Gleaning In The Right Field Series

I. The Cousin of Naomi

1. Ruth 2:1

2. Naomi has a kinsman of the family of Elimelech whose name was Boaz.

3. He was a mighty man of wealth.

4. Boaz was mighty in fortune, fame and in fight.

5. Boaz was not a weakling.

II. The Consent for Gleaning

1. Ruth 2:2

2. The first change is seen in the transition from the faith of Naomi to the faith of Ruth. Leviticus 19:9-10

a. No welfare program in that day.

b. God knows the character of a person is destroyed when we continually get something for nothing. 2 Thessalonians 3:10

3. The fact that Ruth needed to glean shows her condition of poverty.

a. Ruth was willing to glean.

b. She works and earns food for herself and Naomi.

4. The second change is the change in attitude.

a. Ruth shows an attitude of submission by asking Naomi if she could glean.

b. Then by asking if she could glean in the field by obeying Boaz when he told her not to glean in any other field.

5. It is a submissive spirit to the Lord that leads to blessings in our life.

III. The Course of Ruth

1. Ruth 2:3

2. Ruth has no idea where to go.

a. The word, “hap” means befallen, not luck.

b. This even was no accident. It was an appointment.

c. It was not a mistake, but a meeting planned by God.

d. It was not an error, but an engagement.

3. When we submit to the Lord’s will in our life, we never know where our little decision will lead.

a. He is working with us, Mark 16:20

b. He is working in us, Philippians 2:12-13

c. He is working for us, Romans 8:28

IV. The Courtesy of Boaz

1. Ruth 2:4

2. Boaz provides a good example for us in the matter of the treatment of an employer for his employees.

3. The Lord be with you are words of faith. Verse 4

4. They are words which remind us of God’s presence in the life of the believer.

5. They show how Boz lived and worked.

V. The Concern of Boaz

1. Ruth 2:5-6

2. When Boaz sees Ruth, he enquires about her.

3. Could it be that Boaz is taken with her?

VI. The Consistency of Ruth

1. Ruth 2:7

2. Ruth asked for permission to glean and worked all day long.

a. She was willing to work, and God provided for her needs.

b. She was a diligent worker, and it was noticed by others.

3. The beauty of Ruth is not described, but her character is displayed.

4. The great need of our day is character because little emphasis is given to it.

a. Society says, “beauty and talent.”

b. Society pays little attention to character.

5. God’s people ought to be people of character.

6. Character is what you are in your heart.

7. It is what you are when no one else is around.

8. Character is what you are: and reputation is what people think you are.

9. Our character affects our decisions, words, attitudes, actions, relationships with others, and our goals.

10. If a person concentrates on having character on inward beauty, their outward beauty will be seen by others.

11. A beautiful person can lose their appeal with an inward ugliness and a lack of character.

12. One of the best things a parent, an employer, a teacher, or pastor can do is to praise people for their character instead of their talents or looks.

a. When character is praised, it places importance on it.

b. Character is different from achievement.

c. Character is the motivating force in the decisions people make.

d. Accomplishments are the effects of the choices we make.

13. Harvesting

a. Christians are to be harvesting.

b. Fishers of mankind.

VII. The Care of Boaz

1. Ruth 2:8-9

2. Boaz addresses Ruth by the term “my daughter” which was a term of endearment, but also reveals the age difference between the two.

a. Ruth 3:10

b. It is believed he was a contemporary of Elimelech

c. Boaz wanted Ruth in his field because he was concerned for her safety.

d. Dangers existed for Ruth.

1) She was a widow.

2) An unpopular Moabitess.

3) Harvest time was a time of drunkenness.

3. Lesson from the command of Boaz.

a. The command that Boaz gave Ruth to glean in no other field but his is the same command that Jesus gives us.