Favor In The Field Series

Favor in the Field

Ruth 2: 4-7

As I pondered these verses I was reminded what a difference a day can make. It is amazing how God can take what appears to be an ordinary or even uncertain circumstance and work it out for our benefit.

Ruth had made the long journey from Moab to Bethlehem with Naomi, unsure of what she would find as a stranger in a foreign place. She had decided to seek out a means of survival and by the providence of God she wound up in the field of Boaz. Clearly this was no accident; God was working behind the scenes even though Ruth was unaware.

In this text we find a wonderful illustration of the New Testament church. The field is a picture of the world. Boaz represents our Lord. The servants of the field are the redeemed and Ruth stands as a picture of those who come to Christ in salvation. I want to consider the eternal truths concerning the field of grace as I preach on: Favor in the Field. As we look at this passage, the main character that stands out is Boaz. Notice first of all:

I. The Sovereign of the Field (4-5) – And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. [5] Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? Boaz is the master and keeper of the field. He is in charge of its activity. Here we find the care and dedication Boaz has for the field.

A. His Attendance (4) – He came from Bethlehem to the field. He had a particular interest in the field. It appears that it was not uncommon to find Boaz in and around the field. He kept watch over it, attended to it.

That is such a simple truth but it brings great joy to my heart. Our Lord is near unto us. We have not been left to ourselves. We have not been left to make our way through this life without the direction and attendance of our Lord! He is always near to us, an ever present help to the children of God. Acts 17:27-28 – That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: [28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

B. His Affection (4) – The LORD be with you. It is evident that Boaz had a genuine concern for his servants. He cared about their well being. I am convinced he genuinely loved them. He desired the richest blessings of the Lord be extended to his servants. He was not a hard task master, but a man of compassion for those who served him.

Could I remind you of the love and compassion that Jesus has for humanity? He loved us so much that He was willing to endure the suffering of the cross, bear our sin and its judgment, and die in our place so that we might be reconciled to God. Jesus desires that all would come to Him in repentance, to enjoy the abundance of God. He isn’t just interested in us having life, but that we might have it more abundantly!

C. His Awareness (5) – Whose damsel is this? As Boaz came to the field that day he immediately recognized a stranger in the midst. He was one who paid careful attention to the field and all who were there. He wanted to ensure the harvest, but he was also concerned with those in the field.

We have already discovered that God made provision in His law for those who were less fortunate to glean among the corners of the field. This was likely not an unusual sight. It would have been easy for a man like Boaz to have never given Ruth a second thought, but he took interest in her. I am thankful the Lord was aware of me even when I was unaware of Him. He noticed me when I was gleaning in the leftovers, separated and desperate in my sin.

II. The Servants of the Field (4) – And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Remember, the servants of the field picture the children of God. What can we discover about the servants?

A. Their Assembly – When Boaz came to the field the servants were already there. They had not waited until Boaz came and called for them; they were there, likely anticipating his coming. They were at a particular place with a particular purpose serving a prominent person.