"satisfied"

When it comes to Bible texts, one method of detecting the heart of the text is to look for word repetition. Word repetition often reinforces a theme not to be missed. For example, in today's text, we have four word repetitions: Gleaning and Satisfied along with Barley and Field.

Gleaning was introduced last week. The farmworkers harvest. They come through with a cutting knife or sickle in one hand and gather up their cuttings in the other hand. What falls from their arms are known as gleanings. By God’s direction, these were to be left for the poor to pick up as their own to provide for themselves.

Though it was the evil era of the Judges, when everyone did what was right in their own eyes, this practice was still observed by Israel’s faithful: Ruth 2 is one of the rare examples where we see obedience lived out. From gleaning, perhaps one could get a day or two's worth of food with a little left to sell or barter. It wasn't a complete solution to get out of poverty. But the gleaning commandment prevented starvation.

The other repeated word: Satisfied might come as a surprise given the poverty in our text. In Scripture, the word is used in different ways.

Over half of its 97 Old Testament appearances are negative indicating dissatisfaction. In our day and age too, it is quite rare for people to be satisfied. But here, it is used positively even amidst the impoverished. This word is unexpected. The satisfaction comes not from Ruth’s hard work. Her satisfaction originates from Boaz, the farmer, looking out for her needs.

Twice, our text emphasizes Ruth's satisfaction from this one act of kindness from Boaz. Plus, she even brings back a doggie bag from the field kitchen. And Ruth shares this rare treat with Naomi. This is on top of the ephah of milled barley Ruth came home carrying. While the typical gleaner might gather one or two days worth of food… Ruth was able to gather ten days' worth of food for two and a doggie bag of flavored bread as a bonus.

This narrative would have shocked the original listeners. It's not just about getting by. Ruth and Naomi are transformed by Boaz's abundant hospitality and generosity. Remember - this is just one day out of more to come. It is amazing how God provides satisfaction and even abundance. Two things stand out:

First, Ruth is humbled. She knows she does not deserve such kindness. Ruth holds no sense of entitlement.

Multiple times, Boaz looks out for Ruth. He goes far beyond the minimal following of God’s gleaning laws. Just as God brought forth heroes in the book of Judges for national moments of redemption, God brings forth Boaz to be a hero to Ruth and Naomi.

-V8 – He encourages Ruth to stay in his fields.

-V8 – Boaz gives Ruth priority placement with the servant girls

-V9 – Boaz prewarns the men not to assault her

-V9 – Boaz grants her access to water

-V12- Boaz grants her a godly blessing

-V14 – Boaz invites her to dine

-V 15 – Boaz lets her gather among the sheaves

-V 16 -Boaz tells his men to accidentally let some full stalks of barley fall so Ruth can gather them

Ruth, a foreigner, has received kindness upon kindness - more than she could have imagined. It is God at work in every step of an ordinary day.

Secondly, while Ruth is humbled by the whole experience, Naomi is transformed through it. Naomi, whose name means pleasant, returned from Moab bitter and grieving…

Naomi is gripped by bitterness. There is no evidence that Naomi went to the fields to alleviate their poverty. Naomi appears to have given up. In her grief, she could not find satisfaction ever again. She had no expectation her life would ever be joyful again.

However, God's generous provision eases Naomi's bitterness: The transformation begins in verse 18 after Naomi mopped for an entire day while Ruth was away. We are witnesses to a Naomi’s sudden transformation of character once Ruth returned home. Ruth returns with a staggering amount of food and a doggie bag to boot:

Ruth names the man who assisted her BOAZ! This is the same Boaz the narrator note we had the pleasure of reading in advance in verse 1:

That little piece of data was just for us as readers. Ruth knew nothing about Boaz in advance. Naomi did – but she had no expectation in advance that he would become Ruth’s hero in that moment. This is where all the puzzle pieces come together in such a way that Naomi can’t help but credit God.

Naomi went from lamenting that God afflicted her to seeing God's hand of blessing in that very moment.