Ruth 2:17-23

“Hope Is Renewed”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Ruth 2:17-23

Before continuing our story, we must first remember what has occurred thus far in chapter 2. Naomi and Ruth have returned to Bethlehem because of God’s visitation on His land and His people (1:6). Ruth asks Naomi if she can go out and glean the fields around the city, hoping to find both food and favor. She finds both in the field of Boaz, a relative full of character and compassion. In a wonderful demonstration of the Law as the “minimum acceptable” instead of the “maximum allowable”, Boaz provides a wonderful provision for the young Moabite woman. It is there that we pick up the story…

 

I.                 The Workday Ends and Ruth Returns Home    Ruth 2:17-18

a.      We are again reminded of the work ethic of Ruth as Verse 17 opens. After the lunch, she went directly back to work and continued working at her gleaning until the early evening. But she not only picked up the grain on the ground, she also now “beats it out” to remove the grain from the chaff. We are not only given the information regarding her work, we are also given the yield of it. The amount that she gleaned that day in the field of Boaz was “about an ephah of barley. That amount would be somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 of a bushel. That amount was not only an unusually large amount for a gleaner to pick up in a day, but it would also be enough to take care of the two widows for several weeks.

b.     We are again faced with the provision of not only Boaz, but of God. Boaz has been a kind and compassionate landowner. He has seen and responded to need as represented by the life of Ruth. Verse 18 tells us that she took the barley back into the city home of both her and Naomi. Ruth faithfully takes the entire yield home, along with the leftovers from her lunch time meal with the reapers and Boaz.

II.               A Conversation That Restores Hope    Ruth 2:19-23

a.      Naomi is most certainly surprised at the “haul” and asks Ruth where she worked and where she had gleaned to come up with such a bounty. Verse 19 is the beginning of a conversation that is full of hope and blessing. The writer has still not given the name of Boaz to Naomi, but she pronounces a desire for blessing on the one who took notice of Ruth and her need. It is after that blessing that Ruth reveals the name of the one that blessed them as Boaz.

b.     With the revealing of the one blessing them as Boaz, Naomi now offers a lot of helpful information in Verse 20 to both the reader and to Ruth. This young daughter-in-law is now treated to perhaps the first hope-filled words from Naomi that she has heard in a long time. Remember the last words of Naomi that are recorded in Verse 2 where she answers Ruth’s request to glean with a simple “Go, my daughter”. These are hardly the words of a woman full of hope for the future.

c.      Naomi knows that Boaz is a relative, and she knows the custom and law of the land. She pronounces a blessing on Boaz, but it is somewhat unclear if Naomi is recognizing the “one who has not withdrawn his kindness to the living and to the dead” OR is she recognizing and desiring blessing from the “Lord who has not withdrawn his kindness to the living and to the dead”? Whatever the answer you come up with, be assured that your answer is right! It is both Boaz and the Lord that are being remembered by Naomi at this moment full of hope for both now and the future. Naomi continues with the information that Boaz is a relative, in fact a close relative. This “kinsman redeemer” and his field is the one that Ruth just happened to run into along her way to finding food and favor in the community. The Law provided for this “kinsman redeemer” to provide protection, provision and a continuing name for a family after the death of a brother. This “closest relative” duty would be provided by a brother or other extended family, according to verses such as Leviticus 25:25-28, 47-49, Numbers 35:19-21, and Deuteronomy 25:5-10.

d.     If that was not enough, Ruth continues her interrupted report of the day. Verse 21 has Ruth also sharing with Naomi the desire of Boaz for her to stay close to his servants for the entire harvest season. Verse 22 reveals Naomi’s agreement with Boaz’ appeal to Ruth, in the name of both provision and protection.

e.      So the “barley field” scene now closes in Verse 23 with that Ruth stays with her mother-in-law Naomi and continues to work in the field of Boaz through both the barley and the wheat harvest. This period of time was at least 7 weeks (April/May through June).

III.             An Application For All Of Us

a.      Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you? Have you ever been in a place where hope was a hard thing to come by? God has not forgotten you! God has not abandoned you! God is faithful and will provide for those that He loves!

b.     The story of redemption is upon us! Don’t forget to look for Jesus as you see the wonderful provision of Boaz and his God…