Ruth Sermons (written)

Ruth 3:6-13
Midnight at the Threshing Floor

Introduction: Michael Jerome Williams, Jr., was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was one of 12 children born to Denise Oher, an alcoholic and crack addict. His father was frequently in prison. With such tough surroundings, he received little attention or childhood discipline.

He repeated first and second grade and was at 11 different schools during his first nine years. He learned that life was tough, having been placed in foster care at seven, and he went back and forth between foster homes and homelessness. His biological father was murdered in prison when he was a senior in high school.

His life was bleak and filled with disappointment, but in time a couple with a daughter and son attending the same school as him welcomed him into their home and eventually adopted him. They tended to his needs once they understood what he had been through and they hired a tutor for him, who worked with him 20 hours per week.

During this time he earned letters in track and basketball. In basketball, he averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds a game, earning All-State honors. He was also a state runner-up in the discus as a senior. During this time, he raised his GPA from 0.76 to 2.52.

After that, he went on to complete college and was signed into the NFL in 2008 under the name Michael Oher. Little things in life can truly produce immense changes in one’s direction. Today, we will look at a moment in time which set up events which will forever change the life of Ruth.

Though the outcome won’t be known as we finish today, the divinely orchestrated appointment will lead to a vow from Boaz that whatever the end result, it will be a favorable one for Ruth. It is times like these which demonstrate that even things which seem random never are. Michael Oher, in his own walk with Christ, has certainly found this to be true in his life.

Text Verse: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

There are times when the outcome of something we must do may seem scary or overwhelming to face. It’s at times like these that we need to remember this proverb and cling to it. Ruth had seen Naomi return to Israel despite the many heartaches and losses she had suffered.

In witnessing Naomi’s implicit trust, Ruth learned also to trust implicitly. She trusted Naomi who trusted the Lord and her trust in the Lord has led her to where she will arrive at tonight, with a blessing and a promise of rest in the home of a kinsman redeemer.

We too have a Kinsman Redeemer and we too must trust the Lord that our redemption is ahead. We who have believed have entered His rest, though we wait on its fulfillment. Until that day, no matter what, let’s just keep trusting the Lord. He led Michael Oher this far and he will continue to lead us too. It’s a sure promise that we see pictured again and again in God’s 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. Ruth’s Faithful Obedience (verses 6 & 7)

To get a clearer picture of what our first verse today includes, it would be good to go back and re-read the verses which precede it –

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

From this, we come to our first verse of the day:

⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her.

Naomi would never have asked Ruth to do something she felt was inappropriate. Ruth knew this and she also felt an obligation through love to follow the instructions as they were given. Her love for Naomi led to her child-like obedience in how she conducted herself through this delicate ritual.

And yet, Naomi’s love for Ruth is also evident in searching for a place of rest for her daughter-in-law. If Ruth were to marry, there was nothing to guarantee that Boaz would build an addition on his house for Naomi. Although unlikely, she could be left in a lonely position through her actions.

But their mutual love is what is driving their decisions and actions as they go about fulfilling the hope-filled plan. And so the Bible records Ruth’s obedience in the words that she, “went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her.”

⁷ And after Boaz had eaten and drunk,

This is exactly what Naomi had specified, that she should not make herself known, meaning her intentions, until after Boaz had eaten and drunk. It’s an obviously-understood maxim to most people. Another person will normally be more well-disposed to a matter after having first eaten. In the book of Esther, before requesting an especially important matter from the King of Persia, Esther first invited him to a banquet, knowing that this would make the chance of him granting her request more favorable. Likewise, one should never go shopping before eating a meal unless they have a very fat wallet.

People tend to act more impulsively and without great thought before a meal than they do after one. Naomi understood this in her directions to Ruth. Ruth in turn trusted Naomi’s directions and carefully followed them.

^{7 (con’t)} and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain;

The word here translated as “cheerful” is yatav. It signifies something good, well, glad, or pleasing. Thus his mood and his disposition after a long day of work was that of a refreshed laborer. Ecclesiastes speaks of the work of a laborer and how it affects his sleep –

“The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much.” Ecclesiastes 3:12

If the sleep of a laboring man is sweet even if he eats little, how much more sweetly will he sleep after he has had a good meal. Boaz was well-fed and well-filled and probably on a soft bed of the stalks which had been separated from the grain.

There, at the end of the heap of grain, he probably sweetly slept and maybe he dreamt of that beautiful young woman who came to glean each day in his fields…

^{7 (con’t)} and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

Again, Ruth followed Naomi’s directions exactly as given. Naomi’s direction for her to wait until he was asleep was certainly an intended precaution, not because she didn’t trust either Boaz or Ruth, but because she understood human nature.

To come to him after a meal and yet before he slept is the time of man’s greatest weakness in regards to his natural inclinations, but that quickly fades as the minutes and hours pass from a light sleep to the deep sleep which causes the brain to become foggy. The natural inclinations for companionship are replaced with the natural inclinations for more sleep.

Naomi, a widow who had borne two children understood these things well enough to know them intimately. Ruth, obediently followed her directions and came softly. The Hebrew word used here is lat and indicates secrecy or a mystery. In other words, she crept in, maybe on tippy toes, in order to not disturb his slumber.

Upon her arrival, she uncovered his feet and lay down. In these actions, neither she nor Naomi who recommended them, have done anything wrong or even mildly inappropriate. Ruth is offering of herself to a person who has the right to redeem her. She is doing this under the provisions of the law and culture of the land.

I know that there is nothing better for people
 Than to be happy and to do good while they live
Following the Lord and worshipping under the church steeple
And to the Lord praises and honor to give

 That each of them may eat and drink
And find satisfaction in all their toil
This is certainly the gift of God, so let us think
To honor Him, and to Him always remain loyal

 II. A Midnight Meeting (verses 8-10)

⁸ Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled,

The Hebrew here uses the term bakhatsi halaylah (1:18), “in the middle of the night.” Until this point, he was unaware of anything that had come about, and was instead in his deeply-sweet slumber. But at some point, there in the middle of the night, he was startled. The word used to describe this is kharad.

This wasn’t merely a light startle, but he was truly afraid as one would be when they didn’t know whether it was a lion or a man with an axe there at his feet. The same word was used for the first time in Scripture to describe Isaac’s reaction when he realized that whoever he blessed wasn’t the son he thought he had blessed –

“Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, ‘Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him—and indeed he shall be blessed.'” Genesis 27:33

In response to Boaz’ fear, we read the following…

^8 (con’t) and turned himself;

This word is laphat. Here, it is a reflexive form of the verb which means to grasp with a twisting or bending motion. In other words, he bent forward and grasped as if in an instinctive self-defense motion. Instead of finding a large predator or a strong-armed foe, he realizes it is something entirely different…

^8 (con’t) and there, a woman was lying at his feet.

The translation here is lacking. Rather than a mundane, “and there” it should be translated “behold!” or maybe a more modern “whoa!” Instead of whatever he may have expected, he came across the entirely unexpected, “a woman was lying at his feet!”

⁹ And he said, “Who are you?”

Suddenly realizing that there is minimal threat and that it is a woman who is lying at his feet rather than a man or beast ready to attack, he adjusts his mind and asks her directly who she is. It is that moment when one realizes safety but a state of confusion still rules the moment.

^9 (con’t) So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant.

This first response brings to clarity the who, but not the why. She says, anokhi rut amatekha – “I am Ruth your maidservant.” In essence, she allows him to momentarily grasp that it is the young lady who has gleaned and worked diligently in his fields and to whom he had been so generous.

^9 (con’t) Take your maidservant under your wing,

Following up her identification, the words she uses here will take careful explanation to fully understand. Literally she says, “and spread therefore your skirt over your handmaid.” It is a proverbial expression which implies marriage and her request is that it be him who would perform that duty for her.

She has been sent by Naomi to request that this ancient right be fulfilled by Boaz. The right had a unique symbol by which it was claimed, that of wings. Naomi had said she would look for a place of rest for Ruth. Marriage is that place of rest and it is represented by being under the husband’s wings, or under his skirt.

In essence, the covering of the man is the covering of the woman. The word for “wing” here is kanaph and can be translated as wing, garment, skirt, edge, extremity, etc. It is the same word that Boaz used in the previous chapter when he said this to Ruth –

“The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Ruth 2:12

She is calling that to reminder, understanding that Jehovah the Lord often works through human representation. Just as the High Priest of Israel was a human mediator, and as the Judge of Israel or a prophet of Israel represented the Lord, she also understood that a husband was the representative of the family before the Lord.

She was asking to come under his wings because she had come under the wings of Jehovah. In Ezekiel 16, the same terminology is used by the Lord concerning His relationship with Israel –

“‘When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,’ says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 16:8

The rite of marriage is a resting place. God equated his relationship with Israel to marriage. In the Old Testament, He is the loving Bridegroom of his people, but that symbolism translates into the New Testament as well in our relationship with Christ.

He, the embodiment of Jehovah the Lord, had called Israel and they had continuously failed to respond as He relayed to them on Palm Sunday, just a few days before they crucified Him –

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37

In understanding Ruth’s words now, and who she and who Boaz picture, the story takes on a wonderful portrait of the unfolding events of redemptive history. Each verse is being used to show us marvelous hints to ponder and then to hopefully recognize what God is doing throughout history.

The Pulpit commentary translates Ruth’s words as an affirmative statement, “And thou hast spread thy wings over thy handmaid, for thou art kinsman.” In essence, even though she placed herself under his covering, she says it as if it were “his^.own^.deliberate^.act.”

In other words, it would be as if she said, “Me lying here under your garment demonstrates the true relationship in which we already stand. You are my kinsman and therefore I am yours if you wish.” She is offering herself to him while stating that he already has the rights to her because of his relationship to her.

It is her consent to a right that he possesses, which is based on her consent. If you think for a moment as Ruth being you and Boaz being Jesus, it will make sense. Jesus is our Kinsman and He possesses the right to redeem us. When we offer ourselves to Him, it is because He possesses that right of redemption.

He has potentially spread His wings over us by joining with humanity. He actually spreads them over us when we exercise our right to allow Him to do so. It is a picture of God’s offering and our free-will to accept that offering. Without being presumptuous, we could say “You have redeemed me, therefore, redeem me.”

^9 (con’t) for you are a close relative.”

When Boaz was first introduced into this story, a different word was used to describe him as a “relative.” That word was mowda, a male relative. That denotes someone who is intimately acquainted and thus a near relative.

However, the word used in this verse for “close relative” is goel. It is a kinsman redeemer as prescribed by the law. In essence, it is “one who enforces a claim which has lapsed” and thus a person who “re-claims.” The verb of this word can be used in the redeeming of a house or property after it has been sold and even for an Israelite that sold himself into slavery.

The goel had the right to reclaim the property or the person. In the case of Ruth, if Boaz turned down the redemption, both he and Ruth would suffer disgrace. Knowing this, Naomi would never have sent Ruth out in this way unless she was absolutely certain that Boaz would agree.

This is all the more sure because in Ruth’s words, she acknowledges that Boaz has this right, but she uses no definite article. He is not “the” goel, but “a” goel. As there are others who could perform this duty, it would be unnecessarily humiliating to both of them for no reason at all.

Unless there was some certainty that he would favorably respond, both Naomi and Ruth would never have gone through with any of it. What they have done is honest, lawful, and tenderly emotional. The elegant ritual we have been allowed to witness shows the purity, love, and noble actions of Ruth. And these in turn are acknowledged and testified to by Boaz when he speaks…

¹⁰ Then he said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter!

The response of Boaz here vindicates Ruth’s actions as being pure and noble. No hint of accusation and no note of condemnation is given. Instead, he explains that she is truly blessed of the Lord. Jehovah Himself has smiled upon her actions.

But Boaz also remains content to call her “my daughter.” Nothing has been settled yet and nothing will be settled through his words during this night. And so he says nothing to yet stir her emotions or give hint that she is any closer to him than she was before she came to the threshing floor. And yet, at the same time, he continues with his praise of her and her actions…

^{10 (con’t)} For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning,

This term used by Boaz is like saying “You have been faithful from square one, but your faithfulness has grown all along.” She married into a family of Israel and was willing to forsake the gods of her land. When her husband died, she remained faithful to her mother-in-law and the God of Israel whom Naomi worshipped.

But these things occurred when times were tough. People will always draw closer to one another and to God during the tough times, but when things become better, those close connections often drop by the wayside. Families separate and worship of God is left behind in the midst of a more prosperous existence.

Ruth was exceptional in that she stuck it out through the hard times and continued to stay in the good. In the fields of Boaz, there were many young men whom she could have followed. Naomi could have asked for the right to redemption personally. Ruth hinted that to her once before, but when Naomi excused herself from that position, Ruth willingly accepted the responsibility.

She instead committed to her husband’s family and name and declined to seek a new marriage outside of that. In essence, as Michaelis paraphrases this verse –

“The kindness which thou art showing to thy husband, now that he is gone, is still greater than what thou didst show to him while he lived.” Michaelis

In using the term goel when referring to Boaz, she was respectfully considering the duty which she owed to her dead husband’s name and memory. Boaz realized this and certainly was even more struck by the nobility of her actions, especially considering his age.

He was a contemporary of her father-in-law, Elimelech. What may have seemed repugnant to some women in making such an offering to such an old man was considered the right and honorable course of action by Ruth.

^{10 (con’t)} in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich.

In Ruth, Boaz sees that she deliberately refrained from any young men as the plural indicates. The entire spectrum is included – whether handsome and poor, ugly and rich, or even handsome and rich, she completely shut out personal desires for either wealth or physical pleasure.

Instead, she devoted herself to Naomi and she has now devoted herself to the memory of her dead husband. And yet, it is apparent from Boaz’ words, that she was young, beautiful, and vibrant. Those physical qualities could have brought her into the favor of any willing man, but she instead kept away from such possibilities.

Though many trials and temptations may come my way
I pray for strength to remain faithful to You, O God
Grant me the ability to turn and walk away
From any form of sin which lies ahead on the path I trod

Oh, that I would be faithful to Your word!
And that I would never displease You with the life I live
Help me to bring honor and glory to You my Lord
In this one life which to me You did give

Thank You for Your kind hand of grace upon me
And thank You for looking after Your other children, each of us
I know that it is a gift which is granted for all eternity
And it came through the precious shed blood of Jesus

III. A Woman of Virtue (verses 11-13)

¹¹ And now, my daughter, do not fear.

There is no doubt that her voice was trembling as she spoke. Boaz’ words are given as an assurance that he has found her actions appropriate and that she can now rest easily. He won’t attempt to defile her, he won’t attempt to shame her by saying she came as she did to him, and he won’t allow her dead husband’s name to remain in the unhappy state of being cut off.

And again in his words of comfort, he calls her “my daughter.” Though he has responded favorably, he has not responded in a way which yet acknowledges that he will be the one to fulfill her request. It will be fulfilled, and she should not fear in that regard, but he has not yet changed his words of relationship to her. She’s still a younger lady that is not yet his; hence, the term “my daughter.”

^{11 (con’t)} I will do for you all that you request,

In verse 4 from last week, Naomi said this as she instructed Ruth –

“Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do.” Ruth 3:4

However, Boaz now says, “I will do for you all that you request.” The words of Ruth to Boaz are those very things which Boaz has agreed to. Here we can see how the hand of the Lord guided the events of Ruth’s life. Her words, which were the desire of her heart, will be fulfilled through this meeting with Boaz.

^{11 (con’t)} for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.

These words actually say “for all the gate of my people know…” The word translated “town” is sha’ar, a “gate.” The gate of a city then is similar to the courthouse today; it represents the city. Those who sat at the gate were the elders and judges of the city. They would render their decisions there for probably many reasons.

If someone was to be expelled from the city, they would simply toss him out the gate. If a person were to be commended or punished, the gate would be the perfect spot to do so because those coming in and out of the city would see it as it took place.

Another reason is that anyone who wanted to go into the city would have to meet with their approval. And likewise, if someone wanted to leave, they could determine that he wasn’t an escaping criminal or some type of defector from the community.

An interesting example of the last type is found in Jeremiah 37. He was instructed by the Lord to buy a piece of property from his uncle, which he did. On his way out of Jerusalem to go and claim his property, he was accused of being a defector to the enemies –

“And it happened, when the army of the Chaldeans left the siege of Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army, ¹² that Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin to claim his property there among the people. ¹³ And when he was in the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there whose name was Irijah the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘You are defecting to the Chaldeans!’ ¹⁴ Then Jeremiah said, ‘False! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans.’ But he did not listen to him.'” Jeremiah 37:11-14

Paying attention to the many times such incidents occur in the Bible will give a clear picture of Boaz’ words to Ruth. The elders and judges of the town, picturesquely called “the gate of my people,” were well aware of the noble character of Ruth since her arrival in Israel.

She would have been seen faithfully leaving alone early in the morning with an empty basket in order to go out gleaning. And she wouldn’t have been seen again for many long, hot hours. Upon her return, her basket wasn’t only full of grain, but it had been threshed and winnowed. She had done this difficult work instead of bringing it home to Naomi.

And as she walked in, she would be alone once again, not laughing with boys. Likewise, for them to be aware of her nature meant that she was respectful to the elders as she passed through the gate. If any made a pass at her, she would have carefully said, “I need to get home to take care of Naomi” and she would have passed along.

Anyone attending the gates and seeing her day by day during the harvest season, would by now know that she was a model of integrity and hard work. And so Boaz uses the term khayil to describe her. It is the same word the Bible used to describe him when he was first introduced into the narrative in verse 2:1.

There is no single word that we have to accurately translate khayil, but rather it includes many aspects of a person – moral, physically willing to work, honorable, respectful, and so on. It is the word that Solomon used to describe a woman of noble character in Proverbs 31. In that, he spent 21 full verses to describe such a woman.

That same word was used by Boaz to describe Ruth now, a woman who would become Solomon’s great, great grandmother. It is possible that the family stories about his long dead ancestor Ruth were what inspired him to write those words about the woman of noble character!

This lovely and virtuous woman was an ideal match for the noble and virtuous man named Boaz. Just as the gate was the logical place for all legal transactions it was also a place which could testify to the soundness of the actions of Ruth. It is to the gate, and to those same people that he is referring to, that Boaz will soon go to settle the matter which has been presented to him.

¹² Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I.

Boaz acknowledges that he is, in fact, a goel and that he can perform the duties that she has requested. However, he is also a khayil, a man of virtue. It would be wrong for him to exercise his right without first granting the right to a kinsman closer than he was, and there was one closer.

His own personal desires, which are perfectly evident from the story, were less important than obedience to the law, customs, and culture in which he existed. The symbolic act, which Ruth engaged in by covering herself and requesting a goel, was an act that pertained to the rights of the family first and foremost.

His personal emotions could not interfere with what is just and right before the law. Again as I ask from time to time, is anyone seeing Jesus in these words and concepts? If so, then who is the nearer relative? Why has God given us this beautiful story? Or is it just a beautiful story without any greater beautiful picture?

¹³ Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it.

The old saying, “Love is quick-witted” applies here. In a short conversation in the dark of night, Boaz developed a plan to ensure the law would be met, that Ruth’s integrity would be preserved, and that both of them, if able, could get a little more rest.

Or at least she could. Boaz would certainly mull over the next day’s affairs, carefully deciding what he should do, where he should do it, and what he should say. His first thought is of Ruth and her protection, asking her to stay the rest of the night.

At the late hour, only trouble-makers or wild animals would be out and she could be harmed. And the guards at the gate would be far less friendly, especially to an unaccompanied young woman. This thought is seen in the Song of Solomon –

“The watchmen who went about the city found me.
They struck me, they wounded me;
The keepers of the walls
Took my veil away from me.” Song of Songs 5:7

Boaz wants to keep her from such troubles at this late hour. The second thought is again for Ruth. It is that she would be cared for by his introduction of her request to the nearer goel. He would ensure that her matter was immediately brought up to him and that she would be tended to.

In this verse, is an interesting anomaly that occurs only a few times in the Old Testament. Hebrew letters are always written the same size, but there are several exceptions of smaller or larger letters being used. It is unsure exactly why they occur, and so only speculation can be made, but the first letter of this verse, the letter lamed, is larger than the rest.

The letter lamed indicates a shepherd’s staff which is used to move and direct sheep and to protect the sheep from predators. The meaning of the letter is “to” or “toward moving something”‘ and so it is often used as a prefix to nouns meaning “to” or “toward.” It is also signifies authority as it is the sign of the shepherd.

Interestingly, Dr. Lightfoot has noted that as there is a special mark over a word in the story of Lot’s oldest daughter lying with her father and then there is a special mark in this verse in the story of Ruth going to the bed of Boaz, the larger lamed.

Both relate to one another, and both together point at the great providence of God in bringing light out of darkness. He notes that Ruth is a mother of Christ out of the incest of Lot, but Lot’s oldest daughter is as well. It appears that both of these special marks are given to lead us “to” Jesus who is the Shepherd of His flock.

^{13 (con’t)} But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives!

Boaz’ third thought is for Ruth as well. If the nearer goel doesn’t desire to fulfill the duty, then he will step in and fulfill it instead. And he confirms his words with a vow, khai Yehovah! It is untrue that vows shouldn’t be made, but if they are to be made they are only to be done so in the name of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:13 says, “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name.” Any lesser vow is tantamount to idolatry and any vow made in the Lord’s name is inviolable; it must be performed. Boaz has sworn in the name of the Lord and so he will fulfill.

*^{13 (fin)} Lie down until morning.”

Finally, Boaz’ words again are for Ruth’s concern. Not only is she to stay the night, but she should lie down until morning. There is no need for her to lose sleep, but to rest quietly and not fret. The vow has been made; she should be at peace.

This is where we end today, with the promise of action by Boaz on Ruth’s behalf. Whatever happens, she will be taken care of and the name and memory of her dead husband and his family line will be secure. A kinsman will redeem her.

We like Ruth are actually alone and destitute in this world. No matter how much we think we might have, even if our basket is overflowing now, there are no guarantees that it will continue. Ruth understood this, but often we fail to see it. When, not if, the basket is empty, it will too late to call out for redemption.

God, in his word says “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” If you have never thought it all through, maybe today you should. Tomorrow may never come. And so please allow me a moment to explain to you how you can claim your right of redemption because of the work of the Redeemer…

Closing Verse: “The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” Psalm 34:22

Next Week: Ruth 3:14-18 (Six Measures of Barley) (9th Ruth Sermon)

So you know, this past year, Michael Oher signed a $20 million dollar contract with the Tennessee Titans. Not bad for an often homeless boy who nobody seemed to want. How much more do you think the Lord wants you and will bless you as you seek Him!

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.

Midnight at the Threshing Floor

So she went down to the threshing floor
And did according to all
That her mother-in-law instructed her
At the time of nightfall

And after Boaz had eaten and drunk
And his heart was cheerful as well
He went to lie down at the end
Of the heap of grain to sleep for a spell

And she came softly, uncovered his feet
And lay down under the corner of his sheet

Now it happened at midnight
That the man was startled, to be sure
And turned himself; and there, ending his fright
A woman was lying at his feet; hard to figure

And he said, “Who are you? Tell me this thing
So she answered, “I am your maidservant Ruth
Take your maidservant under your wing
For you are a close relative, this is the truth

“Blessed are you of the Lord, My daughter!, he said
For you have shown more kindness at the end
Than at the beginning, instead

In that after young men you did not go
Whether poor or rich, you did not do so

And now, my daughter, do not fear
I will do for you all that was requested by you
For all the people of my town here
Know that you are a woman of virtue

Now it is true that I am a close relative, one cannot deny
However, there is a relative closer than I

Stay this night, and in the morning light
It shall be that if he will perform the task
Of a close relative for you, as is right
Good; let him do it, for this is what you ask

But if he does not want to perform the duty for you
Then I will perform the duty for you, it is true
As the Lord lives! Lie down until morning
Until the day dawns anew

Ruth has sought a kinsman to redeem
And she has found a man willing to do so
Whether it will be Boaz or another it would seem
That the new day the truth will show

We too have a Kinsman willing to redeem each of us
He is near to us because He is also a Man
And yet none other than the Lord God, Jesus
Such is the wisdom of God’s glorious plan

Let us come to Him and let Him His garment spread
Willingly over each one of us
For He is Christ the Lord, our Savior and our Head
He is the Incarnate Word – our glorious Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

יניל

 

 

Large Lamed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth 3:1-5
Go Down to the Threshing Floor

Introduction: Today we enter into the third chapter of Ruth, which continues the story of redemption and wedded love between Boaz and Ruth. In order to properly understand what this third chapter will relay, it needs to be compared with what already occurred in Chapter 2.

At that time, the two women, Naomi and Ruth, had just returned from Moab and they were in a state of distress. It was Ruth who stepped forward to accomplish the work necessary to sustain the life of the two of them. She offered to go glean in the fields of Bethlehem and Naomi consented, submitting to the will of Ruth.

Ruth wasn’t sent into the fields, she volunteered to go into them. Now in chapter 3, when the time of hardships have lessened because of Ruth’s efforts, Naomi now takes the lead by initiating the action to be taken. And it is an action directed toward securing a place of rest for Ruth in the house of her own husband.

And so there is the contrast which is evident. The idea of working in order to help Naomi originates with Ruth, but the thought of happiness and contentment for Ruth, and the carrying on of the family name originates with Naomi. Despite the originator of each idea though, it is Ruth in whom the mission is accomplished.

When she went to glean, it was as a widow and a foreigner, exercising her rights in that status to work in the fields of Israel. Four times in chapter 2, her Moabite origin was noted. She went with no definite place to glean, but merely where happenstance brought her. And with no set plan. Whatever happened would be at the providence of the Lord.

On the other hand, she will now be given definite instructions to go to a specific place and with a set plan. Instead of uncertainty in what she would do, she will have a set purpose and she will be determined in her mission. Instead of widows garments, she will be wearing her finest apparel. And yet, she will be going with the redemption rights of a widow under the law of Israel.

Never in this chapter will her country of origin be mentioned. The last chapter showed her rights to glean in order for her and her mother to physically live. This chapter will show her rights to be redeemed so that their family name will continue to live. In both chapters though, there is a difficult task to undertake and in some ways, the second is actually more difficult than the first.

As a gleaner, she could have been physically abused or humiliated, and yet she found grace. In this chapter, though it is unlikely that she would be physically abused, she could still be humiliated or cause another to be humiliated.

In the previous chapter she acted openly and yet with humility. faithfully working to feed herself and her mother. In this chapter she will act secretly and with even greater humility to carry on the name of the family.

In the previous chapter she acted to overcome hunger and physical needs. In this chapter she will act to overcome love, to fulfill her emotional needs. In the previous chapter, she demonstrated her promised faithfulness to Naomi. In this chapter she will demonstrate obedience to her.

In both chapters, what is often mistaken as wrongdoing in Naomi for allowing Ruth to venture out, is actually a credit to her. The faithfulness of Ruth shows that Naomi had truly won her love and Ruth felt indebted to her for that affection.

And in both chapters, we cannot assign our modern code of ethics or law upon the actions of either woman. In both the gleaning and the attempt to secure a kinsman redeemer they are conducting themselves under the provisions of the law of Israel and within the accepted customs derived from that law.

Ruth had the right to glean, and the additional blessings which were heaped upon her were by the grace of the one who granted them. But in granting them, they led naturally to the hope of fulfilling the second right. If Boaz had been harsh to her, then Naomi and Ruth would never have entered into exercising this second right, the right of redemption.

Text Verse: “Thus says the Lord:
‘The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when I went to give him rest.’
³ The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.'”
Jeremiah 31:2, 3

The Lord allows hardships into our lives for His own reasons, but He also intends for His people to find rest and grace in Him. These two are not contradictory. Instead, we often merely fail to see that the hardships are leading us to our place of rest.

Naomi and Ruth had hardships that most of us have never known, and yet, they were guided by the hand of God each step of the way. They truly found grace in Ruth’s happenstance arrival in the fields of Boaz and today we will see them also look for rest in his care.

Whatever hardship you are facing, it is being used for a good end. And when the grace comes, it will be far sweeter than it would have been without first going through the hardship. These lessons continuously come forth as we read and contemplate God’s superior word. And so let’s go to that word again this morning and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Securing a Place of Rest (verses 1 & 2)

In the law of Moses, there is a provision that if a man dies without having a son, his brother is to go in to the woman and raise up a child in his dead brother’ name. This is how it is recorded in Deuteronomy 25, something we also read last week –

“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

This right is actually the right of the surviving widow. It is something that she can demand of him and there is a provision that if the man doesn’t fulfill her request, that he is to be marked as a public and open shame in Israel.

This was something that actually predated the law in a cultural sense as we saw in Genesis 38 in the account of Judah and Tamar. It, in essence shows the importance of preserving the family spirit and body within the nation of a people through propagation.

If this is so, and it is, then we can further contemplate who Naomi pictures, who Ruth pictures, and what the ultimate purpose of the book of Ruth is given for. Each chapter and each verse is leading us through a snapshot of a portion of redemptive history and showing us at the same time the marvelous work of God in and through His son, Jesus.

Although the law doesn’t specifically mention the details of a close relative other than a brother fulfilling the rights of the widow, it is implied throughout this story and thus it was an accepted custom in Israel. This is the basis for the verses we will see today as we begin with the first verse of chapter 3 –

¹ Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her,

Naomi initiates the details of this chapter. Boaz has shown an interest in Ruth and she may at the same time be disheartened, wondering where life was leading her. While gleaning, she would have seen Boaz daily and received his grace and felt productive and helpful towards Naomi.

And yet, at the same time, she may have been a lady who was downcast in her soul, desiring a husband to raise up the name of Mahlon. Naomi perceived this and so she decides it is time to take measures into hand for the benefit of her beloved Ruth.

^1 (con’t) “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?

Her words here, though given as a question are actually a statement of affirmation. In essence, she says “My daughter, I shall seek security for you, that it may be well with you.” As the parent, in this society and within the times of this culture, it is her duty and responsibility to arrange the marriage for the child.

And this is exactly what the idea of “seeking security” implies. The word in Hebrew is manoakh and it implies “rest” such as in a place of rest, like when Noah’s ark settled on the mountains of Ararat, or a state of rest, such as when there is freedom from labor resulting in general ease and contentment, such as when Adam was placed in the Garden before the fall.

This is what Naomi is relaying. She intends for Ruth to be granted a place of rest in a marriage which would be for her comfort, contentment, and peace for both her body and her soul. Ruth has steadfastly worked in the harvest field and now Naomi will look to give her body rest.

And she is certainly lonely, frustrated, and feeling like a fifth wheel as well. And so Naomi will look to find rest for her spirit also. The words from her to Ruth are exquisitely simple and to the point in what they imply – “Ruth, I am going to find you a good husband to take care of you.”

In chapter 1, this was Naomi’s desire for both of her beloved daughters in law. At that time, she said this to them –

“Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. ⁹ The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Ruth 1:8, 9

When she spoke those words, all of their hearts were filled with sorrow and uncertainty, but now there is comfort and hope. At that time, there was self-forgetting on Naomi’s part in hopes of a better future in store for each of them.

Now there is again self-forgetting in hopes of a better life for Ruth. Because Ruth refused to forget Naomi and instead clung tightly to her, Naomi is returning the love and looking for her to be united to a man whom she can now cling to.

Naomi’s words, though stated as a question, should be taken as a statement which expresses an intentional result. To be a wife who is secure and at rest is assumed to be a good thing. And so the words “that it may be well with you” convey the idea of intent.

And so we can see that Boaz isn’t just a close relative, but he is a place of security and rest. As Parker notes about this verse, “Menuchah [meaning rest] means an asylum of rest, a protection of honour, a security that cannot be violated; and then in its last signification it means the very omnipotence and pavilion of God. In this respect Boaz was the type of Christ.”

Understanding this, we certainly see a glimpse of the work of the Lord. In Him is our rest, our contentment, and our peace. This idea of rest as a stated aim is given in Isaiah 63 –

“As a beast goes down into the valley,
And the Spirit of the Lord causes him to rest,
So You lead Your people,
To make Yourself a glorious name.”
Isaiah 63:14

And again, in the New Testament, we see that joining to Him through faith is what brings us to our state of rest. In Hebrews 4:3, it is explicitly stated –

“For we who have believed do enter that rest…” Hebrews 4:3

When we understand who Ruth pictures and who Boaz pictures, we can see very clearly the beauty of Naomi’s words to her realized in our relationship with Jesus.

O! Precious rest of God, blissful and filled with joy
As we trust in Jesus, and place our souls in His hands
By faith we call out to Him and His grace He does employ
He bestows it upon all who trust, from all nations and all lands

In Him we find our rest because in Him we do believe
He fulfilled the law and died to give us life
And in Him alone do we eternal life receive
Because in Him has ended all our enmity and strife

Yes, O God! We praise You for the marvelous work of Jesus
We thank You for this wondrous Gift which You bestowed on us

² Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative?

What is probably very happy news for Ruth, Naomi mentions Boaz in the context of her rest. Though he’s older, he has demonstrated exceptional kindness to her and she is probably more attached to him than any other man that she had met. In Naomi’s words, she implies that she has a right to recommend the course of action she will now convey to Ruth by using a term modaath to describe him.

He is a relative who is aware of her circumstances and who should be aware of his obligations to her family. This is the only time the word is used in this manner in the Bible, which is in the feminine form. It comes from the idea of “to know.” In chapter 2, the word in its masculine form was used in this verse –

“There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz.” Ruth 2:1

So here we have a gender discord. In chapter 2, Boaz is called a relative using the masculine word mowda. Now in chapter 3, he is called a relative using the feminine word modaat. Scholars are perplexed about this and I’ve read no comment clearly explaining why this is the way it is. So I spent all night this past Tuesday thinking about it. Here is what I believe is why:

In chapter 2, Boaz is connected to Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, as the relative, but now in this chapter, he is called “our relative.” Yes, he is Naomi’s relative through Elimelech, but he is also Ruth’s relative through marriage. There is a connection between the two which implies there should be knowledge on the part of Boaz towards his responsibilities as their relative.

An example of the word’s meaning can be found right at the beginning of the Bible which speaks of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The word for “knowledge” is the word daath, to which modaat is connected.

The word daath, according to the Haw Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, is knowledge “possessed by God from whom nothing can be hidden. He teaches it to man. It appears parallel with wisdom and understanding, instruction and law… daath is also used for moral cognition.” They go on like this for several detailed paragraphs concerning the word daath.

So I believe there are two possible reasons for using the feminine word instead of the masculine. The first is that Boaz pictures Christ who possesses all knowledge. Therefore, the word is being tied, not so much to his relationship between him and these women, but to the knowledge which is being conveyed concerning the process of redemption. For example, the Hebrew word for “instruction” or “law,” which is Torah, is feminine.

The second reason, which may be idle speculation, is that it may be making a pun (which puns often occur in the Bible) on the words “Moab” and daath, thus modaath. Ruth is a Moabite and is the one Naomi is indicating will be redeemed, and Boaz possesses the knowledge of the redemption process. Boaz has the knowledge concerning them as close family and what he is to do for them.

But this knowledge doesn’t imply an obligation on him which he is required to act on first. One of the women has the right of the marriage and Naomi is implying that it is to be Ruth’s. As Ruth has this right, then the first step towards such a marriage doesn’t begin with or belong to Boaz. Such assertion of a right belongs to the possessor of the right.

An example of this is the act of gleaning. Boaz owned a field, and it was his obligation under the law to allow those who desired to glean to let them do so – he could not forbid them from gleaning. But, he was under no obligation to go after them in order to glean. The gleaners possessed the right and so they had to initiate the exercising of the right.

Ruth possessed the right to a near-relative redeemer, which means she had to initiate the exercising of being redeemed as the law provided. In this, we can see the biblically evident truth that salvation which is provided by God, and which is in accord with His law, is a right which we possess, and which requires an action that we must initiate in order for it to be acted upon.

A good example of this would be God’s redemption of Israel at the Exodus. He gave them a law to place blood on the lintels of the doors on their houses. When He did, He also said,

“And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13

The Lord gave the law, but the people had to respond to the law. They could have skipped this step and died. And when they were brought through the sea, they could have turned back and stayed in Egypt. God allows us to be obedient to Him and He allows us to initiate the actions which His law requires and offers in the redemptive process.

It is a picture of man’s free-will in election. Though God knows what our free-will choice will be, it does not negate that we have to make it. God doesn’t selectively choose some for salvation and some for condemnation as Calvinist doctrine incorrectly states.

Instead, the right to redemption is in the hands of the one to whom the right belongs after the law allows the right. We must choose to exercise our right to redemption in order to be redeemed… And you thought this was just a story about a guy meeting a lovely young girl from Moab. Rather, it is a story of you and me as we come before the gracious Redeemer, our Lord Jesus.

It should be noted here that if the marriage proposal works, it will not only ensure that Ruth finds her rest, but that any children born in the marriage will raise up the seed of Naomi’s dead son and thus preserve the family name.

^2 (con’t) In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

Having noted that she was looking for a husband for Ruth, and then noting the fact that Boaz was in the know concerning her status and relationship to him, she now goes further in her match-making plans by noting that “Oh boy, I happen to know where he will be this very evening!”

It is an exceptional excuse for her to meet him as it was nighttime, outside of the city, and away from where he lived. And, he would be out there working alone.

And on top of all that, it would be after a feast with the day-workers. After harvesting and bringing in the sheaves, they would have a meal before going home. The owner however would stay at the threshing floor to guard the grain.

At such a time, he would be in good spirits, satisfied with the day behind him, having a full stomach, and happy from the wine. He would be in a good mood because of the satisfaction of a excellent day of harvesting. He would lay among the grain content with the labor of his hands. It would make for the perfect moment and place for Ruth to exercise the right of redemption.

Naomi’s words indicate that she had paid close attention to the movements of Boaz and also to the kindness that he had shown to Ruth. Her proposal was certain to have a positive outcome because she could tell that his heart was in no way unsympathetic to Ruth.

Ruth began her gleaning at the start of the harvest and now she begins a new undertaking during the time of threshing and winnowing of barley. During the intervening time, Naomi had observed enough to know that both of them were suited for each other and that both of them were inclined toward one another. And so she directs Ruth to the threshing floor of Boaz.

A threshing floor was a place where the grain was taken. It would often have a covered top to keep rain off the grain, but the sides would be open. It would be situated where the breezes would come through the best – either on an open field or on a the top of a hill.

In the land of Israel, the winds start to rise from the sea about four o’clock or so, just like in Florida, and it continued until after sunset. The floor of a threshing floor would be mixed with chalk to both keep weeds from growing up and to keep the ground from cracking during the dry season. This would be compacted and perfectly flat.

In the middle of the floor, the stalks would be threshed to separate them from the grain and also to break the kernels of grain open. After that, the grain would be tossed into the air and the wind would blow away the lighter chaff as the heavier grain fell back down on the floor, thus purifying it.

Here in this spot of labor and industry, Boaz, the “man of great wealth” participated along with his laborers in the winnowing of his barley and then he would lay down by his large heap of grain and sleep for the night, satisfied and content.

II. Go Down to the Threshing Floor (verses 3 & 4)

³ Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor;

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

If she caught the notice of Boaz while hot, sweaty, and wearing widow’s clothes as she gleaned, imagine how naturally lovely she must have been. And so with the added beauty, only the word radiant could accurately describe her. At the time of the covenant with Israel, God through Ezekiel describes them in a similar way –

“‘When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,’ says the Lord God. ⁹ Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil.” Ezekiel 19:8-9

If the covenant with Israel was comparable to Ruth’s appearance, then Ruth, a gentile who is meeting with Boaz must be picturing a New Covenant with the Lord. Again, we are brought to ask why this story is included in the Bible. Listen to how Paul describes us as the church and how closely it matches what we would think of Ruth at this time –

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV)

If this story were merely to introduce Ruth as an ancestor of David and Jesus, then a short note in a genealogical record somewhere in Chronicles would have sufficed. But instead, more detail is given to this story than any other such story of its type in the Bible.

Every word and every detail is given to show us of a greater story of love, redemption, and restoration. Every person mentioned is emblematic of another figure or precept which leads to the work of Jesus Christ. It is truly a work of beauty. God has taken these real people with their truly human needs and desires, and has used them as examples of His redemption for the people of the world.

As an appropriate parallel thought to this verse, Starke says, “The bride of Christ is pleasing to her Bridegroom only when anointed with the Spirit and clothed in the garments of salvation.” Without these, we cannot be a part of God’s plan of redemption, but with them, we are His – once and forever redeemed.

^3 (con’t) but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

One could ask why would she bother with her best garments if she were only to come to him in the dark of the night. That assumes that Naomi’s words mean that he would only see her at that time. Rather, she probably went at the time of the evening feast in order to be seen by him and maybe eat with him, but that she wouldn’t make herself and her intentions known until after that time.

The term “known” here then is referring to the intentions of the evening, not the seeing of the person. She would be seen and it would be seen in such a ka-pow loveliness that the meal and the drink would only make his sleep sweeter.

As the bearer of the right to request redemption, she could do so publically, but the approach recommended by Naomi is one which is of heartstrings and human urges, not just one of legal propriety. The question is, why would she do it this way? And the answer is that Boaz is not the closest relative to Ruth.

There is one who is closer, as we will see in a few verses. If she were to abruptly claim her right to Boaz based on the law, he could just as abruptly say that she had to follow the letter of the law. However, if she were to follow the intent of the law mixed with a pleasing and humble manner, Boaz would still follow the letter of the law, but he would do it in a way much more conducive to a favorable outcome for a marriage.

If that doesn’t sound like us before the law, relying on the work of Christ rather than on our own works, I’m not sure what better picture could ever be made.  Christ fulfills the law; He is our rest.

⁴ Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies;

At the end of the work, Boaz would be alone to watch the grain and it would be getting dark or it would already be dark. Any lamp he used would be put out and he would hit the proverbial hay. At this time, she would need to mark the spot mentally and to know it because it would otherwise be too dark to avoid stepping on him as she went to finish her instructions.

^4 (con’t) and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down;

To uncover his feet is literally “the places of his feet.” It would be comparable to saying, “the foot of his bed.” Boaz would probably be sleeping in his clothes and merely have a cover over his feet to keep them warm through the night.

With this cover, she could lay next to his feet and cover herself as a sign of submission. It would be as a servant might do when sleeping in a room with their master. Some scholars take great offense against this particular instruction and find blame in both Naomi and Ruth for being so unwise and acting in such an unbiblical manner.

This is what happens when we insert our own cultural norms into someone else’s cultural setting. The action, as instructed by Naomi and carried out by Ruth, would have been perfectly acceptable in the culture.

She is offering herself to the one who has the right to redeem her by taking advantage of the very law of redemption which the culture was guided by. Boaz had meticulously cared for Ruth and had revealed his intentions to her through his actions, but it was her right of redemption, not his.

He is the one to perform the redemption if so asked. And he had implicitly demonstrated his desire to do so through his care of her, maybe hoping that she would respond. And so it is with the Spirit. He calls us in anticipation of us responding, but it is we who must respond to the call.

Christ has the power to redeem, but He allows us the choice to ask for it. This is perfectly evident here and throughout the rest of Scripture. It makes no sense to say that one would call on the name of the Lord to be saved if the Lord were first to have regenerated them to call on the name of the Lord. Boaz offered in his own way and waited for Ruth to respond.

Having said that, it is certain that Ruth, the hard yet humble gleaner in the filed, would never have summoned up the courage to go to Boaz, even at Naomi’s instruction, unless she wanted to have him in marriage and unless she knew that she would be received favorably by him. In essence, Boaz gave her the faith to come forward to be redeemed by his actions toward her. It is an exact match to Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8, 9 –

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Through His loving actions towards us, we are given the faith to call out to Him for salvation. And through His grace, we are saved when we call out. The entire process is credited to the Lord. This is seen in the story of Boaz and Ruth.

Nothing improper or vulgar can be deduced from this passage. It is the culmination of a demonstration of interest by both parties for a legitimate union provided for by the law under which they both lived. Naomi knew that both parties were in favor of it and she simply followed the cultural norms in order for their hearts to be united as one.

^4 (con’t) and he will tell you what you should do.”

 

With her offer made as she was instructed to do, Boaz would in turn fill in the finer points of what would occur. Naomi had no fear that Boaz would act in an irresponsible matter. Whatever he did, would be an act which would be followed up on in the manner appropriate to the actions he took that night towards Ruth.

At the threshing floor where the chaff from the grain is parted
There the grain is made pure and ready to eat
The chaff is blown away as the winnowing is started
Until it is all gone and the process is complete

And so it is with the harvest field of man as well
There is good grain and there is chaff also
And the two are separated, destined for heaven or for hell
Let us decide now that to heaven we will go

It is a choice and the choice should be to receive Jesus
Who is gracious enough to leave the choice up to us

III. Ruth Agrees (verse 5)

*⁵ And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.”

It’s obvious to Ruth that Naomi desires her to claim the right of redemption and that she believes she will benefit from it just as if she were to exercise it herself. The name of her husband and two dead sons can live through the wife of the dead son.

It is also evident that Boaz has an affection for Ruth and that Ruth probably felt that same affection for Boaz. Having received his grace certainly led to feelings of affection for him by her. None of this would have escaped Naomi’s eyes and she knew that Boaz would be willing to go to extra lengths to procure Ruth as a wife.

In this hopeful union then there is the chance for the family line to continue despite the sad times of the past. And so, because of these things she has given instructions to Ruth which are in line with the norms of the culture and are in no way improper or immodest.

Instead, they are instructions which have used the law and have also used the charm of Ruth to bring about a good end to the matter. As we proceed on, we will see more specifics which should lead us to an even clearer picture of why God included this book in the Bible.

And yes, each of those specifics will show us hints of the work of Jesus. He is the Lord not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles as well. Though foreigners to the covenant at Sinai, we can be grafted into the commonwealth of Israel through the work of the Redeemer. In Him, Jew and Gentile alike have equal standing before God.

If you have never received this favored status and called on Jesus Christ as Lord, I would ask that you would allow me to explain to you how you can. In Him, there is an end to the separation, a welcoming into God’s family, and a right to an inheritance that will never fade and will never be cut off. Let me tell you about how you can participate in this too…

Closing Verse: “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.'” Isaiah 57:15

Next Week: Ruth 3:6-13 (Midnight at the Threshing Floor) (8th 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.

Go Down to the Threshing Floor

Then Naomi, her mother-in-law, to her said
“My daughter, shall I not seek security for you
That it may be well with you and not difficult instead?
I will give instruction on what you are to do

Now Boaz, whose young women you were with
Is he not our relative whom we know?
In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight
At the threshing floor. Yes! It is so

Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself also
Put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor
But do not make the man yourself to know
Until he has finished eating and drinking, and is ready to snore

Then it shall be, when he lies down for his rest so sweet
That you shall notice the place where he lies too
And you shall go in, uncover his feet
And lie down; and he will tell you what you should do

And she said to her, “All that you say to me I will do
Ruth’s actions showed a daughter-in-law both faithful and true

Like Ruth we are to submit ourselves to the Lord
And to walk before Him in the Spirit and in righteousness
To learn how we can, we should attend to His word
And in doing so, our souls He will bless

Yes, God has given this wondrous treasure to us
In hopes that we will daily seek His face
And to fellowship with Him through our Lord Jesus
Living in His blessings and showered with His grace

Thank You, O God, for all You have done for us
Yes, heavenly Father, we thank You through Your Son
Our Lord, our Savior, our Redeemer, Jesus

Hallelujah and Amen…

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…