Ruth 2:1-23

Ruth 2:1–3 ESV

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.

Introduction:

Knock on wood

The most common explanation is that the superstition comes from the pagan belief that spirits lived in trees.  People would knock on wood to beseech friendly spirits for help or to thank them for assistance.

Lucky Rabbit's Foot

The answer may lie with the Celts. Celtic lore held that rabbits were lucky since they lived below ground and, therefore, could communicate more easily with the gods.

The Roman queen Boudicca was said to have released rabbits onto the battlefield before a fight began to predict whether or not she'd be victorious.

Make Birthday Wish

The tradition of putting candles on cakes started with the ancient Greeks, who would bake cakes that looked like the moon when they wanted to ask the moon goddess, Artemis, for her favor.

Furthermore, many people believed that the lingering smoke above the candle carries wishes to God or the gods as it rises into the air.

Lucky Horse Shoes

Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury in 959 AD.

The legend goes that Dunstan was shoeing a horse when the devil came along. The devil thought that he, like the animals, could travel farther and more comfortably if he wore shoes on his cloven hooves.

Dunstan agreed to shoe the devil, but he played a trick on him and put the nails too close to the sensitive quick, where the hoof meets the skin.

The devil was in agony, but Dunstan would only agree to remove the painful shoes when the devil swore that he wouldn't enter a home protected by a horseshoe over the door. And therefore, people use horseshoes to keep out bad luck.

In hopeless times do we need luck to lend a hand?

Ruth 2:3 (LEB)

3 So she went and came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. And she happened by chance upon the tract of field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.

This is not an illustration of a fortunate coincidence but divine providence.

We must not operate our lives based upon fait but faith.

We don’t believe in good luck.

We believe in a Good God.

Ruth 2:4–13 ESV

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.” 5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.” 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 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!” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”

God cares!

To express this notion Boaz introduces one of the most beautiful pictures of divine care in all of Scripture. He imagines Yahweh as a mother bird who offers her wings (kānāp) for the protection of her defenseless young

God cares about feeding the hungry.

We should also!

God cares about clothing the necked.

We should also!

God cares about protecting the vulnerable.

Ruth 2:17–20 ESV

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 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!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”

How much gleaning did she do?

5.5 gallons (22 l)—at least a two-week supply for the two women

Kindness - is from the Hebrew Word Chesed - That is God’s covenant keeping love.

That is the love which is absolutely dependable and trustworthy.

God is faithful.

In her best Hebrew Naomi clears her thought and sings - Great is thy faithfulness.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father There is no shadow of turning with Thee Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness Morning by morning new mercies I see All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

We should also!

God is at work in ways you can’t see or imagine.

You can count on God when life has you down for the count.

God commanded his people to care for the poor and needy and vulnerable.

How do we get Messiah out of the mess of the Judges.

Lexham Theological Wordbook גָּאַל

to redeem, act as next of kin. Refers to carrying out the responsibility of the next of kin to protect the interests of the clan.

With reference to a family context, the concept of redemption relates to the importance of keeping property within the clan or recovering property that has been sold (Num 5:8; Lev 25:23–31; Jer 32:7–8; Ruth 4:1–6). The next of kin was responsible to redeem property that had been sold and could also take a relative’s widow into his household (Ruth 2:20; 3:9, 12).