Ruth

Ruth 2:17-23
Gleaning Through the Harvest Season

Introduction: There are different kinds of work detailed in the Bible, but for the most part, they can be divided into two main categories, physical work and spiritual work. The two can be separate or they can overlap. One can picture the other as well.

For example, there is the physical work of sowing and watering crops and yet there is the spiritual work of evangelizing and teaching which is pictured by the physical work. Paul speaks about that in 1 Corinthians 3. There is the physical work of being a soldier or warrior and yet that pictures the spiritual warfare which goes on around us.

In fact, if we look closely at the workers mentioned in the Bible and the types of work that they do, we will inevitably see a spiritual truth being presented to us. And yet, at the same time, some of these jobs are jobs that any of us might do ourselves at any given time without any real connection to a spiritual application.

Most farmers don’t go out in the morning and say to their wives, “I’m going out to water the crops today, so expect the children to understand the book of Romans when I’m done.” Instead the farmer simply waters the crops, comes home, and hopefully teaches the children Romans.

If he thinks his work during the day will transfer to his children’s knowledge of Romans in the evening, he should probably be put away for a rest. However, even in his farming work, there should be a spiritual connection. Paul gives us this advice in Colossians 3:17 –

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  Colossians 3:17

So if we work in a bank, on a farm, or in a restaurant, we can and should accomplish our work in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through Him for the work, for the chance to receive our daily wages, for the chance to use our work to motivate others, and for the opportunity to show others Christ through our efforts.

Text Verse: “…each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-15

We are told that the motivations of our work will become clear. Everything we do, even if it is a menial physical task, can be done with a spiritual connection. The waitress who leads others to Christ through her quiet, steadfast, and faithful work ethic will surely be rewarded more than the pastor who preaches every Sunday but who has no heart for the Lord.

Today, we will see a woman who is faithful in her work, who demonstrates humility in her circumstances, and who is obedient to the sure calling she has received in the Land of Israel and under the care of the God whom she once determined to follow through any circumstance.

Her reward is coming in several ways, but at the time she certainly wasn’t thinking about the rewards, she was thinking about her commitment to her mother-in-law, her honor as an individual, and being a dedicated and faithful person to the God she had called as her own.

We can and should learn from her example and from the many other lives who have been revealed in the Bible’s pages as people of faith, people of honor, and people who were dedicated to the tasks they were called to – whether lofty and exalted or tedious and menial. God’s eyes are never indifferent to those who are faithful. We find this truth time and time again in God’s superior word. So let’s turn to it once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Blessed Be the One Who Took Notice of You (verses 17-19)

¹⁷ So she gleaned in the field until evening,

Earlier in this chapter, Boaz arrived at the field and we saw the following exchange –

“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.'” Ruth 2:5-7

So in this first verse today, we see that other than a few short breaks, Ruth has worked steadily throughout the entire day, even until evening. Another, less diligent person, may go to the field to glean just enough for the day and not bother with much extra, but she stayed in order to glean as much as she could.

In this, she is a perfect example of the proverb of Solomon which says –

“He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Proverbs 10:4

^{17 (con’t)} and beat out what she had gleaned,

In this act, Ruth is assuming a great responsibility which she could have easily shared with Naomi. Instead of binding up all of the stalks and carrying them on her head to home, she instead takes time to beat the grains out, probably using a stick, or maybe even a small rock. It is a laborious and tiring job known as threshing.

Once the grain is threshed, it then has to be separated from the stalks and chaff. The stalks are picked out and then the grain and chaff is winnowed. This involves throwing it up into the air and allowing the wind to blow away the lighter chaff while the grain falls into a pile.

By doing this, she will bring home grain ready to be milled and then cooked. At the same time, she is keeping all of the difficult work for herself. The milling of the grain is something that she and Naomi could do together as they talked. In her actions, she is taking immense care of her mother in law at her own expense.

As I said in the introduction, physical tasks often carry spiritual applications. The job of winnowing actually pictures something else later in redemptive history. Jeremiah shows us just what in his prophecy to the people in Jeremiah 15 –

“You have forsaken Me,” says the Lord, “You have gone backward. Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am weary of relenting! ⁷ And I will winnow them with a winnowing fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children; I will destroy My people, Since they do not return from their ways.” Jeremiah 15:6, 7

As you can see, winnowing symbolizes purification, in this passage it is the removal of the defiled people from the land. Everything is recorded for a reason and understanding symbolism in stories like Ruth can often help us more clearly see what is being pictured.

^{17 (con’t)} and it was about an ephah of barley.

This is no small amount of grain. In today’s measure, it would be approximately a bushel of barley. It would be rather heavy after the long day of gleaning and then beating out the grain and she would have to be careful carrying it so that it wouldn’t topple over and spill.

In all, the grain that she obtained was enough to feed both herself and Naomi for five full days. This can be determined from what is recorded in Exodus 16 which says this –

“And Moses said to them, ‘This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.'” Exodus 16:15-16

One Omer is a tenth of an ephah. So if she obtained one ephah, then that would last two people for five days. If she could obtain this much throughout the harvest seasons of Israel, they would be able to survive when the harvesting seasons were over.

¹⁸ Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned.

Imagine the dual pleasure of this moment. After her first day of working in the fields, Ruth was certainly tired, even worn out. The load she carried from the field to the city would have become heavier with every step.

And so to set it down would have been a truly satisfying feeling physically. And yet, at the same time she would be overjoyed to see Naomi’s face when the labor was presented to her. And so both physically and spiritually, she would have been renewed.

At the same time, Naomi had probably fidgeted throughout the day, wondering how Ruth was and wondering if she had found any favor at all among the landowners. The long time that she was gone may have concerned her even more, wondering if she had found so little that she felt she needed to stay out all day just to find enough to survive for a single day.

She would have been tired from the thoughts which wore her down and so to see the large basket of grain would be like balm for her, restoring her both emotionally and physically, filling her with both wonder and gratitude. Solomon speaks of how two can build one another up in this way and make life much more bearable –

“Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
¹¹ Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?” Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

So there is a mutual benefit in their relationship, one which Ruth has taken the lead in by being such a great blessing to Naomi, but she had still more coming with which to bless her…

^{18 (con’t)} So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied.

Earlier in this chapter, we saw this from last week –

“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 2:14

That portion, which she had kept back, was with her mother-in-law in mind. Rather than having a second meal, she gave what was left of her lunch to Naomi for a dinner. In this, she beautifully fulfills the words of Paul concerning the responsibility of the younger children to their widowed mothers –

“But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God.” 1 Timothy 5:4

¹⁹ And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work?

The astonishment of Naomi is perfectly evident in the repetition of her words. Even if we didn’t know how much an ephah was, just reading this would let us know that it was no ordinary day of gleaning. And in her words is a sense of heightening the thought and thus complimenting Ruth.

First she said, “Where have you gleaned today.” This is what she set out to do and this is what she did, but she did so much more as Naomi acknowledges with the words “And where did you work?” Gleaning is working, but Ruth did much more. She came home with grain which was ready to be milled.

This means that she had to have a spot to thresh and winnow the grain and this means that she had to have someone allow her to use their threshing floor to do it. It is both a compliment of Ruth and an acknowledgment that someone else had blessed both of them.

^{19 (con’t)} Blessed be the one who took notice of you.”

Knowing Ruth’s character, there isn’t even a hint of wrongdoing in her words. If she were any other person, thoughts of stealing or even gain in some other illicit way may have come to mind. Were it not faithful Ruth, how could such an abundance have come in any other way? But instead of such thoughts, Naomi’s confidence in her character is never questioned.

Instead, she realizes that someone must have taken notice of her and purposefully blessed her. Seeing her character and hard work, they took notice and were kind to her. It is the only explanation. And so she exclaims, yehi makhireckh barukh, (4:16) “Blessed be the one who took notice of you!”

^{19 (con’t)} 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.”

Repeating the second thought of working, rather than merely gleaning, she gives the name of the owner, Boaz. And technically, she didn’t work with Boaz, but because he is the owner of the field, it must be considered as working with him.

He allowed her to glean, he allowed her also to thresh the grain, and in the process he gave her water and food. And so it was technically with him that she worked. In this day of gleaning and working by Ruth which Naomi asked about, we can and should see a parallel to our own lives in Christ.

We should daily ask ourselves what is it that we have done in His fields? When our day comes to a close, we should take a moment to ponder this. As Matthew Henry wisely states –

“It is a good question for us to ask ourselves every night, Where have I gleaned to-day? What improvement have I made in knowledge and grace? What have I done that will turn to a good account? When the Lord deals bountifully with us, let us not be found in any other field, nor seeking for happiness and satisfaction in the creature.”

Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, with blessings bounteous
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us T
he years in which we have seen evil in so many ways

Let Your work to Your servants appear
And Your glory to their children
May they behold it in the future, year by year

And let upon us be the beauty of the Lord our God
And establish the work of our hands for us
Yes, establish the work of our hands while in this life we trod
And as we await our Redeemer, our Lord Jesus

II. Blessed be He of the Lord (verses 20 & 21)

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!”

There is a bit more in these words than might seem evident right away. First, Albert Barnes wisely notes, that “We may gather from Naomi’s allusion to the dead that both her husband and son had been faithful servants of Jehovah, the God of Israel.”

This takes us right back to the first chapter where some find fault in her husband and children as if they were being disobedient to the covenant by moving to Moab during the famine. The logic then is that God killed them as an example for us to learn from. This is not the case. There is no hint of disobedience recorded and it is an inference which is not supported by her words.

God directs famines based on the obedience or disobedience of the nations, not individuals. The individuals, like Abraham, like Isaac, like Jacob, and like others elsewhere in Scripture, all sought assistance and relief from the famine in foreign areas, not out of disobedience, but out of necessity. In the process, they remained faithful to their God, even in foreign lands.

The second aspect of this verse which is actually rather complicated is answering the question, “Just who has not forsaken his kindness to the living and the dead?” The Hebrew is ambiguous and so to whom she is referring – the Lord or Boaz? It is completely uncertain. The Lord is the nearest antecedent and so it seems likely, but it is difficult to be certain.

The NIV assumes it is Boaz and reads, “‘The LORD bless him!’ Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. ‘He [Boaz] has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.'”

God’s Word sides with the NKJV and says, “Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘May the LORD bless him. The LORD hasn’t stopped being kind to people-living or dead.'”

The difference may sound unimportant, but it does matter to Naomi! As Boaz is a picture of Christ to come, the ambiguity could have been intentional. The Spirit may have wanted either option to be considered because in the end, the kindness of Boaz now would be reflective of the kindness of the Lord in the picture being made. He, in fact, has not forsaken the living or the dead.

^{20 (con’t)} And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.”

These words here include the first of many times that the close relative will be used in Ruth. It is literally a redeemer. Boaz is in this position in relation to them. Such a person is given the responsibility to avenge the killing of the relative, the marrying of the widow who has no son to continue the family name, and the redeeming of an inheritance of the person.

Some of the details for this close relative are found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Here is one such passage that Naomi may have been thinking of from Deuteronomy 25 –

“If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. ⁶ And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.” Deuteronomy 25:5, 6

In this, he is a picture of Christ who is our true Redeemer and He is also our Avenger of blood. However, at this time Naomi only calls him “one” of our close relatives. There may be, and as we will see there is, one who is closer. If Boaz is a picture of Christ, then who is the one who is closer picturing? Think on that as we continue through the story.

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.’”

Suddenly, in the verse following the explanation about who Boaz is in relation to these two widows, three most unusual things come about. The first is that it again repeats (which is actually a re-repeat) that Ruth is a Moabitess. Thus it says, “Ruth the Moabitess said.”

She is suddenly shown again to be distinct from the people of Israel as if the Author wants us to not forget this fact. The second peculiarity is the abrupt way she responds to Naomi’s words. She has just been told he is a close relative, or redeemer, but she doesn’t directly address it. Instead, she adds to it with gam ki amar, or simply, “Also to me he said.”

And finally, she erringly repeats the words of Boaz when she says, “You shall stay close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.” This is the substance of what he said, but it isn’t exactly as he said it. Instead, in verse 8 his words were –

“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.” Instead of Boaz’ words about “young women,” she says, “my young men.”

Why would the verse emphasize her foreign status once again? What was she thinking when she responded to Naomi as she did, referring back to Boaz’ directive about where she should work? And why would she say the men instead of the women?

And in her citing Boaz, she uses words which are emphatic, “my young men” and “my harvest.” When he spoke to her in verse 8, the words weren’t emphatic like she says them to Naomi now. And finally, she finishes with the thought that he has told her to stay “until they have finished all my harvest.” This isn’t recorded earlier, but it implies both the barley and the wheat harvests. His protection extends throughout the entire harvest cycle. And there is one more point to make on this verse, Ruth did tell Naomi the kindness that she was shown by Boaz, but she didn’t tell her the glowing words of commendation that he spoke to her.

Her words here indicate humility. It is a tenet opposite that of pride. In the humble, not the proud, is the favor and grace of God revealed. Her humility has been a consistent theme of the book and she will be rewarded for it in the time ahead.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you
I have called you by your name
You are Mine from now on, it is surely true
This word I do proclaim

When you pass through the waters
I will be there the whole time through
And in the midst of the rivers
They shall not overflow you 

When you walk through the fire
You shall not be burned at all
Nor shall the flame scorch you
On you no disaster shall fall

For I am the Lord your God who watches over you
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior – ever faithful and true

III. A Season of Gleaning (verses 22 & 23)

²² And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law,

Like a moment ago when she was called Ruth the Moabitess, the Author now speaks of her as “Ruth her daughter in law.” Though she is a foreigner, she has married into the family and the covenant people. We are continually being reminded of these facts so that we can better sort out what is being pictured. And so, to her she says…

^{22 (con’t)} “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women,

In verse 8, Boaz had said for her to “stay close by my young women” using the feminine word naarotay. In verse 21, Ruth had said Boaz’ words were “You shall stay close by my young men” using the masculine word nearim.

Now, without knowing Boaz’ true words, but knowing the customs of the land, Naomi instinctively says that it is “good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women” using the feminine naarotav. Why have these things occurred?

Let’s go back now to chapter 1 and reread Naomi’s words to her daughters in law when they were at the crucial moment of deciding to continue on to Israel or turn back to Moab. There we read this –

“But Naomi said, ‘Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? ¹² Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, ¹³ would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!” Ruth 1:11-13

As soon as Naomi mentioned a “close relative” or “redeemer,” Ruth stepped back from the picture and mentioned staying close to the young men, implying that maybe a relationship could come up between Naomi and Boaz. She is removing herself from any intended relationship with Boaz.

By saying that she would stay by the men, it means that she would make herself available to them. In doing this, it would keep Boaz from being interested in her and instead willing to redeem Naomi.

It is once again an act of humility by implicitly saying to Naomi, “He is also your kinsman redeemer.” But now Naomi corrects her thinking. In essence, “I am not the one who will receive him, you are. You need to stay close to the women, not the men, just as he instructed you.”

She can already perceive that she is too old to bear a child for Ruth and so the kinsman must redeem the line through Ruth, not her. And further, she can tell that with all of the attention Boaz has doted upon Ruth in this one day and in the promises of the rest of the harvest, that he is interested in her and might redeem the family through her. Elimelech’s name will be carried through Mahlon and Mahlon’s name will be revived through Ruth.

In order for this to come about, and for Boaz to grow more fond of her than he is already, she instinctively tells her to “go out with his young women” not with the “young men” which could only lead to trouble.

The story and the words have been most carefully selected to show us a much greater picture of redemptive history. And yet, at the same time, they show the hopeful intent of these women for the chance to be redeemed by an honest and honorable man of Israel.

^{22 (con’t)} and that people do not meet you in any other field.”

In the field of Boaz there is safety, abundance, and fullness which has already been offered. To not stay there would be tantamount to snubbing his exceptional kindness and also to doing so in a contemptuous and open manner, thus disgracing him in public.

Along with this, it would be opening herself up to the possibility of being violated in another field. The word she uses implies this. It is a perfect example of what would happen to a person who comes under the protection of the God of Israel and yet goes out and looks for spiritual enlightenment in another, strange religion such as Mormonism which claims the same God and yet which is foreign to Him.

If we have called on Christ, we are His and He expects us to remain in His field. Should we start attending the Jehovah’s Witnesses, we would open ourselves up to being violated by their doctrine. The picture of Ruth staying in Boaz’ field is exactly intended to show us the importance of staying in Christ’s own field as we gather in the grain, which pictures the word of God.

²³ So she stayed close by the young women of Boaz,

In fulfilling the certain hope of Boaz from verse 8, and in accepting Naomi’s admonition in the previous verse, we read this beautiful verse here which begins with the words v’tidbaq b’naarowt – “and stayed close to the young women.”

Ruth has first demonstrated humility and grace in her dealings with her mother-in-law and she has done it with tact and kindness in her heart. Now that she understands that she is the likely one to be used in the family’s redemption, she stays close to the young women to not allow any words of scandal to arise. She is truly a woman of noble character.

^{23 (con’t)} to glean until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest;

She faithfully continues her duty from the time of the Passover shortly after which the barley harvest began, all the way through the wheat harvest which begins at the time of Pentecost. The entire harvest season then lasts for a period of three or more months, depending on the exact location and elevation.

During all of this time, nothing more is recorded of the lives of these three people other than the final note of verse 23…

*^23 (fin) and she dwelt with her mother-in-law.

In this final section, the word used is v’teshev, “and she dwelt.” However, some translators use the same word with a different pronunciation. Instead of v’teshev, they use v’tashav, “and after she returned.”

If this is correct, then it would imply one of two things, she returned to Naomi after working both harvest seasons, which makes no sense at all, or that she returned after working with the young women of Boaz each day.

Either way, the context of the passage implies that she continuously lived with her mother in law throughout the harvest season, not “after” the harvest season.

As she went out to work each day, she returned home to Naomi each evening. It is through this entire time that she is being watched by Boaz. Her character and her dedication to Naomi, and her diligence working in the fields and staying close to the women will not go unnoticed.

And the same can be true for each of us. The Bible says that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

But for the Lord to search us out and reveal Himself to us in this way means that we first have to be His. The way we demonstrate our loyalty to Him is to call upon Jesus as our Savior. Without Christ Jesus, the Lord is not our friend, but our foe. There remains a wall of enmity between us.

The only way to break down that wall is to go through the shed blood of Jesus. So if you would, please give me just another moment to explain to you how you can be reconciled to God through Him…

Closing Verse: Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. Ecclesiastes 5:18

Next Week: Ruth 3:1-5 (Go Down to the Threshing Floor) (7th Ruth Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He knows your trials, troubles, and woes and He is there with you through them. So cling to Him and let Him do marvelous things for you and through you.

Gleaning Through the Harvest Season

So she gleaned until evening
Out there in the field
And beat out what she had gleaned
And about an ephah of barley her effort did yield

Then she took it up and into the city she went
And her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned
The effort for which her day was spent

So she brought out and gave to her from her pack
After she had been satisfied what she had kept back

And her mother-in-law said to her
“Where have you gleaned today?
And where did you work?
The one who took notice of you, blessed be he I say

So she told her mother-in-law, probably elated
With these words she did say
With whom she had worked, and she stated
The man’s name is Boaz with whom I worked today

Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law
“Blessed be he of the Lord, yes a blessing upon his head
Who has not forsaken His kindness
Both to the living and the dead!

And Naomi said to her as she spoke
“This man is a relation of ours
One of our close relatives is this bloke

Ruth the Moabitess said then
“He also said to me, I do attest
‘You shall stay close by my young men
Until they have finished all my harvest

And Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law then
“It is good, my daughter, as he revealed
That you go out with his young women
And that people do not meet you in any other field

So close by the young women of Boaz she did stay
To glean, until the end of barley harvest did draw
And the wheat harvest too, yes all the way
And she dwelt with her mother-in-law

Though the work was hard, hot, and tiring
Ruth continued with it day by day
Her example to us should be all the more inspiring
Knowing that God used her efforts in such a wondrous way

In the end her deeds and life have been given
As sure examples to follow for each one of us
To be humble, dedicated, and loyal in this life we are livin’
And as we anticipate the coming of our Lord Jesus

As surely as Ruth will receive her just due
So the same is true for us as we bring glory to God
In Christ there is the certainty of reward for me and you
For all we do in His name while on this path we trod

Thank You heavenly Father for your kind hand upon each of us
Thank You for the greatest gift of all, our Lord and Savior Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

Ruth 2:8-16
Bread and Grace in the Field of Boaz

Introduction: There is a lot of truth in the saying “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” We live in a time where Christians have been taught that we can claim our way into prosperity or that being a Christian implies that we should automatically be blessed with overflowing abundance.

Quite often, those promises come along with hints that these blessings will be even bigger, better, and more lavish if you give money to the person who tells you this stuff, but that’s besides the point. The Bible never teaches these things. There is, even among the greatest figures in Scripture, hardship, trial, sadness, and death. Just ask Jesus about the cross when you get the chance.

But there is also the truth that those who are industrious, hard-working, dedicated and honest, and who rely on God’s already- granted blessings of life, health, and ability, will inevitably be further blessed. This truth is seen clearly in the main figure of the book of Ruth… a gentile woman who bears that name.

She has already proven herself faithful, dedicated, hard working, and caring. And today we will see more noble qualities demonstrated by her – humility, a subservient attitude, and a person willing to keep right-on working without complaint.

We’ll also see that her honorable attributes didn’t go unnoticed by a well-to-do and likewise noble person. Because she was willing to reach out and work in order to support herself and her mother-in-law, Ruth will be blessed for her efforts. It should be a lesson to us that we should be about our business as well, working hard, acting honorably, and doing so without complaint.

These things will not go unnoticed by the Lord and they will be repaid in due time. So let us trust this, not claiming worldly wealth and prosperity as if it was our expected due, but working for what we desire and honoring God in the process.

Text Verse: “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings
I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.” Psalm 57:1

We are not promised a life of ease. Calamities can be expected, but we need to keep working through them, honoring God as we go, and serving the King, even if it involves tiring labor which seems to be unrewarded. It isn’t. The reward is coming and it will be astonishing when it does so. This truth is found in God’s superior word, so let’s turn to that wondrous book once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

 I. Grateful Ruth (verses 8-10)

⁸ Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not?

We begin today with Boaz’ first recorded words to Ruth. Instead of asking about how she likes Israel, or why she came with Naomi to the land, or any other type of small talk, the Bible records words of grace, exactly what she sought after back in verse 2 when she said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.”

His words are, ha-low shamaat biti (1:29) “Will you not hear, my daughter?” They are a fatherly expression which would be used by an elderly man towards a younger woman. And his admonition is…

^{8 (con’t)} Do not go to glean in another field,

After her first day of gleaning, she might have decided to go into another field so that she wouldn’t appear annoying or troublesome to the people around her by gleaning continuously in the same place. Boaz is telling her this is not a problem.

In turn, his care for her is perfectly evident. She is undoubtedly of interest to him as his words indicated to us last week, and she is also the daughter-in-law of his deceased relative and his widowed wife. It is his desire to show attention and care to her and thus to Naomi as well.

^{8 (con’t)} nor go from here,

His words now are v’gam lo taaburi mizzeh. He says “and also not go from here.” This is not a repetition of what he just said. His previous words applied to moving to someone else’s property. These words apply to the movement of those cutting the sheaves.

He is directing her, probably with hand motions, to go and glean directly behind those who bound the sheaves. She had probably been staying further back from the reapers and binders, but by being closer to the hired hands, she would have much better chances of finding more food among the other gleaners in the field.

His directions allow her to stay, to feel welcomed during her stay, and to take full advantage of everything the law allowed for her without keeping back and letting others work ahead of her. He is giving her an equal standing with any Israelite who was also out gleaning.

^{8 (con’t)} but stay close by my young women.

The word Boaz uses here for “stay close” is dabaq. It is the same word which was used when she 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 when it says that “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

He is asking her to not depart from being near them as they work binding the sheaves that were cut by the reapers. This was probably a way of ensuring that she would begin to make friends with others as they worked together as much as for anything else. He is tending to both her physical needs as well as her need for human interaction.

⁹ Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them.

His words here though seemingly obvious are actually intended as a careful protection for her. As she was gleaning, she would be looking down and not really paying attention to where she was going. If you’ve ever picked blueberries on a mountain side, you might have picked yourself off a path and found yourself lost.

Time can slip away and the mind can become inattentive, except to the task at hand. If she were to do this, she could actually wander off Boaz’ field entirely and find herself on the property of someone who was far less sympathetic to gleaners.

And so he is ensuring that she pay attention and go directly behind the reapers while staying close to the women who bundled the sheaves. The words in these verses switch back and forth between the reapers and the women doing the bundling so that it seems the women are the reapers. But that’s not the case.

Instead, the reapers continue working in steady progression, but the women would be coming back and forth behind them, gathering sheaves and carrying them to a central place. Each has a set task which isn’t noticeable in the translation.

^9 (con’t) Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you?

These words are a euphemism. To touch someone implies to hurt them, but instead he says it this way to show that she will be completely safe. Not only will she be unhurt, but the reapers will leave her literally untouched as well. This form of speech where touching implies hurting another is found in the 105th Psalm –

“When they went from one nation to another,
From one kingdom to another people,
¹⁴ He permitted no one to do them wrong;
Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
¹⁵ Saying, ‘Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.'” Psalm 105:13-15

With such an assurance from the owner of the property, she would not fear in coming closer to where the fallen grain would be more abundant rather than staying back where it would have already been mostly gleaned.

^9 (con’t) And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”

This is an exceptionally kind gesture in itself. Water is heavy and drawing it from a well takes effort. After that, it is poured into containers and would have to be carried from the well to the field. Because of all the effort, the heat of the sun, and the fact that water would have to be carried in quite often, it is unlikely that gleaners would normally be allowed to have something which took such laborious effort.

The old saying “time is money” would ring true in the value of the water. All of the time and effort it took to bring it to the field would be considered a part of what the owner would calculate into his profit and loss statement at the end of the day. Allowing Ruth to drink this water was truly a privilege of distinction.

It would allow her to come to the field without carrying her own water and it would make her entire day much, much easier to bear. As a side note, the well where this water was drawn was probably the same well which her great-grandson longed after during his time fighting with the Philistines which is recorded in 2 Samuel –

“David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And David said with longing, ‘Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!'” 2 Samuel 23:14, 15

¹⁰ So she fell on her face,

To fall on one’s face is the humblest form of reverence that one can show. If to another person, it is considered high civil reverence. If it is to God, then it is the highest of religious reverence. The face is literally pressed to the ground, almost as if acknowledging that “from this I came, and to this I deserve to return.”

In her case, she was intimating that the kindness shown to her was far above the lowly position she possessed. Her immense gratitude is seen in the act of assuming such a position.

^{10 (con’t)} bowed down to the ground,

This literally reads “‘and’ bowed herself to the ground.” One can bow to the ground without falling on their face, but she did both at the same time. In a delicate and reverential way, she completely submitted herself to him in gratitude and thanks. The two actions, though described separately, form one united movement of astonished humility.

^{10 (con’t)} and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes,

The amazement in her words shows how astonished she was. She was probably pondering a thousand possibilities all at the same time. Once again, the translation of the NKJV lacks the force of the word khen which she uses. They translate it as “favor,” but rather, it means “grace.”

It isn’t just favor, but unmerited favor that she is acknowledging. In what she says, the words of Kris Kristofferson from his song, Why Me Lord, come to mind –

Why me Lord what have I ever done To deserve even one of the pleasures I’ve known Tell me, Lord, what did I ever do That was worth lovin’ you or the kindness you’ve shown

Anybody who has ever come to the foot of the cross and been cleansed by the blood of Christ must certainly have asked the same question. “Lord, why have I found such favor in Your eyes?” After many years, the question still perplexes me. “What is it that would make You look down in favor on one such as me?”

^{10 (con’t)} that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”

From a biblical standpoint, to “take notice” of someone means to show any form of kindness or respect, including affection. She not only acknowledges his grace towards her, but that it is grace towards a foreigner. As a Moabite, she was entitled to glean from the fields, but nothing more could be expected.

Instead, he has lavished upon her grace in abundance. Even more than she could have imagined possible. Once again, the picture between Ruth and Boaz and us and Jesus should be painfully clear. As gentiles, we are not even of the same covenant line as the people from whom He came.

But the apostle Paul explains that despite our foreign-born status, Christ also has lavished His grace upon us. Here are his words from Ephesians 2:11-13 –

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

As we progress through Ruth, we should be able to see ourselves represented by her because we have been shown such great favor and unmerited kindness and grace from the Lord Jesus.

In this verse there is an interesting paronomasia in the two words which are translated as “take notice of me” and “foreigner.” In Hebrew, they are nak_har and nak_hri. Because she is a foreigner and thus unknown, she is actually all the more noticeable.

Therefore remember that you, as you realized
Once Gentiles in the flesh, by birth and not decision
You who are called the Uncircumcised
By what is called the Circumcision

Made in the flesh by hands, this rite
A sign which is perceived by eyesight

That at that time you were without Christ
Being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
And strangers from the covenants of promise
Having no hope and without God in the world, destined for hell

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away
Have been brought near by the blood of Christ, your debt He did pay

 II. The Lord Repay Your Work (verses 11-13)

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,

His words, translated as “fully reported,” form an antique idiom – huged hugad – “showed, showed.” Somewhere along the line since their return to Israel, and most probably from Naomi herself, Boaz heard that Ruth had come along with Naomi and of her tender care and love for her. It wasn’t just a passing comment, but it was a tapestry of a fine description concerning her as his words indicate.

Though humble and willing to endure trials, privation, and an obscure life, notice was taken of her and her commendation has come. It is reflective of the words of Jesus from Matthew 6 –

“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Matthew 6:3, 4

Ruth now receives open praise for deeds which were quietly done in a corner and without the sound of any blowing trumpets.

^{11 (con’t)} and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth,

In respect and in love for Naomi, Ruth was willing to give up all of her childhood memories, her family, and the sweet smells and tastes which accompany life on home soil. This shows a depth of character far different than the vast majority of people on earth.

Instead of self gratification and the certainty of what would be a much easier life, she was willing to accept whatever her lot would be as she ventured with Naomi to the Land of Israel. Her character is known by her actions.

^{11 (con’t)} and have come to a people whom you did not know before.

The phase from which the word “before” is translated is temowl shishowm – or literally “yesterday and the day before” – it is a  primitive way of representing time past. Not only was the land different, and not only would the cherished memories of her youth slowly fade away, Ruth had come to a people whom she had no knowledge of at any point in her life.

Her knowledge of Israel was limited to that of her dead husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law, along with that of Naomi. They had left Israel in a time of famine and hardship. So, for her to return with Naomi after knowing all this showed that she was willing to accept the people of Israel in a manner far differently than other foreigners would.

Boaz understood that she was determined to be not a foreigner in a foreign land, but she was willing to be a foreigner in a new home-land. Though not an Israelite, she was willing to accept life as one.

¹² The Lord repay your work,

This phrase brings to mind the words of Jesus from Luke 18:14 which said that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Ruth has humbled herself, but Boaz asks for her to be exalted and repaid by the Lord Himself for her noble deeds.  And the use of the word “repay” doesn’t mean that the Lord is in debt to her. Rather he is calling for the grace of the Lord to be upon her.

^{12 (con’t)} and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

It is almost certain that Boaz had Abraham in mind when he said this. First in Genesis 12:1, we read this –

“Now the Lord had said to Abram:
‘Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.'” Genesis 12 :1

Abraham left his country, his family, and his father’s house and because of his faithfulness, we read this later in Genesis 15:1 –

“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.'” Genesis 15:1

Boaz’s words to Ruth reflect this same sentiment that is seen towards Abraham. She had left her country, family, and father’s house and has acted faithfully toward Naomi. Because of this, he is asking for the blessing and reward which Abraham received to come upon her as well.

However, it is not a general blessing which Abraham received, but a specific one. It was a blessing which transferred to but one son, Isaac. And from Isaac, it transferred to but one son, Jacob, who is Israel. For this reason, Boaz asks for the reward to be “by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

This is a specific blessing upon a foreigner who has come to participate in the covenant line and with the covenant people. Ruth has come for refuge under His wings. This is a sentiment repeated several times in the Old Testament, including this verse from the 36th Psalm –

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.”
Psalm 36:7

Interestingly, the very blessing that Boaz pronounces upon her now, is a blessing that will be fulfilled by the Lord through him in a detailed way in the time ahead. It is an exceptionally nice touch to be found in the book of Ruth.

¹³ Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight, my lord;

Many translators say, “I have found favor in your sight” instead of “Let me find favor in your sight.” This makes more sense because she then explains what she means in the rest of the verse. But the NET Bible does a great job of saying it in a way that is more understandable to the modern reader. They simply translate it as, “You really are being kind to me, sir.”

She isn’t asking for favor, she has already found it. But, she isn’t bragging about it either. Rather, she is acknowledging it in a grateful way. And the reason is found in the continuation of the same verse…

^{13 (con’t)} for you have comforted me, and have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”

His words have given her a new light of hope. Other than Naomi, she was alone and probably wondered what source of joy she could ever expect. As a foreigner and a poor person, there was no true solace in dreaming about great things to come. But then this stranger, through his comforting actions, had shown her an affection that she had not yet encountered.

Likewise, she said that he had “spoken kindly” to her. The term she uses is al lev, literally meaning “to the heart.” His words had transformed sadness to joy. They had given her rays of hope instead of thoughts of sadness or despondency. Her heart was comforted because of him. And she felt none of it was deserved.

Unlike his maidservants, she was a foreigner. They were hired hands, she was one who gleans. Their language was familiar, hers probably sounded awkward. Their customs were known to him, hers were strange and unknown. And yet, he had spoken to her and treated her as if she were like them in his eyes. The heart of Ruth was encouraged by the owner of the harvest field.

When you do a charitable deed as you’re going
Do not let it be that your left hand will know
What your right hand is over there doing
Keep it a secret, yes even so

That your charitable deed may be in secret
And your Father who in secret sees
Will Himself reward you openly
Because your actions Him they did please

This is the mark of a humble and gentle soul
One who is willing to do what is just and right
So keep your pride always under control
And you will be ever-pleasing in God’s sight

III. The Gracious Hand of Boaz (verses 14-16)

¹⁴ Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.”

When it was time for the reapers and gatherers of the sheaves to eat, Boaz made sure that she was included in the meal as well. Therefore, not only is he fulfilling the law by allowing her to glean and also showing kindness to her through his words and actions during working time, he is also tending to her at mealtime as well.

Interestingly, According to John Gill, “The Midrash [the ancient commentary on the book of Ruth] gives an allegorical sense of these words, and applies them to the Messiah and his kingdom, and interprets the bread as the bread of the kingdom, and the vinegar of the chastisements and afflictions of the Messiah.” They then equate this meal with Isaiah 53:5 which says –

“But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

There is no reason to not see this either. Jesus Himself said that He is the Bread of life. And at His cross, as is recorded in all four gospels, He was given the same type of sour wine which is mentioned in this verse here in Ruth.

Ruth’s meal with Boaz is prefiguring the Person and work of Christ in no small way. Especially we can discern this because after the bread and sour wine we see the continuation of verse 14…

^{14 (con’t)} So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied,

There is a requirement in the Law, recorded for the Feast of Firstfruits, that says this –

“You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” Leviticus 23:14

First came the bread and sour wine and then they partake of parched grain. Understanding that the Feast of Firstfruits is a picture of the resurrection of Christ is what brings sense to the order of the verse. First came Jesus the Bread. Then came the cross which is connected to the sour wine, and then came the resurrection. Only after this do we partake of the benefits of the harvest.

^{14 (con’t)} and kept some back.

The parched grain that was passed to her was more than enough for her to eat. Boaz was being extra-abundant in generosity to her, knowing that she would need the meal if she hadn’t eaten well of late and also giving her enough for leftovers, which she carefully kept back for a special purpose.

An obvious connection to us in this is that Christ has given us all that we could ask for and more. We have, whether we acknowledge it or not, been given an abundance, in life, in His word, and in His spiritual blessings. And so, the obvious question for each of us is, “What will we do with the excess?”

Ruth has kept some back for a special purpose which we will see in next week’s verses. It is to give it to Naomi, a poor and deprived Jewish woman. Are we willing to do the same for the spiritually deprived around us? Will we tell about Jesus or keep it quiet?

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.

As an additional hand of grace, Boaz tells his servants after her departure that Ruth should be allowed to glean even among the sheaves. This is an extra benefit that was being granted. If others were to do this, they would be carefully watched, or simply told to move away from the reaping.

The grain is first cut and then gathered together into bundles which would be tied together. These are the sheaves. In this area, there would be an especially large amount of extra grain lying around because as the bundles were combined and as they were carried off, individual stalks would fall out.

If gleaners were allowed around this area, it would be easy for them to steal right out of the sheaves. So normally, they would be kept back until the sheaves were removed and then they could pick up the abundant amounts of grain left on the ground.

But in the case of Ruth, Boaz had enough confidence in her to know that she wouldn’t steal out of the bundled up sheaves. It is a true vote of confidence in her character and integrity.

*¹⁶ Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

And as we finish today, this is a final demonstration of his care for Ruth and Naomi. She’s been instructed to stay in the field of Boaz and to follow close behind the women who gathered the stalks into sheaves.

She had been granted protection from any harm which could come from the laborers. And she had been granted all the water she needed from the laborer’s supply. She was also granted the right to sit among the reapers, to dine with the laborers, she had extra food to take home, and special permission to glean among the sheaves.

And along with all of that, Boaz adds this final blessing upon her that she is unaware of. The reapers have been given instruction to purposely let some of the stalks that they have in their hand fall to the ground for her. It would be like intentionally dropping money on a sidewalk that a poor person was following along on.

As the reapers cut, they would continue to grasp the stalks until their hand was full and then take that to where the sheaves were being bundled. In the midst of this process, they were to deliberately, not accidentally, drop some for Ruth.

The entire scene that we see is a picture of the grace of God in Christ towards the gentiles. He keeps us safely in His field of harvest, allows us to work alongside his own people, grants us protection from harm, supplies us with the water of life, bestows upon us a seat among his people at mealtime, gives us an overabundance at the meal so that we are never hungry, and allows us access to the riches of heaven itself with all of its superabundance.

We have been granted exceptional care and many tender-mercies by the Lord who loved us enough to go to the cross for us so that we could partake of heaven’s meal together with Him. God personally selected the details in today’s verses to show us a minute glimpse of the immense care He shows for those He loves.

And it is all available to us by a simple act of faith. Ruth showed faith in the God of Israel by clinging fast to her mother in law and in turn joining herself to Him. We, by a mere act of faith in Jesus Christ, can likewise be joined to this wondrous God.

If you’ve never come to know the fullness, peace, and contentment that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ, let me explain to you how you too can be counted among heavens rolls and be granted eternal life through Him.

Closing Verse: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1

Next Week: Ruth 2:17-23 (Gleaning Through the Harvest Season) (6th Ruth Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He knows your trials, troubles, and woes and He is there with you through them. So cling to Him and let Him do marvelous things for you and through you.

Bread and Grace in the Field of Boaz

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, not from this spot

But stay close by my young women here
You will be safe and shall have no fear

Let your eyes be on the field which they reap
And go after them, this you shall do
Have I not commanded
The young men not to touch you?

And when you are thirsty
Go to the vessels and drink the water
From what the young men have drawn
Do this too, won’t you my daughter?

So she fell on her face
Bowed down to the ground, and to him said
“Why have I found in your eyes this grace?
Such wondrous favor and not sternness instead?

That you should take notice of me
Since I am a foreigner, and thus unworthy

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, that calamity

And how you have left your father and your mother
And the land of your birth also
And have come to a people, yes another
Whom you did not before know

The Lord repay your work
And a full reward be given you too
By the Lord God of Israel
Under whose wings for refuge have come you

Then she said, “Let me find favor in your sight my lord
For you have comforted me
And have spoken to your maidservant a kindly word
Though I am not like one of your maidservants, but unworthy

Now Boaz said to her at mealtime
“Come here, and eat of the bread
And dip your piece of bread in the vinegar
Come, and feel free as I have said

So she sat beside the reapers
And parched grain to her he passed
And she ate and was satisfied
And kept some back, feeling full at last

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, this to you I am relaying

Also let grain from the bundles
Fall purposely for her from your hand
Leave it that she may glean
And do not rebuke her, this please understand

Boaz’ care for Ruth is but a mere reflection
Of Jesus’ care for us, gentiles by birth
In Him there is a spiritual reconnection
So that now we have new and eternal worth

Thank You O God for the wondrous love You have lavished upon us
And for the surety of life for eternal days
For You have sent us Your Son, our Lord Jesus
And so to You we extend all of our praise!

Yes! Now and forever hear our praise, O God
From our hearts and souls as in Your presence we trod

Hallelujah and Amen…

Ruth 2:1-7
Whose Young Woman is This?

Introduction: What is a menial task that you would never consider doing? Is there a job that you would simply refuse to do? In Israel, outside of being a leper and kept away from the people, or being a beggar because you were physically unable to work, the lowest sort of existence would be to sort through people’s leftovers.

We see this all the time in our own towns. There are people that sort through the garbage looking for food or something they could sell as scrap. We pass them by and try to ignore the thing that they are doing. In the third world, it’s even worse. There are entire clans of people who live in the dumps and sort out the last remains of anything of value, which to most is of no value at all.

In Israel, there were poor people, just like everywhere else. In fact, in Deuteronomy 15, Israel is told that there will always be poor. There, in the 11th verse, it says this –

“For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.'” Deuteronomy 15:11

It is an issue that Jesus repeats in Matthew 26:11; there will always be poor among us. But the law, anticipating this, made provisions for the poor. One of them is something called “gleaning.” It is where poor people were allowed to follow along behind the reapers of grain and pick up the grain that would fall to the ground.

A gleaner then would be our modern dumpster diver… a person who looks for scraps in a world of abundance. But to God, and hopefully to us, the value of the person isn’t determine by that person’s wealth. Nor is poverty a sign of being outside of God’s favor.

Text Verse: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18, 19

Throughout history, the poor have been oppressed, even in the land of Israel. But this was never an intent of the law. Instead, the law graciously made provisions for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. There is another type of poverty that the law was set against as well. It is spiritual poverty.

The law served its purpose which was to point us to Christ and in Christ is found freedom from this spiritual poverty now, as well as freedom from all types of poverty some wondrous day which is yet future to us. We will see a poor woman take advantage of the provisions of the law in today’s story and we will see someone take notice of her while she works.

In our own impoverished state, Christ has taken notice of us too. He has given us His word. Some of us are filled to abundance with it, reaping a great harvest of understanding and insight from it. Others are left to glean what they can from the pages of the Bible.

In such a case, it is up to those who have the abundant harvest to at least share their knowledge with an open hand, not charging for what has been so graciously given to them by God. The parallels are seen in the book of Ruth which is a part of God’s superior word. So let’s go to that wondrous book now and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Faithful Ruth (verses 1 & 2)

¹ There was a relative of Naomi’s husband,

Chapter 2 begins right where chapter 1 left off. Naomi and Ruth have returned from Moab to Israel, arriving in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. As was seen last week, it is at this same time of year, that Jesus was crucified and then rose from the dead. Here, sometime shortly after their arrival, it mentions a “relative of Naomi’s husband.”

This term “relative” shouldn’t be confused with another term which will be introduced later and which is translated “close relative.” The word here is mowda which comes from yada, “to know” or “an acquaintance.” The word is masculine; it is a male relative.

This word then denotes someone with whom another is intimately acquainted and thus it is a near relative. It’s important to understand that this word is being tied to Naomi’s husband while the other word for “close relative” in chapters 3 & 4 is tied to Naomi and Ruth. Later, when we understand who each pictures we will understand what this story is telling us.

^{1 (con’t)} a man of great wealth,

The Hebrew here says ish gibbor khayil. It is a phrase which is widely translated and which needs to be carefully evaluated because it points to the most important man in the book who in turn pictures the most important Man who has ever lived.

The phase has been translated as 1) a man of standing, 2) an influential man, 3) a worthy man, 4) a man of outstanding character, 5) a mighty man of strength, 6) a mighty man of wealth, 7) a powerful man, etc.

The idea which seems to be implied is that he is a strong and substantial prince of man in power, authority, riches, honor, and virtue. All of these are implied by the idea of “wealth.” It doesn’t merely mean riches, but rich in all ways. He is a type of Christ.

^{1 (con’t)} of the family of Elimelech.

This person is of the same family as that of Naomi’s dead husband Elimelech, whose name means “God is King” or “My God is King.” The term for family here is the word mishpakhah and it indicates a direct family tie between him and Elimelech.

^{1 (con’t)} His name was Boaz.

The name Boaz means “in strength” or “in Him is strength,” meaning “in the Lord.” Boaz pictures the Lord Jesus. As we continue through the story, keep this in mind. Eventually we will discover why the story was given and what it ultimately pictures.

I will love You, O Lord, my might
The Lord is my rock and my fortress too
He is my deliverer, through day and night
My God, my strength, Him I will trust all my days through

My shield and the horn of my salvation
My stronghold, it is He
I will call upon the Lord with elation
He is worthy to be praised now and for all eternity

So shall I be saved from my enemies
From those who come only to destroy
The Lord will protect my soul
And lead me in paths of eternal joy

² So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi,

It might seem peculiar that it repeats “Ruth the Moabitess” here instead of just saying “Ruth.” This is actually important to remember because she is in the land of Israel and is looking to participate in the fruits of the land despite being a gentile.

The use of the term once again then calls to mind legal phraseology. Moab is who she is, Israel is where she is, and the privileges and customs of the land are what she is looking forward to participating in. She is looking to gain the advantage of Israelite privileges despite being a gentile.

The verse also uses the name Naomi (Pleasantness of the Lord) even though she is Mara, or bitter. These words are selected carefully and keep leading us down a path of beauty and toward that which is wonderful.

^{2 (con’t)} “Please let me go to the field,

Using a gentle phrase, na hassadeh, “Let me, I pray to the field.” She asks for permission to go out rather than simply saying that she is going out. What she intends to do is a self-demeaning act which will reflect on Naomi and so, despite her needing to go, she still asks for permission.

There is only the thought of respect and good intentions in her request and it can only be taken in that way by Naomi. It would be like being at the beach with the family and grandpa is playing catch with one of the grandchildren. By accident, he throws the ball into the water and it starts to drift out from shore.

Instead of dad getting up and saying, “I’ll get it” which could hurt grandpa’s feelings, showing that he is no longer capable of swimming in the waves and tide, dad says, “Do you mind if I get it?” Both know it is a necessity that dad should get it, but making it a question is intended to protect grandpa’s family standing.

This is what Ruth is doing for Naomi. She is being gracious in asking to do what she alone can and must do. Another thing to note is that the word for field is not intended to mean a plain, but rather plowed and cultivated land. It is similar in idea to our English word “field” which comes from the German “fold” which is a clearance of “felled” trees.

This word for field in Hebrew is singular, not plural – another important point to remember. There is one field of cultivated land which would be marked by stones or maybe a tree, but it ran continuously. Farmers would own their property and cultivate to the edges of it, probably leaving a walkway along the sides.

This type of marking is noted in Deuteronomy 19:14 and shows why the term field is singular here. It also shows the respect that people were to have for the rights and property of others –

“You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.”

^{2 (con’t)} and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.”

The word “glean” that we use comes from the French word glaner which simply means to gather ears of corn or grain. Gleaning from a biblical perspective is something that was specifically authorized under the Law of Moses. It is found in several passages, including this one from Deuteronomy 24 which explains what gleaning is and why it is mandated –

“When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. ²⁰ When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. ²¹ When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. ²² And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing.” Deuteronomy 24:19-22

This allowance was given as a means of caring for, as it says, “the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.” All three of these applied to Ruth in some sense. She was a stranger meaning a “foreigner.” She was by oath united to Naomi whose husband was dead and therefore she was in essence “fatherless.” And her own husband had died and thus she was a widow.

In every respect she is the person to whom God had directed this mandate of the law, showing that His care was not just directed just to the wealthy or just to the people of Israel, but to all people who would unite themselves to Him in the land He gave to them.

And so Ruth has asked to follow this ancient custom which was especially directed to one in her state, and she says “after him in whose sight I may find favor.” The word “favor” is literally “grace” and this phrase is in a very particular structure in the Hebrew. Her thought is as if there were only one reaper, who is the owner.

In other words, all of the laborers who are actually doing the reaping are merely hired hands. If you can see the connection, it is pointing to Christ. Even though His words in John 10 are speaking of sheep, the concept remains true for any hired help. Here is what He says there –

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.¹⁵ As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.¹⁶ And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” John 10:14-16

There is One in charge of the grain and all others are His stewards. It is from Him alone that grace is to be found. Little hints such as these should help us to reflect on the pictures which this book, Ruth, is shouting out for us to see.

^{2 (con’t)} And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

Naomi knows that Ruth’s words were of pure intent and that her actions are necessary to sustain the two of them and so her approval is given. In this past verse, we can see Ruth’s humility and great love for Naomi, as well as her willingness to spare no hardship in order to take care of not only herself, but her mother in law. As Matthew Henry so courteously notes –

“Observe Ruth’s humility. When Providence had made her poor, she cheerfully stoops to her lot. High spirits will rather starve than stoop; not so Ruth. Nay, it is her own proposal. She speaks humbly in her expectation of leave to glean.” Matthew Henry

In Ruth here, we can learn proper respect for others, and especially toward our family as we speak. There is a way of communication which will convey an idea and yet offend and yet there is a way of communicating that same idea without offending.

Words are, in fact, sharp arrows and they can be painful when spoken without thought. But we see in Ruth a person who is willing to ask permission to do what she must do in order to protect the heart of the one that she must do it for. If we can learn and perfect this in our own speech to others, we will serve as really good examples of the noble sort that Ruth is.

³ Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers.

The word for “the reapers” here is ha’qowtsrim. It comes from the word qatsar, which means “down.” In essence the reapers bring “down” the standing grain. This word is used metaphorically for the consequences of behavior, be it righteous or wicked. This symbolism continues in the New Testament, such as in this parable spoken by Jesus in Matthew 13 –

“He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.³⁸ The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.⁴⁰ Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,⁴² and will cast them into the furnace of fire.”  Matthew 13:37-42

Here are reapers in the field working and harvesting and along comes this foreigner who wants to participate in a small way. A picture of us should come to mind.

Lawson says that, “There are some, whose virtue and industry lie only in their tongues. They say, and do not. But Ruth was no less diligent in business than wise in resolution.” Said differently, her diligence matches her words. She could have said that she was going into the field to glean and instead went and did something illicit in order to get the grain they needed.

But the record of her actions matches the record of her words. Again, Matthew Henry gives a thought on this verse for us to remember, “No labour is a reproach. Sin is a thing below us, but we must not think any thing else so, to which Providence call us. She was an example of regard to her mother, and of trust in Providence.”

From time to time I bring up my own weekly jobs. Even though I preach and teach the Bible, I still have a few jobs. I mow lawns, cut trees, pick up garbage, recycle scrap metal, and even clean toilets every day for a living so that we can pay our bills.

At home, I wash the dishes and do the laundry, including folding it. Working together with my wife, and in many jobs others might find menial or even below contempt, we have a happy house and we live for the Lord through our work and our lives. Sin is below us, but no form of work that we do is, and we are content with that.

Ruth’s example is one of many that shows us that the Lord favors our efforts in whatever work we do and in Him alone is our true reward. I would hope that the same is true with each of you. Should you find yourself in a bad spot, there is nothing degrading about picking up the scraps left by others in the fields of Bethlehem.

^3 (con’t) And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

v’yiqer yiqreha – “and her hap happened…” What seems like chance is so much more than that. It is an obvious shaping of the path before her and a directing of her every step which came from the unseen hand of the Lord so that His plans and purposes would come about.

His direction, even in the smallest of events, link together until they form a perfectly executed plan. We might think it is chance, fortune, or luck, but God views the events as careful design to bring about His good end.

In the case of Ruth’s first day of gleaning to provide for herself and for Naomi, God directed her steps, as it says, “to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.” This is especially poignant because as was noted earlier, there are no real field divisions.

There was one long, wide, and expansive field of land divided by ancient stones that she may not even have seen as she walked. And so to end on any particular parcel would seem like chance, but to come to the land that belonged to her relative Boaz would have been an occurrence of truly remarkable odds; much more than chance would allow.

Surely God’s directing of her little feet was intended for His glory and for her good, as well as for the good of all people who are redeemed through His Son, Jesus. Little steps in Bethlehem leading to immensely great things.

I indeed with water baptize you
But One mightier than I is coming, One who will inspire
Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose, it is true
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire

His winnowing fan is in His hand
And He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor
And gather the wheat into His barn, all at His command
But the chaff He will burn with voracious fire outside of heaven’s door

Be ready, for the King is coming
Be prepared for that great and awesome day
Even now the drums are furiously drumming
For the Lord to come and take His children away

II. The Lord be With You (verse 4)

⁴ Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem,

If nothing else, this verse here has to strike a chord with each of us. If Boaz is to picture Christ, as he does and as we will see, then he will picture Christ in many ways. These words, “Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem,” are an exacting picture of Christ to come as noted by the prophet Micah –

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Micah 5:2

Matthew reached back to this verse from Micah and cites it in his gospel record to show that in fact, “Behold, the Lord came from Bethlehem.”

^{4 (con’t)} and said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!”

Yehovah immak^hem are his words to the reapers. It is the tradition of the Jewish people today that the divine name of the Lord was never spoken. Anytime they read His name, they replace it with the word Adonai instead of saying the name.

However, this verse implies that blessings were made in the name of the Lord, using the name of the Lord. Had he said Adonai as others do when speaking directly to the Lord, the Bible would have said this. But it doesn’t. The name of the Lord is not only acceptable to be spoken, it is a blessing in and of itself.

And so Boaz calls out to his men “Yehovah immak^hem!”

^{4 (con’t)} And they answered him, “The Lord bless you!”

In response to the master’s greeting, they reply y’berek^hekha Yehovah. At least in Boaz’ field there is harmony between master and worker. There should be something that stirs in each one of our hearts to emulate this when we greet others.

Whether such greetings were commonplace in Israel or whether Boaz was an exception, the words of Boaz are exceptional. They reflect a sense of cordiality that transcends our greetings of “Hello” or “Hey, how’s it going.” Instead, they redirect the plainly human tone of our words toward the divine and to the Creator.

If we were to consider the fullness of the meaning of Boaz’ words, it would be comparable to saying, “May the Lord stand with you, guide you, protect you, uphold you, strengthen you, and heap upon you actively all things that are good and desirable for you to receive.

And in return, the reaper’s words would be like saying, “May the Lord give you abundance, joy, contentment, fruitfulness, strength, and many other blessings.” By tying the name of the Lord in with the blessing, it indicates a desire for the person to receive all that the Lord would choose to adorn that person with.

As I said a few minutes ago, the word for “the reapers” here is ha’qowtsrim which comes from the word qatsar, which means “down.” We could call these reapers “the downers.” They are just mere servants not worthy of a kind eye or a note of blessing, but instead, Boaz gives them both. What a picture of the Lord he makes in this regard.

The depth of what is spoken in this 4th verse of chapter 2 is the reason why it is my personal favorite verse of the book. It is so much more than a greeting between people, but it is a look back to a harmonious interaction and the hope of a future where such interaction is the standard, not the exception.

It is a state which all of the redeemed of the Lord should desire here and now and for all eternity to come at that time when the Lord truly provides to His people what the words imply.

May the Lord give you increase more and more
May He bless you and your children too
May you be blessed by the Lord, abundance at your door
By the Lord who made heaven and earth, and me and you

May His hand of strength support you all your days
And may He bless you with long life and health
May His glory rest upon you in all ways
And shower upon you all of heaven’s wealth

III. Beautiful Ruth (verses 5-7)

⁵ Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”

This is the first verse to include both Boaz and Ruth together. Earlier Boaz was described as a man of great wealth which is the Hebrew word khayil. I noted that the word indicated not just material wealth, but riches in all ways. However, he was lacking a wife. So the question is, “What kind of man was Boaz before he married?” Anyone? He was Ruth-less. That will now soon change.

In this verse is found the second meaning of Ruth’s name. As we saw in chapter 1, her name means either “Friend” or “Companion”, or “Beauty” or “Looker.” It depends on the root word used to determine the end result. The uncertainty means that it is probably a play on both words.

The fulfillment of the first half of her name was when she clung to Naomi as a permanent friend and companion, vowing never to leave her except by death. The fulfillment of the second meaning of her name is seen as Boaz notices her amongst the other workers, indicating her beauty which was noticeable; she is a looker.

Because of the eye which has alighted on this radiant beauty, Boaz tactfully went to “his servant who was in charge of the reapers.” The word for him is ha’nitsav, “the one standing.” While the others are bending over with a sickle downing the grain, he is standing over them in superintendence.

It is to him who Boaz goes with his question. It shows a propriety in his demeanor which he doesn’t want tarnished by asking just anyone. He is being careful about his eyes and trusting in his chief reaper to maintain his decorum, something he may not get from one of the subordinate reapers.

And his question is lemi ha’naarah hazowt (0.58). It is not, “Who is that young woman?” Instead, it is “Whose young woman is this?” Even to his servant in charge, he is being careful with his words. To ask, “Who is that young woman?” would show a direct and personal interest in her, and perhaps she is already taken. Rather, he asks who she belongs to.

“Whose young woman is this? To whom does she belong? What family does she belong to? Whose daughter is she?….. Whose, whose… (O, perish the thought!) whose wife is she?” This young woman has beauty which has caught his eye, she handles herself in a dignified way rather than a pauper or a beggar, and she is diligently about her business rather than idly talking and only half-heartedly working.

Boaz sees her and the strings of his heart are pulled.

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.

Boaz asked specifically about “the” young woman, ha‘naarah. However, the response from his chief reaper is vague. She is “a” young Moabite woman. There is no definite article in front of “young woman” as he speaks. To him, she is just another foreigner who has come to pick up what is left over from the fields of his master and from the land of Israel.

Outside of Hebrew scholars and two obscure translations, no other translation I could find captures the sense of what is being relayed. Boaz has shown a careful but discreet interest in this Looker.

However, the reaper has missed the cue and at the same time, looked down on her from his standing position. And though he knows who she is indirectly, he doesn’t give her name, meaning he probably didn’t even bother to ask. The irony of his words and what will later transpire is literally palpable.

To him, she is a young Moabite woman, but he says what we have already seen once before in chapter 1, that she “came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.” Ruth didn’t come back from Moab, she came from Moab. Only Naomi came back… well, unless one understands the premise of the story and how all people came from the same original place and some are returning to that place.

⁷ And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’

Again, like when she spoke to Naomi earlier, the words of Ruth are polite and humble. The word translated “please” that she uses is the Hebrew word na. More appropriately it means “I pray.” And her request, even before going into the field to glean, was to “glean and gather after the reapers.”

But what is translated here as “among the sheaves” doesn’t make sense. Later, in verse 15, Boaz will give his workers permission for her to do this. What makes more sense here is to say, “Please let me glean and collect the gleanings into bundles.”

This then would mean that she is asking permission to not only glean, but if she picks up enough, to be allowed to leave it in bundles to be collected later. It would make her job much easier by not having to carry what she had picked up and she could glean more and do so more quickly.

*^7 (fin) So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”

Despite noting that she is just a foreigner, the chief of the reapers is careful to note her good qualities. She arrived early and has worked steadily and diligently right up until the present moment, taking only a short rest in the house.

And this shows another point of care by Boaz concerning his people. Because of the intense heat of the sun in Israel, a little shelter was set up by him for the workers to take a break in and cool down from the oppression of the heat on their backs. Ruth took advantage of this which means that even the gleaners were treated with this respect.

Boaz has proven himself to be descent as a man, a boss, and as a follower of the Lord. Ruth has proven herself to be a polite, humble, and hard-working person. If you have never read the entire story of Ruth, you can already guess where the story is heading, at least on this intimate level between the two. Boaz will not remain a Ruth-less individual.

It’s time to stop our look into the book of Ruth for another Sunday. In the week ahead, think on why these details are here, who the people picture, and what God is trying to show us about ourselves and the world in which we live. Remember that it is all centered on Jesus and that in Him is the fullness of the glory of God, ready to call us to a happy relationship with our heavenly Father if we will but let Him.

If you have never understood your need for Christ Jesus and the importance of what His cross means to you, please give me another minute to share with you why He came, why He died, and the wonder of His resurrection. You can join Him in this and walk in God’s heavenly paradise for all eternity. Let me tell you how this can happen…

Closing Verse: “And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.” Isaiah 4:6

Next Week: Ruth 2:8-16 (Bread and Grace in the Field of Boaz) (5th Ruth Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He knows your trials, troubles, and woes, and He is there with you through them. So cling to Him and let Him do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Lord be With You and the Lord Bless You

There was a relative of the husband of Naomi
A man of great wealth and fame
Of Elimelech’s family
Boaz was his name

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; who grace to me will yield

And she said to her, “Go, my daughter
It’s hot out there; please take plenty of water

Then she left, and went and gleaned
After the reapers, in the field
And she happened to come, it seemed
To a place where grace to her one would yield

To the part of the field belonging to Boaz, came she
To the field of Boaz who was of Elimelech’s family

Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem
And said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!”
“The Lord bless you!” they answered him
Yes, the Lord bless you too!

Then Boaz said to his servant
Who was in charge of those who reaped
“Whose young woman is this?”
When he saw her, maybe his heart leaped

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
Now she lives here instead

‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers, she said
Among the sheaves, was her request, to me this she pled

So she came and has continued
From morning until now
Though she rested a little in the house
She has worked steadily as her strength does allow

Though a foreigner to the land of Israel
Ruth has proven to be a humble, diligent soul
And though her state is lowly as the words do tell
It is apparent that she knows the Lord is in control

Oh if we could learn from her such a lesson!
To be faithful and diligent in our duties whatever they may be
Then we wouldn’t spend our time fretting and a’guessin’
What God has in store for us, instead we’d trust implicitly

We’d trust that He has every step of our life
Properly planned and carefully selected
Even the times of trials and strife
Can be times which are used to get our walk corrected

So let’s be like Ruth and hand our fate to the Lord
Trusting that He has it all under control
And let us continue to read, and love, and cherish His word
Let it nourish us and feed our hungry soul

For in this there is a great reward indeed
As we cling to Him and wait upon His return
May that day come soon and come with lightning speed
For this is what our longing hearts should yearn

Thank You O God for the hope which is instilled in us
Thank You O God for our Lord and Savior, our precious Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

Ruth 1:15-22
Returning to the Promised Land

Introduction: As we walk along life’s highway, we never really know where we are going, do we? We may have plans, maps, and gas for a trip, but in reality we are as blind to what will happen one second from now as if our physical eyes were blind and we were on a twisting, crooked, dangerous path.

Not to be morbid, but as we sit in church, a meteor could come through the roof and destroy us. A car could come through the front wall and crush us. Or, a jetliner could have trouble on the way to the airport and plow through us like a steamroller.

And yet we sit here contently despite actually having no control over anything around us. Naomi had left Bethlehem to go to Moab with her family and she lost everything. When she left, she had no idea what would happen. Now as she starts her trip back to Israel, she has no idea what will transpire there.

Each moment of our life is uncertain and without God it is a useless, vain existence which ultimately ends in futility. However with God, the unseen future may be a mystery, but it is not futile. Whatever happens along the way, the end… the final destination is assured. Naomi struggled to see this, but we have her life recorded to show us more than what she could see.

Text Verse: “I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

The Bible, with its many unusual stories and hard to figure details, is still very plain nonetheless. It shows us where we were, where we are, and where we are headed. And even though the details of our lives are left out, the Bible shows us the truth that there is an overarching hand of Providence which is guiding all things to a very good end for those who are willing to accept its premises.

It is a book of stories which tell one greater story. That God has a plan, that it is being worked out, and that it centers on His entrance into the world in order to make all things right. It is all focused on Jesus Christ. Naomi didn’t know this, but we do.

And so with the assurance that God loves us enough to give us His Son and to reveal Him in His superior word, let us turn to that word again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Wherever You Go, I Will Go (verses 15-18)

¹⁵ And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods;

Orpah has turned away to return home, thus as we saw last week, she lived up to the name she was given at her birth. Orpah means “Mane” or “back of the neck.” As she walked away, this is the last of what they saw of her.

And so as they watch her depart, Naomi says to Ruth words of true sadness. She has “gone back to her people and her gods.” In this verse is a confirmation that Orpah and Ruth had both previously accepted the God of Israel as their God when they married into the family. One cannot “turn back” to something they never left.

Therefore, they had to have left Moab’s form of worship in order to be united to that of Israel. Now, with her husband dead and her mother-in-law departing, she is turning back to Chemosh, the god of Moab. She has become an apostate to the true faith of Israel.

Instead of going to the land of promise and seeking out the face of God who gives both blessing and hardship at His will, she turned her neck from Jehovah to that which is not God and is thus completely dropped from the biblical narrative from this point on.

In her words to Ruth about Orpah she uses the word, elohim, translated here as “gods.” However, the word she uses doesn’t necessarily mean a plurality. It could be singular or plural. A way of translating it so that this term would be understandable would be that she went back to her own forms of worship.

Because there isn’t either an adjective or a verb to indicate a number, we can’t really clearly translate the thought. But a way of understanding the worship of the word elohim – be it god or gods, is that it is “over there.” Elohim is in another realm and that is where the worship is directed.

^{15 (con’t)} return after your sister-in-law.”

As Orpah fades into the distance, Naomi now speaks again to Ruth. Are her words sincere, that she wants her to return with Orpah, or are they a final test of her allegiance to the God of Israel? The latter is certainly correct. She has already, several times and in various ways, shown that following the Lord requires understanding that hard times come with worshipping Him.

Her words that Orpah “has gone back to her people and to her gods” means that she wasn’t willing to accept this premise and she felt that the god of Moab would be more responsive to her physical needs and desires than the Lord. And this is exactly what drives people from Christianity or from right exercise of it.

We are self-centered beings and what we desire most is gratification and satisfaction in the “right now.” People will walk away from the faith because of the death of a loved one, blaming God for their sadness.

And people will ignore the parts of the Bible that they don’t like or that they don’t agree with because their relationship with God is about them, not about Him. We want the good and none of the bad; but that is not how it works in reality.

Naomi has placed the reality of the situation before the daughters and one has turned. The second is standing on the battlefield and the lines are drawn and set. This is a battle not unlike that which Jacob faced on the banks of the Jabbok River. As Fuller says –

“God wrestled with Jacob with desire to be conquered; so Naomi no doubt opposed Ruth, hoping and wishing that she herself might be foiled.”

The fact is that Naomi does hope to be foiled in her attempt to persuade Ruth to depart. But she is not willing to be defeated  without presenting the reality of the situation which Ruth will face. She must continue to embrace the true God as she had when life was sweeter. Will she be willing to do so?

The answer is “Yes” and it comes in one of the most memorable passages in the entire body of sacred Scripture. It is comparable to the words of Esther before her time of fasting and trial, and to the response of Job when he was told to curse God and die. Ruth’s words are even as confident and faithful as those of Mary as she spoke out the words of the Magnificat. And her words begin with…

¹⁶ But Ruth said:
“Entreat me not to leave you,

To “entreat” is to ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something, even to beg. Naomi has entreated Ruth numerous times and in various, heightening ways, to thoughtfully consider her choice to go to Israel with her.

Now Ruth asks for the begging to cease. She will not be deterred and the breath is wasted on continuing such requests. She will remain steadfastly with her and by her side.

^{16 (con’t)} Or to turn back from following after you;

Naomi had just said, “return after your sister-in-law.” Instead, Ruth will follow Naomi. Where Orpah goes will be up to Orpah. Her choice is made, but she will go alone. Where Naomi goes is where Ruth will follow. Naomi will have company on the path she takes.

^{16 (con’t)} For wherever you go, I will go;

Whatever difficulties lay ahead. No matter what trials would come or the hardships of the journey, Ruth would accompany her. Didn’t Naomi have the same distance to walk? Wouldn’t she also be tired? Wouldn’t there be the same chance of robbers or beasts attacking on the highway as for her? If so, and she was older and more frail, then certainly Ruth could face the same challenges. If there were mountains to climb, she would climb. If there were rivers to cross, she would cross. If there were sharp, difficult stones to walk over, she would walk them too.

But more than the physical trials was the surety that the God she was following would be there too – through both good and testing. Ruth had certainly heard the family stories of the God of Israel – how he had led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and over the Jordan.

He was with Israel as they subdued the Canaanites and He would be with them as they travelled. Like Rahab at the time when Israel entered Canaan, Ruth was willing to live by faith because she knew of the power and the omnipresence of the Lord Jehovah.

Some years later, her own great-grandson, David, would demonstrate the same understanding of the Lord when he would pen these words in the 139th Psalm –

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰ Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-10

Ruth now understood this and she trusted in the providence of the Lord enough to commit to following Naomi on her travel home.

^{16 (con’t)} And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

The NIV translates this “where you stay I will stay.” This might give the impression of the house they are heading to. The reference, however, is not to the final destination, but to the nightly stops on the way to the final destination. The verb, luwn, indicates to spend the night.

It could be at a cottage on the highway, it could be in a cave in a mountain, or it could be sleeping under the stars with a stone for a pillow like Jacob once slept. Whatever place they stopped – both on the journey to Canaan, or at any place during their earthy walk once in Canaan, she would be willing to sleep in that same spot.

^{16 (con’t)} Your people shall be my people,

Amekh ammi – in the Hebrew, there is no verb. “Your people – my people.” In her mind and forever afterward, Naomi’s people would be her people. She, whether accepted by them or not, was counting herself and her destiny as entwined with Israel’s common destiny.

The blessings they would receive from the heavens would be showered on her as well. The famines or wars they faced would be her portion and her lot. Should the mountains fall and the earth beneath her feet quake, she would remain steadfast amidst it all.

^{16 (con’t)} And your God, my God.

veloha-yikh elohai (3:19). Again, there is no verb. It is the assertion that the God of Naomi, who has been her God since her marriage, is and will remain her God. Whether He provides wealth and prosperity, or poverty and deprivation, she will serve this God to whom she is united.

Again as we have seen elsewhere, her words are reflective of other faithful souls seen in the Bible. What she says here is a beautiful match with the words of Job –

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.
¹⁶ He also shall be my salvation,
For a hypocrite could not come before Him.” Job 13:15, 16

As Matthew Henry says about her words, “Ruth is an example of the grace of God, inclining the soul to choose the better part.”

Regardless of the state of this life, be it great or be it sore and displeasing, following the God of Israel is to always choose the better part. And although they are far distant relatives of Ruth, there is a group of people who will descend from her that will someday follow the Lord with the same marked determination. We read about them in Revelation 14 –

“These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.” Revelation 14:4

It is the true mark of the redeemed throughout all ages. Enoch, the seventh man from Adam, and in the time before the Flood of Noah, was said to have walked with God. Abraham followed the Lord from his native land and walked with him all his days.

Time and time again, in both testaments of the Bible, we are told to walk in the commandments of the Lord and in a manner worthy of Him. Ruth is just one of countless examples of the faith which is found pleasing to God. Without seeing Him, but only hearing of Him, we please Him when we follow Him as we walk. In this, there is a reward waiting for the faithful. Even in death…

¹⁷ Where you die, I will die,

“My dear mother, as we walk in life, so we will walk until death. And even after death, I will stay put until that day when I also die. I will not leave you in life and should you go before me, I will stay to lay flowers on your grave. And in that day when the God of Israel calls me to my place of rest, it will be in that same place of your calling.”

^{17 (con’t)} And there will I be buried.

We still often follow this practice today. There is a common burial ground or even a mausoleum where families are placed. The record of this began with Abraham and Sarah and it continued on in the heart of Ruth towards her beloved mother-in-law.

They would possess the same spot of soil in the hope of some day rising together at the call of the Messiah who was promised to the people of Israel by the God of Israel. She abandoned the worthless graves of Moab where death’s hold would stay firm and welcomed the graves of Israel where death’s sting would be removed in Him.

^{17 (con’t)} The Lord do so to me,

In these words, Ruth now begins a petition of imprecation. It is the first such time it is used in the Bible and it will be seen in the books of 1 Samuel and 1 Kings. She is invoking the name of the Lord, Jehovah, and calling down upon herself a curse from Him if she fails to adhere to the words of her solemn vow – may it be so.

Her words here and to follow are a sort of euphemism, which more conceal than reveal the true weight of the penalty that she should, and rightfully would, endure for violating the oath.

^{17 (con’t)} and more also,

This is a way of adding additional weight to the imprecation she was calling down on herself. It is an impossible state, one which could never come about and yet it should happen if she were found to violate her pledge.

In essence, it is saying, “If there were something more punishing than what Jehovah could mete out, then that is what I would deserve. May such horrible and awesome terrors come upon me should the truth of my words be found wanting.”

^{17 (con’t)} If anything but death parts you and me.”

To complete her oath, she utters the finality of her decision, ki ha’mavet yaphrid beni uvenekh. In these words, “death” is emphatic – ha’mavet; – the death. As the Pulpit commentary says, “It is as if she had said death, the great divider.” Nothing but this will come between us.

¹⁸ When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.

Having heard the substance of Ruth’s words, the exchange ends.

The very thing that Naomi had intended has come about. Her previous words were meant to show the reality of what lay ahead and to obtain a sure, truthful, and heartfelt commitment from Ruth if she were to actually return with her to Canaan.

And in fact Ruth has shown her faithfulness to the road set before them. No greater promises could come from her mouth even if Naomi were to continue to dissuade her. Because of the gravity of what she spoke, she has shown that she will not be deterred. To Canaan, the two will travel together.

Where can I from Your Spirit go?
Or where can I from Your presence flee?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there, I know
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there with me

If I take the wings of the morning, indeed
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea
Even there, me Your hand shall lead
And Your right hand shall have hold of me

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me
Even the night about me shall be light
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You
But even shines as the day, the very darkest night

 I. The Almighty Has Dealt Very Bitterly With Me (verses 19-21)

¹⁹ Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem.

This was a journey of no less than 50 miles in a land which is hilly, rocky, hot, and arid. It also would have included crossing over the Arnon and then the Jordan rivers. They would have had to carry whatever they owned and the water they would need to drink. It would not be an easy trip.

It would be like picking up from Sarasota and walking to Tampa. Driving there takes an hour, but walking there would be a long tedious venture. At a normal pace, it would be about 17 hours, but with carrying their things, stopping for rest and sleep and the like, it would take at a minimum between two and four days.

If they lived more than the minimum 50 miles, it could have been longer. And again, as seen last week, there is a masculine instead of a feminine pronoun in the words “the two of them.” There are little treasures in the book of Ruth that are yet to be explained

^{19 (con’t)} 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?”

Upon their arrival the entire city was abuzz with the news. The translation here “and the woman said” is from a single word vatomarnah, which literally is “and they said” but it is in the feminine. The translators inserted the word “women” to make it understandable for us.

The women of the town were astonished at the person they once knew. More than 10 years had passed. Naomi would have gone out as a much younger lady and with her husband and sons. Now she has returned, certainly looking older, more worn down from the sadness and the years. She, a widow with only a daughter-in-law.

Any nice clothing or ornaments she had would be missing. The exclamation is certainly akin to us saying, “The years have been tough on her!” The entire picture is one which would have been shocking to the women who stayed in Bethlehem. The verse is a true to life, graphic touch of the reality of Naomi’s situation.

²⁰ But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi;

The name Naomi, as we saw before, is translated in a variety of ways by scholars – beautiful, sweet, pleasant, lovely, or something like that. Some take the “i” at the end of her name to be possessive and so it would mean “my sweetness.”

But the “i” at the end may be a reference to Jehovah and so it would be “Pleasantness of the Lord.” This is certainly what is intended and for a reason we will see in a moment. But because of her afflictions and trials, she asks them to not call her Naomi. It is no longer a fitting name for who she has become.

^{20 (con’t)} call me Mara,

Instead of Pleasantness of the Lord, she asks to be called Mara, which means “Bitter.” In hearing her given name repeated time and again as she encountered the people of Bethlehem, she could only think that it was no longer appropriate.

The Lord, the covenant God of Israel, was distant from her and she felt the pain of it each time her name was repeated. And so a change to reflect her sad state was needed. Call me Bitter. Interestingly the way the name is recorded is not the normal Hebrew form of the word.

It is lacking the letter “h” (hey) at the end of the name which is the same letter that was added to Abraham and Sarah’s name as a sign of covenant grace. It is as if she is outside of the Lord’s covenant provision, wallowing alone in her bitterness.

^{20 (con’t)} for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

Only in the light of interpreting her name as “Pleasantness of the Lord” can the full implication of what she says in this verse be properly understood. Instead of being “Pleasantness of the Lord,” who is the one who monitors the covenant and the covenant people, she is “Bitter from the Almighty” – the one who bestows or withholds fruitfulness.

It is a double play on her name; bitter instead of pleasant, and affliction from the Almighty instead of grace from the Lord. Her words here are almost mirror of the anguish that Job himself felt after all of his many afflictions. In Job 27 we read his words –

“As God lives, who has taken away my justice,
And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,” Job 27:2

Both of these people failed to see that the kindness of the Lord was just around the corner. Thinking they were the objects of God’s wrath, they had misinterpreted the sad and troublesome hardships they 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 they faced have served a larger purpose as their lives have been used to show us the greater, and often unseen, hand of God as He unfolds history in a way which displays His sovereignty and His redemptive plans for us.

²¹ I went out full,

Naomi had forgotten that she went out with her family during a time of famine in search of bread and livelihood. If she was full, it was only because they ate their last meal before departing. But the overwhelming exaggerations of memories colored over the original reason why she had left.

All she could think of is who and what she had left with. Her memories were of a husband and two sons and the things they carried along for their temporary pilgrimage. She had forgotten that she had left a land which was beset by a lack of food.

^{21 (con’t)} and the Lord has brought me home again empty.

The word translated as “empty” doesn’t mean exactly that. It is an adverb rather than an adjective. Her words are v’reqam hishivani Yehovah (3:12) –  “and emptily has brought me home again the Lord.” It is as if the entire process of her journey has been without any positive benefit as the Lord continually drained her.

Again, in her misery, she failed to acknowledge Ruth who had clung to her and promised to continue clinging to her no matter what would come their way. The faithful words on that dusty road leading home from Moab were overshadowed by her own pitiful condition in the eyes of the women of Bethlehem.

And in her return, she is now in a land that is productive and fruitful once again. She may have come home emptily in some respects, but she has also come home with, and to, great abundance in other ways.

As she will find out before her days are through, the daughter-in-law she now has taken in is worth more to her than seven sons. The Lord will heap upon her a good and blessed latter life, just as He did upon His faithful servant Job.

^{21 (con’t)} Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me,

In her words, and based on the meaning of her name, she is repeating a pun. “Why do you call me Pleasantness of the Lord, since the Lord has testified against me?” She is misreading what has happened. She is finite, in time, and unknowing of the future.

Like Job, what she sees as the Lord testifying against her is simply a lack of the full resource of information that God possesses. Job misunderstood his circumstances and Naomi has as well. And like Job’s friends, she is seeing her afflictions as a result of penal punishment. In other words, she feels she must have done something wrong and the Lord is punishing her.

But there are other forms of suffering that are not at all because of punishment. The book of Job shows this as do many other examples in both testaments of the Bible. A perfect example of this is found in John 9 –

“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ³ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.'” John 9:1, 2

Like the man born blind, like Job, and like Naomi and many others, suffering is a part of the fallen world in which we live. At times that suffering is used by God to demonstrate His glory. This is the case with the life and trials of Naomi.

To some extent, every one of us fails to properly interpret the signs which surround us as we live out our lives before the Lord. What is needed is a firm belief in the promise found in Romans 8:28, that “…all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (LIFE APP)

^{21 (con’t)} and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

Her words in Hebrew are v’shaddai heraa li (4:21). This form of the verb heraa implies an evil doer, a doer of wickedness, or simply evil or wicked. If taken in that light, she is actually ascribing the evil that was accomplished to the Almighty. As the Pulpit Commentary says, she is “walking on a theological precipice, where it is not needful that we should accompany her.”

Instead of ascribing the evils that come our way to God, it is right that we humble ourselves and our hearts before His providential hand. The afflictions we bear may not do us good, but the way we carry ourselves in midst of them is what is right, honorable, and noble. And above all, we are never to ascribe evil to the Lord.

It is we humans who chose the path we are on and it is the Lord God who has worked to correct it and to put us on a new and eternally good path.

Shall we indeed accept good from God
And shall we not accept adversity?
Who is it that lays out before us the path we trod?
Let us never contemplate such perversity

It is fair when things go ill to be dejected and lacking strength
But it is right to remember that God has not forgotten us
He will return us to paradise and eternal joy in due length
And we have this certainty because He gave His Son, Jesus

So when trials, heartaches, or much loss comes our way
Remember to not blame God thus making matters worse
For He is God and He is working out every single day
His glorious plan when soon there will be no more curse

III. The Time of the Barley Harvest (verse 22)

²² So Naomi returned,

So Naomi returned… She has come again to the land of her birth which is the land of promise. She had crossed the Jordan and now she has crossed it once again. She has again come to the land of favor and the land of blessing.

^{22 (con’t)} and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab.

This continues to reiterate what we already know. Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law has come. It identifies her specifically as a Moabitess to remind us of the account of Lot and his daughters. They were relatives of Abraham, but not of the covenant line.

And more, the Moabites had hired Balaam the prophet, to curse Israel as they travelled toward Canaan. Later, they caused Israel to trip up and fall into idolatry and sexual immorality. She is a gentile from what many would consider an unsavory line of people.

However, her ancestor Moab was born to a woman who was looking forward to the coming Messiah. Unless you saw the sermon on Lot and his daughters, you might not understand this. But it explains why this verse in Ruth continues with the unlikely thought that she “returned from the country of Moab.”

One commentary said that this verse is both “remarkable, at once for its simplicity and for its inexactitude.” (Pulpit) They said this, because Ruth didn’t actually return from Moab. Rather, she came with Naomi who returned.

However, if this verse is taken in light of their great ancestor who slept with her father in order to have a child who would lead them to the Messiah, then Ruth did, in fact, return to the Land of Promise. They once lived in it and left many generations earlier. Now she had come home.

Words aren’t wasted in the Bible. And words are neither redundant nor inexact. They are precise, carefully chosen, and intended to show us God’s overall plans, which come in short, interesting sentences and concepts. In this, Ruth truly did return to Canaan through the loins of Lot and his faith-filled daughter.

*^{22 (fin)} Now they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

Naomi and Ruth returned to Canaan and have arrived at the House of Bread, Bethlehem. It is the same spot where the Lord Jesus, a descendant of Ruth, will be born in a bit over 1000 years. And it is at the time of the barley harvest.

The barley is ready for reaping during the month of Abib which is our March/April time-frame. It commences during the Feast of Unleavend Bread when the firstfruits of the harvest are cut and presented to the Lord, a picture of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is at this same time of year when the Lord was crucified and then rose from the dead that these ladies arrive in the House of Bread. Barley is known as the crop of hairy ears because of its hairy appearance. The word “barley” in Hebrew is seorah which is closely related to the word se-ar or hair.

Hair in the Bible indicates an awareness of things, especially that of sin. The goat for example, which is used in Leviticus for the sin offering, is known as sair. We have an awareness of sin in the hairy goat sin offering. In Numbers there is a type of person known as a Nazirite. This is someone who made a vow or was consecrated to the Lord.

During the time of that vow, they were never to cut their hair. Samson was a Nazirite from birth as were Samuel and John the Baptist. Paul took a Nazirite vow in Acts. The hair on their head was a reminder of their state, just as the hairy goat is a reminder of sin. It is man’s place to be aware.

We are sentient beings, ever in search of more knowledge and experience and hopefully seeking out the cure to the sad state we are in. These things are all going to be seen in and revealed in the story of Ruth as it continues. Much is in store in the coming three chapters and it all revolves around the work of God in Christ. But it also is a true story of real people, living out their lives in the stream of time. God has carefully sewn them into pictures of greater things that affect us all. It is a marvelous way of Him showing us that He is attentive to the big things in history, but also the little details as well.

And one of the little details in the big picture, but the biggest detail of all in our individual lives, is where we will spend eternity. God has worked out a plan where we too can return to the Promised Land. And it revolves around the giving of His Son for us. I would ask just another moment to share with you how you can be certain of eternal life in the presence of God because of Jesus Christ…

Closing Verse: A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Next Week: Ruth 2:1-7 (Whose Young Woman is This?) (4th Ruth Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He knows your trials, troubles, and woes and He is there with you through them. So cling to Him and let Him do marvelous things for you and through you.

Your People, My People; Your God, My God

And she said, “Look, as you can see
Your sister-in-law Orpah has gone back
To her people and to her gods
Return after your sister-in-law, don’t be slack

But Ruth said in words heartfelt and true
“Entreat me not to leave, please don’t do so
Or to turn back from following after you
For wherever you go, I too will go

And wherever you lodge, I will lodge too
Your people shall my people be
And your God, my God, it is true
I shall not ever leave you, this you shall see

Where you die, I will die, may it be so
And there will I be buried, I speak plainly
The Lord do so to me, and more also
If anything but death parts you and me

When she saw that she was determined to go along
She stopped speaking; her determination strong

Now the two of them went
Until they came to Bethlehem
When finally the miles were spent

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?”
She was a different woman, they could plainly see

But she said to them just the same
“Do not call me anymore Naomi
Instead now Mara is my name
For the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me

I went out full many years before
And emptily has the Lord has returned me to my door

Why do you call me Naomi
Since the Lord has testified against me

And the Almighty me He has afflicted
I have been tried by His trial and convicted

So Naomi returned along with Ruth
The Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her
Who returned from the country of Moab
Their future unknown and unsure

Now they came to Bethlehem the town
At the beginning of the barley harvest
There they together settled down
As the Bible story does attest

Lord, help us to see Your hand in all things
As directing our lives not for evil, but for good
Help us to accept everything that our life brings
And to honor you at all times as we should

Yes, troubles come our way, but there are always blessings too
And both the troubles and the blessings are being used by You

For our good and for Your glory
Everything comes as a part of Your plan for us
This is the message we find in Your gospel story
And it is all because of our Lord Jesus

Yes, thank You Lord for such kind and attentive care for us
And thank You for our blessed Redeemer, our Lord Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

Ruth 1:6-14
Bread in The Land of Promise

Introduction: Last week we saw the miserable state that Naomi found herself in after ten years in Moab. Her husband and both her sons had died and she was left alone with her two daughters-in-law. The story continues now with news from Israel that will impel her to make the move back to her homeland.

She had probably sat and talked about this with her daughters-in-law many times and they had probably made conversation about going back with her when she went. We all do this, saying things as if they would happen when the probability is that they never will. It is a way of filling time and filling our minds with hopes that please our thoughts.

With her time to move at hand though, the reality of those idle conversations will now be proven either true or false. Certainly there was no malicious intent in either daughter-in-law, but just the wistful ruminations that would never really come to the point of being realized.

But during all that time, and through the moments of sadness and heartache, a preparation was being made for either of the girls who would really presume to make the move with Naomi. God has a way of making us hope for what is better by handing us difficulties in the present. Matthew Henry sums it up this way, “Earth is made bitter to us, that heaven may be made dear.” Think about that…

Life in Moab was made bitter for Naomi and her daughters-in-law in order to make their hearts hopefully look for the pleasantness of a return to the land of promise. And it did. Naomi is ready to return home.

Text Verse: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

In the coming verses, we will see Naomi bless her daughters-in-law in the name of the Lord. But in order to receive such a blessing, it means they must seek Him. They will be tested by Naomi in her words to them as to whether their devotion is sincere or not. If it is, then their reward will certainly come.

What will seem like an honest plea by Naomi for them to depart from her is actually a plea for them to consider well the road they plan to take. The same is true for us who understand that following Christ doesn’t always mean prosperity, wealth, and health.

Instead, God has granted affliction to His apostles and faithful followers for the past 2000 years. If we simply open our eyes to history, it should be apparent that we are bound to face such trials from Him as well. If we do, will we still be willing to follow Him?

Let us resolve in our hearts now to follow the Lord no matter what happens. And the best way to do that is to know Him intimately and to trust Him implicitly. The way we come to do both of those things is through knowing His superior word. So let’s turn to that word now and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Lord Visited His People (verses 6, 7)

⁶ Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab,

This verse takes us back to verse 4 which said, “And they dwelt there about ten years.” The word for dwelt, as we learned, meant “to sit.” Now the time for “sitting” has ended and so the Hebrew says she “stood up.” The imagery is exciting and shows that activity lies ahead.

And so, she arises with her daughters-in-law. Again, the Hebrew term is very descriptive. The word for daughters-in-law is khaloteha which means brides, as in the brides of her sons. It is with the two of them that she arises and begins her return from Moab. And there is a reason why she is now engaged in this course of action which is…

^6 (con’t) for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread.

Somehow, without the Bible further explaining it, word came to her that the famine was over and it was time to return. And the reason is given that the Lord, Jehovah, had “visited His people” by giving them bread.  Naomi has stayed no longer in this foreign land than necessity required her to.

Again as in verse 1, the term sadeh or the “fields” of Moab, is used. It is another indication that the story was written in Israel because the term sadeh is used when speaking of foreign countries. We are asked to view these events from the perspective of the people who are the redeemed of the Lord. From that point of view, we are to look at how He deals with such events.

The Hebrew word translated as “visited” is paqad. It is a word which has no comparable single word in English, and so it must rather be described. It indicates “overseeing or looking into a matter and then attending to it.” In other words, the Lord divinely looked into the affairs of Israel and attended to the famine which had gone on for so long by giving them abundance once again.

Because the book of Ruth is an insert story, showing God’s attendance to the affairs of mankind in order to meet His redemptive purposes, then it can be rightly assumed that the entire scenario of the move to Moab, the marriage of these women, and then the sending of news to Naomi that the famine had ended was completely and surely for the purpose of directing the events of the book of Ruth.

The famine, the death, the marriages, the next two deaths, and the ending of the famine were all designed to bring about the events to come in the next verses and chapters of Ruth. Real people and real circumstances were used by the sovereign God to give us this story. Imagine the importance of the words we are now looking at!

⁷ Therefore she went out from the place where she was,

Having “stood up” from the place of her ten-year “sitting,” she next “went out” from the place where she was. It is a very descriptive sequence of events which has taken place. The words are used to put us inside the events and to move us mentally us as she moves.

^7 (con’t) and her two daughters-in-law with her;

As Naomi arose, so arose the two daughters-in-law. It is an indication that their house was merely a temporary residence which is now to be abandoned by all three of them.

^7 (con’t) and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

Only Naomi came and so only she can actually return. If the other two were to go, it would be not as a return unless they went with her. Instead it would be a journey that is commencing. They had probably talked about this moment many times and said that when she left, they would go with her.

And now, they have arisen with her to walk with her at least a portion of the way, but there is nothing yet to suggest that it is a true commitment to go to Judah with her.

The words of the Bible are spoken to us
So that we may have peace in this world where we live
They reveal the heart of God seen in Jesus
And in the Holy Spirit who to us He does give

In the world you will have tribulation it is true
But be of good cheer as on the difficult road you trod
Jesus has overcome the world and His peace He grants to you
Peace and contentment sent from our glorious God.

Be not despondent at the woe which does surround
Wait patiently on the Lord through each test and trial
And He will shower upon you blessings to astound
The difficulties will end after a short while

II. The Blessing of the Lord (verses 8-10)

⁸ And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house.

For however long they walked with Naomi, if they were to remain in Moab, there had to be a point where the walk would end and they would eventually turn around. Each step forward would be a burden on her, knowing that each step required another step back in the opposite direction. And so finally, she lets them know that it has been far enough.

Her words to them are to “return each to her mother’s house.” And yet, in the next chapter we’ll see that Ruth’s father is still alive. The wording is not intended to mean that the mother in Moab was the leader of the house, but rather to show that she, Naomi, isn’t their mother and that they have mothers who are awaiting them.

In the return to the mother would be a return to the comfort and solace of a welcome and familiar refuge. Naomi wanted this for them rather than the privations that would be expected in Israel. As widows, they would be extremely poor and dependent on the charity of the people for their livelihood.

There is no fault in Naomi here as many try to infer. They will say she is doing wrong to the daughters by not having them come to be a part of the covenant people. But the next half of verse eight shows that this is a poor analysis…

^8 (con’t) The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

The marriage of a woman implied that she was uniting herself to the religion of her husband. In turning back to Moab, it would imply that they were no longer bound to that faith, but Naomi’s simply-understood theology was that the Lord was the One true God and that He reigned not only in Israel, but in Moab as well.

Her words then are a pronounced blessing on them and an acknowledgment of His sovereignty. In her plea, she asks Jehovah to deal with these two faithful daughters-in-law just as they had dealt with her. It is an exemplary note of their attentive care to her through her many trials and sadnesses.

For those who are interested in these things, this verse contains a little peculiarity in the Hebrew. The pronoun which should be feminine is masculine. A literal translation says: The Lord “make” [masculine] grace upon you as you have “done” [masculine] with the dead [plural] and me.

In fact there are nine instances of gender discord in chapter 1 and seven of them are spoken by Naomi. Other gender peculiarities are found elsewhere in the book as well. These then are trying to tell us something either directly, or in the pictures they present.

In invoking the name of the Lord, she is here relying on His providence towards them. These two women married into the faith of Jehovah and so, through their kindness to her sons, she is pronouncing this blessing. No fault, but rather great faith is found in Naomi.

⁹ The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.”

It is the second of a two-fold blessing where the divine name of the Lord, Jehovah, is invoked. Instead of saying “May God do these things,” she again gives the specific title of the Lord, Jehovah. When this title is used, it is speaking of the One who monitors the covenant and the covenant people.

In the first blessing, she asked that “The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.” And now, she explains what the first general blessing meant by giving specifics. She asks the Lord grant that they may find rest, each in the house of her husband.

The term “in the house of her husband” is used in a locative manner. The natural, but unstated question would be, “Where will they find rest?” and the answer is given. “The place where you will find rest is in the house of your husband.”

What she is implying is that they have tended to her with the same care that she had lost when her husband and then her sons had died. Her petition is that the Lord repay them in kind for this kindness.

Understanding this verse in connection to where Ruth ultimately finds rest and what it pictures is one of the secret keys of the book of Ruth and it is ultimately pointing to our own place of rest in the person of Jesus Christ.

The fourth chapter of Hebrews shows us the fulfillment of this petition of Naomi for her daughters as fulfilled in Him. It is when we believe in the work of Jesus Christ that we enter into His rest. Understanding this, gives us an advanced insight into what the book of Ruth is picturing.

^9 (con’t) So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

In the customary Hebrew way, there is a preposition before the pronoun. And so it reads va’tissaq la’hen – “and she kiss to them.” It shows the passionate imparting of herself to these cherished daughters-in-law.

And in response it says “they lifted up their voices and wept.” Unlike our western way hiding of emotions, the opposite is true in the Middle-eastern cultures. There is often an unbridled showing of emotion during instances like this and the term “lifted up their voices” is certainly not an understatement.

There is true sadness and it is being truly vocalized by these three women.

¹⁰ And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”

They must have talked about this before they left, saying they would go with her. And she would surely have said that it would be better for them if they stayed. But whether they were actually serious or not couldn’t be determined until now.

Were they merely being polite and respectful? Or did they really intend to go the distance and start a new life in a new land? Where words fail, actions tell the truth and it is now time to determine which is which.

Come to Me, all you who labor, come to Me
You who are heavy laden, I will give you rest
Put your confidence in My words and truly
You will find your soul is eternally blessed

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me
For I am gentle and lowly in heart
Here your souls will find rest eternally
Yes, My peace and My rest to you I will impart

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light
And I will return You to the long lost Garden of delight

III. Turn Back My Daughters (verses 11-14)

¹¹ But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me?

Her statement is direct and her question is obvious. What would be the point of going with her? She is a widow and therefore she is destitute of anything except the house or land that her husband left in Israel before the famine.

Without a husband to take care of the house and to work in the field, she would be left poor, without an income, and wholly dependent on the goodness of others and whatever the law provided for her.

It would be a bleak and meager existence and she was hoping to keep them from the same sad lot. And it was a lot which would be unexpected to change as we see next…

^{11 (con’t)} Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

This seems like an odd thought to us today. What possible difference could this make? But in the custom and culture of the times, her statement is one which is perfectly understood. Going all the way back to Genesis 38, we see the practice of what is known as the levirate marriage.

It comes from the Latin term levir and it is where a brother-in-law would fulfill the responsibilities to the wife of his dead brother. This was later adopted, in a form particular to Israel, into the Law of Moses. That was concerning land inheritances and family name, and is recorded in Deuteronomy 25 –

“If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband’s brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. ⁶ And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.” Deuteronomy 25:5, 6

Before the time of the law though, this was still a culturally mandated practice. And it is more in line with what Naomi is referring to now. In Genesis 38, Judah had three sons. The oldest, Er, had a wife Tamar. He died before Tamar had children and so she was given to the second son to raise a child up in Er’s name.

This second son refused to adhere to the custom and so the Lord killed him. The third son, Shelah, was never given to her. This resulted in events that finally ended with Judah becoming the father of her child without even realizing it. That account is directly tied to this account in Ruth as we will later see.

Naomi is telling them that she has no children in her womb that could come forth and fulfill this cultural obligation.

¹² Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband.

She is now going to begin a series of justifications for the daughters to consider and act on concerning a return to their homes. She’s already asked rhetorically if she had sons in her womb. The answer is surely “no.” Now she tells them that she is “too old to have a husband.”

Although this certainly isn’t literally true, it is culturally so. She is older, has had a husband and children, and is beyond the age where any normal possibility within her culture would indicate that a man would be interested in her. She is an elderly lady by society’s standards and she is poor on top of that. And so it is an obvious conclusion based on her situation.

^{12  (con’t)} If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons,

Now she raises the level of the concern even higher. Suppose that even against the odds of culture and situation, she were to tell them, “I have hope. Come to Israel with me because I have a man who will marry me…” Even if this were the case, she would still have more obstacles ahead of her.

The first is obvious – would she have children at all, or has she passed the age where it would happen? Secondly, what if she remained barren even if she were still of child-bearing age? Thirdly, what if she had daughters instead of sons?

And fourthly, even if she had sons, would they be like Judah’s son Onan and refuse to fulfill their roles towards their dead brothers? The logical conclusion is that there was too much that would stand in the way of her bearing sons that could fulfill this levirate responsibility to one or both of the daughters.

¹³ would you wait for them till they were grown?

And on top of all the other uncertainties comes another which they must personally consider. As she speaks, she states it in parallel thoughts. First, would they be willing to wait, despite all of the other unknowns that may arise?

Even if everything worked out in an exact and perfect manner, would they be willing to wait the many years that were necessary for one of her sons to mature enough to even fulfill his duty? The questions have been raised to the highest level of impossibility in any foreseeable scenario.

In the case of hoping for something from Naomi in regards to family life, there was nothing but her friendship left. And as she was older, it would become an increasingly one-sided relationship as the daughter or daughters would eventually have to take over more and more responsibilities as Naomi aged.

As a side note, this part of verse 13 is difficult to translate because the term “for them” as in “would you wait ‘for them'” (meanings sons) is actually feminine, not masculine and so it doesn’t make any sense. Many translators now translate this as “would you therefore wait till they were grown?” The word would then be an Aramaic term “therefore” instead of a Hebrew term “for them.”

^{13 (con’t)} Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands?

This is the second half of the parallel thoughts. First she said, “would you wait for them till they were grown?” And then she heightens it for them to consider further. “Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands?

The first thought conveys the idea of time and patience, something they might have. But the second conveys the idea of human nature and our personal urges that either exist or may arise due to circumstance. The second is decidedly harder to withstand.

It is one thing to wait for something without any external pressures being applied. A person in jail will wait patiently to be reunited to his wife because no other opportunity exists. But it is another thing to wait for something while being tempted in the process. The wife who is not in jail will wait impatiently and possibly unfaithfully simply because opportunity exists.

A man at war in Germany is a faithful husband as he fights the battle, but once he gets his leave and goes to France for two weeks, circumstances are bound to change. King David found this out when he stayed home from the battle one fateful spring.

And so in this verse, she uses a word which is found only here in the Bible. It is the Hebrew word agan and it is translated as “restrain.” It means “to shut oneself in” or “shut oneself off.” In other words, it implies that they would completely isolate themselves from having a man and would remain in their unwedded state as they now were.

Naomi is asking them to consider everything carefully and not to make a sudden decision which will forever change their futures and their relationships. She is being just, wise, and noble in presenting to them the exact nature of what they are contemplating.

If they were to come with her, there would more probably be inconvenience rather than good times. There would probably be poverty rather than abundance. And there would be expected sadness beyond hope of joy.

She is asking them to take stock of the situation before committing. And this is exactly what the Lord did when confronted by those who wanted a share in His ministry. In Matthew 8, we read this –

“And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. ¹⁹ Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, ‘Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.’
²⁰ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.'” Matthew 8:18-20

And even more to the point is the certainty that the family had told both of these women about the God of Israel. Despite the famine and the move, and despite the death of her husband and her sons, Naomi was returning to the land He gave to them. If you wonder why she was so intent on dissuading them from accompanying her back home, even when she was determined to go, it was to ensure that they were doing it, not only for her sake, but for the sake of the religion they had heard of and joined to.

Beyond all of the hardships and sadness, there was said to be a God over Israel who transcended difficulties and who is much less interested in temporary affections and excitements than He is to a faithful commitment from His people. It is a novel and fun experience to travel to another country, yes.

But what kind of allegiance is there when the novel turns to the mundane? Naomi, above all else, is looking to the strength and sincerity of their commitment to the Lord God of Israel. Something she and her family had taught them, but which would need to be tested in a race of long endurance and many trials.

And this is exactly what Jesus referred to in His words to those who followed Him. See how they reflect this sentiment that we are seeing between Naomi and her daughters from Matthew 10:37-39 –

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Were these two girls worthy of the God of Israel? Were they ready to give up on father and mother and pursue Him and Him alone? One more time Naomi shows them that being a follower of this God doesn’t always mean pleasure and prosperity, but it also means times when His hand is against you. And so she utters her final words of warning…

^{13 (con’t)} No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”

The New King James Version doesn’t at all give the correct sense here. These words are literally translated, “for it is bitter to me, exceedingly, beyond you.” The daughters had suffered bitterly at the loss of their husbands, but Naomi had suffered more. She had lost her husband and her children.

And now the suffering would continue and it would continue to be more grievous to her than to them. Whether they came with her or whether they parted, her lot wouldn’t change. And in fact, either way her lot would probably get worse.

If they stayed, she would be separated from these two daughters she had come to love. If they came, then she would continue to suffer knowing that they too were suffering because of her. Any course of action that she could imagine would bring heartache.

And the heartache was directly from the God that she was going back to. Is this something they were willing to accept, a God that would allow this? But she is adamant that it was because “the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”

Jehovah, her God, was the cause of her bitterness. Would they be willing to follow a God who brought both joy and adversity? It was a question that Job himself answered. After all of the calamites he endured, he faced the decision as to whether he should abandon his faith or not. Here is the account from Job 2 –

“Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ ¹⁰ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:9, 10

Would one or both of the daughters act in this same vein of faith?

¹⁴ Then they lifted up their voices and wept again;

The emotions are beyond words to describe them, just as they are at the funeral of a loved one or the parting of lovers in a time of war. We can only understand the emotion when we have lived through them and known the feelings from personal experience.

These three women who had endured so much were now faced with their inevitable choices. There could be no more delay than this time of weeping. When it ended, the choices would be realized. If the weeping would endure forever, it would hold back the reason that the weeping had come. But it couldn’t…

^{14 (con’t)} and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law,

Implied in this is the Middle-eastern custom of kissing upon saying goodbye. Orpah has lived up to the name she was given at her birth. Her name Orpah means “Mane” or “Back of the neck.” As she walked away, this is the last of what they saw of her.

The word from which her name comes from is the Hebrew word oreph. As an interesting pattern, this word is used in Jeremiah 48:39 when speaking of Moab in a manner similar to Orpah’s turning back to Moab now –

“They shall wail:
‘How she is broken down!
How Moab has turned her back with shame!’
So Moab shall be a derision
And a dismay to all those about her.” Jeremiah 48:39

Instead of going to the land of Israel and seeking out the face of God who gives both blessing and hardship at His will, she turned her neck from God to that which is not God and departed from the annals of history except as is recorded in this chapter of Ruth.

The act of kissing is a rare thing in the Bible. Only two kisses are mentioned in the book of Ruth and both of them have occurred during these eight verses. The first was as Naomi kissed her daughters after she blessed them in the name of the Lord, Jehovah.

The second is here when Orpah gives a farewell kiss to her mother-in-law and to the hope of Israel. There is a contrast between the two, but there is also a confirmation that God has granted us the freewill to pursue Him.

Orpah made her choice and Ruth will make hers. And each of us must make our own. God doesn’t force His will upon us, but He gives us the choice to earnestly seek Him or to turn from Him. Orpah chose poorly. However, Ruth chose another course for life…

*^14 (fin) but Ruth clung to her.

In contrast to Orpah who continued to fade into the distance on that dusty road in Moab, Ruth clung steadfastly to Naomi. Though at this time, Naomi could hardly be said to live up to her name, Pleasantness of the Lord, Ruth was willing to endure the bitterness along with her.

In fact, the word “clung” is the Hebrew word dabaq. It is the same word used in Genesis 2:24 when speaking of the relationship between a man and his wife. It is also the same word used in the 63rd Psalm to describe the person who was absolutely determined to follow the Lord –

“My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:8 (NASB)

A good way for us to think of Ruth’s grasp is when something sticks like glue. It is a binding which reflects permanence. Despite the trials that may lay ahead, Ruth was willing to endure the hand of the Lord through good or trial. She was steadfast in her heart.

And so Ruth also fulfilled her name, or at least one aspect of her name, in this act today. Her name means in one sense “Friend” or “Companion.” And she proved that she is such a friend. One who would stick closer than any bond but death itself could separate.

Orpah may have loved Naomi, and Naomi’s words testify that she was a faithful daughter-in-law. But her love wasn’t so deep as to overlook the trials one might face in a walk towards the land of promise. Like her, many look at the value of heaven and decide it’s not worth the walk to get there.

They cannot find the strength and the resolve to forsake family, home, addictions, or pride in order to walk by the Lord’s side. They may love Him, just as Orpah loved Naomi, but they love Him as an unattainable ideal and not as a Savior worth giving up on life itself.

In the end, there are only one of two directions we can go. One is toward the face of God which is seen in the Person of Jesus Christ, or we can turn our neck and go in the opposite direction. The first leads to eternal life, the latter leads to eternal separation.

The choice belongs to each of us, so choose wisely. If you have never made the commitment to this wonderful Savior who came to lead us back to the land of delight which we lost so long ago, please let me tell you how you can. Let me tell you about the work that Jesus did for you…

Closing Verse: O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2 Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. 4 For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds. Psalm 108:1-4

Next Week: Ruth 1:15-22 (Returning to the Promised Land) (3rd Ruth Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He knows your trials, troubles, and woes and He is there with you through them. So cling to Him and let Him do marvelous things for you and through you.

One Choice, Two Paths

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law
That she might from the country of Moab return
For she had heard in the country of Moab
Words which made her heart churn

That the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread
And so she prepared to move from Moab to Israel instead

Therefore she went out
From the place where she was on that day
And her two daughters-in-law with her
And off they went on the way

To the land of Judah to return
For her home her soul did yearn

And Naomi to her two daughters-in-law said
“Go, return each to her mother’s house I say affectionately
The Lord deal kindly with you my beloved
As you have dealt with the dead and with me

The Lord grant that you may find rest
Each in the house of her husband, may you be kept
So she kissed them, after them she blessed
And they lifted up their voices and wept

And they said to her through the streaming waters
“We will return with you to your people, surely
But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters
Why will you go with me?

Are there still sons in my womb
That they may be your husbands?
Save yourself from this gloom

Turn back, my daughters, go—
For I am too old to have a husband as you know

If I should say I have hope this day
If I should have a husband tonight, no longer alone
And should also bear sons, I pray
Would you wait for them till they were grown?

Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands too?
No, my daughters; this I cannot ask of you

For it grieves me very much for your sakes as you can see
That the hand of the Lord has gone out against me

Then they lifted up their voices
And wept again as if a dirge was sung
And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law
But Ruth to her tightly clung

In reality there was but one choice to make
Though down different paths it will lead
Will one cling to the God of Israel for heaven’s sake
Will they to His word pay heed?

If the answer is yes, the destiny is bright and sure
If the answer is no, there is no true hope at all
One must look to Jesus with a heart tender and pure
And on His glorious name each must call

Lord God, thank You for Jesus our Lord
Thank You for the chance to walk in His light
Help us all our days to hold to Your word
Until You bring us home to the land of delight

Until that day we will praise our Lord Jesus
Who has done such marvelous things for us

Hallelujah and Amen…