Restart #5- Faithful in the Everyday (Ruth 2)

We look at Ruth 2, as we continue our Restart series. In this study we talk about staying faithful in the waiting times of the restart periods of life.

Study Notes and Scripture:

Ruth 2: Ruth Meets Boaz

2 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.” 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.”^[a]

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.”

¹⁴ And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. ¹⁵ When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. ¹⁶ And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”

¹⁷ So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah^[b] 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.” ²¹ And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” ²² And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” ²³ So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Footnotes

Ruth 2:17 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters

Ruth 2:7 Compare Septuagint, Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain

(NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ruth%202&version=ESV)

God is Working in the Everyday, Even if we Don’t Realize It at the Moment (2:1-3)

A Little background- Kinsman Redeemer– The specific ancient Hebrew practice of allowing the closest relative to buy back land or a person who was sold into slavery. They are also responsible and able to assume the role of nearest relative to marry a widow left after a husbands death. This was important in a culture where land was passed down from father to son, so the land would remain in the family and the family line would continue. In our context of Chapter 2 of Ruth, we will meet Boaz the Kinsman of Naomi’s deceased husband. He as we shall discover soon, is the nearest Kinsman, thus the one who has the right to redeem the family property and to marry Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law left after her own husbands death. The hope of the family line is preserved.

In a connection to Christ, we know that the line of Christ contains David the King of Israel, who is the grandson of the union of Boaz and Ruth. Even more it is a picture of Christ’s relationship to the church, as Christ becomes the Kinsman Redeemer of humanity. Christ has become the one who redeems and purchases our freedom through his act of death on the cross for our sins.

Remain Faithful in Waiting Times (2: 4-18)

Ruth worked faithfully expecting no special reward

• The workers were impressed by Ruth and her hard work
• Boaz was impressed by their report and how he had heard she had been honoring her mother-in-law.

Accept Opportunities and Blessing as God Presents Them

Take Care of the Necessities: Ruth wasn’t trying to get a reward, she was merely trying to provide their needs

• Paul addressed the Thessalonians about living this way. : 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12:“We hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies. We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living. Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, and you will not have to depend on others for what you need.” This passage addresses laziness and encourages believers to work diligently and earn their own living, so they can be self-sufficient and have a good reputation among those outside the church. 
• He also addressed the Colossians saying: Colossians 3:23:“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men”. This verse emphasizes that work should be done with dedication and sincerity, as if serving God directly, rather than merely for human masters. 
• Paul encouraged the church to follow the common Jewish practice in regards to Widows, which Naomi was living out fully from her heart for her Mother in law.
  • 1 Timothy 5:3-16
• Ruth was showing herself a strong and Hebrew woman, even though she was of foreign birth.

Bloom where you are in this unknown season

Ruth works diligently. She is grateful.

Know that God is still watching over you

God was not only providing needs, but putting Ruth in a safe place to gather.

Blessings come in God’s time not ours

Ruth stayed faithful. She didn’t know God’s greater plan for her to marry Boaz at this point. She was blessed with safety and help with the harvest for provision.

Be Grateful for The Blessings to God and Others (2:13)

Realize and live as Faithful not entitled

            Ruth remained faithful, and never took advantage of being part of this family by marriage. She merely came as all poor people were allowed to take leftover grain. She doesn’t appear to hold her place as an entitlement of getting anything.

Thanks goes along way with people

            Ruth honors Boaz in return for his respect and honor of her faithful service.

Remember to honor God in thankfulness

Ruth honors God in Thankfullness.

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^[1] Warren Baker and Eugene E. Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), 579.