Grace Upon Grace Ruth 2

Momma’s Hardship

God working in the background

Providence-God’s Governance over his creation.

Ruth 2:1–3 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. 2 Ruth 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.” 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.

Chance Chanced

Never Forget who Ruth Is-An Enemy of God’s People, Moabite

Ruth and Naomi are hungry

They need food if they are going to survive

Biblical Provisions for those who are hurting and broken.

Leviticus 19:9–10 “9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edge of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the resident alien; I am the Lord your God.”

Deuteronomy 24:19 “19 “When you reap the harvest in your field, and you forget a sheaf in the field, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”

However, Time of Judges

Not always granted permission

Ruth Needed to find someone who would have “favor” or grace upon her.

Someone who would see past her enemy status and have compassion on her.

“as luck would have it”

Her chance chanced

Ruth 2:4–7 CSB

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

Prefigure of Jesus.

Demonstrates his devotion to God

Concern for the outsider

Ruth was working hard, only taking a short break.

Ruth 2:8–14 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.” 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?” 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.” 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.” 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.

Extravagant Grace

Here’s what we see in this passage.

Ruth wanted someone who would give her favor.

Boaz does that and more.

He isn’t just allowing her to glean in his fields, but he is stepping in to help her out above and beyond what is expected and even demanded by the Lord.

Boaz sees Ruth as a daughter not an outsider

He has brought her in and will take care of her.

Probably also highlights the age difference between the two

Kindness demonstrated:

Don’t go anywhere else, I have all you need.

Protection against the wicked hearts of men.

Continue to follow the ladies.

Don’t just go on the outsides of the field, but harvest the grain

Drink the water drawn by the young men.

Foreigners would normally be the ones drawing water for the Israelites.

Ruth responds.

Overwhelmed by his kindness.

Ruth wanted someone to show her favor,

And God in his providence has done just that.

But Boaz doesn’t just show some favor, he is extravagantly gracious toward Ruth.

And Ruth doesn’t get it.

Boaz Reveals what he knows.

Boaz invokes a blessing on Ruth. v.12

Under The Lord’s Wing

Much like Ruth was the embodiment of God hesed to Naomi, Boaz is the embodiment of God’s Grace to Ruth

Ruth recognizes the favor/grace that Boaz has shown.

And she also recognizes her position before Boaz.

She is the lowest of all servants.

Shiphah-Sheevha

But Boaz doesn’t treat her as the lowest of all servants

He Invites her to dinner

Ruth most likely didn’t bring any food with her.

She was working on an empty stomach

He didn’t feed her off to the side.

He fed her in the midst of everyone.

He wasn’t ashamed to have her sit at the table.

Ruth 2:14 “... She ate and was satisfied and had some left over.”

In the providence of God we already see the reversal of Ruth and Naomi’s strife.

Naomi and Ruth came back from Moab Empty, but Ruth has now been full.

Ruth 2:15–17 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.

Astounding Harvest

Boaz doesn’t want Ruth to just harvest around the edges, but in the fields.

The men are to do the hard work of harvesting and Ruth just picks it ups

Not done in a condescending way, but in a gracious way.

Boaz wanted to make sure that his workers knew his expectations.

They were to humiliate her or insult her.

Why is this a concern?

Ruth would face abuses b/c of her ethnicity and b/c of her being an outcast.

She didn’t belong in this field or with these people.

Ruth Reaped an astounding harvest.

An Ephah-26 quarts in CSB

Somewhere between 30-50 pounds

Feed 50 fighting men

at least 2 weeks worth of food for Naomi and Ruth

Ruth 2:18–23 CSB

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 and gave it to her. 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.” 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.” Naomi continued, “The 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.

Redeemer