TEACHING BRIEF
Date Written: July 23, 2012
Date Taught: July 25, 2012
Church: OPBC (Wed Night)
FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS
Title: A Study in the Book of Ruth
Text: Ruth 2:4-13 NLT (read ALL passage here)
Introduction:
Last week we saw how redemption was happening for Naomi and Ruth & how this wonderful story of God’s redemption and restoration is a great picture of for both the backsliding believer & the lost sinner who has NEVER known God's grace!
So far we have learned that redemption is the plan of God for all of humanity and it will be the theme for this entire book...
Now tonight we are going to continue into this story… Last week we left the story when Ruth asks Naomi to go out into public to gather some grain at the barley harvest through the process of gleaning… a process where field owners allow the poor, widowed and foreigner to ‘harvest’ grain from their fields.
Ruth has left the safety of Naomi’s company and home and has ventured out into the ‘hostile’ world where her identity as a foreign woman would NOT be easily accepted. Every indicator leads us to believe that she would be mistreated and abused because she was a woman and a foreigner in their land…
We left the story with Ruth standing in the field of Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s late husband, although Ruth knew nothing about this relationship.
We can see the hand of providence all over this story as Ruth just so happened to end up in the field of the ONE who could redeem her…
Let’s continue our look at this story: Read Ruth 2:4-18NLT (sharing it on the screen as you go…)
Let’s look at the 1st part of this section and see what God has to say… present v.4-7
4While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said. “The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied.
What is happening here? Well the boss/field owner (Boaz) arrives on the scene and in v.4 we can get a glimpse of what sort of boss or field owner that Boaz was…
While Ruth was still standing close to the harvest foreman, the boss arrives and greets his foreman with a greeting of “The Lord be with you…”
This greeting relates an attitude behind the words… it shares with us that Boaz was man who looked to God for blessing and guidance and that he knew that the Lord’s presence in our lives was the most important thing for anyone. He wishes the Lord’s presence to be with ALL his workers!
This attitude of love for those who worked for him is confirmed by the response of the worker… his foreman where he says, ‘…the Lord bless YOU…’ referring to Boaz.
The worker’s response to Boaz’s greeting reveals that Boaz was loved by those who worked for him… and based on his love for them, many responded to Him in love…
Here is a master of the field and the man he has in charge of his workers and they seem to be old friends and/or good friends at that… They greet each other almost as fellow workers and NOT boss/worker bee…
5Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?” 6And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi.
Then we see another good character revealed within Boaz… he is an observant boss. He sees what is going on… and knows what is OUT OF PLACE. When he gets to the field, after his greetings, he immediately sees something new and asks about the ‘new’ girl standing around.
Who is she? To whom does she belong? Now before you go jumping to the conclusion that Boaz was a sexist… understand that this can actually mean several things…
YES, it could mean that Ruth was a slave and he wanted to know to whom she belonged, but
It can also mean that Ruth was married and Boaz wanted to know to whom she was married to… in this time, women/wives were actually considered to be property of the husband
Boaz wanted to know WHO this was about to glean and gather grain in his field.
The foreman answers Boaz by telling him the story of Naomi’s return and that this girl was the one they had heard about who had come back with Naomi...
After revealing Ruth’s identity to Boaz the foreman then begins to tell Boaz WHY Ruth was standing in his field…
7She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.”
Now v7 reveals several things to us and that is that Ruth followed the proper channels in her search and efforts for obtaining food as a foreigner. She had gone to the foreman and had asked permission as both a widow and a foreigner… could she please gather the gleanings from the ground for food.
The foreman had given his permission for her to do just that, and here he lets the reader know that Ruth was NO LAZY bum… she was a ‘go-getter’ she was focused and willing to work!
He tells Boaz that she has been hard at it up to this point and all day she had only taken one short break… This verse reveals Ruth’s character and her desire to care for and provide for her mother-in-law… revealing that Ruth’s love revealed in ch1 was NOT self serving… she TRULY cared for Naomi…
So the story is unfolding before us… Naomi has granted Ruth permission to go out and get food. Naomi has found a field in which she could gather the harvest gleanings and the owner of the field has shown up and has noticed Ruth and has been told of Ruth’s go getter attitude and actions…
Again using this story to see it as a picture of redemption for us today… we can picture Ruth’s venture out to seek food as a sinner who is seeking God! There are those out there who have been tugged by the HS and are seeking God…
Ruth ‘just so happened’ to end up in a field where she would be ‘welcomed’ and allowed to pick, but also a field of a relative of her late father-in-law… ONE who could redeem her…
Sinners are drawn by the HS and led toward God. God leads them to a person, a church, a situation where they ‘just so happen’ to run into someone who know Christ and shares Christ with them… They are introduced to the ONE who can redeem them for all eternity!
But just like Boaz taking notice of Ruth in the field, God takes notice of sinners seeking Him! If someone who is lost is responding to the calling of the HS and seeking God… God is NOT going to turn away! He is going to provide a way!
But as we continue our story we see Boaz begin to take a very active role in the redemption of Naomi and Ruth… Read v8-16 NLT
8Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”
Here we find Ruth in a precarious situation. The owner of the field is approaching her and she could be cast out… but the owner comes to her and offers her far MORE than she could have EVER expected!
She had come to the field expecting the crumbs… but Boaz had something else in mind. Listen to his instructions/encouragement to her:
1st - STAY HERE… you are in the RIGHT place, no need to seek further!
2nd - PAY ATTENTION… look at my servants and do as they do, as they know what I want and what I require. Get involved as I am giving you the authority to work with them…
3rd - DON’T FEAR… you may feel threatened by some, and some may NOT want to accept you, but I have accepted you and I have commanded all of my servants to accept you.
4th - I WILL PROVIDE… you are working for ME now, and I take care of those who work for me, if you get thirsty, you don’t even have to ask, I have provided water for you and all you have to do is drink!
All of these things were said by Boaz to comfort and put Ruth at ease… this was the first step of God’s redemption plan for Naomi and Ruth.
But I want us to see the spiritual parallel here too…
When a sinner gets to a church or a group where God has led them…God wants them to:
1 – stay there and that there is no need to keep looking but that they are in the right place
2 – to pay attention to those who are actively serving God. Active servants of God are DOING the will of God and not simply talking about it. Get involved and join in because God has given us the authority to work FOR Him.
3 – Don’t fear, the enemy will come against you and there will be those who say that they are believers who don’t feel you belong, but understand that THEY are not the one who has redeemed you… When God says you belong… YOU BELONG!
4 – God will provide… when we begin to serve Him and do His will, God is going to provide for our needs! There is no need to work or be anxious about this because God has promised us this…
However, let’s continue in the story… Ruth hears the words of Boaz and then reveals more about her character and her heart:
10Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”
She does not presume that gleaning in this field is her right or even something Boaz should let her do, but she is thankful for the kindness that Boaz has shown to her… you see Ruth understood her position. She was a foreigner with absolutely NO rights whatsoever… she knew she had NO standing and understood that what Boaz was doing was a great act of kindness on his part!
Ruth realized that it was NOT her work ethic or strong determination that had brought this about, but it was the grace and mercy of the one allowing her to be here and making a way for her to succeed in her efforts! So she thanks Boaz…
You know when we come to Christ… so many in the world today simply PRESUME that God OWES them eternity! That God somehow OWES them salvation… usually based on their own high view of themselves… but they just believe that God OWES them!
We can never fall prey to this line of thinking… but let’s continue in our story:
11“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
Here Boaz acknowledges that he IS the one who is providing and he understands his position. His reply to Ruth’s thankfulness may, at first, seem a bit arrogant! Boaz answers… “I know…” but he continues and shares what he has learned about the character of Ruth.
He lets Ruth know that her efforts would not go unseen or unnoticed! What he was doing now is being done because of her willingness to help her mother-in-law and how she loved her late husband.
Here this represents God’s acknowledgment of our prayer… I can see God hearing our prayer and replying ‘I know my son…’ He is not arrogant but understanding of our position and situation.
Here Boaz extends mercy and kindness in the form of praise for her actions and a prayer for her protection and deliverance.
When a sinner actively seeks God, God is going to respond like this to them. God will to honor their broken and contrite spirit… God is also going to provide deliverance for them!
13“I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.”
Ruth answers Boaz’ kindness with a response that let’s Boaz know that she is serious about her task. She has garnered what she needed, but she wishes this kindness to continue that she may continue to provide for her and her mother-in-law, so she expresses her desire to continue in her attitude and actions that have pleased Boaz up to this point!
Look at what she says… basically she tells Boaz, “even tho’ I’m not one of YOUR OWN… you have shown me great kindness!”
Now is that not what sinners can say to Jesus? Even though I am not one of YOUR OWN… Even tho’ I am outside of the family of God, you have shown me kindness! God shows the sinner kindness in his grace to hear their prayer and respond with redeeming grace and forgiveness!
Tonight we have seen how the redemption of Ruth/ Naomi by Boaz is a wonderful picture of what God can and does do for the sinner who is lost AND for the believer who has wandered away from God. Next week will continue to see how this redemption process plays out... as we will finish chapter 2..
