Endearing Attractiouns - Endearing us to the Lord

Introductions

The part of the romantic comedy where the two main love interests meet. But it’s not like Hollywood.

Review last week...

Elimelech moves family to Moab due to famine

he dies as do his two sons, only after son’s marry two moabite women. Orpah and Ruth.

Naomi plans to return to Israel but tries to send her daughters-in-law back to Moab only to be met with tears.

Orpah goes back but Ruth Clings to her.

Ruth 1:16 ESV

16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

They returned to Bethlehem during the Wheat harvest.

Meeting in a field

Ruth 2:1–7 (ESV)

1 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech.

4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.”

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

6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.

7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

God’s wellfare plan!

Leviticus 19:9–10 ESV

9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.

This motivated two attitudes

It motivated a gracious and generous heart in the land owner

it motivated a thankful and will heart in the person in need

Just Happened?

How many times have I been telling a story and used the words “just happened”?

Ruth didn’t complain about her situation!

Proverbs 14:23 ESV

23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.

She was following Naomi and her Lord.

Proverbs 16:3 ESV

3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

What would have happened if Ruth had arrived back in Bethlehem and started to strategize about how to get ahead in the world? What would that look like today?

look to see who was wealthy?

look for who was good looking?

look for who is well connected?

Look for who can do something for me?

Character traits?

Boaz? Verse 4

Ruth 2:4 ESV

4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.”

God had obviously blessed Israel while Naomi and family were gone?

Boaz, a worthy man, also translated “Man of Valor”.

Obviously a man who cared about his workers and they cared about him. He was a respectable person and God had blessed him.

Ruth? Verse 7

Ruth 2:7 ESV

7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

She didn’t come demanding her right based on Levitical law, she was humble and asked for permission.

Hard working, motivated

Never says she was beautiful. Boaz took notice because of her hard work, but also how she had responded to Naomi.

Ruth 2:8–13 (ESV)

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.

9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.”

10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”

11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.

12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”

Boaz communicated three things

stay, don’t go

I will protect you

I will provide for you

Ruth’s response

humility - she falls on her face, “why have I found favor in your eyes, I am a foreigner?”

because of her reputation of loyalty to Naomi.

because of Ruth’s willingness to stick with Naomi and follow her God.

Ruth didn’t come in and say, “well in Moab, this is how we do things, so you need to accommodate me.” No, she said, “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”

She didn’t come in to Israel looking for a hand out. She didn’t gripe and moan about all that had happened to her. She came back, ready to work hard to provide for her mother-in-law.

God just “happened” to line everything up with Boaz. Funny how that works isn’t it?

Under God’s wings

Boaz encourages Ruth to enjoy the reward that the Lord will bring her, “taking refuge under the wings of the Lord’s protection.”

Psalm 91:4 (ESV)

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler(bulwark or fortress wall).

All that Boaz had said and done brought comfort to Ruth. God used Boaz to show Ruth who He, God, was. God uses us for the same purpose.

Matthew 5:16 ESV

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Ruth 2:14–16 ESV

14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. 15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”

Boaz is continuing to make Yahweh known to Ruth. He invites her in to dine with him. He offers her wine and bread to eat until she is satisfied, even taking home left overs to Naomi. God offers her more than she would ever had expected and He does the same for us.

Meaning behind Dropping sheaves

Deuteronomy 24:19–22 ESV

19 “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 sojourner, 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 them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.

Ruth Reports God’s faithfulness to Naomi

Ruth 2:17–23 ESV

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” 21 And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’ ” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Here we have a picture of God guiding Ruth, but through Boaz as well as through Naomi, as He reveals His plan for her life. To be the great grandmother of a King and 30 generations from the King of Kings!

God can use a poor foreigner from a pagan nation to set the stage for His son to come. How might he want to use you for his purposes? Normally we don’t really like getting used by anyone! But when our Maker uses us for what we were made to be used for, all we feel is fulfillment in purpose!

Matthew 5:13–16 ESV

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.