At the dawn of chapter two, the atmosphere in this book drastically begins to change. The storm clouds of sorrow begin to blow away. The rays of the light of hope peak through the darkness. Gloom is turning to glee; helplessness is peeking at hope; sorrow is giving way to serenity and satisfaction in the lives of Ruth and Naomi. The changes begin to take place as we go from focusing upon Naomi to focusing upon Ruth. We’re reminded again that the institution of Family was created by God and that family matters. Family is the place where there is connection, love, support, care, learning and worship. God is also building a family of believers, which he calls, “children.” We have a heavenly father, who has adopted us through Christ and we have brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s look at:
The Family of Naomi (2:1)
Naomi has a kinsman of the family of Elimelech whose name was Boaz. He was a mighty man of wealth meaning he was a man of valor. This term described Gideon and Jephthah too. Boaz was mighty in fortune, fame, and in fight. He was not a weakling or sissy.
Ruth Acts in Faith (2:2)
Ruth demonstrated her faith in the word of God which granted her the privilege to glean the fields for food. The word “glean” means to pick up what the harvesters left behind. No welfare program of getting something for nothing was offered in that day. If you needed assistance you had to work for what you received. God knows that the character of a person is destroyed when they continually get something for nothing. That kind of philosophy destroys the desire to work. Getting something for nothing creates dependence but work develops character and independence. God made it clear, if you are able to work and unwilling to do so, you don’t eat (2 Thess. 3:10). Hunger is a great motivation to work.
God’s word provided guidelines for the property owners to care for the poor. Leviticus 19:9, 10—And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of thy harvest. (10) And you shall not glean thy vineyard, neither shall you gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God. A field was not to be gleaned a second time. The Bible also says in Deut. 24:19—When you cut down the harvest in your field, and have forgot a sheaf in the field, you shalt not go again to get it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of thine hands. As high as thirty percent of the harvest could be left in the fields.
The fact that Ruth needed to glean indicates her condition of poverty. She demonstrates her initiative by going out and working for her food. She doesn’t have her hand out and waits to be served. She does not go around blubbering that society owes her money. She WORKS and EARNS her food! Many lazy Americans could learn some lessons from Ruth’s example.
The second change in this chapter is the change in attitude from sedition to submission and from rebellion to reverence. Naomi rebelled by going to Moab, allowing her sons to marry Moabites, and trying to cover her sin. Ruth shows an attitude of submission by asking Naomi if she could glean. As we will see in the following verses, she shows her submissive attitude by asking the reapers if she could glean in the field and by obeying Boaz when he told her not to glean in any other field. It is a submissive spirit to the Lord that leads to blessing in our life. In Ruth’s case, her application of the word of God lead to her provision. She found out what God’s law said and trusted that law. She acted upon it by faith and we are to do the same. Applying God’s word in our life is how we grow in our faith and mature in our character and service for Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6—But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
It” just so happened” (2:3)
Ruth has no idea where to go. She sets out on her journey to the fields and happens to end up in the field of Boaz who just happens to be a close relative. This word “hap” is an Anglo-Saxon word. It comes from the same word stem as “perhaps” or “happens.” This event was not an accident, however, but an appointment. It was not a mistake, but a meeting planned by the Lord. It was not an error, but an engagement. Ruth was trusting the Lord to guide her path and that is exactly what the Lord was doing. The Bible says in Psalm 37:23—The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delights in his way. God was leading in Ruth’s life. When we submit to the Lord He leads and feeds as we glean in the right field. Are you where God wants you to be? God’s working in our life is delightful and mysterious too.
* He is constantly working WITH US—Mark 16:20
* He is constantly working IN US—Philippians 2:12, 13
* He is constantly working FOR US—accomplishing His purpose in our life. Romans 8:28
When we submit to the Lord’s will in our lives, we never know where your little decisions will lead you. For Ruth, her decision leads to being ancestor of kings and the Messiah.
The Character of Boaz (2:4-6)
Boaz provides a good example for us here in the matter of the treatment of an employer for his employees. “The Lord be with you” are words of faith. They are words which remind us of God’s presence in the life of the believer. These words are Boaz’s first recorded words in Scripture and are an indication of how he lived and whom he served. It will be obvious as we continue to read this story that the Lord is with Boaz and also with Ruth and that Boaz’s walk did match his talk.
When Boaz sees Ruth he enquires about her. “Whose young woman is this?” Who is this woman and who does she belong too are matters on his mind. Could it be that Boaz is taken with Ruth? It seems he is.
Ruth is Polite, Not Entitled (2:7)
Ruth asked for permission to glean and worked all day long. She was willing to work and God provided for her needs. She was a diligent hard worker and it was noticed by others. The beauty of Ruth is not described, but her character is displayed.
The great need of our day is character because little emphasis is given to it. Society lauds beauty and talent but pays little attention to character. God’s people ought to be people of character. Character is what you are in your heart. It is what you are when no one else is around. Character is what you are, and reputation is what people think you are. Our character affects our decisions, words, attitudes, actions, relationships with others, and goals. If a person concentrates on having character, on inward beauty, their outward beauty will be seen by others. On the other hand, a beautiful person can lose their appeal with an inward ugliness and lack of character.
One of the best things a parent, an employer, teacher, or pastor can do is praise people for their character instead of their talents or looks. When character is praised, it places importance on it. Not everyone can be a great athlete, genius, or beauty, but everyone can work on having character. Character is not the same as achievement. Character is the motivating force in the decisions people make. Accomplishments are the effects of the choices we make. While a person’s achievements should not be ignored, an accomplishment should not be recognized without praising the character of the person who did the accomplishing. Praise the traits of people such as: responsibility, diligence, alertness, generosity, patience, attentiveness, etc. The achievements of people are influenced by their talents, abilities, opportunities, and skills which are going to be different from person to person. The character of a person, however, is not based upon ability but who the person is inwardly. Character qualities can and should be developed by everybody no matter what their position, training, or age. If you want to achieve, then make sure you have the character to achieve. You will find that the great men and women of history were people just like us, but their character made them respond nobly to the unexpected challenges that carried them to fame and notoriety. The character of Ruth motivated her to confront the challenges she faced after the death of her husband and led to her prominence in Scripture.
* Harvesting
When the fields were being harvested, the grain was cut with sickles, bundled into sheaves, tied, and then taken to the threshing floor where it was beaten to loose the grain from the stalk. The gleaning was done at the time of harvest. When the gleaning was complete, the harvest ended.
Christians are also to be harvesting now for the souls of men and women. The harvest is till the end of the age. The stalks of grain are the souls of mankind. The field is the world and the Lord of the harvest is the Lord Jesus Christ. The church of Jesus Christ is to bring in the stalks or people.
The Care Of Boaz (2:8- 9)
Boaz addresses Ruth by the term “my daughter” which was a term of endearment but also reveals the age difference between the two. Boaz seems to be older than Ruth based on verse ten of chapter three. It is believed he was a contemporary of Elimelech.
Boaz’s actions are a demonstration of grace and remind us of God’s grace toward us. Ruth’s first recorded words in Scripture after she arrived in the promised land were words that expressed the desire to find grace (2:2). She did find grace in the person of Boaz as we will see. Grace means God makes the first move to come to our aid. John said in 1 John 4:19—We love him, because he first loved us. Boaz took the initiative and spoke to Ruth, providing for her needs. Jesus Christ took the initiative in providing for our real need of salvation when we were spiritually dead. Paul said in Romans 5:6—For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Verse 8 says, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Ruth found grace by gleaning in the right field. God’s grace is not found by following this world but by following the Lord Jesus Christ.
Boaz instructed Ruth to not glean in any other field. The field seems to be one massive portion of land with different sections belonging to owners. There were no fences only rocks for borders. It would be easy to drift on someone elses land which could have created a problem for Ruth. The fact that Ruth is a Moabitess shows again that she is there by grace because Moabites were not to be a part of the congregation (Deut. 23:3). The grace and kindness of Boaz demonstrated that his walk did match his talk. Boaz wanted Ruth in his field because he was concerned for her safety. Dangers did exist for Ruth. She was a widow, an unpopular Moabitess, and it was harvest time which was a time of drunkenness and revelry.
The Gratitude of Ruth (2:10)
Ruth falls on her face in reverence for Boaz. “Why have I found grace”, she asked. Ruth was grateful for the grace bestowed upon her. She did not expect to be noticed. Foreigners were not usually welcomed with cheer. Ruth, however, was welcomed and we will see why in a moment.
Boaz extended his grace to her. Grace is the favor bestowed upon someone who doesn’t deserve it or cannot earn the favor. As a woman, a poor woman, and a foreigner, Ruth could have no claim upon anyone. She was on the lowest rung on the ladder of that society. Yet, Boaz extended grace upon her. The kindness of Boaz and goodness overwhelmed her and confused her.
God did the same thing for us too when while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). The Bible says in Psalm 84:11—For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Solomon records in Proverbs 3:34—Surely he scorns the scorners: but he gives grace unto the lowly.
Ruth’s comments here indicate a change of direction in the book. The focus shifts from grudges to gratitude. In chapter one, Naomi has bitterness. She has been living in the past. She is bitter, complaining, and out of fellowship with the Lord. Her ungratefulness made her miserable. It will make us miserable too. Does this describe you? Are you ungrateful to the Lord for what He has done for you?
Ruth could have been bitter too with the death of her husband. Instead, her heart is grateful. She had put her faith in the Lord and her past behind her. She trusted the Lord to take care of her and He did. He will do the same for you and I. Peter instructs us to cast all our care upon the Lord for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Ruth was an example of one who put her cares in God’s hands and he healed her hurts and supplied her needs.
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