Heroes of the Bible: Ruth
Scott Bayles, pastor
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 8/15/2021
NOTE: This sermon was adapted from my book, Holy Heroes of the Bible. If it's a blessing to you, please consider buying the book which includes chapters/sermons on 17 additional Bible heroes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SBNJTSZ
For those of you just tuning in, we’ve spent the past few weeks drawing inspiration and encouragement from some of the greatest Heroes of the Bible. What comes to mind when you hear the word hero? A guy who flies around in a red cape? A superstar athlete? Someone who runs into a burning building to save lives? A soldier on the front lines fighting for freedom?
While those are all examples of various types of heroes, Scripture presents a very different picture of what makes a hero. David wrote, “The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!” (Psalm 16:3 NLT). The Heroes of the Bible didn’t wear flashy costumes, possess superpowers, or drive high-tech armored vehicles. Instead, they accomplished amazing things by God’s power and for God’s glory! They were godly heroes. Through obedience and faith in their all-powerful Creator, they performed jaw-dropping miracles, conquered mighty armies, and ruled nations. They defeated giants, toppled towering city walls, and proclaimed the good news of God’s salvation, even in the face of death. These were some pretty super heroes!
So far, we’ve been inspired by the heroics of Noah—the hero who built an ark, Abraham—the hero whose faith founded a nation, Jacob—the hero who wrestled God, Moses—the hero who led a nation out of slavery, and, most recently, Samson—an anti-hero who struggled with rage, romances, and revenge. Despite Samson’s shortcomings, though, God still managed to use him to protect the Israelites and punish their pagan enemies, the Philistines—and if God could use Samson, he can certainly use you. The next hero we’re going to meet is Ruth.
NEXT SLIDE: RUTH
At the end of The Dark Knight Rises, when Batman prepares to sacrifice himself to save Gotham City from a nuclear explosion, Commissioner Jim Gordon wonders about Batman’s real identity, asking, “Shouldn’t the people know the hero who saved them?” Recalling a simple act of kindness Jim showed him in the wake of his parents’ murder many years ago, Batman replies, “A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a little boy’s shoulders to let him know that the world hadn’t ended.”
When people think about the heroes of the Bible, Ruth’s name doesn’t usually come to mind. Ruth didn’t conquer armies, part seas, or slay giants. In fact, the story of Ruth reads more like a romantic comedy than a comicbook. But, as Batman points out, even simple, reassuring acts of kindness can make someone a hero.
That’s the kind of hero we discover in Ruth—a godly woman who was every bit the hero that renowned figures like Noah, Abraham, and Moses were.
In the first chapter of Ruth’s self-titled book of the Bible, we learn that a severe famine swept across the land. So, a man named Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons left their home town of Bethlehem and settled in the country of Moab. The two boys eventually grew up and married two Moabite women—Orpah and Ruth. Within a short span of time, though, all the men in the family died. Having lost their husbands all three women were devastated. But none more so than Naomi. She not only lost her husband, but her sons as well. In the wake of this tragedy, Naomi makes a decision that changed the course of not only her life, but Ruth’s as well. Picking up there, I’d like to highlight three aspects of Ruth’s story that make her a true hero and an example for us all. The first is Ruth’s loyalty.
• RUTH’S LOYALTY
With no husband or sons, Naomi was in danger of going hungry or homeless. So, she decides to move back home to her hometown of Bethlehem. Both Ruth and Orpah offer to accompany Naomi on her journey, but Naomi discourages them, saying, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the Lord reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage” (Ruth 1:8-9 NLT). Then she kisses each of them goodbye, and sends them on their way.
The girls protest, but Naomi argues that they’d have no future with her. They’d just be three old spinsters living in a shack together. They’d never make ends meet. She tells them that they’d be better off returning home, meeting another man, getting married again and moving on with their lives. Then they all starting sobbing!
Finally, Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and headed home. But not Ruth. The Bible says Ruth “clung tightly to Naomi.” This brave young woman saw Naomi’s heartache and the hardship ahead of her, and made one of the most beautiful pledges in the Bible, saying, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” (Ruth 1:16-17 NLT).
These are among the most touching, heartfelt words ever recorded. Ruth and Naomi came from different cultures, religions, and generations. As mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, they probably had as many opportunities for tension as they did for tenderness. But no matter what, Ruth refused to turn her back on Naomi. She promised to be with Naomi ‘til the end of the line.
Ruth not only pledged her loyalty to Naomi, but also to Naomi’s God. In fact, their mutual faith in the Lord bound them together more than anything else. Ruth’s unwavering loyalty speaks volumes about her character.
Loyalty is an often overlooked and underrated virtue. A loyal person keeps their vows, honors their commitments, and is consistent and reliable in season and out of season—that is, when it’s convenient and when it’s not. A loyal person will be there for you ‘til the end of the line. That’s the kind of person Ruth was. Ruth pledged her loyalty both to Naomi and to the Lord, and she followed through on that pledge. We could all learn from her example.
Of course, Ruth’s loyalty is just the beginning of her story. The next chapter focuses on Ruth’s labors.
• RUTH’S LABORS
Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest. They quickly found a place to stay, most likely among Naomi’s extended family, but they still needed to find a source of income. Since they lived in culture where women were not as respected as men, their opportunities were limited. Many widows in those days resorted to prostitution to make a living, but there were more honorable options for those willing to work hard.
Ruth says to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it” (Ruth 2:2 NLT). When the wheat and barley were ready to be harvested, landowners hired harvesters to cut down the stalks and tie them into bundles. Israelite law required harvesters to round off the edges of their field, leaving the corners untouched. Also, if the harvesters dropped any wheat or barley along the way, they were not allowed to pick it up. It had to be left behind. This was God’s means of providing for poor people in the community who were willing to work. Foreigners, orphans or widows were allowed to harvest the corners of the field or follow behind the harvesters, picking up whatever they dropped. It was called gleaning. Gleaning certainly wasn’t a glamourous job. Many landowners hated when gleaners showed up in their fields. Gleaners were often looked down on and sometimes mistreated. Gleaning was hard, humiliating work, but Ruth volunteered for the job.
She wound up working in the field of a wealthy and influential landowner named Boaz. Curious about the newcomer, Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there?” (Ruth 2:5 NLT). The foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since” (Ruth 2:6-7 NLT).
Once again, Ruth’s labors—her work ethic—speaks volumes about her character. There were easier, less moral means of making money, but Ruth didn’t consider those options. She chose, instead, to glean the fields. She didn’t complain about hot sun beating down on her, or the back-breaking repetitiveness of bending over and picking the grain, or the humiliating harassment she might receive from the male harvesters. Instead, she kept her nose to the grindstone and worked hard to provide for herself and her mother-in-law.
The Bible is rife with commands to work. God views work worthy of its own engraved commandment: “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest” (Exodus 34:21). Most of us prefer the second half of that verse. We would love to work less and rest more. But God honors hard work. Apparently, so does Boaz.
Later in the day, Boaz approached Ruth, saying, “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. See 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” (Ruth 2:8-9 NLT). At mealtime, Boaz invited Ruth to sit with him and his paid employees where she could eat her fill, and he even ordered his harvesters to purposely drop some heads of grain for Ruth to pick up.
Overwhelmed by his kindness, Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. Impressed with Ruth’s character and commitment, Boaz rewarded her labor. The same will usually happen for us. If you work hard, don’t complain, and demonstrate strong character, you’re much more likely to get hired, get a promotion, and be successful in your labors. Hard work is what differentiates the champs from the chumps. In the words of World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Hope Solo, “True heroes are made of hard work and integrity.” That’s what Ruth was made of.
Ruth continued working in Boaz’s field until the end of the barley harvest and into the wheat season in early summer. During that time, Ruth’s relationship with Boaz flourished. Which brings us to the climax of the story—Ruth’s love.
• RUTH’S LOVE
The final two chapters of the book of Ruth makes for an unusual love story thanks to the motherly meddling of Naomi.
When Ruth first told Naomi about Boaz and the kindness he showed her, Naomi responded, “May the Lord bless him… That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers!” (Ruth 2:20 NLT).
According to the Law of Moses, anytime a woman’s husband died childless, it was the duty of the dead husband’s brother or another close relative to marry the widow, provide for her, give her a son so the family name would continue, and purchase the dead husband’s property so it stayed in the family. It was considered an act of redemption, and this relative was called a family redeemer.
With that in mind, Naomi takes it upon herself to play match maker. She says to Ruth: “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do” (Ruth 3:1-4 NLT).
While Naomi’s advice seems strange, she was actually telling Ruth to act in accordance with Israelite custom and law. Uncovering and lying next to Boaz’s feet while he’s sleeping was a not-so-subtle way of letting him know that she’d like to be his wife. Ruth nervously followed Naomi’s advice and, later that night, the Bible says, “Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet!” (Ruth 3:8 NLT). I don’t know about you, but I’d be pretty surprised, too!
When Boaz asks who is laying at his feet, Ruth answers, “I am your servant Ruth… Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.” (Ruth 3:9 NLT). If Boaz shared his blanket with Ruth, it meant that he was willing to marry her. If he didn’t, it was a sign of rejection.
As soon as Ruth identified herself, Boaz’s face lit up and he exclaimed, “The Lord bless you!” (Ruth 3:10 NLT). But he explains, “while it’s true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am. Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, very well. Let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will redeem you myself! Now lie down here until morning” (Ruth 3:12-13 NLT).
So, Boaz spreads his blanket over Ruth and she slept by his side until morning. The next day, Boaz immediately went out to meet with the other family redeemer, explained the situation, and convinced the other man to step aside so that he could marry Ruth. As their story comes to a close, the Bible says, “So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son” (Ruth 4:13 NLT). Everyone in town praised the Lord for this beautiful baby boy and praised Ruth for her love and loyalty. Naomi’s smile was restored and Boaz and Ruth lived happily ever after.
Getting married and having a baby might not seem especially heroic, but asking someone to marry you and not knowing how they’ll respond takes quite a bit of courage. And being a parent raising godly children definitely makes you a hero in my book. What’s more, Ruth’s relationship with Boaz illustrates our relationship with Jesus. By going to Boaz and confessing her need for a redeemer, Ruth set an example for us all to follow. Just like Ruth, you and I desperately need a redeemer. Jesus loves you. He longs to redeem you, just as Boaz redeemed Ruth. All you must do is go to him, fall at his feet, and confess your need for a redeemer. Then you can abide in his love and live happily ever after.
Conclusion:
Because of Ruth’s loyalty to her mother-in-law and her willingness to perform hard labor, Ruth found love in the arms of a wonderful man and in the eyes of a beautiful baby. Ruth’s loyalty, labor and love made her a hero to Naomi and to everyone who knew her. In fact, by marrying Boaz and becoming a mother, Ruth became an important link in the linage of the Lord Jesus. She became the great-great-great-(24 more greats)-grandmother of Jesus, making her a hero to everyone in the world. You may not be an ancestor of the Messiah, but you can follow Ruth’s example by faithfully helping those in need, working hard to glory of God, and abiding in the love of your Redeemer.
Next week, we’ll continue our series on heroes of the Bible by exploring the story of David—the hero who rose from shepherd to king!
Invitation:
In the meantime, I want to encourage you to be loyal to the Lord and his people, labor for his Kingdom, and live in the love of Christ. If I can be of help in any of those areas, please talk with me after church, call me at home, or come forward while we stand and sing.
NOTE: This sermon was adapted from my book, Holy Heroes of the Bible. If it's a blessing to you, please consider buying the book which includes chapters/sermons on 17 additional Bible heroes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SBNJTSZ
