Ruth 2 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Ruth 2 Notes** > [[Ruth 1 FSI|<Prev]]   [[Ruth 3 FSI|Next>]] >[[Ruth 2|Verse list view]] > [Ruth 2:1](Ruth%202.md#^1) note > > Another character is introduced who is a kinsman of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech. He is a close relative, perhaps a cousin or an uncle, a mighty man of wealth whose name is Boaz. And we'll see as we go on in the Book of Ruth that he is a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ. > > In other verses of the Old Testament where we find the word “kinsman” (including in the Book of Ruth), the Hebrew word that is used is translated elsewhere as “Redeemer.” In this particular verse, it is not the same Hebrew word. Nevertheless, it is a word that means Boaz is a relative. So God is not presenting Boaz as the redeemer yet, He is not pointing out in this particular verse that Boaz is a type of Christ as Redeemer. He is simply introducing the historical event that Boaz is a kinsman, a close relative of Naomi. > > There is another sense in which Christ, Who is God, is our Kinsman. We are created in the image of God, even though we have sinned, even though we have rebelled. So we, like Ruth and Naomi, are spiritual widows. That is, we have no husband any longer, we have no relationship with God, we are estranged from God because of our sins and are spiritually destitute and poor, without substance. Nevertheless, by virtue of the fact that we are human beings created in the image of God, we are in that sense still related to God. And He, of course, is Mighty in His power, He is the infinite God Himself Who is King of Kings and Lord of lords. So He is, of course, infinitely wealthy. The cattle on 1000 hills belongs to Him. The whole world, the entire universe, belongs to Him. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. So that is the initial picture with Boaz as the mighty man of wealth who is a close relative to the family of Elimelech. ^ruth2-1 > [Ruth 2:2](Ruth%202.md#^2) note > > Notice again that God emphasizes "Ruth the Moabitess" here – Ruth, who is of a cursed nation. > > This passage, of course, is a historical event that God is setting forth here. Naomi and Ruth are poor, they're widows, they have no substance whatsoever, they are bereft of everything. But they have to live. So Ruth is going to go out as a beggar, she is going to glean in the fields. God laid down the rule in those days that the harvesters or reapers were not to harvest too closely in the corners of the field. And if some of the sheaves or some of the grain were dropped, they were not to pick it up, they were to leave these stalks of grain for the poor of the land. So Ruth, as a beggar, as one of the poorest of all in the land, was to go into someone's field and start gleaning in order that she and Naomi might have food to eat. That's the historical picture. > > We read in [Leviticus 19:9](Leviticus%2019.md#^9) - [10](Leviticus%2019.md#^10): > > *And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather [every] grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I [am] the LORD your God.* > > We read similarly in [Leviticus 23:22](Leviticus%2023.md#^22): > > *And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I [am] the LORD your God.* > > We also read in [Deuteronomy 24:19](Deuteronomy%2024.md#^19): > > *When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.* > > And [Deuteronomy 24:21](Deuteronomy%2024.md#^21) - [22](Deuteronomy%2024.md#^22) continues: > > *When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean [it] afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.* > > In that language, we find what God has in view here. God is setting up a figure in these passages, and Ruth is acting out this figure. You see, historically speaking, Israel was at one time a servant in Egypt. That is, they had no one to champion their cause. They were slaves in the land of Egypt, and they were glad just to get the gleanings, just the leftovers. This is what sustained them, this is what kept them alive. But then God took them out of Egypt with a mighty Arm, God had become their Redeemer, God had saved them from the bondage of servitude in Egypt, and they had become God's people in a powerful way. Since God had dealt thus with them, so, too, were they to deal with those who were strangers to Israel -- as well as those who were fatherless, poor, and widowed -- that is, those who did not have anyone to care and provide for them. They were to care for them this way, they were to be concerned about the poor, those who had nothing at all going for them. As the Israelites had such abundant blessings from God, they were to make sure that something was left over for those who had nothing at all. > > All of this is a picture of the Gospel program. The Gospel, of course, is the fruit that comes from what we have sown, the blessings of God because He has saved us. But we don’t hoard these blessings for ourselves. We are to have a concern for those who are outside, for those who are strangers to the body of Christ, those who are aliens, those who are widows who have not become married spiritually to Christ as their Groom, as their Husband. We are to make sure that there is food provided for those who are without and come seeking for spiritual nourishment. > > There's a very beautiful parallel to this found in in Matthew 15:22-28: > > *And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.* > > This Syrophoenician woman from Canaan is a figure of anyone who is unsaved. She is outside of the commonwealth of Israel, she doesn’t have a relationship with God. Before salvation we are spiritually poor, we are strangers, we are widows outside of Christ, just like those who would glean in the fields. > > Now, the main harvests belonged to Israel, they were of the house of God. And here, Jesus is setting up an example through this SyroPhoenician woman's plight. He is saying, Well, the food belongs to the house of Israel. He, of course, is testing and developing her faith. Jesus is fully aware of the commands of the Bible that there is to be something left over for the poor and the stranger and the widow. And He would never actually reject this Canaanitish woman in her plight, because Jesus will never go against His own commands. > > But He seems to go against these commands, having nothing for her, to develop and magnify her faith, which we see here is very great. So He acts momentarily as if He can do nothing for her, and He even calls her a dog. He says, “It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.” And in those days, a dog was a scavenger, a dog was looked upon as more of a nuisance than as a pet. And certainly, a dog was altogether on a different level from those who sat around the table. > > So, effectively, He is equating her with a dog, as someone who is an outcast, as someone who has no part with Israel, as someone who is cursed. You see, He was really putting her in a class with Ruth the Moabitess. A Moabite was cursed, so Ruth, being a Moabite, a citizen of the land of Moab, was cursed. Oh, yes, that's exactly where each of us are before we are saved. We are under the curse of God. In the biblical language, we are dogs. In the biblical language, we have no part with Israel, with those who are children of God, at all. We deserve nothing. > > But you'll notice that she said in Matthew 15, “Truth, Lord.” She is saying, “I am nothing. I'm just a dog. I have nothing at all to offer, nothing to bring.” And that again is a picture of the mourning of the person who comes to Christ looking for salvation. He or she realizes their spiritual bankruptcy, they realize that they have nothing at all to bring. > > But she called Him "Lord." In other words, she is beginning to recognize him as Lord. She is ready to be obedient to him, she is ready to look to Him as the only Source of help. And that's the way we come as an unsaved person to Christ, with no pretensions of our own, we simply trust in Christ as Lord. > > And then she said, “Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” You see, that's parallel to someone who gleaned in the fields in the Old Testament. The poor, the widows, the strangers -- those who are outside of the blessed people of God who received all of the blessings of God, as Israel had in a corporate fashion -- they could still have the gleanings from the field, there was something for them, too. > > And this Canaanitish woman is really expressing, without realizing, the Old Testament law, that when you harvest your field, be sure to leave something for the poor. If you drop a sheaf, or a sheaf of grain, don't go back to pick it up. If you're harvesting the corners of the field, don't do extra work, leave some for the poor of the land, for the widows, for the strangers, for those who are outside, for those who do not have any blessings going for them. > > And, of course, this Syrophoenician woman was ready to just eat the crumbs from the table, as a dog, as someone who was cursed. It is in this kind of a context that salvation came to her. Christ says, "Great is thy faith." And faith is the lifeline. It is the gift that God gives us in order that we might have salvation when we have abandoned ourselves to Christ, when we have put our trust in Him. This is the path to salvation. > > Now can you see what a beautiful parallel this is to Ruth the Moabitess. Ruth also was cursed, she is going into the field to glean, she is going into the fields, we’ll soon see, of Boaz. And we read here in verse two, that "she might glean ears of corn (grain) after him in whose sight I shall find grace." Now, the Syrophoenician woman, or the Canaanitish woman in Matthew 15 found grace from the Lord Jesus Christ, she was privileged to come directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. And she found grace, the Lord commended her for her faith and granted her desire. And the language is such as he talks about her faith that we can know she undoubtedly became born again. It's a picture of a person who is becoming born again. > > Well, here we see that God is setting up in Ruth chapter two a picture of a poor widow, someone who was a stranger, meeting all the criteria that were set forth insofar as those who could glean in the fields as we read in the accounts of Leviticus 19 and 23, and Deuteronomy 24. She is poor. She's a widow. She's a stranger. She is a legitimate gleaner in the field. And her purpose in gleaning is, in the historical sense of this love story, so that she might have physical food that she might be able to live. > > But in the deeper sense, in the spiritual lesson, in the marvelous spiritual truth that God is unfolding for us here, she is going to glean in the field because she is like someone who is looking for salvation, she is looking for her Savior, she is coming to the table of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Syrophoenician woman did. She is coming, trying to find "Him in whose sight I shall find grace." > > Now, she is using this language in the historical sense in the context of this love story, just to speak about her desire to find someone who would take a little bit of pity upon her. But she spoke this language under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that it would be a beautiful statement of those who are looking for salvation. > > Now, Ruth is going out to glean what is left behind, what has fallen to the ground during the harvesting -- just to eat the crumbs that have fallen from the Master’s table. When we come to the Lord looking for salvation, we do not make any demands on God. We do not say, "Oh Lord, You created us. And now You must provide a marvelous and wonderful salvation for us. You must make us Thy children, You must reinstate us into Thy favor. You must do this and you must do the other thing." No, we don't come to the Lord that way. We come humbly as the Syrophoenician woman, or as Ruth the Moabitess -- we look for a crumb, we look for a gleaning, just a little bit of spiritual bread here or a little bit there. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble, the Bible says in [James 4:6](James%204.md#^6). And this is the way we come to God -- very humbly. Remember, in [Philippians 4:6](Philippians%204.md#^6), where it speaks about us coming to him after we are believers. We don't come arrogantly, "Oh, Lord, now you've got to take care of this problem." But it says not to be anxious about anything, but with prayer and supplication, with prayer and supplication, we supplicate before the Lord. We do not come demanding, we are a suppliant -- we aren't entitled to what God has for us, and we simply, as a poor person, supplicate before the Lord, "Oh, Father, is it possible...Oh, Lord, we don't deserve this. But this is our need and whatever. Whatever you would give us is more than we deserve." This is the way we go to the Lord. This must be our stance before him. And as we go through this beautiful love story of the Book of Ruth, we're going to see again that this is the way we stand before God. > > We do not begin to look for answers to life's deepest problems, we do not begin to look for eternal life, in our pride, by coming as someone who will be honored as we look. We do not come in our strength, we come as suppliants. Remember, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are poor in spirit," and, "Blessed are those who mourn." That's the picture of those who are truly seeking for the grace of God. That's the picture of those who are looking for spiritual Bread. Ruth, here, is a dramatic picture of someone who is seeking for salvation, who realizes that I am nothing myself, I am spiritually bankrupt. I have nothing going for me, nothing to offer to God -- but, oh, how I want to be saved. So, she is going to look for grain, that is, for bread, for that which will give her (eternal) life. Of course, in the historical context Ruth is only looking for that which will provide physical life. But in the spiritual meaning here, we see that she is a figure of those who are looking for spiritual Bread that will give her eternal life. > > Notice again in verse 2, it says, "That I might glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace." Grace is unmerited favor, it's undeserved favor. Ruth did not deserve whatever she's going to find in these fields. She had not planted any of this. She had not taken care of these fields. She had not worked in these fields, and to go there and glean these ears of corn or glean the barley that was in the fields was simply to take what belonged to someone else. It was a gift of grace. And that is the situation when we are saved as we come to the Lord Jesus Christ. We did not earn anything that we receive, it is all of grace. It is unmerited, undeserved favor of God. > > And so we see Ruth here. She is about to go into the field of someone in order that she might glean some grains so that she and her mother-in-law, Naomi, poor widows, might find physical strength. And yet, in the language she uses, she is a picture of someone who realizes her spiritual bankruptcy, who realizes that she has nothing that will provide life -- there is no eternal life that we have when we're outside of Christ. So we try to find a field, that is, we try to find a Gospel where Someone will bestow grace upon us. And the only field where we can find the true Gospel is the field of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ because He alone is like Boaz. He alone is a Relative who is mighty, and of supreme wealth, and He alone is the One who also became our Kinsman. That is, He became our Redeemer. And as we go on in the book of Ruth, we're going to see this developed more. ^ruth2-2 > [Ruth 2:3](Ruth%202.md#^3) note > > Remember that Ruth, this poor widow, this stranger from the land of Moab who was really cursed of God -- who had no relationship with Israel of that day -- she now is going out to glean in someone's field in order that there might be food for herself and for her mother-in-law, Naomi, who is also a widow. And it says here that by happenstance she came into the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. This statement is written so that it looks like it was just coincidental, almost accidental, that she came into the field of Boaz. Around Bethlehem, there were many, many fields of grain. This was in the beginning of the harvest, and these fields were beginning to become ripe. So there were reapers or harvesters active in all of these fields of barley. She could have gone into any number of fields. But it says here, it just happened that she went into the field of Boaz, who was of the kindred of Naomi because Naomi had been married to Elimelech, who died in the land of Moab. > > Many times, there are those who are beginning to seek God. They may not even quite realize they are seeking God, perhaps there’s just a little uneasiness in their soul. So perhaps they are just becoming interested in some conversations they hear on Gospel radio, or perhaps they are intrigued by this gospel, or that gospel, or maybe some event has happened in their life so they're beginning to wonder about the meaning of life, and just where is Truth. So they’ll say, it just happened that I was tuning across the dial, and I heard a program that sounded kind of interesting, so I started listening to it. Or this just happened and that happened. So to them, it's really kind of accidental that that is what occurred. This is the way it is frequently from our vantage point. > > From Ruth's vantage point, it just happened that she went into the field of Boaz, who was a kinsmen of Naomi. From our vantage point, it just happened that we had a certain kind of conversation, or it just happened that we were in a situation to hear the true Gospel. But we know from the rest of the Bible that there is no such thing as something just happening. Nothing happens by blind chance. Nothing happens without the will of God. God says not even a hair of your head falls without the knowledge of the Father. The very tiniest thing in our life is knowledgeable to him, and is part of his plan. So you can rest assured that, while this is the picture that is painted here in Ruth, chapter two, it was actually according to God's plan exactly as He wanted. He guided Ruth into this field, just as He guides someone to bring their attention to the true Gospel. It may appear like happenstance, but actually it is purposed by God. God is the One who draws us to Himself. “No man comes unto me,” the Lord said, “except the Father draw him.” God is supremely active in our salvation. > > So God was very carefully guiding the activities of Ruth in a historical way as she is living out the beautiful plan of salvation. She, as a historical figure, is going to find answers for her physical life in Boaz, who is going to become her kinsman and husband in time. But, through this, God is showing us how He works out his salvation plan. It just happened that she came into the field of Boaz, but we know God was very carefully is directing her. Insofar as Ruth is concerned, it is just by chance she came there. And so it seems to us with our salvation when we are seeking the Lord. ^ruth2-3 > [Ruth 2:4](Ruth%202.md#^4) note > > The historical story here, of course, is easy to follow. Ruth has left Naomi for the day. She is going to find a field where there are some reapers (or harvesters) working in order that she might find some grain so that she and her mother-in-law have something to eat, and she comes into a field. And afterwards she learns that it's the field of Boaz, the relative of Naomi through Elimelech. Now, Boaz is a landowner, and maybe he has many fields. And he lives in Bethlehem, in a house there. So during this day, he goes by some of his fields to see how the reapers are doing. He comes from Bethlehem, out into the outskirts of the city of Bethlehem to see how the harvesting is going on. That, of course, is the historical story that is unfolding before us. > > Spiritually speaking, what do we have here? Boaz came from Bethlehem. Let's remember that in this story, we're going to increasingly see that Boaz is a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ. But where did Jesus come from? Well, of course, He came from Heaven, didn't he? Yes, He did. But where is it that Heaven became incarnate, where God became man; that is, where Jesus actually took on a human nature? Well, that was in Bethlehem, was it not? He was born in Bethlehem. It is out of Bethlehem that the Messiah came, He was born in a manger there of humble birth. And, as we saw in our earlier study, it is the House of Bread. It is where Christ, Who Is the Bread of Life, took on a human nature and came into this world as a human being. > > So we're not at all surprised to read this language. That is, that God put into the heart of this love story that Boaz came from Bethlehem. God very carefully writes this love story in this fashion so that we have this spiritual truth that Boaz, as a figure of Christ, has come from Bethlehem, which points us to Christ as our Messiah. And it points us to the manger in Bethlehem where Christ was born. > > Boaz is exceptionally gracious. He now comes to his reapers, and says, “The Lord be with you.” And they answered him, “The Lord bless you.” This is beautiful, beautiful language of a marvelous relationship between an employer and his employees. Boaz is the owner of these fields. The reapers work for him, they are his servants. And you see the the warm, happy, spiritual relationship that exists between Boaz and his reapers. My, wouldn't it just be wonderful if in every one of our employer-employee organizations in the world today, this kind of a relationship existed? Notice the beautiful language that is used. He greets a reaper with, “The Lord be with you.” And then they answer him back, “The Lord bless thee.” What beautiful statements. That, of course, is the historical message that we have before us. > > But really, what is God saying to us by this language? Why did God put these sentences in the Bible? These are true words that were spoken by Boaz and by the reapers. Yet, God wrote this for our information because there is more than just the fact that Boaz had this marvelous relationship between himself and the reapers. Now, remember that Boaz is a figure of Christ Himself, as we’ll see when we go along in the Book of Ruth. So as he greets the reapers, and says to them, “The Lord be with you,” he is speaking the way God would speak to us. > > The harvesters who labor in Boaz’s field are a figure of the believers. Remember, Jesus said, “(The fields) are white already to harvest” ([Jn 4:35](John%204.md#^35)), and, “Pray ye...that he will send forth laborers into his harvest” ([Mt 9:38](Matthew%209.md#^38)). The reapers are those of us who are busy sharing the Gospel, every born again believer is commanded by God to be a witness. He is qualified by God by being filled with the Spirit that he can legitimately serve as an ambassador of Christ. So we are reapers in the vineyard and in the grain fields of the Lord. So these reapers that we read about in Ruth chapter two are a figure of those who are born again believers, who are getting on with the task of bringing the Gospel in the world. > > So when Boaz says to the reapers, “The Lord be with you,” that is a statement of God's blessing upon us as we share the Gospel. The Lord be with you. God is saying, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” The Lord will bless us as we are faithful to Him, as we are obedient to Him in bringing the Gospel. That is the spiritual insight that we can derive from this. But then the reapers answer Boaz, “The Lord bless you...” Well, now, can we who are believers bless the Lord? Can we ask the Lord to bless the Lord? > > Well, of course we can't. We can't bless the Lord out of our own resources, but we certainly can ask the Lord to bless His activity of bringing the Gospel. Repeatedly in the Psalms, for example, we read, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. This is the cry of the believer who loves the Lord, and he relates to the Lord in this fashion: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Everything within me wants the very best for the Lord’s sake. It is the intimate relationship that exists between God and His children, those who are born again and the Lord God. We really bless the Lord in this way. > > Now in Psalm 45, we find a very interesting phrase where God indeed blesses God Himself. And in this way, as we read this, we will be saying of the Lord Jesus Christ, may the Lord bless thee, because it's talking here in Psalm 45 of the Lord Jesus Christ as He will come as Redeemer and as Judge. We read in [Psalm 45:2](Psalm%2045.md#^2): > > *Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God has blessed thee for ever.* > > Now the Person in view here is the Lord Jesus Christ, as we see in the next few verses in Psalm 45:3-7: > > *Gird thy sword upon [thy] thigh, O [most] mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness [and] righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows [are] sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; [whereby] the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom [is] a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.* > > This is clearly speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. So as we read verse 2 of this Psalm, “therefore God hath blessed thee for ever,” God blesses the Lord Jesus Christ. And when we say with the Psalmist, “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” we are actually asking God to bless the Lord Jesus Christ because of what he has done for us. So as Boaz speaks to the reapers, “The Lord be with you,” it is a truism. That is the faithfulness of the Lord that He will always be with us when we belong to Him. But we also reply, “The Lord bless thee,” that is, we want God's program to have the complete priority. We want everything to work out so that it is best for God in every sense of the word. This is another way of saying, perhaps, “Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness.” We want God to be number One altogether. So in this beautiful greeting, we see this marvelous relationship that exists between God and His born again believers, an intimate relationship, a loving relationship, a relationship that's based on trust, and the faithfulness of God, and the desire of the believer that God's Will might be done. ^ruth2-4 > [Ruth 2:5](Ruth%202.md#^5) note > > Boaz has come from Bethlehem, from his town house, if you will, out into the fields to see how the harvesting is going. And he sees this young woman, Ruth, amongst all of the other poor of the land. And there were certainly many, many others who were gleaning in the fields. So he speaks as though he doesn't know very much about her, saying, “Whose damsel is this?” When we get to verse 11, we'll see that Boaz knew all about her. We read there where Boaz said to Ruth: > > *...It has fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and [how] thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.* > > In other words, Boaz is well familiar with Ruth’s background, just as God knows all about us. But he wants to make sure he is going to speak to the right maiden, so he asks, Whose damsel is this? > > Now remember, we saw Naomi and Ruth come into Bethlehem, after they had left the land of Moab with all the bitter experiences that were associated with Moab, the cursed land – and Naomi returned with Ruth “the Moabitess.” God was just rubbing it in, so to speak, that she is a cursed woman, she's Ruth the Moabitess. She's a stranger, she's an alien, she doesn't belong here at all. So note the language that the reaper answers with in the next verse. ^ruth2-5 > [Ruth 2:6](Ruth%202.md#^6) note > > As God develops this love story, He again mentions in the reaper’s reply, “It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.” There is redundancy here. It is not necessary for the purpose of a love story to say this again and again. It certainly would have been more than sufficient had this reaper said, “Oh, she's the young lady who came with Naomi, when she came back from her journey away from the land of Bethlehem.” Boaz would have known exactly who this reaper was talking about because everybody had gone out to greet Naomi. They knew all about Ruth and Naomi. > > But God here is letting this reaper use this kind of language in order to emphasize again that Ruth is a stranger. She is a cursed woman. She “is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab,” out of that cursed country. She is an alien here. > > Now, that's exactly the way we are remembered. Ruth is a figure of all of us who are unsaved, we don't belong in the house of God. We don't belong close to God at all because we are rebellious, we are under the wrath of God. We are completely estranged from God because of our sins. How dare we speak to God? How dare we come into His Presence. And yet, Ruth is here gleaning in the fields of Boaz. She is in Bethlehem, in the House of Bread. She is a picture of the fact that we, too, in our cursed, spiritually bankrupt condition, can come into the Presence of Holy God as a suppliant. We can humbly beg, we can sue for mercy, we can begin to look for a little bit of God's grace, even as Ruth was looking for a little bit of grace from the owner of this field, who turns out to be Boaz. > > Then this reaper continues to speak about Ruth in the next verse, verse seven, where Ruth asked this superintendent, this foreman of the reapers, “I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.” ^ruth2-6 > [Ruth 2:7](Ruth%202.md#^7) note > > Notice how humble Ruth is. She didn't come arrogantly into that field at all. She didn't make demands. She didn't say, “Well, now, I understand from Naomi the law permits me to come in to glean because I am a widow. I'm poor, and I'm a stranger.” No, she very deferentially goes to the foreman of the reapers and says, “May I? Is it possible that I, too, can glean in this field?” And of course, she was given permission because this is the law of the land. > > Again, we come to the Lord with no arrogancy whatsoever. There is no way that we can make any demands upon the Lord Jesus Christ. We come, “Oh, Lord, have mercy on me. I'm a sinner. Is it possible that there are just a few crumbs for me? Is it possible that you might have a little bread of life for me? Is it possible that I might just be a slave in your Kingdom? I don't deserve this kind of salvation whatsoever.” We can only plead for mercy with a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Again and again, the Bible declares that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. > > This is the way Ruth came into the field of Boaz. She came humbly recognizing that she was a cursed woman, that she was a stranger, that she was a widow, that she was of the poor of the land – and that she could make no demands of any kind. > > The language of the last phrase in verse 7 is rather awkward. It reads, “She tarried a little in the house.” This statement can be translated to indicate that she is gleaning there without resting even for a moment. Thus, Ruth typifies those who persistently pray to the Lord for mercy and grace, realizing that only in God is there any hope for salvation. ^ruth2-7 > [Ruth 2:8](Ruth%202.md#^8) note > > "Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter?" -- Boaz begins to speak to Ruth. Oh my, what a tender love story. How the heart of this poor, lost widow must have thrilled. Imagine the owner of this field Boaz, who is a mighty man of wealth, would come to personally speak with her, a lowly, destitute widow. For him to let her just glean in his field is gracious enough, but here he actually approaches her to speak to her with words of comfort, words of consolation. > > He begins: “Hearest thou not my daughter?” In the Hebrew language, “Hearest thou not?” is a rhetorical question. What Boaz is saying really means, “Listen to me, my daughter.” That this rich owner of the field would address Ruth the Moabitess “my daughter”, suggesting thereby that he regards her a member of his family must have thoroughly thrilled her heart. > > And yet, that is exactly how the Lord Jesus Christ greets us when we come humbly before Him with all our sins and all our misery, beseeching Him for mercy. He does not respond to us with harshness. Rather, He says, “Come unto me, my son,” or “Come unto me my daughter.” Remember what He says in [Matthew 11:28](Matthew%2011.md#^28)? “Come unto me, all ye labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” When we come to the Lord with a truly broken and a contrite heart, God welcomes us as a child of His. > > "Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence," -- Boaz has still more gracious words for Ruth here in verse 8. He tells the maiden that she needs not have any fear of having overstayed her welcome in his field and go somewhere else to glean. Instead, he specifically tells her not to leave his field. > > Through it, God is telling us that when we come under the hearing of the Gospel in our search for salvation, we ought to stay with it. We are not to shop around for another gospel that we hope is to be more palatable to us. [Galatians 1:6](Galatians%201.md#^6) - [7](Galatians%201.md#^7) addresses this issue: > > *I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another....* > > By “not another”, God is saying that there simply isn’t any gospel other than that of the Bible that can bring salvation. The true gospel is circumscribed by the Bible alone and in its entirety. We are to persist in listening to what God teaches us through the scripture. > > "but abide here fast by my maidens:" -- See the note under the next verse (v9) for the remainder of verse 8. ^ruth2-8 > [Ruth 2:9](Ruth%202.md#^9) note > > Continuing from the last phrase from verse 8: "...but abide here fast by my maidens" And now into verse 9: "Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them:" -- Boaz further tells Ruth to stick close to his maidens. He is referring to the women working alongside the men that are reaping in the field. > > In the historically context, he encourages Ruth, a young widow, to stay close with the women, not the men, that are working in the field to avoid any temptation. Speaking about young widows with sexual desires, God says in [1 Corinthians 7:9](1%20Corinthians%207.md#^9), “If they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.” > > Spiritually, God is telling us to fellowship with other believers if we can because we are now a part of the family of God, the body of Christ. As [Hebrews 10:24](Hebrews%2010.md#^24) - [25](Hebrews%2010.md#^25) says, “let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” Of course, that's very difficult in our day since we have reached the end of the church age in which we must come out from the churches and congregations as they have become overrun by false gospels. > > We should also “go after” other devoted servants of Christ. Follow the example of those godly people that we read in the Bible. In his first epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: > > *Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved,* ([1 Cor 10:31](1%20Corinthians%2010.md#^31), [32](1%20Corinthians%2010.md#^32), [33](1%20Corinthians%2010.md#^33)) > > He then tells them in the ensuing verse: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” ([11:1](1%20Corinthians%2011.md#^1)). > > We might also “abide fast” with believers that are mature in the Word, Christians “who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” ([Heb 5:14](Hebrews%205.md#^14)). From such Christians, we can learn much in how to be patient in times of trial and temptation, how to be forgiving when we are wrong, how to be merciful and gracious to those that are in need, and so on. > > The field. Notice that Boaz encourages Ruth to keep her eye on the field that the other maidens are reaping. This is the picture of God telling us to concentrate in the Kingdom of God. Like the others there, we ought to keep in mind always that we are servants of the Lord carrying our assigned work in His vineyard. > > "...have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?" -- Here in verse 9, you can well see the historical situation. Ruth, a young widow, is a stranger in the field. Now, Boaz assures her, “Look, I have charged the young men, don’t any of you get any ideas about this Ruth. She is under my care and protection. I don’t want anything to happen to her.” > > And that, of course, is God’s promise to us. He cares for us. He will surround us with His almighty arms. He will never leave us or forsake us. He even gives His angels charge over us. We read in [Psalm 91:9](Psalm%2091.md#^9), [10](Psalm%2091.md#^10), [11](Psalm%2091.md#^11), [12](Psalm%2091.md#^12): > > *Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most high, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.* > > "...and when thou art athirst go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn." -- It’s the heat of the day, and Ruth has been gleaning diligently without resting for a moment. No doubt she would at some point get thirsty. So, Boaz tells her that when she is athirst, there is water in the vessels that she can drink, water that has been drawn by the young men in his service. > > On the deeper spiritual level, God is referring to the water of the gospel, the water of eternal life that we receive when we hear the gospel. What did Jesus say in Matthew 5 in the Beatitudes? He says in [verse 6](Matthew%205.md#^6), “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” > > Ruth is a picture here of those who are seeking salvation, who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. And they shall be filled-filled by God Himself. The young men that have drawn the water are believers that are sending forth the Gospel. Remember [John 7:38](John%207.md#^38)? “He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” ^ruth2-9 > [Ruth 2:10](Ruth%202.md#^10) note > > You can see how Ruth’s heart is totally bewildered. She has come out of Moab where everything had gone bad into this strange land, where she has no people other than her mother-in-law. She is actually looked upon according to the law of the land as a cursed woman. And she has come into this field as a stranger just to glean a few grains of barley or corn or whatever it might be. But now, she finds this man Boaz so gracious to her. How is this possible? > > And so throwing herself to the ground, she bows down and does obeisance to him. > > **Overwhelmed** > > This historical account is a marvelous picture of the way we come to the Lord Jesus Christ. In our brokenness, we come seeking for spiritual strength, seeking for an answer for our lives. And when we find that God not only takes note of us, bet even lavishes His blessings upon us, we throw ourselves before Him in complete humility and say, “How can this be?” > > It is true that back in verse 2 of this chapter, Ruth did say, “Let me go now to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace.” Yes, she did look for a little bit of mercy and grace. But now, she is just overwhelmed by the enormous blessings Boaz is bestowing on her. And so, she wonders, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes?” > > **Amazing grace** > > And that’s the way it is when we come to the Lord, isn’t it? Learning that we are rebellious sinners that deserve the wrath of God, we begin to plead for mercy. But once we become saved, we discover that God’s mercy and grace are without limit. Oh, the depths and the riches of the mercies of God. Who can know it, who can know it? > > In [Isaiah 55:6](Isaiah%2055.md#^6) - [7](Isaiah%2055.md#^7), God says to those who are rebellious against Him: > > *Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.* > > How is it possible that the wicked can still receive pardon from the Lord? How is it possible that the Holy God will still have mercy on the unrighteousness? God answers those unspoken questions in the next two verses: > > *For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.* ([Is 55:8](Isaiah%2055.md#^8) - [9](Isaiah%2055.md#^9)) > > How high is the earth? Well, the earth is 8,000 miles in diameter. And how high are the heavens and the universe? They extend billions of light years' distance out into space. If you draw a proportion of 8,000 miles against the billions upon billions upon billions of miles that space extends, then you get the proportion of our understanding of what God’s grace as compared with what it really is. In short, God in incomprehensible in His mercy and His grace. ^ruth2-10 > [Ruth 2:11](Ruth%202.md#^11) note > > "And Boaz answered and said unto her, it has fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband:" -- Boaz now reveals to Ruth that he actually has a very good knowledge of Ruth’s background. He is not a stranger to Ruth at all. Being a kinsman of the family, Boaz has heard how Naomi had left Jerusalem ten years ago with her husband Elimelech and her two sons, how Elimelech had died shortly thereafter, and how Naomi’s two sons had died recently. He has learned that Naomi came back with one of her daughters-in-law named Ruth. > > Now, this is a beautiful picture of how God knew us long before we are saved. As we wind out way through the bewilderment, the confusion, the difficulties of this world, we used to think of God, of at all, as being so far away in Heaven as to ever bother with us. He has no knowledge of us; He doesn’t have any interest in us. > > With this remark of Boaz, however, God is saying, “No, that’s not the situation at all. I have known in intimate detail everything that has gone on in your life.” As a matter of fact, when it comes to salvation, the Bible says He knew us even before the creation of the universe. Before He said, “Let there be light,” He had named those whom He would save. We read in [Ephesians 1:4](Ephesians%201.md#^4) - [5](Ephesians%201.md#^5): > > *According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be Holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.* > > And so when Boaz speaks kindly to Ruth, telling her that he knows all about her, you can rest assured that God is telling us kindly that he knows all about us, and He knows exactly what he is going to do with us. > > "...and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore." -- Boaz also knows full well that Ruth has left her rather and mother, has left her homeland, has left all that she had grown up with, and that she wants to be where Naomi is even if it means that she has to go to a strange country and live among people that she is not acquainted with. > > Does this remind you of Abraham, the father of believers? Abraham lived some 900 years before Ruth and Boaz. Before he departed out of Ur of the Chaldees, he was a man of some means, have acquired many possessions and servants. Yet, when God told him to leave his country and his father’s house and go to a land that He would show him, Abraham obeyed. He went into the land of Canaan, where he dwelt in tents as a stranger and a pilgrim. > > You see, Abraham, as well as Ruth, is a figure of a believer. When we become saved, we leave behind everything that we hold dear. We turn our backs upon the world. If necessary, we turn our backs upon our families-if the condition is such that they will not want us to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And we go into a land, the Kingdom of God which we have never been in before. We just want to follow Christ. ^ruth2-11 > [Ruth 2:12](Ruth%202.md#^12) note > > In the historical context Boaz is telling Ruth that she won’t be sorry for what she has done. He says, “Your having cast your lot with Naomi and her people and having willingly come under the wings of her God will not be forgotten. Be assured that you will be fully recompensed, or repaid. > > But how can this verse have a spiritual application inasmuch as we are saved by grace? We don’t come for merit in any way whatsoever. God does not compensate us for our work of repentance; He does not compensate us for our work of coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling.” > > Nevertheless, this is the language of the Bible. So, let’s examine what work does God have in view here. Notice the verse ends with the phrase “under whose wings thou art come to trust”. The key word of this statement is “Trust”. Because, you see, the work of Ruth in leaving father and mother and following Naomi to Bethlehem is really not any work of hers at all. > > In John 6, the disciples ask the Lord Jesus in [verse 28](John%206.md#^28), “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus answers and says in [verse 29](John%206.md#^29), “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he has sent.” > > Believing on Christ is the only work we do that God is interested in. All other works have no merit with God at all. But the faith that we have in trusting Christ is itself a gift of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast ([Eph 2:8](Ephesians%202.md#^8) - [9](Ephesians%202.md#^9)). > > **Wings of God** > > Boaz says to Ruth, “under whose wings thou art come to trust.” The wings of God is a term the Bible often uses in talking about the consummate care of God over His people. We read, for example, in Psalm 17:6-9: > > *I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Show thy marvelous loving kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me under the shadow of they wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.* > > Now, this is the cry of a believer who has placed his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The forces of evil are all around, and to come under the wings of the Lord Jesus Christ is to cast out lot with Him. We come under His benevolent and wonderful and protective care altogether. > > The wings of God are spoken of also in Psalm 63:4-8: > > *Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul follows hard after thee: thy right hand upholds me.* > > The last passage that we might look at relating to this matter of God’s wings is Deuteronomy 32:9-12: > > *For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, bears them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.* > > Remember where Ruth came from? From the cursed land of Moab. It is a desert land, a waste-howling wilderness. But now, God will watch over her as an eagle cares for its young. > > **Full reward** > > Now, in this verse 12 we still have a problem. It says that God will give a full reward to Ruth. Just what reward is this that God gives to those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ? > > In [Hebrews 1:2](Hebrews%201.md#^2), where God speaks of Jesus now being the sole Word of God, we read “Has in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he has appointed heir of all things…” Jesus is the owner of everything that God is because Jesus Christ is God Himself. We also read in [Romans 8:17](Romans%208.md#^17) about us: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” > > With Christ being the heir of all things, and we being joint-heirs with Him, we can now see why God says in [Romans 8:32](Romans%208.md#^32), “He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” In short, God has available for us all things. > > **Nothing More** > > Now, can you think of anything then that could be added to what God has already given us in this salvation program? There are those that who believe that because they are working extra hard for the Lord in spreading the Gospel or ministering to others in love, God will particularly reward them on the Last Day. But how can that be? As a part of salvation, God has already given believers everything that Christ is heir of. There is nothing that remains to be given. > > Actually, a commentary of this term “full reward” can be found in Genesis 15. Earlier, I noted that Ruth, in leaving her home country to come to Jerusalem, is much like Abraham leaving Ur of the Chaldees to go to Canaan. Now, Abraham is a great type of believers in Romans 4. And we read in [Genesis 15:1](Genesis%2015.md#^1): > > *After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.* > > God Himself, you see, is the great Reward of those who have placed their trust in Him. That’s not the payment for what we have done. It is all part of what happens when we are saved. This is part of the grace that God bestows upon us because we are saved. ^ruth2-12 > [Ruth 2:13](Ruth%202.md#^13) note > > The word “favour” here is the same word used in verse 10 where Ruth said “Why have I found grace in thine eyes?” So, Ruth, responding to Boaz, now says, “Let me find grace in thy sight, my lord…” > > Now, as we look at this love story in its historical setting, we’re reading a conversation between Boaz and Ruth. It shows that here are two people who are becoming acquainted with each other. Boaz is the owner of the grain fields. He is the rich, mighty man. She on the other hand, is a beggar, an alien coming from Moab. He has begun to look with great favor upon her, and she very humbly and gratefully responds to his care and comfort. > > We must remember, though, that Ruth chose this language very carefully under the inspiration of God because God has deep spiritual truth to tell us through this remark. > > What Ruth is saying here, you see, is the statement of someone who is looking for salvation. When God begins to draw us to Christ, we stand before God unsaved, realizing that we don’t deserve anything at all. And so, we come asking for His grace. By calling Him “my Lord”, we show that we are ready to abandon ourselves to Him. This is what the nature of Salvation is. > > **Comforted** > > The statement “for that thou hast comforted me” is spiritually very significant. God uses the word “comfort” in a dramatic fashion in the Book of Isaiah. This is how chapter 40 there begins. > > *Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.* ([Is 40:1](Isaiah%2040.md#^1) - [2](Isaiah%2040.md#^2)) > > He goes on in [verses 10](Isaiah%2040.md#^10) - [11](Isaiah%2040.md#^11): > > *Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.* > > Who came as the Good Shepherd to seek the lost sheep? The Lord Jesus Christ did, of course; and that identifies with [verse 2 of Isaiah 40](Isaiah%2040.md#^2) where God says, “that the warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned”. Christ came to pay for the sins of those who have placed their trust in Him. And it is in this context that God says in verse 1, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people.” God has given believers a way by which all their sins are forgiven so that they are no longer at war with God. > > When Ruth says to Boaz, “for that thou hast comforted me,” therefore she is a picture of us finding comfort in our soul, because of the salvation that God has provided for us. > > **Friendly** > > Ruth also says to Boaz, “For thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid,” The word “friendly” here is not a good translation. In the margin of many of your Bibles, you will find this alternative translation: “for thou hast spoken to the heart unto thy handmaid”. I believe the phrase “to the heart” is what God has in view. > > Have you ever said, “Yes, I talked to them about such and such, but what I said just went in one ear and out the other”? They heart us with their ears, but not in their heart. They really didn’t understand nor had any interest in what we were telling them. > > Well, the Gospel goes out to all kinds of people in the world. A great many people can hear the sound of the Gospel, but most of them do not respond at all. That is because unsaved people do not have the ears to hear. Nor do they have the will to respond. Only when God gives us ears to hear do we really hear the Gospel. It is then that God speaks to us to the heart. ^ruth2-13 > [Ruth 2:14](Ruth%202.md#^14) note > > Study in progress > > ^ruth2-14 Tags: #Old_Testament #Ruth #Salvation_picture #FSI