RUTH 2

So here we are again in the book of Ruth. Last time we were together Ruth and Naomi had left Moab . Naomi had all but begged Ruth to stay in her homeland, but Ruth had refused to stay behind.

Ruth 1:16–17 NKJV

But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”

Ruth made a commitment a vow , and oath. I will stay with you Your God will be my God , your people will be my people.

This was something Ruth ment with all her heart. At the time Ruth made this commitment was a very emotional moment, but she ment every word of it.

This was Ruth excepting God. This was Ruth's moment of salvation. This can look different for everyone. I can still remember were I was when I got saved. I have told the story many times. I was setting in a truck in front of the shop I worked in at the time. Some of you it might of happened in a church service, some maybe in there living room. There are people that get saved in Prison but no matter the place just like Ruth. Its a heart thing.

So Ruth makes this commitment to God and to Naomi and the go on there way back to Bethlehem. This was Naomi’s home town . Everyone came out to meet them. Bethlehem at the time would of had a few hundred people in. Everyone would have known one another. The saw Naomi and said “ Is this Naomi” I'm sure the recognised her, but they also new she was different . She was older, but her continence was also different. She was no longer Naomi [ Pleasant] she now wanted to be called Mara [ better]. Life had been hard for Naomi. She new God was in control of all things but she thought He had turned against her. Not a good place to be.

She was like many of us . The present was horrible, she was depressed and she could not see how it could get any better. I don’t know I guess some of you might not of ever felt that way. I have. You don’t loose your faith , you loose your hope.

So this is were Naomi is . She is sad and can’t see the blessings around her. God that had brought her this far through feast and famine. Ruth, the town, and the fact she got home just in time for the barley harvest.

Ruth 2:1–3 NKJV

There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” Then she left, 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 family of Elimelech.

It is interesting to me how this chapter starts out by introducing Boaz who at this point still is not in the narrative. It says He was a man of wealth, a man of standing. The actual word here which I am not going to try to pronounce is a man of mighty valor.

I like that better. In our society a man of wealth very possibly is not a man of valor or standing. Boaz was a good man. Not to discredit Elimelech, He was in a desperate situation when he left, but Boaz stayed the course. He stayed in the land that God had promised the Israelite and It paid off for him.

I don’t know how long Boaz and the people of Bethlehem suffered through the famine. At the time of the famine life was still happening as well. Babies being born. Loved ones dying, but they stayed the course and came out well on the other side. Elimelech chose a different approach . Not to stay under Gods promises and Naomi comes back a sad, broken woman, but she does bring back Ruth so God will use that decision to accomplish His plan

Ruth ask Naomi “ can I go to the field and pick up grain . This tells us something about Ruth's character . She was willing to work .

There is no doubt Naomi and I'm guessing Ruth by this point new about the Jewish law.

Leviticus 19:9–10 NKJV

‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

The Jews had a great system of taking care of the poor and the people traveling through. We will make sure if have a means to eat without taking your dignity or your desire to take care of yourself. I think the ancient were on to something. Even in the time of Jesus, you can beg but you have to have a card so you can beg. there really has to be something wrong that keeps you from providing for yourself. This is good for everyone , the one harvesting the one giving.

Ruth says I might find favor in the sight of the mam I glean after.

Is Ruth saying here “I might find me a husband I might find my redeemer” That could have been partly in her mind. I don’t know . what she is saying is if I work hard they might be kind to me, they may let me keep gleaning in their field. They might give me a job. We will find out shortly that there was female field workers.

So Ruth goes out to glean and happens to come on to the field that belongs to Boaz. Coinky dink ? I think not. Then Boaz just happens to be from the family of Elimelech.

So from my picture of this you have this big field that all runs together. No no trespassing sighs everything just runs together with maybe a boundary stone placed from here to there to know what belongs to who.

Ruth just happens to come to this exact field that was owned by a good man. A man of God that was to become Naomi’s kinsman redeemer and become the Great plus plus earthly Grandfather to our Lord and savior. Wow.

There is one more thing I want to bring out here. I'm sure Ruth and Naomi were praying every day . Possibly with out ceasing. That is awesome that is what we are supposed to do, but Ruth did not set ideal waiting for an answer . She continued to go out and do what she was supposed to do and God put her where He wanted her.

I think that can hold us back sometimes.

I'm praying and haven't gotten the answer.

Keep doing what you know God wants you to do and see where it takes you. Let Him guide your steps.

I've heard Pastor say the longer he is married the Holy Spirit sounds like Connie. I can see that. The more I walk with God and study His word . His word is what takes me down the right path [with the holy spirit reminding me of the word] and doors and opportunity opens up. For me the Holy Spirit tells me if I'm doing something I shouldn’t be doing. Serve God and do the right thing He will put you where He needs to.

Ruth 2:4–7 NKJV

Now 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 in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” So the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered and said, “It is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ So she came and has continued from morning until now, though she rested a little in the house.”

Boaz finally enters stage right and he greets his workers.

I believe even in this exchange between Boaz and His reapers you see Boaz character . He was a man of God . He says God be with you. That is an awesome show of kindness and concern for his workers and his workers show respect back to Him the Lord bless you . The blessings Boaz is getting he seems to also be paying forward.

This is something else we don’t see as often as we should in our society anymore. So many don’t appreciate the blessing because it is not big enough. How did Boaz bless these men. He gave them a job the people like Ruth that were gleaning the field he gave them food.

I was reading the comments on the fox news app the other day where Taylor Swift had given like three million dollars to the relief fund for the last hurricane, and the responses was that is all she gave she is a billionaire. So that nullifies the three million she gave.

Not sure where that fits in but Boaz is a good Godly man and his workers appreciate him.

So Boaz notices Ruth out in the field and ask the foreman Whose young woman is this.

So Boaz is asking what family is this girl apart of. This was a big thing at the time. As much as we don’t like to admit it it still is. So Boaz was trying to figure out who she was what her standing was.

Many like to take this question to mean he noticed this beautiful girl in his field and was taken with her. That is how she is usually betrayed in movies and in art. That’s how I picture her when I'm reading the story but the truth is we don't know . You can imagine her how ever you want. She has been out all day in the sun working.

The foreman told Boaz it was the Moabite woman that had come back with Ruth . Some scholars believe that the foreman was trying to be derogatory here. I think he is being descriptive.

The next thing foreman said was she has been working hard all day. She rested awhile but she has been working all day.

Also It says Ruth had asked if she could glean. I think this also specks of Ruth’s character and wisdom.

She had the right two fold to glean the field but buy asking it showed respect and an attitude of thankfulness instead of entitlement.

It also showed wisdom in the fact that if someone else came to glean the couldn’t run her off. the other thing is , unfortunately, is like some Christians I know now when it comes to money Christian values take a back seat