A Study on Ruth (Part 2)

Last year, I decided to study the book of Ruth. I'd been having a hard time getting into the Word and I knew that there were hidden truths in Ruth that I had yet to discover. It was my first independent, personal, and in-depth study on a book in the Bible and it was a very special time. In fact, I can't help but wish I could go back, just to experience it for the first time all over again!

What I share here are my personal notes. I'm not an authority on the book and I'm sure there are more profound commentaries available. (I read this one as I was doing my own study, which gave me clarity on a few verses that I was having trouble with; this is another one which I'm reading now.) But if it can aid anyone, even one person, then here goes.

---

A Study on Ruth (Part II)

Ruth 2:1-2

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

Doesn't that first verse just give you a little shiver? And his name was Boaz. 

He was a relative of Naomi's husband. A kinsman. And he was "a mighty man of wealth." The Bible, as I have learned, does not use the word mighty lightly. This was a man of exceeding wealth and power. And he was a kinsman to Naomi - a relative, yes, but a redeemer. I am sure there are many profound definitions to this word but all I know is this: to redeem means to set free or to vindicate. A redeemer is one who delivers or rescues.

And Boaz's name? It means By Strength. 

We are introduced to him just as Ruth makes the momentous declaration: "Let me go to the field and glean... after him in whose sight I shall find grace."

These words really stood out to me. Ruth sought grace - someone who would be merciful to her and her plight. Somebody who would be gracious and kind. This is a clue.

Knowing from the previous verse that Boaz is a wealthy man of might and power, the eventual redeemer, I see a picture of Christ unfolding. Christ the Redeemer in whose eyes we find grace and favor. The choice of words is not coincidental.

Ruth 2:3

And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

I find it so amazing that she just happened to find herself in the part of the field belonging to Boaz. It makes me think of Proverbs 16:9, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." This was no coincidence! God literally ordered Ruth's steps that she might find herself in this man's field - this man who would literally change the course of her life and through their union, the lives of millions to come!

If I ever doubt that God might forget me or forget to "order the steps" that might lead me into my future, let me remember this verse and the teaching it provides. I might not be able to flip ahead to the latter chapters of my story and see the incredible way that God chooses to map out my life, but I can trust that He is mapping it out in this very moment, in this tiny capsule of time in which I draw breath.

Ruth 2:4-7

And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee.
Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab:
And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

When I first did this study, I remember how it struck me, the way Boaz greeted his reapers. This man was a gentleman. He was not your average foreman or overseer. He was a man of faith, as the substance of his greeting clearly implies, and he was a gracious man in the sense that he greeted his laborers with such evident respect and civility. They respond in kind, leading me to believe that they must have greatly respected this foreman of theirs.

Boaz immediately notices Ruth. I wonder what made her stand out. Was it her appearance? Did she look different than the other Israelite women? Was it her garb, the way she dressed? Was she simply a new face in a crowd of the familiar? Perhaps it was all this and more... perhaps it was the Lord, pulling his eyes to look at this one woman, working amongst so many others, as he stood surveying his fields.

The reapers explain her origins. It is suggested in the later verses that they may have said more than what is written here. They tell him that she is a Moabitess. He is also told of her hard work and willingness.

Ruth 2:8-9

Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

I wonder if this conversation began here or if more was shared between them. Boaz tells Ruth - "Stay here. Don't go gather in other fields. Stay - or abide - here with my maidens." Not only does he give her equal standing with the other Israelite girls (remember she was both a stranger and a foreigner) but he gives her his protection. He charges the young men not to touch her and makes provision for her needs.

Let us for a moment think of the meaning of this and how it relates to Christ:

He is mighty, powerful, and wealthy. He is the Redeemer. Our provider and protector. He gathers us, the "strangers," into His sheepfold and lavishes us with His kindness. We find grace in His eyes, though we have done nothing to merit it. Boaz is a representation of Christ. And Ruth is the church - the Bride.

The book of Ruth is heralded as a supreme romantic story... that's because it is. It's a picture of the romance between our Lord Jesus Christ and us, His Bride, the church.

Ruth 2:10-12

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed 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.
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

When I was doing this study, I finished up my private prayer journal and started a new one. These were the exact words I wrote on the first page:

I'm in the second chapter of my Ruth Bible study and I am suddenly seeing the whole book - and Jesus - in a new light. Boaz is a picture of Jesus, the mighty, powerful, rich Redeemer, the Gentleman that greets His servants with a blessing, who singles out the stranger to inquire after them - and then knowing their past and where they came from, adopts them into the sheepfold, lavishing them with His protection and provision. I have never seen it so clearly nor have had a more clear depiction of this strong, mighty, gracious Lord of mine... 

Ruth falls on her face and bows herself to Boaz, saying, "Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?"

There is no response but Ruth's response when we realize that we, strangers, "Gentiles," are looked upon and taken knowledge of by a King, the King, with unmerited grace in His eyes. Her response is one of deep humility, deep gratitude and brokenness. You can see her heart in this, crying, oh Lord, what have I done to receive this favor?

And Boaz answers by saying that it has been fully showed to him, all that Ruth has done - her heart, so to speak. How she left everything behind for the sake of love of her mother-in-law, how she left her people and her land, and how she's come unto a place that she never knew before. He blesses her for it and he prays that the Lord would reward her.

This reminds me of how the Lord called the disciples to leave everything behind in order to follow Him. When the rich man asked, "What must I do to be saved?" Jesus answered, "Go and sell everything you have and follow Me."

Ruth did leave everything behind in order to follow Naomi. She left her home, her family, her native land and her people. She did it for the sake of love, of loyalty. And, naturally, this is what Boaz calls attention to. He recognizes that such actions demonstrate Ruth's trust in the Lord. This was how she was able to leave it all - because she trusted in Him.

Ruth 2:13-14

Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.
And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.

Her heart is, how can I please you? For you have shown kindness to me and it has comforted me - it's won me over. 

He invites her to come and eat with him - at his table, so to speak. The verse goes on to say that she sat with the reapers and was obviously in close vicinity to Boaz for he "reached" her parched corn (passed it to her). He literally fed her until she was satisfied. Her needs were met; she was full. It's a beautiful picture of what happens when we eat at the table of the Lord and feast upon His Word. We are made satisfied in Him.

Ruth 2:15-18

And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.
And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

Ruth "rises up" to glean, to do to her work, her labor of love, and Boaz again commands his men concerning their behavior towards her - not to reproach her, and also to let some handfuls fall on purpose for her.

The Lord makes provision for us when we go out to do our "labor of love." He uses others to bless us by His command and all the while He protects us. Let me always remember this when I go about my tasks, that the Lord will make provision for me in my work and He will protect me in all that I do.

Ruth 2:19-20

And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

I remember getting the impression from verse 18 that Ruth brought to Naomi what she had reserved from Boaz's table. As in, she ate until she was satisfied and then she went away with more to spare, which she then brought home to her mother-in-law. And isn't this what happens when we sit and feast with our Lord?

After we have our fill at the table of the Lord, we are then able to bring His bread to others so that they might taste and eat of it, too.

"Blessed is he of the Lord," Naomi proclaims, "who hath not left off his kindness to the living and the dead."

The Lord in His great kindness did take knowledge of both the living and the dead when He made provision for our salvation. In the same token, Boaz's kindness saved Ruth and Naomi.

Ruth 2:21-23

And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.
And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.
So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

Ruth the Moabitess. Here we have a timely and poignant reminder of who Ruth is and where she came out of (a heathen nation entrenched in sinfulness). So are we to never forget from whence we came and out of what we have been saved.

Ruth tells Naomi that Boaz told her to remain, or "keep fast," by his young men until the end of the harvest. Boaz called them "my men" and "my harvest." They are his men to command and they are doing his work for the purpose of bringing in his harvest. The same could be said for Christ. We are to glean in His fields until the work is complete and the harvest is taken in.

Naomi confirms this by encouraging Ruth to obey Boaz's instruction: to remain with his maidens, that no one might see her working in another field. I think that one possible meaning to this is that the world should know in Whose field you belong. Go where God sends you and remain there. It should be clear to all Whose you are and Whom you serve.

So Ruth "keeps fast" and does as Boaz instructed her unto the end of the barley and wheat harvest.