Act 2: The Field of Grace

Good morning! If I have not had the pleasure of meeting you my name is John and I am honored and humbled to be with you this morning… especially as we continue our Advent series through the book of Ruth. Advent is a season of celebration and anticipation....it’s a time in which we are invited to slow down and to celebrate Jesus’s first coming while also anticipating his return.

We live in a world that has been broken and marred by sin. And if we’re honest...We all feel the effects of living in a broken world. And.... Advent is a gift for our weary souls as it provides us with an opportunity to face up to the darkness so that we may appreciate the light. We began our Advent journey two weeks ago in a surprising portion of Scripture.

Tucked away in the Old Testament...during a time of chaos…before Israel had a king...hundreds of years before Mary, Joseph, and the birth of Jesus…during a time when everyone did what was right in their own eyes…we stumble upon a story of a girl called Ruth. And her story is one that is full of sadness, tears, and even death... but it's also a story where hope is found in the darkest of places.

Before we jump back into our story .…Let's get caught up on the first two episodes. In Chapter 1 we met a man named Elimelech…and Elimelech took his wife, Naomi, and thier two sons, Maylon and Chilion to a place called Moab. Why? Well....because there was a famine in his town of Bethlehem. You see...Rather than trusting God to provide for his family he trusted in himself.....which resulted in …not only his death but also the death of his sons. This left Naomi and her two Moabite daughters in law, Ruth and Orpah, to fend for themselves.

Naomi gets word that the famine in Bethlehem is over so with no other option ....these three broken widows begin the journey back to Naomi’s home. Somewhere along the journey…at the prompting of Naomi.... Orpah returns to Moab…she goes back to her people and back to her god. But, Ruth she does the exact opposite.... she forsakes her land, her people, and her gods for Naomi’s land, people, and God. And with that …the two of them complete the journey to Bethlehem.

Now....Ruth and Naomi enter Bethlehem during the “Barley harvest.” …which means......not only is the famine over, but God is restoring his people. And the question now is.....Could this same restoration happen for Naomi and Ruth? Will God take notice of them? I mean here is Ruth, a Moabite in a foreign land. She is an alien, with little hope of acceptance from those who viewed her people as an enemy. She is widowed, and has no land. What would happen to her? Well we are about to find out in Ruth chapter 2..... but before we do.....let’s take a moment to ask God for His help.

Pray

Have you ever felt empty? Felt as though you’re not simply scraping the bottom of the barrel but have already taken the barrel, held it upside down, shaken it, and discovered that there’s absolutely nothing left in it? Further scraping would be a fruitless task, because there is nothing left to scrape. Let’s be honest.....Life....well.....life is hard....it’s difficult and we all experience circumstances…we have all known difficulties that have brought us to our knees and have left us feeling completely empty.

And for many..... the Christmas season only amplifies our emptiness......wether it’s a fragmented relationship, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the loss of a home……. brokenness....despair....and emptiness is only magnified during a season that promises nothing but holiday cheer. We can try and mask or ignore reality ....we can attempt to numb the pain with Christmas goodies, decorations, and traditions.... but the holiday season doesn’t press pause on a life lived in a broken world. The truth is....this time of year has a way of sapping the energy right out of us.... leaving us..... not with the promised Christmas rest, joy, or peace....but with an ever present reality of loss, pain, and a general feeling of emptiness.

In our despair and discouragement we can be tempted to lose hope and to question God's goodness…to doubt His love, His protection, and His provision. And.....this is exactly where Naomi found herself at the end of Ruth chapter 1. Remember.....she went from a state of fullness where she had a husband and two sons to support her.....and now....being reduced to a state of emptiness ... she had come to the conclusion that God had abandoned her.

I think…in times of despair.....we too are quick to feel as though God has walked out on us. But questioning God’s faithfulness is not the correct response to discouragement and despair. Here in Ruth chapter 2…the author points us to the truth that God is providentially arranging the details of our lives for His glory and our good. Therefore, no matter what painful realities we face, we can be confident that God is good, He is faithful, He loves us, and He will provide all we need.

And....although it was hard to see....God was at work in the lives of Naomi and Ruth. They had experienced the darkness of our sinful world but even in the overwhelming fog of despair... God was working in their lives and now there was a tiny sliver of light as the rays of God’s sweet providence began to break through their darkness. Look back to Ruth 1:22

Ruth 1:22 (CSB)

22 So Naomi came back from the territory of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

God’s hand of judgment had been lifted from his people and there was food once again in Bethlehem! Now... if that trajectory from emptiness to fullness was possible for Naomi’s people....then perhaps her own future was not as dark as she imagined it would be. But in the meantime...... there was a more pressing issue....They Were Hungry! What would they do? What would they eat?!? Well…Ruth is a strong and faithful woman…so she takes it upon herself to begin searching for a solution to their problem. Look at v1

Ruth 2:1–2 (CSB)

1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side. He was a prominent man of noble character from Elimelech’s family. His name was Boaz. 2Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, “Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grain behind someone with whom I find favor?” Naomi answered her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”

In other words....Naomi may have been wallowing in her despair but Ruth…well.... she was going to do something…and what’s interesting is....her plan of finding a field to gather grain in..... was something she read while studying the Law of Moses. This practice is called gleaning and its a kind of “Welfare to Work” program…it was a provision for the poor. The law of Moses required farmers to leave the edges of their fields unharvested..... and it gave the poor the right to gather what remained on the ground and around the edges of the field after the harvesters had cut and bundled the stalks of grain. (see Lev. 19:9–10; Deut. 24:19–20).

And gleaning was hard work....it was hot work…it was humiliating work .....and it was dangerous work.....for…not every farmer followed the law…and remember we are in the time of the judges were everyone did whatever they wanted to do....so....with this in mind.... Ruth is taking a huge risk…a risk that could end up really bad for her…really quickly…especially given the fact that she is a foreign woman…with no one to protect her. So when Ruth volunteered to go out and glean to provide food for her and Naomi......she was making herself vulnerable.

Ruth was stepping out in faith....she believed that God would provide for her.....you see…faith is active....faith doesn’t simply sit around waiting ....no...we are called to do what we can, and as we do, we are to trust that God will provide for our needs. But....unfortunately…more often than not...when we’re discouraged …what do we do? Well....we tend to give ourselves over to doubt and worry....we stop believing that God is good. And we end up on a downward spiral in which our inactivity makes our situation worse and only deepens our despair…and as a result….we not only feel less inclined to step out and walk in faith....but we become critical…and we stop reading and we stop praying.

But......Brothers and sisters …when you’re in this downward spiral of despair the key to breaking this cycle is to grab hold of God’s promises ....look to the cross and see the height and the depth of the love of God for you in Jesus. See the smile of the Father’s favor towards you....you see.... in spite of your history of sin and failure....God has lavishly poured out his grace on you through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. What we need in times of bitterness and discouragement is to be reminded again and again of God’s grace.

And that’s exactly what Ruth and Naomi needed …They needed grace…they needed someone to provide for them what they could not earn or provide for themselves. Ruth had nothing to offer anybody.....but still... she stepped out in faith trusting that God would provide…that God would be gracious to her. look at v3

Ruth 2:3 (CSB)

3 So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.

Now....make note that Boaz is a legal relative of Elimelech.....this is crucial to understand …for...... much of the narrative hinges on this detail....and Boaz is also described as a prominent man of noble character....which speaks to his influential standing in the community as a wealthy business owner.

But.....Boaz …He’s not just a wealthy man.....he’s also a man of integrity and godliness. Which is amazing.....remember this is in the time of the judges…when chaos reigned and men did whatever they wanted and fulfilled every sinful desire...But....we are introduced to a man of both moral worth and material wealth who stands out amongst the crowd as not only a good man but a God fearing man.

And well......Ruth…she just “happened” to stumble into Boaz’s field. In other words......by Ruth’s good fortune....or.....as luck would have it….Literally the Hebrew reads, “and her chance chanced.” And what we have here is a little tongue in cheek…it’s a Hebrew funny....Of course, the narrator does not believe in chance…or luck…or fortune.... but rather He’s pointing us to God’s providence.

Consider Proverbs 16:9

Proverbs 16:9 (CSB)

A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.

And Proverbs 16:33

Proverbs 16:33 (CSB)

33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

In fact the whole Bible points us to the sovereignty of God. Jesus emphasized this truth when he said that not even a bird dies without the Father’s knowledge (Matthew 10:29). So....with this in mind.... we can see that the author of Ruth is using sarcasm…he is using wit to emphasize an extremely important point .... In reality he is screaming, ‘See the hand of God at work!’ The same hand that had sent the famine.....and later provided food is the hand that had brought Naomi and Ruth to Bethlehem precisely at the beginning of the harvest and has now guided Ruth to the field belonging specifically to Boaz.”

You see…God is always at work arranging the details of our lives .... He’s not just working in the miraculous but also in the desperate and mundane moments of our lives. Ruth believed this…she knew she had a desperate need for grace....therefore .....her faith was not only active but it was laced with humility....she trusted God and God acted.

She had no idea where she was going but God was guiding each step she took. You see.... Ruth “just happened” to get the desire to go and glean…she “just happened” to go to Boaz’s field.....but friend…nothing just happens.....but rather you will land exactly where God wants you to be. And this truth makes me think about how I met my wife, Stacy:

One random Thursday evening.....we “just happened” to attend the same church service one night.

We “just happened” to have the same friends and ended up eating together at Applebees after the service.

We “just happened” to get seated right next to each other.

A year later I “just happened” to marry her.

Brother’s and Sisters.....The fact that God is providential working in your life may be a mystery…but you can be confident that He is constantly working to accomplish His gracious purposes in your life. And as you pray and seek His will…as you make decisions…and even as you make mistakes....it is God who orders events and guides your steps. Consider the possibility that what God’s teaching Ruth in this difficult season of her life is how to trust in him? What about you? Where might God’s hand be at work in your life right now? What is God teaching you during this season in your life?

Now....as Boaz enters the scene...the narrator points us to the truth that God’s timing is perfect.....not only that.... but we are given a brief glimpse of Boaz’s character by the way he greets his workers....look at v4

Ruth 2:4 (CSB)

4 Later, when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he said to the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.” “The Lord bless you,” they replied.

Boaz’s faith was not a once-a-week kind of religion......His spiritual life was not just about a “morning quiet time” either.....rather it seems that God was on his mind even in the ordinary routine of life…you see....this guy is the same at work as he is on Sunday mornings in worship........and we find him greeting his employees with the great covenant promise of God that’s woven all throughout Scripture.... “I will be with you,”....and by doing so..... Boaz is saying, ....as you guys begin your work today....remember the presence and blessing of God in this field!

You see....Boaz honors God with his work and his employees respect him for it. And friends.....like Boaz, we should do our work with the Lord’s glory and grace on our minds.....wether you’re at home folding the kids laundry…in the office..or on the sales floor....Our faith should be evident and we should use our words to build up and bless others.

Think about it like this....... What impact can you make at work? What do you talk about? How do you treat others? If we are to live like Jesus and lead other to Jesus we have to live with integrity…and wholeness....who we are on Sunday morning is who we are on Monday morning, Who we are when everyone is watching is who we are when no one is watching

Boaz’s integrity impacted his employees and now his integrity is going to impact Ruth. Look at v5

Ruth 2:5–7 (CSB)

5 Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has been on her feet since early morning, except that she rested a little in the shelter.”

Boaz looked out over the field…and as he observed his employees he sees someone he had never seen before....he sees an unfamiliar face..…so he calls the foreman into his office… and he doesn’t simply ask who Ruth is…but he asks “ who does she belong to?” In other words....He asks.....Whose daughter is this? Whose wife is this? Where does this young lady fit in society? In other words....what has happened to this young woman that has led her to have no other choice than to do the equivalent of dumpster diving? Why is no one caring for her?

The foreman replies .....“Oh she’s that foreigner who came back from Moab with Naomi—you know the one. She’s an outsider; she doesn’t really belong anywhere. But I can tell you, she’s worked like a dog in this hot sun all day.” Boaz knew exactly who he was talking about....He heard all about Ruth from the gossip train that started when she arrived…he heard all about Ruth abandoning her people and her land for the sake of her mother in law....and now he found her hard at work in his field. And despite their social standings Boaz spoke to Ruth with tender care and gives her a generous offer of favor.

Ruth 2:8–9 (CSB)

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. 9 See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”

Grace impacted Boaz’s actions. First he offers Ruth Provision…you see....normally a person in her position would have to go get her own water but Boaz puts her on equal standing with his employees and tells her ....you don’t have to go get your own water …instead drink of the water that has already been drawn and provided for my regular workers. In other words.... Boaz gave Ruth a place of significance.

He also offers her protection…he tells the men…Don’t you dare touch her or harass her! It was a dangerous time to be a young single woman…and Boaz knew that if she goes to some other field she would be at risk of being sexually assaulted....so he tells her don’t leave my field....I will provide for you and I will protect you.

God had answered Ruth’s prayer and he guided her steps of faith by leading her directly to where she would find favor…the exact place where she would find grace. How does Ruth respond?

Ruth 2:10 (CSB)

10 She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?”

She couldn’t believe It!!! Why was this man being so nice to her!?!? What had she done to deserve such kindness....such favor …such grace!?! And the truth is....she had a point....... I mean we all have baggage......but she had BAGGAGE! She was an immigrant…she was homeless…she was dirty....she was broke …she was raised in a cult…she was not a virgin and had already been married…and her only friend is her bitter old mother in law.

If this was her online dating profile there’s no way Boaz would be swiping right....and she knew it....she was self aware enough to recognize the reality that she had nothing to offer. Good news for her …grace is not something you earn or deserve.

And friends....if you pause and access your own reality…like Ruth....we also have nothing to offer....our profile isn’t that great either…but like Boaz God gives us grace …not because we are great but because He is great. I am reminded of what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:4-5

Ephesians 2:4–5 (CSB)

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!

A couple of verses later He reiterates our inability to earn or deserve salvation by saying.....

Ephesians 2:8 (CSB)

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—

Ruth had done nothing to earn the gift of Boaz’s favor and she is in awe…so....she lays face down before him out of respect…and look at how Boaz responds to her.

Ruth 2:11–12 (CSB)

11 Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know. 12 May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

These are....perhaps....the first kind words Ruth had heard since she left Moab. And....although Ruth had no idea who Boaz was…he knew all about her…he knew that she had turned her back on her former land and on her former gods…and that she was looking to the Lord for refuge. So....with this in mind…he prays for her.....he prays that God would grant her the protection and the refuge that she so desperately needed. And look at how she responds... in v13

Ruth 2:13 (CSB)

13 “My lord,” she said, “I have found favor with you, for you have comforted and encouraged your servant, although I am not like one of your female servants.”

Ruth is overwhelmed by a deep sense of gratitude and she expresses relief and humility....she had had no idea what the day would bring.....but by God’s grace she found herself in a field of favor. And Boaz’s kindness to her continues to grow...you see....it’s lunch time and he invites her to sit at his table.

Ruth 2:14 (CSB)

14 At mealtime Boaz told her, “Come over here and have some bread and dip it in the vinegar sauce.” So she sat beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain. She ate and was satisfied and had some left over.

Ruth has been working all day…and she had little to nothing to eat, but Boaz provides her not only with a meal....but with a feast!! For once she had enough to eat....she even had a Tupperware container of leftovers to take home. Boaz even commanded his men to be ......deliberately careless in their harvesting...so that this poor widow would have even more to gather.

Ruth 2:15–19 (CSB)

15 When she got up to gather grain, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her even gather grain among the bundles, and don’t humiliate her. 16 Pull out some stalks from the bundles for her and leave them for her to gather. Don’t rebuke her.” 17 So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about twenty-six quarts of barley. ( which was about 30-50 pounds of grain! Picture a giant bag of dog food from Costco and you get the idea. And a bag this size would have usually taken an average worker 2 weeks to get! )18 She picked up the grain and went into the town, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She brought out what she had left over from her meal (with Boaz) and gave it to her. (so…Ruth returns home and not only is there plenty to eat but there is even more to talk about!! v19)

19 Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you gather barley today, and where did you work? May the Lord bless the man who noticed you.” Ruth told her mother-in-law whom she had worked with and said, “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz.”

Imagine Naomi’s face… as Ruth tells her about her day and presents her with a mountain of food......Ruth may have not known who Boaz was but Naomi did and with the practical evidence of God’s goodness before her........for the first time in a long time Naomi saw the sweetness of God’s providence at work in her despair and her heart began to soften towards God…and she cries out…v20

Ruth 2:20 (CSB)

20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May the Lord bless him because he has not abandoned his kindness to the living or the dead.”...

God protected Ruth and provided for her and Naomi…and what we have now.... is front row seats to witness.... a personal revival of sorts in the life of Naomi .......as her posture towards God changes and her bitterness is replaced by thankfulness. Here declaration in v20 is a complete 180 degrees from her despairing words in chapter 1....there she only saw bitterness and despair in her situation....but now she recognizes that God has been at work all along even in the midst of her despair.....she sees now that God never left her....he never turned his back on her....this whole time God was providentially arranging the details of her life for His glory and her good and she was overwhelmed by His grace!

Maybe …like Naomi…you too are in as a season of grief....of pain or despair....you may be tempted to ignore…or numb the pain....but the pain you are experiencing is real....and its hard…and God has never said to ignore it…God has never belittled your pain....rather …He is invited you to trust him in your pain....and to take comfort in the fact that we serve a savior who experienced pain and can fully relate to you.

This morning allow Naomi’s story to encourage you and ask God to open your eyes to see His sovereign hand at work in your life. I pray …that God would grant you the grace to see and to know that your circumstances do not define who God is but rather that you will allow who God is to change your perspective of your circumstances.

Naomi proclaimed that God had not abandoned her and that he never stopped showing his kindness to her....and this word kindness is the Hebrew word hesed and it speaks to God’s love and His Covenant faithfulness…that at one time.... her pain had blinded her too....but in this moment she sees clearly that God never left her…He never abandoned her. And that same faithfulness that God showed Naomi…God has promised to you too!

Now…Naomi...continues by pointing out to Ruth who Boaz is....and I can help but imagine how excited she gets.... “Ruth, You’re not going to believe this but…that guy you met...”

Ruth 2:20–23 (CSB)

20 .... “That man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers.” 21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also told me, ‘Stay with my young men until they have finished all of my harvest.’ ” 22 So Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “My daughter, it is good for you to work with his female servants, so that nothing will happen to you in another field.” 23 Ruth stayed close to Boaz’s female servants and gathered grain until the barley and the wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Naomi’s mind must have been racing at this point! For Boaz was more than a good godly man.....He was one of Naomi’s family redeemers. The Hebrew word is go’el (“redeemer”) and it points to Law of Moses and speaks of a close relative who is able to come to the aid of a family member. The instructions were that when a man died....his brother was obligated to marry his widow and raise up his children. He was even to give the dead man’s name to the first child born out of the new marriage. This would ensure that the inheritance would continue to be associated with the deceased relative.

Now ..... the Law didn’t necessarily obligate Boaz, nor did it address foreigners like Ruth who had married into the family. In fact there are a LOT OF LOOP HOLES THAT BOAZ CAN TAKE to avoid redeeming Ruth and Naomi! But we will look at the details of this concept more fully next week as it’s developed in chapter 3...but it is introduced here in chapter 2....and Boaz has already acted as a go’el …he has already been functioning as a redeemer as he protected Ruth and provided for her and Naomi.

With this in mind ….. and at this point in the story…I think it will be beneficial for us to step back and see the story so far from a thousand foot perspective. Behind every step that Ruth and Naomi have taken God is at work not only in guiding their steps but He is at work developing the scaffolding of redemptive history.

Consider the fact that Naomi and Ruth arrived back in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.....in other words.....they came home at the time of the feast of Passover which was celebrated when the grain harvest would begin. (see Deut. 16:9) I cant think of a better time for an exodus from the fields of Moab to the Promised Land?

And by the end of chapter 2......seven weeks had past and we arrive at the end of the barley harvest....in other words....at the end of chapter two is the celebration of the feast of first fruits…otherwise known as Pentecost. By this time, Ruth and Naomi…they experienced the first fruits of God’s deliverance in the gift of Boaz’s grain, but they had not yet seen the fullness of what God had planned for them! Also.....Ruth not only experiences the first fruits of God’s grace.....but in a profound sense, she is the first fruits.

You see....In the fullness of time…in Acts 2…we see that Pentecost, was the day that God chose to pour out his Spirit on Jews and Gentiles alike, bringing them together into the one new people of God. In other words Ruth’s incorporation by faith into God’s people was a foreshadowing of the much greater harvest that God one day would reap among the Gentiles as his grace extended more fully to the nations.

Naomi and Ruth had no idea the part they were playing in God’s redemptive narrative....but the author of Ruth wants you to see and observe the perfection of God’s timing. Because you and I also play a role…and like Ruth and Naomi we too…have received the first fruits of our salvation in the gift of the Spirit and and we too.....are waiting for its fullness.

Consider Romans 8:23

Romans 8:23 (CSB)

23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Brothers and Sisters....we are so often preoccupied with the challenges of surviving from one day to the next that we are quick to forget that life is short and we will soon be with our savior. When we do think about it.....it seems like our redemption is taking forever.....but…don’t forget that in God’s perfect timing …our present groaning…our present despair…our present difficulties and the the general pain that comes with living in a broken and sinful world will one day soon end…and give way to shouts of joy…as we receive our full adoption as the sons and daughters of God.

This morning I want to invite you to see that God is providentially arranging the details of your life for His glory and your good. And whatever painful realities you may face.....you can be confident that God is good, that He is faithful, that He loves you, and He will provide all you need. Take a moment to quiet your hearts and focus your attention on this reality and find hope and the encouragement to persevere patiently while we we wait and anticipate Jesus’s return.

Let’s pray