Ruth: A Glimmer of Hope

Ruth – A Glimmer of Hope

Ruth 1:22-2:4

Ruth 1:22–2:4 ESV

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. 1 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabite 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.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out 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 clan of Elimelech. 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.”

1. Introduction – Today we have a little bit of intrigue thrown into the story.

a. So far, the story of Naomi and Ruth has been rather sad. Famine, moving, death, infertility, death and another move.

i. There was an emotional parting of ways between Orpah and Naomi and Ruth.

1. Orpah, instead of continuing on to Bethlehem, turned back and chose to return to Moab – to her country, her people and her gods.

a. Naomi, along with Ruth, journeyed back to Bethlehem, where we were told 1:6 that God was once again blessing his people with food.

ii. All along the way so far, we have seen Naomi’s state of mind. She is bitter and resentful towards God. She thinks God is out to get her or is punishing her.

1. She didn’t want Ruth and Orpah to be innocent bystanders of her punishment – or collateral damage in case God inflicts more judgment on her.

a. But as we saw last week…Ruth was staying put.

i. She committed herself to Naomi – till death do us part.

1. She committed herself to Naomi’s people – she was giving up her nationality identity to become and Israelite…learning their customs and ways of living.

a. And she committed herself to Naomi’s God – she left her Moabite gods behind and was solely committing herself to YHWH.

iii. As we saw last week…this odd couple finally made it back to Bethlehem…and where we’ll pick up the story today – they returned at the beginning of the barely harvest.

b. And in the section, we’ll study today – we are introduced to a new character. A man named Boaz. We’ll see what we can learn about him in this introduction.

i. This is the first glimmer of hope that these widows have experienced…will it be blown out? OR will that hope be fanned into a flame?

1. Let’s continue reading this incredible story. Ruth 1:22-2:4.

c. Here’s what we are going to do today. We’ll look at the backdrop of this story. When and where are these events taking place? How and why is it significant?

i. What did Ruth do? What is gleaning? What did it represent and why was it an important aspect of Israelite culture?

1. Who is Boaz? What do we learn about him from this paragraph?

a. And finally, what does this paragraph teach us about God’s providence and sovereignty?

2. The Backdrop – Every story we read – the story of your life – plays out on a backdrop.

a. It almost becomes a silent character that is always present in your life’s story.

i. For that past 12 years – Dutton has been the backdrop of my life.

1. I bought my first house here, became a father here. Burned my garage down and when through my first experience with a building project.

a. I’ve cut my teeth as a pastor and learned what to do and what not to do in certain situations. Along with all kinds of other memories

i. For the previous 28 years – Brantford was the backdrop of my story…the memories and experiences are too many to list.

b. Well, in the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz, there is also a backdrop to the story…a town. Bethlehem.

i. And Bethlehem is a very important town in Israel’s history.

1. Jacob’s wife Rachel was buried in Bethlehem. David’s hometown was Bethlehem.

a. Micah the prophet said that a ruler would come from Bethlehem…and that prophesy was fulfilled at Christmas when Jesus was born there.

ii. But the town of Bethlehem is also the backdrop to Naomi and Ruth’s story.

1. Elimelech, Naomi and their 2 sons left Bethlehem because of a famine and now 2 widows have returned there.

c. Bethlehem, in Hebrew means ‘house of bread.” Isn’t that a great name!

i. At the beginning of this story a family left Bethlehem because the house of bread wasn’t producing bread anymore.

1. There was a famine and Elimelech looked elsewhere for bread. He looked to the green pastures of Moab.

a. But as we made our way through chapter 1 and now into chapter 2, the house of bread was once again producing crops – it was producing bread…

i. The house of bread had bread again…hopefully enough for these 2 widows.

ii. And isn’t it cool – from Bethlehem…from the house of bread came Jesus – who is the bread of life!

d. And the reason we re-read v.22 this morning is because there is a vital piece of information in that verse.

i. A piece of information that sets the scene for us and anchors this redemptive story at a concrete time in history.

1. We are told that Naomi and Ruth came back to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barely harvest.

a. Is the author simply telling us about God’s provision for his people? Or is there more to this? You guessed it! There’s more to it!

ii. “At the beginning of the barely harvest” is a historical timestamp.

1. Much like “in the days when the judges ruled in Israel” tells us a rough period of time when this story took place…

a. “At the beginning of the barely harvest” gives us an exact time of year.

e. The barely harvest happened in the early spring – it began in late March or early April.

i. Barely was the first crop to ripe and so it was the first crop to be harvested.

1. It actually came at the beginning of a new year in Israelite culture. A new year, a new beginning for Naomi and Ruth…maybe a fresh out pouring of God’s grace…what a way to start a year.

f. But there’s more to this time stamp. The beginning of the barely harvest – the beginning of a new year also marked the start of Jewish festivals and feasts.

i. And the Jewish feasts started with the most important one of all…Passover. Followed by the feast of first fruits, followed by the feast of weeks, followed by the feast of booths.

1. At the beginning of the barely harvest…that tells us that Naomi and Ruth’s redemption story took place around Passover.

a. What else happened at Passover? The events we celebrated this morning around the Lord’s Table.

i. Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper…Jesus being arrested, beaten, tried and crucified.

1. Jesus dying on the cross…providing what???Redemption for the whole world!

2. Isn’t God’s timing incredible? Naomi and Ruth’s redemption story is a microcosm of a larger redemption story that will pay out much later in history.

a. Both happening at the exact same time of year. Pretty cool!

3. Gleaning – So, let’s finally more our way into chapter 2. Who knew there was so much information in “They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barely harvest…”?

a. Ruth is determined to find food for the 2 widows. So, she tells Naomi…and she uses a really important word…she says she is going to glean.

i. What’s gleaning? Gleaning was a law in Israelite society that provided for the poor, the foreigner or the widow among them.

1. When harvesting crops, landowners and their workers could pas through their field or orchard once…and only once.

a. They could not make a second pass over the same area.

i. Any fruit or crops that was missed or dropped was to be left for the less fortunate in society to gather.

2. Also, landowners were not allowed to harvest the corners of their fields. These too were to be for the less fortunate to gather from.

b. This gleaning law comes from Leviticus 19:9-10 and Leviticus 23:22. Hear God’s Word.

Leviticus 23:22 ESV

22 “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 19:9–10 ESV

9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.

i. Notice that both versed end with the phrase “I am the Lord your God.”

1. Thus, gleaning is grounded in the character of God.

a. A God who provides for his people. A God who allows people to make a living – but at the same time reminds them that making a living isn’t the be all and end all of life.

i. The gleaning law reminded the people that they were also to be look outside of themselves and minister to others in the name of YHWH.

ii. This law speaks to God’s character – a God who looks out for the poor, the disenfranchised, and the destitute.

1. God commands his people – on multiple occasions – to care for the widow, orphan and the foreigner among them.

c. In Deuteronomy 24:19-22 – this gleaning law is mentioned again, but this time it isn’t grounded in God’s character, but it is grounded in the events of the exodus.

Deuteronomy 24:19–22 ESV

19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.

i. Landowners who left gleanings for the poor – demonstrated a tangible and internalized understanding of what God did for them in the exodus.

1. As God had been kind to them while Pharaoh oppressed them, as God provided for them in the wilderness…so they in turn should show benevolence and charity to those who are less fortunate in their society.

d. Gleaning, though, was hard work. It was not a handout or dropped on the doorstep of the poor.

i. The landowners and workers, by law, didn’t have to lay the missed crops out on a silver platter for them.

1. The gleaners had to do the work themselves. And it was hard.

a. It was also hot work. Again, by law, gleaners weren’t included among the landowners’ workers.

i. The gleaners would have to bring their own food and water…but since they were poor, they would have little of either.

ii. It was also dangerous work. Imagine going to work in a field where you knew you weren’t really wanted and it looked like you were free loading off the work of someone else?

1. Not being counted among the workers meant they were subject to abuse and ridicule.

a. It was hard, it was hot…it was dangerous…but here’s Ruth…

i. They have to eat – they don’t have their own land to work or their own barely to harvest…so she is forced to glean.

iii. it is even more dangerous for her – because she is a woman, a widow, and she’s a foreigner.

1. She wasn’t simply going to the market…she was opening herself up to a physically taxing job.

a. She was opening herself up to verbal and maybe even physical abuse.

i. But she was stepping out in faith – that she would come across a landowner who would be gracious and generous towards her.

4. Boaz – And we are told that Ruth came to a filed that belonged to a man named Boaz. And even before Boaz speaks…we learned a lot about him.

a. And this information raises the interest and intrigue of the reader…what role will this man play in the story?

i. We’ll find more about that next week…but today, let’s see what we learn about this man.

b. First – we are told that he is a worthy man. Now this English word ‘worthy’ comes from a Hebrew word that has a wide range of meanings.

i. It’s actually the same word that’s used when we are introduced to Gideon in the book of Judges.

1. Gideon is called a ‘mighty man of valour – a mighty warrior.’

a. But Boaz wasn’t a warrior – he wasn’t going to lead an army to attack oppressors like Gideon.

i. So, we need to find a variation on the translation. The version we read today says, “worthy” some other English translations say ‘wealthy.”

2. Here’s what this word is getting at – Boaz isn’t your average or ordinary run of the mill Israelite. He was a man of substance.

c. We are also told that he is from the same clan as Elimelech…and Ephrathatite. So – could this man play a role in Naomi’s restoration and redemption? He is from the same clan?

i. And in v.4 – we are told that Boaz made his way from town to one of his fields…and there he speaks for the first time.

1. And remember – the first words out of someone’s mouth reflects their character.

a. So, what did Boaz say? “The Lord be with you.” YHWH was front and centre in his mind - speaking a blessing to his workers.

i. Here is a name who knows YHWH, worships YHWH, and has internalized all that God has done for his people…and for him personally.

2. We’ll look at Boaz’s actions in detail next week. They are incredible.

5. Providence – But how did Ruth end up in Boaz’s field? She didn’t know Boaz. Naomi didn’t tell her to go to one of his fields…how did she end up there?

a. Well – the text says this in v.4. “She happened to come to a part of the field that belonged to Boaz.”

i. Literally, the Hebrew says, “her chance chanced…” Maybe a modern-day expression would be ‘as luck would have it.”

1. Luck, chance…happenstance…is that really what the Bible teachers? Or is the author using these words in order to cause us to think?

a. To think about God’s involvement in normal, everyday decisions.

b. Did Ruth ‘happen’ to end up in Boaz’s field? Was it a chance encounter? Or did God organize the whole thing?

i. Well – obviously it wasn’t luck or chance – it was God moving as only he can.

1. You see, sometimes God intervenes in history in stunning and miraculous ways.

a. Parting the sea, bread from heaven – fire from the sky…raising the dead.

i. But more often…God shows up in the seemingly mundane. Where we don’t see how he worked until months or maybe even years later.

2. Ruth’s future changed by a decision to go out and glean…and then God showed up…and orchestrated and put in motion a plan that would change her life.

c. Has that ever happened to you? Where you made a seemingly mundane or routine decision that led to something great? Something that only God could have planned?

i. I’ll tell you one of mine. I remember I was in my second year of seminary and I needed to do a field ed placement.

1. I was in the field ed director’s office looking through a binder full of profiles of various churches and organizations.

a. I had it narrowed down to two…but there was one that was really jumping out at me.

ii. So, from a two-page profile in a binder, I contacted this random church in Guelph and signed up to do a field ed there. A seemingly mundane decision as part of my education.

1. I really knew nothing about Guelph at the time. Had been there 2 or 3 times with my band earlier…but here I was, signing up to go there multiple times per week.

a. However, what was a random decision for me, turned out to be a huge turning point used by God.

d. At the church in Guelph, I discovered and explored my call to ministry. In Guelph I preached my first sermon…it was brutal and they were very gracious to listen to me.

i. My field ed supervisor there became on of my best friends…a relationship I still have to this day. Not sure any of my classmates still have relationships with their field ed supervisors.

1. Something else happened in Guelph…at Priory Park, that’s where I met Rachel.

a. A seemingly mundane decision…but one that God used to change the trajectory of my life.

ii. Now, if we had more time today, we could explore the relationship between human action and God’s providence. Ruth took action, she made the decision to go out and glean…I made the decision to do a field ed at Priory Park…but God used those the decisions for his glory.

e. The author is forcing us to think about God’s provision for his people. Ruth took action…and God provided.

i. He provided food…he provided hope for our main characters.

1. And looking back over your life…what seemingly mundane decision turned out to be used by God to do great things in your life.

a. I’m going to give you some time to think about that right now. Then we’ll sing…

i. But before you rush out of here…tell someone.

ii. Talk to each other about how God moved and worked in your life through a seemingly mundane decision you made…

1. And then praise God together for how he moves and how he works uniquely in each of our lives.