’s shawl. The word translated "shawl" is used only twice in the Bible. This was a garment that was placed over her shoulders, or maybe tied around her waist that could be used to carry the grains. This particular word literally means to "bear" such as in having children and it was useful for Ruth to carry the barley into the city.

The word ephah is not in the original text. An ephah equates to about a bushel of wheat. One ephah, or one bushel, would be as much as Ruth could carry in a basket, just as she did at the end of her first day of labor in the fields. Unless Ruth had unseen strength, there was no way she could carry six ephahs of barley into the city. The unit of measurement here is not what is most significant. What was important here was Ruth was seen coming from the threshing floor with the barley grain. 

Barley is specified here because of what it pictures. Barley is a picture of the resurrection of Christ because according to Leviticus 23 barley was what was presented at the Feast of Firstfruits. This first sheaf came from the first mature crop of barley. 

In 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 we read, "20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming."

The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits by being the firstfruits of the resurrection. Others in the Bible (such as Lazarus and Jairus' daughter) had been raised from the dead prior to Christ's resurrection but they were resurrected back into their old bodies which would eventually die again. The Lord Jesus was the first to be raised into a new resurrection body, never to die again! 

Oh, the wisdom of God who created the grains, who ordained the time the grains would come forth, and who designed them with particular traits, each resembling the work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The grains and a trillion other items in nature have all been created and ordained to show us truths about God's Son the Lord Jesus Christ who is the main theme of all of the Scriptures.

Ruth 3:6-11

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6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?” So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.” 10 Then he said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. ~ Ruth 3:6-11

Today, we return to our study of the book of Ruth. In our last study Naomi instructed Ruth to doll herself up and go to the winnowing floor where Boaz would have been working and let it be known to him that she would like for him to ask for her hand in marriage. Later that day, after Boaz and his workers separated the grain from the chaff, they had a celebration meal in the evening celebrating all the grain they had winnowed. There was huge pile of grain there, and the workers would have been so tired from their full day of work they would all fall asleep around the pile of grain with their heads at the center of the file and their feet sticking out like spokes on a wagon wheel. They did this in order to guard what they had collected; there were many thieves known to be in the area. 

In v.6-9 of today's passage we read, "6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her. 7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, 'Who are you?' So she answered, 'I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.'"

So, right there in the middle of the night, Ruth did as her mother-in-law had told her to do and Boaz was frightened by the person laying at his feet. The Hebrew used here translated, "at midnight" describes the darkest moment of the night when Boaz had fell into a hard sleep and then was startled to the point of intense fear as one would be when he did not know whether it was a lion or a man with an axe there at his feet. Sometimes we must experience intense fear in the midst of the darkness of life in order to appreciate the marvelous freedom that the light brings. That moment proved to be a metaphor of all that the Lord God was doing on the behalf of all involved in this marvelous story.

It was at that moment Ruth made her identity known to Boaz, and then she asked him to ask her to marry him. Ruth utilized a metaphor we still use today; to take someone under our wing is to provide them protection and provision. And, as we have mentioned before, all of this was possible due to the fact that God has a tremendous heart for the least. He is the author of the ancient law called the law of levirate marriage which is what is unfolding before our very eyes in this story of Ruth. Sadly, the people of Israel have forsaken this provision of God. Unfortunately, the people once known as God's people have, along with the rest of the world, abandoned God's culture and His definition of things. They, along with all who know not the Lord and His ways, are bent on changing the definitions of things, things that God has long ago defined. And, the more one abandons God's truth, the more one is gobbled up by evil and wickedness in all of its various forms.

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 Then he said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman."

As soon as Boaz knew this person was Ruth, he reminded her that her goodness was really the expression of the Lord's goodness. He said to Ruth, "Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter!" Boaz' theology was spot on. He understood that if any good comes out of our lives, it is the Lord expressing Himself through us. Many think that after we have entered into a personal relationship with the Lord the goal is that we get better. Not so. As we learn to die to self and as we learn to yield to the Lord, it is then that we grow spiritually. When we are yielding to the Lord, He is enabled to express Himself through the brokenness therein. And, it is then that the Lord is most glorified.

I love the character shown by both Ruth and Boaz throughout this book. In every situation whether in Moab, on the road to Bethlehem, or in Bethlehem, Ruth and Boaz were so pleasant, polite and courteous to everyone. Boaz' reactions throughout this whole book, whether to Ruth or to his employees, was at every turn godly. All of this illustrates that when God picks a spouse for us, He gets the best for us. The key is that we walk in His truth. As we walk in His truth we access His wisdom. We must be smart enough to let Him do the choosing. I once heard a man say, "Ladies, you must be so close to the Lord that when a man wants to ask you to marry him, he must go through the Lord to do so." This principle not only works with the women but it works with us men, too.

As indicated by the response from Boaz to Ruth, she could have gone after a younger man, maybe one that was perhaps more attractive or one who would be with her longer due to his age. But Ruth was different, she was following the lead of the Lord who doesn't always major on our minors, so to speak. Due to the fact that Ruth had already garnered a godly reputation in Bethlehem as a virtuous woman, it was now time for her to realize the will of the Lord in her life. 

As I read this story once again, I am reminded of Romans 12:1-2 which renders to us the first step toward knowing the will of God for our lives. We begin to realize the will of God in our lives best on the heels of submitting ourselves daily to God as "living sacrifices." Ruth, somewhere along the way, had made that decision to yield her life to the Lord, and now, she was being defined by the Lord as He implemented His will in her life. 

I end today's blog with a very appropriate quote from Dr. Tim Keller who recently went home to heaven. He said, "In sharp contrast with our culture, the Bible teaches that the essence of marriage is a sacrificial commitment to the good of the other. That means that love is more fundamentally action than emotion. But in talking this way, there is a danger of falling into the opposite error that characterized many ancient and traditional societies. It is possible to see marriage as merely a social transaction, a way of doing your duty to family, tribe and society. Traditional societies made the family the ultimate value in life, and so marriage was a mere transaction that helped your family's interest. By contrast, contemporary Western societies make the individual's happiness the ultimate value, and so marriage becomes primarily an experience of romantic fulfillment. But the Bible sees GOD as the supreme good - not the individual or the family - and that gives us a view of marriage that intimately unites feelings AND duty, passion AND promise. That is because at the heart of the Biblical idea of marriage is the covenant."

Ruth 3:1-5

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1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? 2 Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.” 5 And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.” ~ Ruth 3:1-5

Today, we transition into the third chapter of Ruth where we go further into this romantic love story. More than a story of romance, the book of Ruth is more about the providence of God. And providence can be defined as God weaving together natural events supernaturally. It is where God works supernaturally naturally. He supernaturally allows natural events to be woven together for His glory and our good.

There are only 85 verses in the Book of Ruth, but there are a tremendous amount our spiritual principles discovered herein. For example, possibly going unnoticed is that Naomi has rid herself of her bitterness toward God and now she is thinking of others. This is the way it is in the life of the believer. On a given day, we can be defined by God's culture or we can be defined by the culture of the self life. When we are being defined by God, all sorts of good things come out of it, like caring for others.

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, 'My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?'" 

As the parent, in that society and within the times of their culture, it was Naomi's duty and responsibility to arrange a marriage for Ruth. The Hebrew word translated "seek security" used in this verse implies "rest" such as in a place of rest, like when Noah’s ark settled on the mountains of Ararat, or a state of rest, such as when there is freedom from labor resulting in general ease and contentment. Naomi was asking Ruth if she wanted to be granted a place of rest in a marriage.

As we previously mentioned, in those days, there was a law that required the "kinsman redeemer" to marry a widow resulting in her being able to rest from her labors. This unmarried man of the family was required by God to take the widow as his bride so that she was not left destitute. Now that Naomi is back in the position of being defined by the Lord, she suggests to Ruth to make her interest in Boaz known to him. Naomi knew the Scriptures and that God had a huge heart for the widows and the orphans. Since Boaz was older than Ruth by a generation, he would not have asked Ruth for her hand in marriage; Ruth had to make her interest in Boaz known before he would ask her to marry him. Through the once embittered Naomi, God was providentially at work on the behalf of Ruth.

In v.2 of today's passage we read, "Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor."

Creative Naomi comes up with a plan to get Ruth and Boaz alone so that Ruth can make her interests known to Boaz. The setting would be the threshing floors which were usually made out of bedrock. It was an elevated area out in the fields where the grain was collected. It was elevated so that in the afternoon when the winds came, the chaff was separated from the grain most easily.

In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do."

Since the death of her husband, Ruth had worn widow’s garments. For the first time since that occasion, she will now adorn herself in a beautiful garment or dress and be prepared in a most radiant way. Her clothes would smell wonderful, her face would glow from the bath, and her hair would be shiny from a handful of olive oil. 

This is a story of not only Boaz becoming the redeemer of Ruth, this true historically verified story provides a picture of the Lord Jesus and those who follow Him. Every word and every detail in the story of Ruth was given to show us of the Lord's love, redemption, and restoration of those who would want to be His people. Every person mentioned in the story of Ruth is emblematic of another figure or precept which leads to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The story of Ruth is truly a work of beauty, and, God has taken these real people with their truly human needs and desires, and has used them as examples of His redemption for those who were once the enemies of God.

To uncover his feet referred literally "the places of his feet." It was comparable to saying, "the foot of his bed." Boaz would probably be sleeping in his clothes and merely have a cover over his feet to keep them warm through the night. With this cover, Ruth would lay next to his feet and cover herself as a sign of submission. It would be as a servant might do when sleeping in a room with their master. These action, as instructed by Naomi and carried out by Ruth, would have been perfectly acceptable in their culture. Ruth was offering herself to the one who had the right to redeem her by taking advantage of the very law of redemption which the culture was guided by. Boaz was the one to perform the redemption, if Ruth so asked. And, so it is with the wooing of the Holy Spirit of the unbeliever to believe in the Lord Jesus as Savior. He called us in anticipation of us responding, but it was we who had to respond affirmatively to the His call.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "And she said to her, 'All that you say to me I will do.'"

Naomi had certainly presented a rather risky venture for Ruth, one that could have potentially been fraught with danger should Boaz choose not to redeem her. What is truly amazing is the simple response given by Ruth, specifically "All that you say to me I will do." Ruth did not question Naomi’s plan; there was only a simple response of obedience. We should not be surprised at this because this is what Ruth has done throughout this book. Recently, I had a young man ask me, "If God has forgiven our sin, past, present and future, what is our motivation to obey God?" I responded, "It is intelligent to obey God for He has given us His word in order to inculcate His culture into our souls. And, quite frankly, it is rather foolish to think that we know better than God." Ruth obeyed because she understood this principle.

Ruth 2:20-23

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20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.” 21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.” 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law. ~ Ruth 2:20-23

Today, we conclude our study of Ruth 2 where the Lord has taken a difficult story of a woman named Naomi who lost her husband and sons to death and turned it into a tapestry. As the story has moved along, we now have seen the Lord lead one of the daughters-in-law of Naomi, Ruth, to a field owned by a man named Boaz who out of no where has shown the twenty-five year old Ruth, much favor. The faith of this young lady had made it possible for her to realize God's leading in her life to the point of experiencing many little miracles. As a result, her faith has impacted Naomi, her mother-in-law in such a way that she has turned from being a person who was bitter toward God to a person who is now grateful before Him. I find it very instructive that according to Romans 1, sinful man's departure from the Lord began with his inability to be grateful to Him.

In v.20-21 of today's passage we read, "20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, 'Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!' And Naomi said to her, 'This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.' 21 Ruth the Moabitess said, 'He also said to me, ‘You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.'"

As we saw in our last study, Boaz, the owner of the field where Ruth had been led by the Lord, told his men to deliberately leave grain behind during their harvesting so that Ruth would have plenty of grain to carry home to her mother-in-law. By the time her day of working was done, Ruth had gathered somewhere between around 30-50 pounds of grain which was enough to feed both she and Naomi for at least five days!

When Ruth got home, Naomi saw her grain haul and arrived at the idea that God had not forsaken her. We all struggle like Naomi, thinking that when we do bad things that God is upset with us. It is at this point that we conclude that He is not there or He is mad at us. This is the product of faulty theology. Since the Lord Jesus lived the perfect life that we could not and He died the death that we could not, the Father looks at all believers in the Lord Jesus through the lens of the Lord Jesus. In the Father's mind we are perfect through His Son. Therefore, everything He does or allows in our lives is the best for us. We must simply trust this to be the case and live our lives accordingly.

In today's passage, Naomi referred to the Lord’s kindness. Using the Hebrew word "hesed" which is the Old Testament word for grace. Naomi's theology was improving. She acknowledged that God used Boaz’ generosity to remind her of His faithfulness. For the first time in a long time, the heart of Naomi began to be softened toward God. Naomi realized, in that moment, that God had done all this through a close relative who fit the bill of a "kinsman redeemer." God had, in the Old Testament, ordered that the "kinsman redeemer" was to be a close relative who was to "redeem" or "to buy back" his relatives if they fell into debt and had to sell themselves as payment for their debt. According to Deuteronomy 25, the "kinsman redeemer" was also instructed to marry the widow and raise up a child for the brother who had died childless. In this way, the family line and inheritance would continue to be associated with the name of the man who had died.

Even though Boaz was not a brother of either Mahlon or Chileon, it is clear by Boaz’ generosity that he was the kind of man who had the heart of God for the needy. His heart had been touched by God’s "hesed" and he merely treated Ruth and Naomi as he had been graciously treated by God. It’s also clear as this story unfolds that the reference to Boaz as a Kinsman Redeemer is meant to point us to The Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Naomi’s discovery wasn’t just it was Boaz who sought the outcast, and sheltered the weak, and served the hungry, and showered his grace on the needy, it was God is the overall point being made.  

In Luke 19:10 we read, "Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost." He came reminding us of the words that He had given Isaiah in Isaiah 59:2 which reads, "Your sins have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear." And yet, in Romans 5:8 we read that even "while we were sinners, Christ died for us," making it possible for us to be reconciled to God through the death of His Son on the cross.

Accentuated in v.21 are these words: Ruth the Moabitess. The writer of Ruth did this in order to reinforce the lengths to which the Lord went to save us. Ruth was yet again being shown to have a heritage which began in incest and did not measure up before God. This is the story that we all share for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We have no idea how far reaching the degradation of sin has corrupted us. And, if we view those who are the product of incest as less than we are, our theology needs correction. As I am, you are the worst sinner. We all are and that should create the greatest amount of gratitude toward God and humility toward others in our souls.

In v.22-23 of today's passage we read, "22 And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, 'It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, and that people do not meet you in any other field.' 23 So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz, to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest; and she dwelt with her mother-in-law."

The concept of the "kinsman redeemer" has come to the forefront of the story. Naomi charged Ruth to stay close to the young women, implying that maybe a relationship could come out of this between Ruth and Boaz. We do not always know the leading of the Lord before we realize His will in our lives, but here in today's passage a principle pertaining to knowing the will of God is demonstrated by Ruth. As has been the case throughout this book Ruth, Ruth's trust in God was demonstrated as she submitted to the authority structure in her life.

The God of the Bible is, as Creator of all things, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. He has all power and all authority, and He entrusts roles of leadership and responsibility to individuals in the family, the body of Christ, the workplace, and the government. In Romans 13 we read, "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." 

Human authorities are accountable to God for how they exercise their authority. They are responsible to provide protection and direction for those under their care, to lawfully punish those who do wrong, and to praise those who do well. Those under authority are accountable to God for their responses to authority. Since God has placed authorities over each of us, we honor Him and His own authority as we submit to those He has placed over us. And, it is through the authority structures in our lives that God reveals His will for our lives to us.

Ruth 2:17-19

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17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” ~ Ruth 2:17-19

Today, we return to our study of Ruth 2. At the end of Ruth 1 we saw the pain of Naomi that had turned into bitterness. There had been a famine in Israel so Naomi followed her husband Elimelech, taking along their two sons, to Moab for sustenance. Shortly after arriving in Moab, Elimelech died. Naomi’s sons married Moabite wives. And then, within ten years, both sons died. At the end of Ruth 1, Naomi referred to herself as "Mara" which means bitter, and she blamed God for her bitterness. This just underscores the fact that we can be in the family of God and still have our struggles trusting the Father.

Our pain either pushes us to dependence to the Lord or it pulls us away to be independent of the Lord. The outcome is determined by the disposition we embrace: either pride or humility. In Job 36:15 we read, "He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity." This means God "grants us the ability to hear Him" through the adversity that we face in this fallen world. It is through our struggles that we are granted the choice to choose to listen to the Lord and subsequently be defined by Him. Our pain draws us to God, and once we are walking with Him, we will realize that everything in this world is just as broken as we. Through this process, we learn to recognize and to trust the voice of God who leads us through this sin ladened world. 

In v.17-18 of today's passage we read, "17 So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied."

Ruth had traveled back to Bethlehem with her bitter mother-in-law, Naomi, and she sought a job at a local grain field. God showed Ruth favor by giving her favor with a wealthy man of Bethlehem by the name of Boaz who was attracted to her even though he was at least fifteen years older. In these verses we learn that Ruth worked all day gathering and sifting barley in the fields and now she had taken her harvest home to her embittered mother-in-law, Naomi.

At the end of v.17 we learn that Ruth had gathered an ephah of barley for the day. This was no small amount of grain. In today’s measurements, it was approximately a bushel of barley. Undoubtedly, it was rather heavy for Ruth to haul, especially after her long day of working. In all, the grain that she obtained was enough to feed both herself and Naomi for five full days.

Even though Ruth was worn out and exhausted, she was satisfied with her work and her harvest. All work has dignity because it reflects God’s image in us. The first few words in the Bible reads, "In the beginning God created." God created us to feel better about ourselves as we responsibly hold down a job. And, if we do not take our cues from Him, we will be defined by something that is much lesser. This is the real issue which is that we are being defined by God on a daily basis. According to Genesis 2:15, work existed before the fall of man. The Bible clearly informs us that God put man in the Garden of Eden to work it and to take care of it. The one who brings home a paycheck to provide for themselves and their family has a sense of dignity and worth. God made us this way, and, when we are not being defined by Him, we will be defined by the lesser which will always lead us down the road of destruction.

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "And her mother-in-law said to her, 'Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.' So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, 'The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.'"

It was at this point that the grace of God came rushing in upon Naomi. The astonishment of Naomi was evident in the repetition of her questions. She asked, "Where have you gleaned today?" Then she asked, "And where did you work?" Knowing Ruth’s character, there wasn’t even a hint of wrongdoing in Noami's questions. Instead of such thoughts, Naomi’s confidence in her character was never questioned. Naomi then realized that someone must have taken note of Ruth's plight and chose to help her. This led Naomi to say, "Blessed be the one who took notice of you!"

It was at that moment that Ruth revealed the identity of the man who had helped her and Naomi knew she was related to this man through her deceased husband, Elimelech. Earlier, we read that Ruth happened to come to the field owned by Boaz. But that was not how it actually came to pass. Ruth came to that field because God guided her there. To these unfolding events, Noami responded with praise. Naomi was the woman who had earlier come into town saying, "Call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me." This was the same woman who said, "The Almighty has afflicted me." Due to Ruth's walk with the Lord, Naomi was beginning to see more of God’s unfolding plan for her and she was responding in the right way.

Most believe our sanctification or the inculcating of God's culture into our souls is about us. No, my friends, our sanctification is so that others might look into our lives with God and to see God shown through our yielded lives. God used Ruth to turn Naomi’s bitterness into gratitude, her unbelief into faith, and her despair into hope. One person, trusting the Lord and obeying His will, can change a situation from defeat to victory. Ruth’s faith in God’s Word led her to the field of Boaz. The love of Boaz for Ruth compelled him to pour out his grace upon her in the way he did.

This is the lesson we are left with today through the life of a twenty-five year old girl who grew up on the other side of the tracks. This is the lesson we gain from the one who had learned that her pain was useful to God to drive her to Himself and His culture. Like Ruth, we must be defined by the God of the Bible today so that others might learn of Him through our yielded lives.

Ruth 2:14-16

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14 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. 15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” ~ Ruth 2:14-16

Today, we return to our study of Ruth which has three main characters which are all single and not married. This wonderful four chaptered story of Ruth expands our understanding and our appreciation of the astonishing grace of God. As we rejoin Ruth gleaning in the fields of Boaz, our vision of Boaz as a type of the Lord Jesus will increase. The more He increases in our lives the more our faulty understanding of Him decreases.

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, 'Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.' So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back."

Ruth, a young lady of about twenty-five years old who grew up in the projects of Moab. She was granted a seat at the table with those who were from the other side of the tracks. Perhaps, Ruth thought to herself things like, "Which fork should I use with the salad?" and "When should I eat my dessert?" Not exactly, but I'm sure you get the idea; she did not belong there.

Since Ruth had entered into a personal relationship with God, she was gradually learning that God was known to take her into context where she knew she did not belong. The seat that Ruth was given at this meal was a spot that I am sure she had never anticipated she would have experienced. This is the way it is with the Lord. He takes believers of all stripes and plops us down in the most unexpected places. I have always taught my sons to act like they belong because we do not know where the Lord will lead them. Of course, He does this in order to further His kingdom in the lives of others through us as we share the gospel with them.

Perhaps Ruth thought to herself that she should not say too much since she had received her education from the rural province of Moab. But, God placed her where she was in order to further His kingdom in the hearts of those to whom she had been given relationship. I can imagine that Ruth felt most comfortable talking about things that she was most familiar with. And, this is just the way the Lord works. I have discovered that we can appear to belong even when we do not only if we enter into the conversations that are being had at points where we know something about the subject matter. All the while our motive is to somehow factor in on what God is doing in the context.

Notice after Ruth had eaten and was satisfied she stuffed some of the food away in order to take it home to her mother-in-law, Naomi who was as needy as Ruth. When we walk with the Lord and we have experienced His grace for ourselves, we will want to share His graciousness with others. It is the grace of God that causes us to go further in our walk with Him. And, the further we go in, the greater we will see His heart and the more He gives us His heart. Many miss a deepening walk with the Lord because they were unwilling to go to Bethlehem with Naomi. This is what Ruth is doing here; she was looking out for Naomi.

One of the truly fascinating developments in the story of Ruth is how Ruth draws closer and closer to Boaz throughout the book. It begins with Ruth in Moab and Boaz in Bethlehem. Then Ruth moved to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Then Ruth moved to the field of Boaz. Then Boaz saw Ruth and inquired about her. Then Boaz addressed Ruth, telling her not to leave his field but to stay near his women where she could continue to glean the grain that was dropped intentionally. This gradual but consistent diminishment of distance continues in today's passage as Boaz invites Ruth to share in their meal. This is a picture of our walk with the Lord.

In v.15-16 of today's passage we read, "15 And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, 'Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.'"

Ruth's distance from Boaz decreased as the blessings she received increased. Boaz, as we saw in the first half of this chapter, had already blessed her by acknowledging her, granting her a degree of status, and offering her protection. In the second half of the chapter, the blessings increase to a degree that can only be described as lavish. Here, Boaz invited Ruth to sit closer, he passed her roasted grain, he personally told his young men to let her glean not only where grain had been left behind but also "among the sheaves." He actually told his young men to pull stalks from the bundles and drop them for her to gather, and he personally forbade the young men to not harass or harm her.

This is a picture of Boaz’ growing affection for Naomi, and, it pictures the Lord's love for you and me. The blessings increase as the distance decreases. There have been times when I have complained that I am not being blessed of the Lord only to realize that we see His blessings best through the lens of our troubles. This, of course, was Ruth's secret. Our trials have as their design the role of pushing us closer to the Lord. As we simply seek the Lord in prayer and we read and immerse ourselves in His word, we will see Him more and more vividly. The heart that sees God best is the heart that seeks Him most.

The Lord Jesus obliterated all distance between us and God by going to the cross, yet we still try to keep Him at arm’s length. The closer we draw to Him, the more we are able to see and understand and receive and celebrate the amazing blessings He gives us. We are Ruth. We are the recipients of an embarrassing amount of God's grace! The Lord has opened the treasury to us in His Son and He daily gives us stunning amounts of love, grace, mercy, peace, hope, and joy! This is what enabled Ruth to live as she did, and, this is the only way to truly navigate in this dark world that we live in. His blessings increase as the distance decreases.

Ruth 2:10-13

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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.

Ruth 2:5-9

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5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.” 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” ~ Ruth 2:5-9

Today, we return to one of the greatest love stories of all time, the story of Ruth and Boaz. In our last study we saw the introduction of Boaz into this narrative. In order to know another's relationship with God, we need to find out how far God has saturated into the details of his everyday life. Evidently Boaz was such a God-saturated man that his farming business and his relationship with his employees was quite totally saturated with God. When Boaz arrived at his field, he greeted his workers with the type of kindness that only comes from God. 

In v.5-6 of today's passage we read, "5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab."

This is the first verse in the book of Ruth that includes both Boaz and Ruth together. Earlier Boaz was described as a man of great wealth in all ways, not just materially. Boaz was a man of many possessions, but he lacked a wife. Once this man who seemingly had all he needed saw Ruth, he was attracted to her. This merely underscores that it is not wrong to be attracted to someone who perhaps could be your spouse one day. But, we must be careful to not let looks be the number one thing that influences our attraction to that person. We must be wise to recognize the character of that person because the way we attract someone will be the way that we keep them after the wedding bells have rung. In addition, just watch how a young man treats his mother or a young lady treats her father; that also will give indication of the character within or its lack.

I find it most instructive that God kept Boaz single for quite a while before he married. God did it for a purpose because He had a plan for Boaz that involved waiting for Ruth. The providence of God is clearly seen by the fact that He is involved in every detail of our lives, even those times we would rather not have in our lives. If I had entered Columbia Bible College the year I graduated from High School, I would have never met my wife. However, I entered college in the Fall of 1983 and my wife came in the Fall of 1985. Had I entered college in 1981 when I graduated from High School, I would have graduated in the Spring of 1985. And, my wife entered CBC in the Fall of 1985. The God of the Bible is most sovereign and we can trust in His divine care. Clinging to Him and His word is the key to discovering His great will for our lives.

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "And she said, 'Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.' So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house."

Gleaning was one way that God made provisions for the poor in Old Testament days. It proves, yet again, His heart for those who are needy and weak. According to Leviticus 23, God  instructed those who own fields with crops to leave some of the  wheat in the stalk when they harvested their crops. Of course, God made this provision so that the fatherless, the widow, the poor of the land, the stranger in the land could come in and pick of the parts that were intentionally left. 

Ruth began her request with the word "please" and then she performed the work of a servant all day long. The character she displayed was far reaching, and yet, she had grown up in Moab where the ways of the Lord were not espoused. It is quite obvious that she had a fairly solid walk with the Lord because she displayed many qualities that are of God's culture. This highlights the utter importance of our walk with the Lord. As the great hymn states, "When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word what a glory He sheds upon our way."

In v.8-9 of today's passage we read, "8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, 'You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.'"  

In this passage is the first recorded words of Boaz to Ruth. These words were a common expression of a father to his daughter. With these words, Boaz not only allowed Ruth to glean of his harvest, he granted her the status of a reaper which was what his employees were there in his field to do. Rather than merely getting the leftovers, she got to partake of the actual harvest. And then, when it was time for a break, Boaz told Ruth to stay and enjoy the water the young men brought up from the well.

The word Boaz used here translated "stay close" is the same word which was used when Ruth clung to her mother-in-law, refusing to allow her to return to Israel alone. It is also the same word used in Genesis 2:24 where we read, "a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Boaz asked Ruth to not depart from the binding of the sheaves that were cut by the reapers. This was probably a way of ensuring that she would begin to make friends with the others as they worked together. He was communicating with her that she was welcomed there and was not a nuisance.

The Bible starts and ends with a marriage and the heart of its revelation is the uniting of God and man. All of this is to say that Boaz is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ and Ruth is a picture of the believer in Christ. Boaz was from Bethlehem as was the Lord Jesus born there. Boaz was graciously compassionate toward Noami, as was the Lord Jesus when He died for us while we were yet His enemies. Boaz told Ruth to abide in his field and the Lord Jesus tells us to abide in His love. Boaz generously provided for Ruth as does the Lord generously provides for the believer. Boaz invited Ruth to drink when she was thirsty. Similarly, the Lord Jesus invites us to come to Him when we are thirsty.  

The point of all of this is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of the entire Bible. He is pictured or prophesied about in each of the 66 books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. He is also seen through types in the lives of different characters in the Bible. Just after His resurrection, the Lord Jesus appeared to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus, and began to explain to them—from Moses and all the prophets, how every story in the Old Testament had been about Him. This is why He said of Himself, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Ruth 2:1-4

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1 There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. 2 So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you! And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!” ~ Ruth 2:1-4

Today, we return to our study of the book of Ruth where in our last study Naomi and Ruth had returned to Bethlehem the home town of Naomi. And, you will remember that when they arrived, it was the time of the barley harvest. When we have walked with the Lord long enough, we begin to recognize His faithfulness more and more. I have also noticed that often God holds off the arrival of His faithfulness in our lives so that the circumstances make it clear that it is He who was providing for our needs. This is the case here in Ruth 2.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. 2 So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, 'Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.' And she said to her, 'Go, my daughter.'"

In Ruth 1 there was a famine in the land that drove this family to Moab. In Ruth 2 there was a family member who owned grain fields that were accessible to Ruth and Naomi. One of the provisions of the Old Testament law was that, during the harvest, poor people could glean. What that really meant was they could go behind the harvesters and pick up what the harvesters dropped or what the harvest didn’t cut. What fell off the wagon, they could pick up. And Ruth agreed to go gleaning in the field. Our transition into the second chapter of Ruth provides for us an example of how God uses all things together for the good of the believer in Him. 

Humility positioned Ruth to be willing to go to Boaz' field to glean the grain. Ruth had lost her husband and her father-in-law. She also made the long arduous journey to Bethlehem from Moab. She was in a very foreign place. And she was untainted by it all. Due to her faith in the God of the Bible, she was not beaten down by the harsh circumstances of her life. She had every reason to be bitter, but she was not. 

Self-sacrifice born from a humble heart is explicitly linked to following God. The Lord Jesus in Matthew 16:24-25 said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." If we are desirous of finding our best life by follow the Lord, we must leave the "self-life" at the door. It is the self that inhibits the growth of humility in our souls.

Naomi offered Ruth a chance to have a life. Ruth’s husband, Naomi’s son, had died and left her childless. In that society, Ruth would be pretty much bottom of the food chain. Without a husband, there wasn’t much she could do to fend for herself. The best option to fix her own position would be to marry someone else. However, Ruth chooses to remain with Naomi and go to Naomi’s homeland. Ruth was a Moabite, and Naomi is an Israelite, so by going to Israel, Ruth further steps away from any life of ease.

In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. 4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, 'The Lord be with you!' And they answered him, 'The Lord bless you!'"

This is where Boaz enters the narrative and doubting Naomi will see the grace of God like she has never seen it. It is obvious from his greeting to his workers that Boaz was God-hearted and he was generous. This, I am sure, encouraged the faith of Ruth. Here, we see a course of seemingly normal events. A girl gleaning on the edges of a field. A man coming from the city to check on his work. A harvest in full force. It’s in everyday life that God does most of His work. It was true for Naomi and Ruth, and it’s true for you and me. God is always doing 10,000 things in our lives and we might see only a few. We might feel His absence, but He is ever-present. It is often His apparent absence in our lives that His presence is pronounced. We might wonder if He cares, but He is always at work in our lives to bring about good even out of the bad. 

Naomi, on the other hand, held on to her bitterness that she had misplaced upon God. Her circumstances shouted to her that God was not aware and that He did not care about her. But there were whispers of grace rumbling in the background of her story. Naomi allowed herself to be consumed by her poor theology, and as a result, she had lost her ability to see the heart of God. 

Following God is not always like walking a straight line upward and forward. Sometimes our circumstances push us way down low. But the low place is where we find our Him. He was born in a manger. He had no place to lay His head. He died condemned on a cross alone. But He is called the King of Glory. In God’s economy, the low place is the high place. The story of Ruth reaffirms that truth. It makes sense. Jesus came from this lowly woman—this poor outsider is the ancestral mother of the King.

In v.3 we read the words, "she happened to come." The Hebrew literally reads, "her chance chanced." She "chanced upon chance" to the field that this godly man named Boaz owned. What a coincidence! Here is a widowed foreigner who just so happens to come to the part of this big field owned by someone who understood the heart of God and His word. He knew that God’s law allowed for poor people and foreigners to glean from the fields by restricting landowners from scraping out every possible grain. The edges were to be left for the hungry according to Leviticus 19:9-10 which reads, "When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God." 

This was not coincidence. This was the sovereignty of God. And, when Ruth decided that God would define her life, she was positioned to be blessed like this. The greatest part of this story is that Ruth and Naomi were being given by God a story with Him that they could tell their children and grandchildren for years to come. So, the next time you are faced with an impossible situation, look to God and trust Him. Ask Him to work in your situation. You will be amazed at what He will do. Only those who look to Him see His handiwork in their lives, especially in the impossible situations that only He can remedy.

Ruth 1:19-22

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19 Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. ~ Ruth 1:19-22

Today, we return to our study of the book of Ruth which is a story for people who get to that place in life where we wonder where God is when our world fall apart. This little four chaptered book is for those who wonder where God is when one tragedy after another meanders into our lives. It's a story for people who wonder whether a life of integrity in tough times is worth it. And it's a story for people who can't imagine that anything great could ever come out of our broken lives.

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, 'Is this Naomi?'"

The journey from Moab to Bethlehem for Naomi and Ruth was about 50 miles in distance. It was not an easy trip in a land which is hilly, rocky, and very hot. Their trip included crossing over the Arnon river and the Jordan river. Naomi and Ruth had to carry whatever they owned including the water they needed to drink while on their journey. This was not an easy trip. In fact, with carrying their things, stopping for rest and sleep and the like, it probably took them a minimum of two days. 

Upon their arrival to Bethlehem, all the city was excited. The women of the town were astonished at the person they once knew. More than 10 years had passed when Naomi had left with her husband and sons for Moab. Then she was a much younger woman. Now, she returned looking older, more worn down from the sadness and the years that had passed. The second law of thermodynamics had taken its toll on Noami both physically and spiritually.

In v.20-21 of today's passage we read, "20 But she said to them, 'Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?'"

Here, we get a glimpse of Naomi's inner state when she told the women of Bethlehem not to call her Naomi which means "pleasant." When God defined Naomi, she was pleasant and beautiful and sweet. This is why we must be ardent in seeking the Lord on a daily basis through our study of the Scriptures and prayer. His definition of our lives is the best and yields the best results. Of course, we must be careful that these two spiritual practices are not just boxes we check off on our to do list for the day. Those who read the Bible and pray as a religious exercise miss the point. Those who see the Bible as a pane of glass that enables us to see God more clearly understand what our relationship with God is all about. It's about knowing Him and making Him known.

The late Mike Yaconelli said it well when he wrote, "Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spirituality is not about perfection; it is about connection. The way of the spiritual life begins where we are now in the mess of our lives."

In hearing her given name repeated time and again as she encountered the people of Bethlehem, Naomi could only think that it was no longer appropriate. In her mind, the covenant God of Israel, was distant from her and she felt the pain of it each time her name was repeated. And so, she thought a change to reflect her sad condition was needed. Interestingly, the name she chose is not the normal Hebrew form of the word. It is lacking the letter "h" at the end of the name which is the same letter that was added to Abraham and Sarah’s names as a sign of God's covenant grace. It was as if she were an outsider to the Lord and His covenant provision, wallowing alone in her bitterness.

Being defined by God shows up in our lives by how we respond to Him and how we choose to live our lives. When we choose to believe that He is gracious and we can not out-sin His grace, it is then that we are being defined by Him. We must be very careful to not even depend upon one ounce of our good behavior to define us because when we do that, we will become very discouraged and jaded. But, Naomi was not in the moment being defined by God and she became bitter.

Naomi requested that her old girlfriends reference her as "bitter" for she was quite defined by her bitterness. Four times in context did Naomi refer to God. She was bitter at God because she thought He was bitter toward her. I find it interesting that when pain comes into our lives, we blame no one but God. We do this because we know that God is the only one who could have prevented our pain. Ever notice no one curses any of the names of the gods of Hinduism or any other religion when life goes south on them? 

While attributing her affliction to the Lord, Naomi implied that God was evil or wicked. This is what sin does to us; it distorts our understanding of God. It leads us to conclude that He is the opposite of what He really is. Instead of ascribing the evils that come our way to God, it is right that we humble ourselves and choose to trust Him with the outcomes of the trouble in our lives. In the midst of our afflictions, it is most important how we choose to respond. Above all, we are to never ascribe evil to the Lord. It is we humans who chose the path we are on and it is the Lord God who sent His Son to correct it.

Naomi failed to see that the kindness of the Lord was just around the corner. Thinking she was the object of God’s wrath, she misinterpreted the sad and troublesome hardships she had faced. What seemed at the time to be harsh and cruel was in due time to be replaced with joy and comfort. But even more, the troubles she faced had served a larger purpose as her life has been used to show the greater, and often unseen, hand of God as He unfolds history in a way which displays His sovereignty and His kind heart toward mankind. 

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest."

The reaping of the  barley historically took place during the month of Abib which happened at the time of our March/April. It commences during the Feast of Unleavend Bread when the first-fruits of the harvest are cut and presented to the Lord, a picture of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was at that same time of year when the Lord Jesus was crucified and then rose from the dead. 

The first obvious indication of God's blessing here was the barley harvest. Even though, at that time, barley was the least expensive of the grains, when we can see the sovereign hand in the least of these, we will better see His hand in the greatest of these. It is obvious that one of the main lessons here is discovered when we conclude that God is good even in the lean moments of life. Of course, once we get to that spot we will find it much easier to conclude He is good in the times of plenty.

Ruth 1:15-18

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15 And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you;  For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me." 18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her. ~ Ruth 1:15-18

Today, we return to the Old Testament book of Ruth where we are beginning to see the unfolding of a love story between a man and a woman. This love story is a human metaphor for the story of redemption initiated by the God of the Bible through His Son's death on the cross. But, the purpose of this book of Ruth is to provide a demonstration of how a foreigner became the great-grandmother of Israel’s most famous king. King David had a godless Moabite on a branch of his family tree. How could a foreigner, an idol worshiper, become this famous king’s ancestor? This book seeks to answer that question. 

In v.15-17 of today's passage we read, "15 And she said, 'Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.' 16 But Ruth said: 'Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you;  For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.'"

Quite a number of years ago now, an author by the name of Robert Frost, penned a poem entitled, “The Road Not Taken.” It’s a poem that tells the story of a man, who, upon walking through the woods, comes to a fork in the road. It is a place of decision; a place of no return, a choice must be made for he cannot journey down both paths. Whichever road he chooses will lead him to new pathways, and new choices, and he will never stand again where he stands this day. Life is like that, isn’t it? So often we come to a fork in the road, a place where we must choose one path over another, knowing full well that whatever choices we make, will have repercussions, good or bad, or some of both, that spill over into the rest of our lives. 

At a certain point in Frost's poem the man begins his journey down the road that fewer feet had traveled. And he sums up his decision with these words in the concluding verses of the poem, saying: “I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled, and that has made all the difference.” 

These words apply to this daughter-in-law committing herself to her mother-in-law. In New Testament terms, this is Ruth’s conversion. She not only committed herself to Naomi but also to Naomi’s God. Her commitment was personal, voluntary, and complete. After saying these words, she could never go back to Moab. Ruth made a commitment to Naomi because she had entered into a personal relationship with the God of the Bible. 

I found it most difficult to pull myself away from sin in order to enter into a personal relationship with God way back in October of 1981. The death of my dad aided my decision. You see, it wasn't until I began to think of what is really important in this life that I was poised to make my decision to follow the Lord. By the way, no amount of good behavior on my behalf made me right with the Lord; that is why the Lord Jesus died on the cross. I knew that if I didn't make a clean break from the lifestyle I had garnered apart from God, I would be frustrated in my attempt to know God for myself, and that is what was made clear to me that life is really about knowing our Creator for ourselves and finding ways to make Him known to those who are trapped in a life apart from knowing God.

In Deuteronomy 23 God said, "No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord. None of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord." This curse was that none of the Moabites would ever be allowed to come inside the covenant through the tenth generation from when the curse was issued. Interestingly enough, scholars have calculated that Ruth was a member of the eleventh generation. But, the Moabite people had been, by God, shut out from redemption because of their sin.

In Isaiah 56:6-7 which was written much later than Deuteronomy 23, we read, "6 Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant 7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

The curse was only in place until the foreigner and the cursed person turned to God in faith. When Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you;  For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God," she revealed that she had entered into a personal relationship with the God of Naomi, the God of the Bible. The fascinating part of this story is that Ruth was an eleventh generation Moabite. Oh, the sovereignty of our God. He knows all from the beginning to the end and we can thoroughly trust Him with our lives and the lives of those whom we love.

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her."

Naomi had nothing to offer to Ruth and neither of them knew what the future held for them. The road less travelled is like that, filled with the unknown, yet Ruth decided to follow Naomi just the same. And, when Naomi saw that Ruth the Moabite had more faith than Naomi the Jew, she stopped exploring her to return to Moab. How striking that this amazing commitment comes not from an insider but an outsider. I find the faith of Ruth to be incredible. Her commitment to Naomi goes beyond time and place and ethnic background. She who knew so little understands God’s heart more than Naomi who knew so much more. With Ruth's statement, she binds herself to Naomi forever, which was why Naomi was left completely speechless.

Ruth's decision was a complete break with her past. She left behind everything she has ever known, family, friends, familiarity, and she threw herself into the unknown. What an amazing picture of repentance and of faith! A picture of repentance, because it was a complete break from her life with self at the helm. A picture of faith, because Ruth was flinging herself into the arms of her Heavenly Father. Long before Ruth could through herself into the arms of her Kinsman Redeemer as we will see, she had to throw herself into the arms of her Savior.