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Ruth 2:4-23
October 30, 2011
I’m continuing a series in the book of Ruth. Today we’re going to go through most of chapter 2. But, if you’re not familiar with the story, let me recap the story thus far. There is a man named Elimelech married to Naomi and they have two sons. When a famine hits the land, Elimelech moves his family to Moab. In that land, Elimelech dies and his two sons die, but not before they get married. Naomi, now a widow and childless, decides to return to Bethlehem. When she decides to return home one of her daughter-in-laws—Ruth, a Moabite (a Gentile)—chooses to go with her. They arrive in Bethlehem just as the barley harvest is starting. This is good timing because under the Old Testament law, land owners were commanded to leave some left overs as they harvested the fields so that the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the unemployed could pick up (glean) the grain to meet their needs and their families’ needs. Since Ruth is a widow, unemployed, and very poor, she decides to go out and glean in a field to support herself and Naomi. It just so happens that the field she chooses is the field of Boaz, the man who she will fall in love with and marry. Boaz is a kinsman-redeemer. There was a law in the land of Israel called the law of the kinsman-redeemer. If a man in Israel died and he did not have children and if he had gone into bankcruptcy, then a near relative could come and redeem that estate—buying back the land that this Israelite had lost. God wanted the land to be kept in the family. But the law also specified that when he bought the land and redeemed it, he also had to marry the widow and raise children for his brother. This is found in Lev.25. And Boaz becomes the kinsman-redeemer to Ruth. That is the story. But then there is another story weaved in through the book. It is the story of God’s redeeming love—God’s amazing grace. Last time I pointed out two things about God’s amazing grace.
I. It is SAVING grace
Boaz is a type of Christ. That is, his life is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Ruth is a picture of the church. And just as Boaz shows grace to Ruth. God shows us grace.
Ephesians 2:8–9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.”
We aren’t saved by our efforts or our works. We are saved by grace. If we could be saved by works, then Christ’s death on the cross is meaningless. If there is something we can do to be saved then why did God send Jesus to die on the cross? It is by grace that we are saved and the way we receive that grace is by trust (faith). Trusting in God to save us, not our own self-efforts. God’s amazing grace is saving grace.
II. It is SOVEREIGN grace
Ruth happens to arrive in Bethlehem at the time of the barley harvest. Out of all the fields harvesting, she just happened to pick the one owned by Boaz. And, out of all the rich wealthy men and landowners, she just happened to pick the one with the eligible bachelor. It sounds like it’s all one big lucky day. But actually, it’s God’s invisible sovereign hand of grace upon her. Now, let us see three more things about God’s amazing Grace.
III. It is SEEKING GRACE
Boaz is about to seek Ruth out and he is a picture of how God seeks you and I out to show us undeserved love and kindness.
Ruth 2:4 – “Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The LORD be with you!” “The LORD bless you!” they called back.”
Now, how many of you have a boss like that? Imagine you’re sitting at your little cubicle at work when the president comes in and yells, “The Lord be with You”. And everyone responds, “And also with you.” This whole scene gives us some clues about Boaz. Here’s a man who is living his faith out quite openly and publicly. Here’s a business man who genuinely cares about his employees. So many people love things and use people, when they ought to be using things and loving people. And Boaz is a man who loves people genuinely because he loves God. And his love for God shows itself in his love for others around him, including his employees.
Ruth 2:5–7 – “Boaz asked the foreman of his harvesters, “Whose young woman is that?” 6 The foreman replied, “She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She went into the field and has worked steadily from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”
So here’s Boaz looking out at his field scanning the horizon and suddenly he notices Ruth. Now, I’m sure Ruth was attractive, but she couldn’t have looked too stunning at that moment because she’d been working in the field all morning under the hot sun; her face was sweaty, her hair was a mess, and oh yah, her make-up was all worn off. Yes, that verse is in here somewhere! And add to that the fact that she was a poor Gentile women, yet Boaz possibly fell in love with her at first site. Why? I would submit to you that it was because of the beauty of Ruth’s character as a woman who had a great faith in God and great faithfulness to God’s people, as demonstrated by her labors to provide for Naomi. If you skip down to verse 11, it becomes clear that Boaz had already heard about Ruth.
Ruth 2:11 – “Boaz replied, ‘I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.”
Boaz was drawn to Ruth because of her character.
If you’re single, what should you look for in a potential mate?
Proverbs 31:30 – “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
The fear of the Lord must be at the top of your check-list for a potential date or a potential mate. The fear of the Lord means firstly, they are Christian. The Bible says, “Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Cor.6:14). But as you and I both know, just because a person professes to be a Christian or goes to church once in a while, doesn’t automatically mean they are. Going to church every week doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going into a garage makes you a car. What makes you a Christian is the new birth brought about by the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell in your heart when you surrender to Jesus as Lord and master.
Someone can say they believe in God or Jesus but still be unsaved.
James 2:19 – “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.”
What counts is not an intellectual belief in God or Jesus but rather trusting him for salvation and serving him in obedience. That’s what it means to fear the Lord. And the fear of the Lord is the foundation of character. I believe that Boaz had his priorities right. Now, I’m sure Ruth was attractive. It’s good to be attracted to the person you marry. I am. But if the fear of the Lord isn’t at the top of your check list, then you’ll find yourselves in a mess one day.
When you’re looking to pursue a relationship with someone, you look first at their character. Now how do you know if a person has godly character? One of the best clues is to take a look at their close friends because “like tends to attract like”. If they claim to be spiritual but all of their friends are not, something is not adding up. You can tell a great deal about someone’s character by how they treat others. Boaz was a man who treated others with respect and kindness. Ruth could see that. Boaz could see that Ruth was a hard worker. Ladies, you could marry a guy who is good looking, funny, smart, makes $100,000 a month, and drives a Porche, but if he will not listen to you, if he yells at you when he doesn’t get his way, if he can not open his heart to you, and if he is dishonest, then you get rid of him. The truth is, if you marry someone who does not have a godly character, the odds are high that they will hurt you and crush your heart.
Ruth 2:8-9 – “So Boaz said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.’”
Notice it is Boaz who takes the initiative. Ruth didn’t take the initiative. She couldn’t. A women was not supposed to approach a man in those days. And furthermore, she was low caste, he was high caste. She was poor, he was rich. Ruth wouldn’t have any hope for a better life if Boaz didn’t take the first step. He went out of his way to make sure Ruth was protected and provided for. She told Ruth to stick with the servant girls who worked for him. And he had even already spoken to the male workers and told them that she was off limits. Why? He likes her. This is a love story. But notice that Boaz treats Ruth, a potential mate, like he would a younger sister.
1 Timothy 5:1–2 – “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”
Boaz is treating her with absolute purity and respect, like he would a sister. And that’s the way men should treat women they are interested in. Guys, hold the door for her. If you’re not married to her, then keep your hands off her. There is a hint in this passage about the kind of physical limits men should practice with the women they are dating.
How do you treat your sister? Guys, you wouldn’t grab the rear end of your sister, so that’s not appropriate with your date. Guys you wouldn’t touch your sister sexually, so keep your hands from wandering all over your girlfriend in those ways. Sometimes people ask me how far is too far physically. What they mean by this question is that Christians usually know that the Bible forbids premarital sex, but they want to know how close to that cliff they can get. Let me say two things. First of all, if you don’t want to fall off the cliff then you don’t try and see how close to the cliff you can get without falling over. Second, don’t do things physically that bring you close to the edge of the cliff. Prolonged kissing and touching are all things that can bring you quickly to that cliff edge, because once you start, you don’t want to stop.
When my son Ethan was two I can still remember an incident that happened between us. I had bought him some chocolate and it was all wrapped up sitting on the table. But I told him that since it was nearly supper time he couldn’t eat it right away. He then asked me, “But, can I look at it?” I said he could. I was doing something else in the room for a few minutes but then I saw him pick the chocolate up and start feeling it. He said, “Daddy, I just want to feel it.” I said, “Okay, but you know you can’t open it.” I continued to do some things and then when I turned around he had the chocolate unwrapped. And he said, “Daddy, don’t be angry with me. It just unwrapped all by itself!”
Sometimes when we get too close to temptation, it’s too hard to turn back. In order to be pure, you need to draw the line much further back and stay away from the kissing and the touching.
Song of Songs 2:7 – “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”
If you are single or dating, those desires you feel for the other person must wait for their fulfillment in marriage. Some of you are thinking right now, “Man, have I ever messed up big time. I have not done that. I’m in a mess right now. Let me say that there is no sin too big for God to forgive. Or maybe you’re married and you are struggling internally to have a godly character when no one is looking. If that describes you, confess it to God, and even to a trusted brother or sister in Christ. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, he is able to forgive and cleanse and give you a new beginning.
We wouldn’t have a hope for salvation unless God took the first step and came seeking us.
1 John 4:19 – “We love him because he first loved us.”
Like Boaz, God took the first move. God came seeking us. So, his grace is saving grace, it is sovereign grace, it is seeking grace, and…
IV. It is SATISFYING grace
Ruth 2:10a – “At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground.”
This was an ancient Eastern custom showing respect.
Ruth 2:10b – “She exclaimed, ‘Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?’”
Ruth wants to know his motives. Why are you being so nice to me? And how Boaz answers will make or break their future.
Ruth 2:11 – “Boaz replied, ‘I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.”
Boaz says, “Ruth, your character and reputation have gone before you. You’re hard working and loyal and full of faith, and I admire those qualities.” Boaz says this publically. Others hear it. This is an important example of what it means to be a godly man. Men, this is how you should speak of your girlfriend or wife to others. You should speak well of them. You should tell them how wonderful they are when you’re with them, and when you are around others together. A woman doesn’t get tired of ever hearing words of affirmation and encouragement. And she can’t read your mind. So, here’s a little secret in this area: if you think of something affirming and good to say to her, say it.
Ruth 2:12– “May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Boaz is praying for Ruth. Men, this is another example of what it means to be a godly man. You pray for your spouse, you pray with your spouse. And the interesting thing about his prayer is that the very things he prays for—that Ruth be richly rewarded by God—are actually things that he will be in part responsible for. God will bless Ruth through the act of Boaz providing a job for her to eat and survive. God will bless Ruth by Boaz’s protection over her well-being. God will bless Ruth by her marriage to Boaz. God will bless Ruth by giving her and Boaz a child. You see, here’s a secret about prayer. Often we pray to God about something, and wait for him to do something. But sometimes, often I think, God is waiting for us to do something. The answer to our prayer might involve us.
Prayer is not merely bringing our shopping list of requests to God, prayer is joining in kingdom work with God. And as we pray we realize that God wants to work through his people and we realize that we are his people and we should step out and do something about the need. For example, we shouldn’t just pray, “Lord lead my friend to salvation,” we also talk to them about Christ and share the gospel. We don’t just pray, “Lord help so and so through this hard time,” we should also think what we could do to be of practical help and support to so and so. Whenever you pray something consider that God might want to involve you in the answer to that prayer. Paul says, “For we are God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor.3:9). In other words, the normal pattern is that God works with us and through us to accomplish his will.
Ruth 2:13 – “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have given me comfort and have spoken kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servant girls.”
She calls him “my Lord”. This was a title of respect in those days. She then thanks him for his comfort and kind words. Women are looking for men who speak kindly to them and about them. Women are looking for someone who will comfort them and take care of them. Ruth has found such a man. I told you this was a love story. But it is also a picture of the great love story about God. Boaz is a picture of Jesus. Ruth is a picture of us. Like Ruth, we come to God empty handed, broke spiritually, nothing to offer. And just like Boaz, Jesus looked out on his fields and saw us. Just like Boaz, he came seeking us. Just like Boaz, he showed us grace and kindness to us, and just like Boaz, he went way beyond what the law required and showed us grace and favor. And like Ruth, we have found favor in his eyes.
Ruth 2:14–17 – “At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.” When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don’t embarrass her. 16 Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” 17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.”
An ephah was the equivalent of two weeks of work. In one day, Ruth had earned the equivalent of two weeks of wages. That’s quite a good day’s work. This shows how hard Ruth worked. But it also shows us how generous Boaz was. He was the one who made sure his servants left extra bundles for her to gather. Though Boaz was required by the law to ensure that people like Ruth could glean the leftovers, Boaz went way beyond the law and provided abundantly for her so that she would be completely satisfied with enough food.
Ruth 2:18–19 – 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough. 19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!” Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.
I got thinking about this situation. Here’s Ruth in the fields. But, one day she is going to own those fields. Because she is going to marry the owner of the fields (Boaz) and all that he has will be hers! Right now, as children of God, we are getting the gleanings of God’s satisfying riches. He gives us some day by day. But one day Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth. And the church (called the bride of Christ) will get married to the Lord Jesus Christ and all that Jesus has will become yours. God’s grace is saving grace, it is sovereign grace, it is seeking grace, it is satisfying grace, and:
V. It is SECURING GRACE
Ruth 2:20–23- “‘The LORD bless him!’ Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers.” 21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’ ” 22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.” 23 So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.”
Boaz made sure Ruth was secure and protected. And when we come to Christ and repent of our sins and receive him into our life as our savior and lord, not only are we saved, not only can we be satisfied, we are secure—eternally secure. We can be saved, know we are saved, and be sure that we will never ever lose our salvation. Listen to these words of Jesus, speaking about those who come to him in faith and repentance and follow him:
John 10:28 – “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
The grace of God saves us. It is also sovereign grace. It is seeking grace. It is satisfying grace and it is securing grace. Maybe you’ve been thinking, “Bryan, you’ve talked so much about grace. I don’t even know what grace is.” Let me make this simple: Grace is the love that God shows the sinner such as us which it totally unmerited. It is love we don’t deserve, love which we cannot earn. Love that God showed us at the cross of Christ. Grace is God’s hand of love reaching down to you. And if you will put your hand of trust in God’s hand of grace, the same God that took Ruth and made her the bride of Boaz, will take sinners such as us and make us the bride of Christ. That’s the story of God’s amazing grace.
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