Vs 1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

Naomi was in the family. Boaz was man of great wealth – cattle on a 1000 hills. Elimelech – Messiah family line.

Enter Boaz. Boaz was the son of Salmon whose wife was Rahab. Salmon and Rahab raised their son to be a godly man as we will see evidenced by the remainder of study of Ruth. This speaks of the redemption of Rahab. Remember she was the harlot who helped the spies in Jericho and was spared from the destruction that followed. Salmon and Rahab named the boy Boaz which means “in him is strength”. Now Boaz is a grown man and successful one at that. By the fact that he had standing meant that he held authority and rights. Some have suggested that he may have been one of the judges.

 Vs 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”

The Moabite – the foreigner – from outside the family. Daughter – relationship had changed from daughter-in-law to daughter, intimacy.

Ruth was a humble and hardworking young woman. She did not sit back and wonder where her bread was going to come from. She was proactive. She seeks Naomi’s permission even though she did not have to do that. It speaks of her respect and love for Naomi. Where did she learn this? Well it had to be from Naomi. Ruth was from a pagan culture. She saw the way Naomi treated others and now it was on her to do the same. She is willing to go to work wherever she could find it in order to feed them both. Naomi replies with such love and affection for Ruth. She grants permission with love.

Vs 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.

In a position for a blessing

Ruth finds herself in the middle of God’s divine providence. It wasn’t just any old field she came upon – it was the one God intended her to be in. When we walk in humility, respect, and love then we are in position for God to do blessed work in and through us. Ruth does not wallow in self-pity and wait for someone to feed her, she seeks a place to work and then gets to it.

 Vs 4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The LORD be with you!” “The LORD bless you!” they answered.

What a great employer! Boaz comes to check on his fields and his employees. He invokes a blessing on them and greets them with such respect. They in like seek a blessing on him in return. This is the kind of guy you don’t mind working hard for.

Vs 5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”

Boaz seems someone, a woman, a young woman to be exact that is not one of his employees so he asks the foreman in charge who she belongs to.

Vs 6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi.”

Ruth is referred to by her home country – Moab, but she is also connected with Naomi. This is someone who has left her former country and is now connected with God’s people in God’s land. Just like we are Gentiles in God’s Kingdom. We are foreign by birth but of God’s family by adoption.

 Vs 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained her from morning til now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”

The Lord provides for those who seek Him – His crumbs are better than a king’s feast

Ruth asked permission, went to work immediately, worked hard, worked consistently and remained. Again this shows her humbleness and determination. Some have suggested that the ‘short rest’ was a time she used for prayer and devotion. I can see taking a ‘short rest in the shelter’ of the Almighty to be beneficial to any employee. Do you take breaks to get alone with God for few minutes?

 Vs 8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Vs 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

So the Lord said to _________, (your name) “My daughter, listen to me.”

Let’s look at these verses in light of Jesus calling:

“My daughter, listen to me” – are we listening to our Father? Do we hear Jesus?

“Don’t go and glean in another field” –don’t seek spiritual nourishment outside of Him

“don’t go away from here” – stay with the Lord, don’t leave Him

‘Stay here with the women who work for me” – He has given us fellowship with other women of the church of Christ.

“Watch the field where the men are harvesting” – see and hear what is being preached and taught – stay in the boundaries

“and follow along after the women” – watch and follow godly women, mentors in the faith. Don’t go it alone

“I have told the men not to lay a hand on you” – I will protect you

“And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled” – drink the Word that is being preached from the men of God

Vs 10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me – a foreigner?”

The closer we get to Jesus the more in awestruck we are that He ever chose us – pure grace.

Ruth is humble and reverent. She shows the proper respect to Boaz. When was the last time you bowed your head down with face to the ground before the Lord? She knows she is a foreigner and yet Boaz has been so kind and generous to her as if she were a true Israelite. Keep in mind that Boaz represents the Kinsman Redeemer and we know Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer. Do you know that he notices you? He sees you. He sees your hard work, your reverence, your kindness to your mother-in-law, your humbleness to take a job beneath you, your desperation, your heart. He sees you and He loves you.

 Vs 11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband – how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.”

Jesus knows when we leave father and mother, home, and familiar people to follow Him. This is the mark of a true disciple. Ruth’s testimony is evident in the way she lives. Is your testimony evident in the way you live?

 Vs 12 “May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings you shall take refuge. Psalm 91:4

Boaz prays over Ruth. He has spoken such encouragement to her and now he prays over her. Boaz exhalts the Lord in his prayer by the fact that he acknowledges that the LORD is the one who can repay and reward. He further defines Ruth’s salvation: “under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” It is God who is providing for Ruth and Naomi. It is God at work in their lives. Boaz was an instrument in the hands of God.

  Vs 13 May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant – though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”

Ruth in true humility of spirit seeks to continue to find favor. Are you seeking to find favor in the eyes of the Lord? Does Jesus put you at ease by speaking kindly to you? If not then you need to read what He says about you in His Word. He speaks love over us. His banner over us is love. Song of Solomon.

Standing means – right. It is a legal term. To have standing means you have a right to pursue something. Ruth was not an Israelite woman. She was a foreigner so she had no legal claim. But we see that God who is rich in mercy takes us, Gentiles who have no legal right, and makes us part of His own family. We are grafted into Abraham’s family just as Rahab was and just as Ruth was.