God Bless the Faithful...Ruth meets Boaz

Ruth could have gone home and started over after her husband died, but she remained faithful to her mother-in-law. God blessed her faithful heart, and Ruth became part of God’s plan for Israel as the great-grandmother of David and a descendant of Jesus.

This story begins with Naomi. She is a faithful follower of God. Like most of us today, she has learned that loving the Lord and serving Him faithfully will not exempt us from hardships. Her family experienced famine in their homeland. It was bad enough that they would have to leave their home in order to survive...

Naomi is Faithful

Ruth 1:3–5 AMP

But Elimelech, was Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. And they took wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They dwelt there about ten years; And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them, so the woman was bereft of her two sons and her husband.

Everything that was familiar and dear to Naomi is lost. Her faith is all she has left. You can imagine that she is emotionally worn down. Her finances are strapped. In Naomi’s culture widows had few rights. She would seem destined for a life of poverty. Widows could not own property and could not represent themselves in the courts. Widows situations would often grow worse unless they had sons to help take care of them. You can imagine her situation, her sons were gone too. It’s for this reason that the prophets would constantly charge to help take care of the widows.

Naomi being aware of her own situation was insistent that her daughters in law would leave her and return to their families. There was really no more reason for them to stay with her.

Ruth 1:8 AMP

But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

Ruth is Faithful

Naomi is insistent that her girls leave her. She knows the struggle that lay ahead. Then there’s Ruth, she won’t leave. You can see that Naomi has had an impact on her daughter-in-law. Ruth has seen Naomi’s faith. She has seen Naomi’s relationship with God. She obviously witnessed her faithfulness, and now that very same fruit is showing in her own life. She won’t abandon Naomi.

Ruth 1:14–16 AMP

Then they wept aloud again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law [good-bye], but Ruth clung to her. And Naomi said, See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law. And Ruth said, Urge me not to leave you or to turn back 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.

Ruth gave up everything to follow Naomi...

Matthew 10:39 NKJV

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Sometimes being faithful will lead you into uncomfortable season of life. We’ve been called to be faithful to the Lord, and that will require trust on our part. He will take care of us!

Ruth 1:22 AMP

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

God Will Bless the Faithful

Boaz was a wealthy landowner. He may not realize it just yet, but the Lord is going to use him to bless a couple faithful servants. You never know who, or how the Lord will provide for you, but you can trust that He will.

Ruth 2:1–12 AMP

NOW NAOMI had a kinsman of her husband’s, a man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess 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. Naomi said to her, Go, my daughter. And [Ruth] went and gleaned in a field after the reapers; and she happened to stop at the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, The Lord be with you! And they answered him, The Lord bless you! Then Boaz said to his servant who was set over the reapers, Whose maiden is this? And the servant set over the reapers answered, She is the Moabitish girl who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves. So she came and has continued from early morning until now, except when she rested a little in the house. Then Boaz said to Ruth, Listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but stay here close by my maidens. Watch which field they reap, and follow them. Have I not charged the young men not to molest you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn. 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 notice me, when I am a foreigner? And Boaz said to her, I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to a people unknown to you before. The Lord recompense 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!

God is Faithful

Boaz was aware of Ruth’s faithfulness to Naomi even though she didn’t have to. Her character went before her.

This last verse is so powerful. In a time when most were leaving or rebelling against the Lord, Naomi, and Ruth remained faithful. The Lord would still bless those that would trust and obey Him. The story of Ruth teaches us that God will lead and provide for all that will trust and follow Him!