Ruth 02

In chapter 1 of Ruth, we see a sign of how things were in Israel at this time. The events of this book took place during the period of the judges. There is a famine in the land, probably showing this was a time in the cycles of the judges when God’s hand of judgment was on His people for their rebellion against Him. Because of the famine, this family from the tribe of Judah, Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his two sons decided to sojourn in Moab. Things were so bad in Israel, it seems that a foreign nation was the place of hope for them to find food. After they went to Moab, Elimelech died.

The two sons of Elimelech decided to marry Moabite women. Then we are told that the two sons died. For Naomi, losing her husband and two sons in Moab, it was difficult to look at this as a coincidence. Instead, she looks at it as the hand of the LORD being against her. BY the end of the chapter, we see that these events have left her bitter and feeling empty and discouraged. One blow after another caused Naomi to say (1:13, 20), "The hand of the Lord has gone forth against me . . . the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me."

But there are signs within chapter 1 that not all is lost. There is light at the end of the dark tunnel. Naomi heard that God had visited his people and had given them food once again, possibly showing that God’s people had repented and been delivered from their enemies. So the circumstances seem a lot better for God’s people.

And then we have Ruth who shows her love for Naomi by deciding to forsake her country and her family to go back to Bethlehem with Naomi, even to the point of making the LORD her God. At the end of the chapter when they return to Bethlehem, Naomi isn’t seeing the signs of hope in her life or the lives of God’s people, but as we get into chapter 2, we will see her begin to see the light… She will begin to see the LORD’s hand working to bless as He providentially works to reward Ruth for her commitment to Naomi and her decision to trust in Him.

Ruth 2

We are introduced to another character here in verse 1.

"Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz." ()

Depending on your translation, Boaz here is called either a worthy man, or a man of wealth, or a man of good character… I believe the idea of character is what the author is intending here… the idea that this is a virtuous man. The Hebrew word is used in this book to talk about one other person… Look at 3:11…

"And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman." ()

Translations are consistent here in saying that the reputation of Ruth as being a worthy or virtuous woman is what is being focused on here. I believe that the author of this book is trying to show us that these two, one an Israelite and one a Moabite convert are virtuous and have a noble character. Surely Boaz is wealthy, but his character is what shines through the most in this book.

We are also told that Boaz is of the family of Elimelech. This will come to play later on. We will talk more about this then…

In verse 2, Ruth requests the blessing of Naomi to go out into the fields to get food for them. She says, “let me go and glean in the field.” She talks about gleaning here. This was an honest way of getting food for those who were poor and strangers in the land of Israel. It was commanded in the law that those who had land with crops must not completely clear their fields of the crops during the harvest time. They were to leave crops at the edges of their fields for the poor and for the sojourner. They were also to leave the gleanings. The gleanings would be those crops that would be dropped or missed as they are clearing the fields. The idea is that after they first harvested the crops, they were not to go back and completely clear every single crop that was dropped or missed. They were to leave them for the poor - for the sojourners, the fatherless, and the widows… This would apply to all of their crops… their vineyards, their barley fields and their olives… God cared for the poor among His people in this way.. through the farmers in the land. The Israelites probably didn’t always follow these laws. I believe this is implied in the book of Ruth when she says in verse 2 that she hoped to find a field where she may find favor in the sight of the workers in the field. There were many who may have mistreated her and stopped her from gleaning… And it seems like in this chapter that Boaz also is concerned for her safety and wants her to stay in his fields. This being the period of the judges, there may have been a lot of danger for Ruth…

So Ruth is permitted by Naomi to go out to glean in the fields. And where does she end up? In Boaz’s field. My translation says, “she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz.” As it was earlier in the story, it is difficult to see this as a coincidence. God is working providentially here.

Boaz gets there and asks, “Whose woman is this gleaning?” It would be common to see people gleaning, but something here caused him to be curious about the identity of this woman. The servant in charge of Boaz’s reapers tells him who it is. “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.” And we see here that she went above and beyond what was necessary in the law. She asked for permission to glean in the fields.

So after hearing this and being told that she had been working all day with only a short rest, Boaz goes to Ruth and greets her in verse 8.

Ruth wanted to find someone who would show favor to her. She found that person in Boaz, and he goes above and beyond what she could have hoped for in showing favor. He is very generous towards her. He tells her to stay in his fields - to make sure she follows his reapers. He tells his young male servants to stay away from her. He tells her to feel free to get water whenever she desires it from what his servants draw. In verses 15-16, he tells his servants to not limit where she can glean and to purposely allow grain to fall out of the bundles they are reaping so she can get more… This is a great amount of favor being shown by Boaz here…

Ruth seems surprised and humbled by the generosity being shown her and asks why she has found such favor in his eyes. He tells her that he had heard about what she had done for her mother-in-law and how she was willing to forsake her land and her family to be with Naomi. Her loyalty to Naomi and her desire to submit to YHWH led Boaz to desire to do this…

I love Boaz’s words here…

"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!"" ()

In Boaz’s mind, his being generous towards her is how the LORD is rewarding her for what she had done for Naomi and for her trust in the LORD.

So in verse 17 we are told what Ruth was able to glean in one days work. She ended up with about an ephah of barley. About 5-10 days worth of barley.

Naomi sees what Ruth has brought home and seems surprised that she came home with so much. She asks, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” (2:19)

And after being told whose field Ruth had gleaned from all day, she begins to have her eyes opened to how the Lord is working and showing kindness towards her family:

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!" ()

God is showing mercy and kindness. He is providing for them abundantly… and to top it all off, Naomi says, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” -

Kinsman Redeemer?

He is one of their close relatives (NKJV) or next kinsmen (KJV) or “a redeemer” (ESV, NASB). This idea of a kinsman or close relative who is a redeemer is spoken of in the law a few times…

- "If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold." () The idea here is that if land was sold at some point between the years of Jubilee because an Israelite was poor, a close relative or family member could purchase the land back so it could remain in the family…

- Also, later on in the chapter we see another time a close relative could redeem something… in this case someone… ""If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him becomes poor and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner with you or to a member of the stranger's clan, then after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him, or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or a close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he grows rich he may redeem himself." () So here a man who becomes poor who sells himself to become a slave can be redeemed/purchased back by a close relative…

- Then you have the idea in that if a man died in Israel without having a son, then one of his brothers was to take the woman as a wife, and the first son born to them would perpetuate the name of the one who die and so the man’s inheritance would remain in the family. The passage does not mention what happens when a man who dies has no brother, but it seems like the practice had been that the duty would pass on to other male relatives of the man who died.

It is these concepts that are being brought up here in the book of Ruth when Naomi calls Boaz Elimilech’s close relative (or one of their redeemers) in verse 20.

NEXT SLIDE

This idea of the redemption of Elimilech’s property and continuing His name by a close relative marrying the widow of Elimilech’s son becomes the focus of the rest of the book – of chapters 3-4. We will see whether Boaz, or possibly another close relative – will perform these duties of redeeming the land of Elimilech which was sold and will marry the widow of Elimilech’s son (Ruth) to keep his land within the family…

We will stop here and leave it on a cliff-hanger for you.

NEXT SLIDE – APPLICATIONS

Applications

Some applications or principles that we can think about from this passage…

Concern for the poor and afflicted - we could look at many passages within the New Testament that shows that a concern for the poor and afflicted is something that the Lord desires of His people today. We will just consider one.

- Pure religion before God looks outward - it desires to serve those who are helpless and hurting JUST as Jesus did. Helping the poor, especially the poor among God’s people, IS something that God desires his people to do. It should not be said of God’s people that they turn a blind eye to their brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering. It should not be said of Christians that they neglect the widows in their family by not caring for them and visiting them…

Encourage those who make sacrifices and work among you

- “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work…” (). Support of elders, evangelists, etc. - God desires that His people reward those who are willing to labor for the sake of the Gospel… So many choose to make sacrifices because of their desire to serve in the Kingdom - they sacrifice full-time employment and leave their homes and family behind to go all over the country and the world to equip God’s people to serve in this world. Whenever God’s people do what they can to pray for, encourage, and financially support those who make such sacrifices, this is their way to show their appreciation and to honor them for their sacrifices and to help them continue to do the good work they are doing for the Lord Jesus.

God does work through his people - including us!

- When we serve and help others, ultimately it is the Lord working through His people. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Yes, you are working, but so is God. When we read and study God’s word, and we are stirred to action, the works that we do are the working of God in us and through us. God uses our hands to serve others. When Paul received support from brethren, it was right for Him to thank God for giving him support for His labor. If you were given help financially from another family here, it would be right to see that as God working and blessing you. We need to give God the credit for the good that He is doing through us.

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