THE INVITATION TO INTIMACY
Ruth 2:14-16 Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, "Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar." So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. 15And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her."
Boaz desires relationship with Ruth – He is the Kinsman Redeemer and as such a type of Christ - Ruth responds and is seen enjoying sweet communion with Boaz. She is growing in her knowledge of Boaz, becoming more acquainted with Him, and getting closer to Him. Paul expressed the passion of his life in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him." Knowing Christ is what spiritual growth is all about. It is becoming acquainted with Christ. It is getting closer to Christ. Communion and fellowship with Christ is an essential step in this process and in the matter of spiritual growth.
THE PRIVILEGE OF INTIMACY
There is no greater privilege than to fellowship with the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ruth 2:14 "Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar." Boaz was inviting her to fellowship with him in the breaking of bread. We have the privilege of fellow-shipping with the Lord Jesus Christ - we have the glorious privilege of visiting with the King of kings and Lord of lords anytime we want and we don't even need an invitation. We have the glorious privilege of having fellowship with Jesus!
What had Ruth done to receive this invitation? Absolutely nothing. Yet she had the privilege of eating with Boaz. I think of the High Priest that had the glorious privilege of entering into the Holy Place on the Day of Atonement. Yet we must never forget it was a gracious privilege. He could have never entered into the Holy Place without the blood. His access was undeserved but provided for in another. Our access to the Father is unlimited but we must never forget it is undeserved. We have access to our Heavenly Father through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
THE PURPOSE OF INTIMACY
Intimacy with God is not only a privilege, it is also a prerequisite. Spurgeon said, "The most healthy state for a Christian is that of unbroken and intimate fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ." Notice in Ruth's case why fellowship with God is a necessity in the Christian life.
The Blessings Intimacy Brings:
1. Replenishing The Depleted Life -
Notice when Boaz invited Ruth to eat with him it was at mealtime: This mealtime was around noon. We would call it the lunch break. They had worked in the field all morning. Reaping and gleaning was hard, back-breaking work, as one had to constantly bend over as they worked. It was a hot and sweaty work as they labored under the hot sun. Mealtime was a time of rest, a time to sit down, eat, and replenish themselves for the rest of the day. Never in history have we heard more about burn-out, stress, and mental, physical, and emotional break-downs - "If we don't come apart we will come apart." - We need to get away and get alone and fellowship with Jesus to replenish our depleted strength. As someone has well said, "Our Master never asks of us so heavy labor as shall leave us no leisure for sitting at His feet." Time with God is essential. Like Ruth, we need to draw near and eat of the heavenly bread and drink of the heavenly vinegar to restore the strength that has been expended in service.
2. Receiving The Divine Life
- ''And she sat beside the reapers; and he reached her parched corn." Boaz not only invites Ruth to eat with him, but he shares His own with her. He gave her "parched corn." This is very special and meaningful.
The history of Israel can be divided into three periods: Egypt, the Wilderness, and Canaan - Egypt symbolizes a sinner being saved and brought out of the world - They wandered in the wilderness for 40 years this symbolizes a carnal believer. It speaks of someone who has been saved, but never goes much further in their Christian life. They are brought out but not brought in - Canaan is a type of the victorious life. It is living in resurrection power. It is a life where one is the conqueror rather than being the conquered. It is the experiencing of the Divine life that enables the devout life.
Each of these three stages can be described by a particular kind of food. In Egypt they ate leeks, onions and garlic. In the wilderness they ate manna. But we read in Joshua 5:11-12, that after they crossed the Jordan into Canaan, "They did eat of the old corn of the land…unleavened cakes and parched corn… neither had the children of Israel manna any more." Parched corn was the food of Canaan. It was the food of a victorious life. Fellowship with God is essential for it is in this time of communion that we receive from Him that which enables us to live victoriously.
The Christian life is the Christ life. The life that is required on the earth is a life that is received from heaven. In fellowship, He gives the "parched corn" of Divine life. He gives us His power, strength, and resources to enable us to serve Him.
3. Retaining the Delightful Life -
"And she did eat, and was sufficed." The word "sufficed" means "to be full, to be satisfied." If I may say it this way, there were no weak arms, tired feet, and growling belly. She had her needs met and was satisfied. Psalm 16:11 "In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Why do many believers lose their joy? For one reason they have not been spending time with Jesus.
THE PROFIT OF INTIMACY
After lunch, Ruth went back to work. But she found her work different after she had spent time with Boaz. She had worked earlier and no doubt did fairly well. But after time with Boaz, her work in the field was greatly blessed. One of the greatest lessons that those who serve God can learn, is that worship must precede work. You can serve God energetically without worship, but you cannot serve God effectively without worship. Those who are always doing something for God without taking time to be with God, may be busy for God but they will not be blessed of God. Notice how Ruth's work in the field changed after she had spent time with Boaz.
1. An Easy Burden -
"And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not." Boaz said to his workers, "Do not do anything to hurt her or hinder her." Boaz saw to it that she could work effectively without any hindrance. If we want our work for God to be effective we must spend time with God. God will bless with liberty in service and for service those who fellowship with him. People say - "Something was hindering the service today." Maybe the hindrance was the lack of time spent with Jesus.
2. An Abundant Blessing -
"And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not." Boaz told his workers to drop some handfuls on purpose." I can see Ruth as she is gleaning behind the reapers picking up what they missed, picking up a little here and a little there. Suddenly she comes upon this huge handful of barley. "Wow," she says to herself I am sure her heart beat harder and harder as she came up handfuls after another. "So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley." An ephah was ten times as much as the children of Israel gathered manna for each day.
Spending time with God, revives, restores and replenishes the whole being of a believer, Spirit, soul and body!
