Ruth 1:22 So
Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her,
who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the
beginning of barley harvest.
From the moment
Naomi decided to go back to the Place of Obedience and Ruth decided to
go with her, God began to bless them both. They had a safe trip back to
Israel—which was amazing in itself.
When they
arrived, They were well received in Bethlehem and it was the beginning
of the Harvest---the time of reaping. This meant that they would not
have to wait till the seed was sown, took root, and grew in order to
glean the grain. They could eat right away.
GOD’S TIMING IS
ALWAYS RIGHT. We usually want to rush things (or delay them) but if we
go GOD’S way, we will do the right things at the right time.
2And
Ruth the Moabitess 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. Naomi
said to her, Go, my daughter. 3And [Ruth] went
and gleaned in a field after the reapers; and she happened to stop at
the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of
Elimelech.
God immediately
began to guide Ruth. She may have been from a strange land and people,
but she certainly had the God of Israel in her heart. A lesson to us
today: it doesn't matter where you come from or what you look like. It
doesn’t matter what religious system you grew up with. If God is in your
heart, you will be blessed and accepted and God will lead you to the
place where you will find favor.
We all come from
diverse backgrounds. Some of us grew up in real Christian homes—others
grew up in nominal Christianity—others with no religion at all. Still
others, like me came from backgrounds where Christianity wasn’t even a
topic we discussed. I am Jewish and my family believed in God, but we
never even knew that Jesus claimed to be the Jewish Messiah even though
we had lived in close contact with ministers who preached the Gospel.
They just thought that, since we were Jewish, we would never accept
Jesus, so they never tried to tell us. But, they did pray for us. And,
then, a close friend of mine received Jesus and felt that she had to
tell me and my family that Jesus was our Messiah. And, through her love
and the prayer of many people, it started a chain of events that brought
12 members of our Jewish family to Jesus within one year.
God loves
everyone and though our love and example—and through the Word of God
shared in the right way, people of all backgrounds, whether Jewish or
Gentile, can receive the Gospel.
Naomi, didn’t
hide the Word of God from either of her daughters-in-law and, in Ruth,
she found a willing heart. Ruth received the Word and chose to follow
the God of Israel. And, God guided this faithful young woman who chose
to follow her mother-in-law.
There were many
fields that Ruth could have chosen to work in, but there was only ONE
that would be a place of redemption for her and for Naomi: the field of
Boaz, who would be their "kinsman redeemer". He was a close relative of
Naomi's husband and God was setting the scene for the two women to have
much more than food. They would have an inheritance in God's Kingdom.
What do we mean by the word "redeemer"?
Webster's Dictionary lists five definitions for the word
"redeem," in order of their frequent usage.
Here they are: number 1: to "buy back."
Number 2: to "free from what distresses or harms." Number 3,
he says redeem means to "free from captivity by the payment of a
ransom." Number 4, to "extricate from or release someone from
blame or debt." And number 5, to "free from the
consequences of sin."
Redemption is essentially concerned with the
release that is secured by the payment of a ransom.
That's what the word "redeemer" means. He
pays a ransom to buy you back, or to relieve you from some
adverse consequences to your life.
What is a kinsman? In Bible times, a kinsman
is a male relative, a man sharing the same racial or cultural or
national background as another person.
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary says
this about a kinsman: "In the Old Testament, the word kinsman
is most often used as a translation of a Hebrew word that means
'one who has the right to redeem.'"
The Hebrew word for
“kinsman” is “goel.” “Redeemer” is defined as “one
charged with the duty of restoring the rights of another and
avenging his wrongs.” The Hebrew word for Redeemer is also “goel.”
In Biblical times, these words were interchangeable. If a man
was the redeemer of a family, he was a kinsman. And if he was a
kinsman, then it followed that he was a redeemer for the family.
Back in Ruth’s day, the kinsman redeemer avenged deaths, claimed
inheritances for poor family members, and married the widow of a
dead male relative. He played a role very similar to the one
that Jesus played for all mankind, but for his family.
Again Leviticus 25. This time verse 23. "The
land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for
you are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land
of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. If
one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his
possession, and if his kinsman-redeemer comes to redeem it, then
he may redeem what his brother sold."
That law was given to be a
prophetic picture of Christ and was fulfilled by him. Our father
Adam sinned and sold us into bondage and sin; but Christ, our
kinsman Redeemer, bought us and brought us into liberty,
righteousness, and life (Rom. 5:19).
8Then
Boaz said to Ruth, Listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another
field or leave this one, but stay here close by my maidens.
9Watch which field they reap, and follow them.
Have I not charged the young men not to molest you? And when you are
thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.
And, when God
shows you where YOUR path of blessing is---stay on it. Stay in
the "field" where God places you. Don't wander around thinking you can
do better. You can never improve on where God puts you and anything
other than obedience is DISobedience.
Had Ruth rebelled
and thought "who does he think he is telling me what to do? I'll go
where I darn well please!" she might have gotten nothing. Instead, this
righteous woman of God responded with gratitude and humility.
10Then
she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, Why have I
found favor in your eyes that you should notice me, when I am a
foreigner?
Boaz's answer to
her was a tribute to her obedience, kindness, and wise choices. When
your actions please God, HE will "promote" you. You will be known for
your goodness and obedience, just like Ruth was.
11And
Boaz said to her, I have been made fully aware of all you have done for
your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have
left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to
a people unknown to you before.
12The Lord recompense 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!
May we all take
refuge under God’s Wings. It is the only real refuge.
GOD PROVIDED THAT REFUGE FOR RUTH!
BECAUSE
RUTH DECIDED TO OBEY AND SERVE, NAOMI WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HER WELFARE
AND WANTED MORE THAN JUST SUSTENANCE FOR HER WONDERFUL DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
Ruth 3:-51THEN
NAOMI her mother-in-law said to Ruth, My daughter, shall I not seek rest
or a home for you, that you may prosper? 2And
now is not Boaz, with whose maidens you were, our relative? See, he is
winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3Wash
and anoint yourself therefore, and put on your best clothes and go down
to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until
he has finished eating and drinking. 4But
when he lies down, notice the place where he lies; then go and uncover
his feet and lie down. And he will tell you what to do.
5And Ruth said to her, All that you say to me I
will do.
Here was another choice
for Ruth to make: would she humble herself and obey Naomi by going down
to the threshing floor and lying down at the feet of Boaz? What an
embarrassing thing for a young lady to have to do. But, this was the
pathway to her future.
Boaz was a near
relative and he could choose to redeem her, marry her, and carry on the
name and inheritance of her late husband. However, he could also choose
NOT to redeem her. That would be so humiliating.
6So
she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law
had told her. 7And when Boaz had eaten and
drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the
heap of grain. Then [Ruth] came softly and uncovered his feet and lay
down
But Ruth chose to obey.
She did exactly what Naomi told her to do. She had already come so far
in her path of obedience. She had chosen wisely whenever a decision had
to be made. But THIS decision was the most important. Had she chosen not
to obey Naomi, all the good things she had done up until this time might
have been nullified.
And God once again
blessed Ruth's obedience. Boaz praised her for this act of obedience and
assured her that he would do what was right.
11And
now, my daughter, fear not. I will do for you all you require, for all
my people in the city know that you are a woman of strength (worth,
bravery, capability).
But, Boaz had to be
obedient too. He was not the closest relative to Naomi--there was
another man (not a suitable one, but closer nonetheless) and Boaz had to
do things the way the Law required. He already loved Ruth and believed
that she was to be his wife. But, he refused to take a shortcut to his
destiny. He knew that, if God was in this, it would all work out right.
12It
is true that I am your near kinsman; however, there is a kinsman nearer
than I. 13Remain tonight, and in the
morning if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, good; let him
do it. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then, as the
Lord lives, I will do the part of a kinsman for you. Lie down until the
morning.
So, Ruth obeyed
Boaz and waited until morning to leave. She trusted Boaz's intentions.
When Ruth returned home and described what had happened to Naomi, her
mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law then told her to do something that is
the hardest thing for most of us to do: WAIT!
18Then
said she, Sit still, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns
out; for the man will not rest until he finishes the matter today.
Ruth obeyed as
she had in everything else. She sat at home and did NOTHING--trusting
God to provide for her and for Naomi through Boaz.
I pray that we would all be
like Ruth, trusting God and choosing to obey Him in all we do and say.
Today's Promise:
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will
of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he
that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
