Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, had experienced bitterness in life, Because of famine, Naomi had fled with her husband, Elimelech, to Moab. There, her two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, met and married Moabite women. Naomi’s joy over her sons’ marriages was short-lived, however, as, due to circumstances we are not told in Scripture, her husband and two sons were taken from her in death.
After 10 years, the famine was over, and Naomi returned to Bethlehem with daughter–in-law, Ruth. In leaving Bethlehem, Naomi’s family had apparently sold their property. When Naomi returned, she was destitute, and the family property was in the hands of another. Israelite law provided Naomi’s family the right to purchase back their land at any time, however, Naomi was penniless and unable to do so.
So Ruth, did what she knew could be done in their circumstance. She sought to provide for their needs by taking advantage of the provision of the law concerning orphans, widows, and foreigners. She went to glean in the fields, picking up the grain left over from the harvesters. In doing so, God opened up the opportunity for Ruth to meet Boaz.
You see, Boaz was one who, as Israelite law provided, had the right, if he desired and was financially able to do so, to purchase back the land of Naomi’s husband and sons, and restore Naomi’s property to her. Boaz further had the obligation, if asked to do so, to marry the widow of the deceased relative in order to help guarantee the perpetuation of his lineage.
“The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me. With every purchase of land you must grant the seller the right to buy it back. If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell some family land, then a close relative should buy it back for him. If there is no close relative to buy the land, but the person who sold it gets enough money to buy it back, he then has the right to redeem it from the one who bought it. The price of the land will be discounted according to the number of years until the next Year of Jubilee. In this way the original owner can then return to the land. But if the original owner cannot afford to buy back the land, it will remain with the new owner until the next Year of Jubilee. In the jubilee year, the land must be returned to the original owners so they can return to their family land.” - Leviticus 25:23-28 (NLT)
This is the provision of the “Kinsman-Redeemer.” Now, since God had provided that the land originally given to a family was to be restored to them every 50 years, it was importance that a family lineage be continued. Hence the additional provision of the law know as the “levirate marriage.” We learn of this in Deuteronomy 25:5-10.
Now, the significance of this was recognized by Naomi (2:19b-20). Having determined that this was indeed an opportunity that had been provided by God, Ruth and Naomi decided that by faith, they were going to step through the open door.
In the same way, we need to recognize that God will not leave His children without alternatives in life; but will provide opportunity for us to improve our situation. Sometimes He changes the circumstances we are in; sometimes, he changes us in midst of our circumstances; but
opportunity to change things will be provided.
Therefore, we need to open our hearts to God, allowing Him to make us aware of when God gives us an opportunity to improve our situation, and act by faith to claim that opportunity.
As we think on the third chapter of Ruth, let’s consider what lessons we can learn about faith that might encourage us to open our hearts to the opportunities for blessing and personal growth that God sends our way, even in the midst of bitter times.
1. The Resolve of Faith - vs. 1-3a
Naomi, recognizing the opportunity that God had brought their way, instructed Ruth as to how they needed to proceed in approaching Boaz with their request that he marry Ruth and redeem the property of Naomi’s family.
The first step in the plan was for Ruth to wash and anoint herself, putting on her best clothes. Some bible scholars point out that the procedure followed by Ruth in preparation for meeting with Boaz was that of a bride preparing for her wedding. They even suggest that the gown worn by Ruth may have been the gown she had worn when she was married to Naomi’s son, Mahlon. All this goes to illustrate the resolve of faith.
Ruth and Naomi resolved to send Ruth to Boaz with the request that Boaz act as kinsman-redeemer and marry Ruth to provide continuation of their family’s lineage, in a gown that said, “We are so confident that God will provide, that Ruth is already dressed for the wedding!”
The resolve of faith, you see, is to live as though what has not yet come to pass has already come to pass. To see things as God, who is above time and space, sees them. This is why Paul describes our God as:
“The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” - Romans 4:17b (NIV)
The famed actress, Helen Hayes, told the following story in her autobiography. It was Thanksgiving day, and she was cooking her first turkey dinner for her family. Before serving it she announced to her husband, Charles and their son James: “Now I know this is the first turkey I’ve ever cooked. If it isn’t any good, I don’t, want anybody to say a word. We’ll just get up from the table, without comment, and go out to a restaurant to eat.” Then she returned to the kitchen. When she entered the dining room bearing the turkey, she found her husband and son seated at the table . . . with their hats and coats on.
Obviously they didn’t have much faith in her ability to cook a turkey! At times we are like that with regard to God. We have problems, we pray to God for help . . . and then we sit back and expect the worst to happen. We don’t have much faith in Him; we don’t really trust, him. You see, we show our faith, or our lack of faith, by our attitudes and actions.
Instead, if we are, by faith, expecting that God will grant us opportunity to improve our situation or for us to improve in our situation, we need to show our faith by our attitude and our actions!
“To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.” - Hebrews 11:1 (Good News)
Ruth and Naomi demonstrated their faith by the way their attitude and their actions. What does your attitude or your actions say about your belief that God is at work on your behalf to make things better?
2. The Response of Faith - vs. 3b-9
Ruth boldly and courageously took action. Herein lies a good definition of faith - “Faith is action based on the certainty of what God will do.”
As Ruth assessed the facts, she became convinced along with Naomi that God was in this situation. Certain that God was providing an opportunity for her and Naomi to improve their situation, Ruth took appropriate action. Such is the response of faith. True faith, life-changing faith, responds with action.
“Faith is a way of walking, not just a way of talking.” - Anonymous
Faith doesn’t just sit around, hoping that God will someday do something. Instead, it is actively looking with expectant eyes for opportunities that God is orchestrating and when the opportunity presents itself, it takes action to partner and cooperate with God’s work on that person’s behalf. That is the response of faith.
3. The Reward of Faith - vs. 10-18
Ruth and Naomi had opened their hearts to God. Believing that God would give them opportunity to better themselves in their situation, they were ready when the obvious, God-given opportunity came. With a resolve to claim what God had in mind and the appropriate response, they acted by faith; and were rewarded. Boaz agreed to be the Kinsman-Redeemer and to marry Ruth. Compare v. 9 (literally “wing of protection”) with 2:12. Ruth asked Boaz to be the instrument of God’s provision and he agreed.
In the same way, you and I need to open our hearts to God, believing that what the Bible says is true. As we do, we will be enabled to see, with the eyes of faith, the God-given opportunities that come our way that we can claim by faith. As we resolve to claim what God has in mind for us and respond with appropriate action, we will be rewarded.
“Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart (God shows you what He wants to do and you resolve to believe Him). Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him (God shows you how He wants you to partner with Him and you respond with appropriate action), and He shall bring it to pass (that is when God rewards your faith).” - Psalm 37:4-5 (NKJV)
He took the loaves and fishes few and fed the hungry throng.
He saw the little of faith he had and made the cripple strong.
He takes my whispered, silent prayer, my faith like mustard seed;
And makes what once was vague and dim, reality indeed!
Conclusion: God is speaking to you today about how He wants to improve your situation. Open your heart and hear what he wants to say to you. Through His Word, through the circumstances of your life, He is speaking - listen to Him! He is presenting you with opportunity to better your life. Don’t let it pass you by! Resolve to claim this God given opportunity; respond with appropriate action; and you will be rewarded by seeing that which God has placed on your heart come to pass.
