A Strong and Redeeming Love

Introduction: Throughout Scripture, there are many instances of God moving in clear and obvious ways. Take for example, the Christmas narrative. God uses angels to communicate to Zechariah, Mary and the Shepherds. It is by the mysterious overshadowing of the Holy Spirit that Mary conceives. He places a star in the sky to guide the Magi to where Jesus is, and we are tempted to believe that this is the only way God ever works. Unless there is a clear sign that God is at work, well, He must not be at work. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. God is always at work directing the course of history, but many times this work happens behind the scenes. The world would call this coincidence, but as Christians we would say, “I think not!” because we know that God is behind all things. It’s difficult to discern sometimes between the balance of God’s sovereign will and our free will, and we can’t always explain how things happen, but one thing is clear, things don’t just happen, especially when it comes to the plan of God. 

This is especially true in the story of Ruth, which is part of the larger narrative about how the birth of Jesus came about. There are many instances in this story where God is working behind the scenes, putting people in the places they need to be at just the right time. In the second act of the story, we see this in full view as Ruth just so happens to glean in the field of Boaz. Those words inserted in the story are not meant for us to say, “What a coincidence!” but instead, “Look at the hand of God!” As we see God’s directing hand in allowing Ruth to come to the field of her redeemer Boaz and provide grain for her and Naomi, we also see God’s primary purpose in doing so. It is to show again His steadfast and unending hesed love to Ruth. And that is the same reason why God works to direct things in our lives as well, to show us His hesed love. In this part of the book of Ruth, Boaz becomes the example of a godly man, who points us to the hesed love of God that is given to each of us in Jesus Christ. This story reminds us that God’s purpose and plan are working all things together, the good and the bad, the seen and unseen to show us His love and to help us understand that love in fresh ways this advent season.

At the end of chapter 1, we find Ruth and Naomi returning at the time of the barley harvest. Given the provision that the law made for those people who were desperate and destitute, this was God’s perfect timing at work, because Ruth would be permitted to glean and pick up the leftovers from the fields to provide food for her and Naomi. And that’s what Ruth sought to do, to go and find a place of favor, a person who owned a field that kept the law of God, and would allow her to find some grace. In many ways, this chapter begins where Ruth left us in chapter 1, she is fulfilling the promises made to Naomi. Not only has she sought to stay with Naomi, now she is revealing the hesed love in what she is doing. And it is not long before Ruth is blessed because of the love she is showing. 

As I said earlier, the text says that Ruth happens to go to the field of Boaz, but from every detail we read and from what Naomi says at the end of this chapter, it’s clear that the author of Ruth is pointing us to God’s hand at work in this. It’s not overt, it’s behind the scenes. The lines are blurred and we aren’t sure what made Ruth go there, but God got her to where she was meant to be. We are told that Boaz is not only a close relative of Elimelek, but he’s also a man of standing. We’re not sure exactly what that phrase means, and different translations use different English words to describe Boaz, such as wealthy, worthy, and influential. It could mean that Boaz owns a great deal of land or is wealthy, but it could also mean that he is worthy and well thought of within the community. Even if it means the former, it’s clear from Boaz’s actions that the later is true also. Boaz shows himself to be a worthy man who is well thought of in the community, by both his words and actions in this chapter of Scripture. 

When Boaz enters the fields, he immediately speaks a blessing of God upon his workers. When he encounters a foreign woman in his field, he doesn’t shoo her away, but instead  he calls for the supervisors to find out more about her and then tells them to  show her kindness and compassion. When Boaz speaks to Ruth, he offers her love and grace that is undeserved by blessing her, and then Boaz goes far beyond the call of duty that is outlined in the law by becoming the blessing that he prays for. 

Look at what Boaz does. His only responsibility was to allow Ruth to pick up leftovers and pick from the very edges of the field, but he goes above and beyond this responsibility. He tells Ruth that he will look out for her safety, by commanding his men not to harm her. He allows her to drink the water reserved for the workers, he calls her to eat with him, he tells his men to leave extra stalks and grain for Ruth, to be sure she will have more than enough, and because of all this, we see that in one day of hard work, Ruth is blessed with enough food for at least a month. 

Ruth wonders about Boaz’s kindness. She recognizes that she doesn’t deserve such hesed love. Boaz tells her that he has heard of her own loving kindness towards Naomi, and prays that the Lord would reward her for it. Ironically, Boaz becomes the answer to his own prayer of blessing. He becomes the source of refuge and strength. He becomes the kinsman-redeemer, who shows Ruth the hesed that only comes from God himself. 

When Naomi hears of all this, she commends Boaz and tells Ruth that she is being blessed by God. Naomi, the one who called herself bitter and believed that the Lord had emptied and forgotten about her, has seen the hesed love of God again, in the person of Boaz. He is the example of that love for Ruth, and Naomi encourages Ruth to cling to that love, and to stay in the place where she has found favor. 

In Boaz, we see the hesed of God, and an example for each of us to follow. Each of us should seek to be examples of God’s love, and not only pray for others to know the love of God and His refuge, but we should each seek to live out those prayers, by being the people, who like Boaz point to the love of God through our actions towards others. 

But this text is not simply a moral example and call to be a Boaz to others, it is a reminder of God’s own love for us. For when we did not deserve the love of God, when we were helpless and hopeless like Ruth, through His great love, God sent His son Jesus Christ to meet us where we were, to redeem us from our sin and to show us the hesed love of God. Just as God directed Ruth to the field of Boaz, so God directs us to the place where we will encounter our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. In fact, God is at work throughout all our lives and all the circumstances that we face to bring us to that love, that we might experience the thing that Ruth found, a hesed love that graciously provides for our needs in abundance. That is exactly what Jesus came to do. He saw our need for forgiveness and grace, and He lavished those things upon us. He protected us and offered us a place of refuge from the storm. In Christ, we have our every need met, and our every longing satisfied. Like Boaz was to Ruth, Christ is our kinsman-redeemer, a Savior who shows Himself to be worthy of our praise and honor. 

Today, know that God has directed you to this place or to this video with a purpose, and that purpose is to show you His hesed love by allowing You to meet Jesus Christ. I pray today that you would recognize and accept that love like Ruth did, drawing close to Jesus at this moment, and staying close to Him all the day long. If you are experiencing this grace and love of God for the first time or for the first time in a long time, I encourage you to reach out to me and let me know. Like Naomi was for Ruth, I’d like to be able to encourage you and share more about who Jesus is with you. 

As we experience the hesed love of God, a love that redeems us and will not let us go, I pray that each of us will seek to share that love with others. For that is the example of Boaz and the call of Jesus Christ. When we are given the gift of a great blessing, we are to be a blessing to others. Just as Boaz demonstrated the love of God to Ruth, so we should, in real and tangible ways this Christmas season share the love with one another. 

Conclusion: Today, it is not by chance that you have come to this place, God has a purpose for you being here. As we join together to celebrate and remember the great love of God that was displayed as Jesus went to the cross, let us give thanks for the love of God, and pray that God would continue to direct our steps and show us how we might grasp His love in new and wonderful ways, and share the love that we know with others.