Few are they who lay hold of the grace of God without passing through hard circumstances that make them realize their need of relying on God’s grace. The Book of Ruth is an example of a family who departed from their country and fell into hard times and then returned to the place of their promised blessing. Ruth the Moabitess turned to God, counting on His grace. She stayed with her mother-in-law through those hard times. When Naomi’s God was hard against her, Ruth accompanied Naomi as she returned empty to her country and God. For Naomi to be taking Ruth along in her return to the land of Israel was an added shame, reminding her people of what had happened to the family. Naomi speaks of returning empty, of the bitterness of her soul and of the hardness of the Almighty. In all this Ruth took the low place, caring for her mother-in-law. She trusted in Israel’s God and did what her mother-in-law told her to do.
The Options
There were not many options for them, but in God’s law there was a provision for the poor to glean in the fields of others. This was where Ruth started. Whether Naomi was too overcome with sorrow or too old to glean, or both, we are not told, but it is here that we first hear Ruth speak of grace. She says to Naomi, “Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn [grain] after him in whose sight I shall find grace” (Ruth 2:22And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. (Ruth 2:2)). This is a turning point in the story, for at this point, the hand of the Lord is no longer hard against them. Rather, His hand is guiding Ruth to happen upon the field of a man of wealth. Boaz can supply the need and, more so, he is disposed to help the needy. He says to her after inquiring about her identity, “Go not to glean in another field, neither go hence, but abide here fast by my maidens” (Ruth 2:88Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: (Ruth 2:8)). The intent was not to restrict her but to provide more abundantly for her.
Why?
The kindness of Boaz causes her to say, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?” (Ruth 2:1010Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? (Ruth 2:10)). His answer was according to God’s heart toward the meek and contrite. Boaz says to her, “It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust” (Ruth 2:11-1211And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 12The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. (Ruth 2:11‑12)). This response was not only the kindness of Boaz to her but was given of God as a response to what Ruth had said earlier in devotion to her mother-in-law: “Entreat me not to leave thee. ... Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:1616And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (Ruth 1:16)). Boaz was a channel of God’s favor to them when they returned to the land God had given to Israel.
More Favor
As the conversation between Boaz and Ruth proceeds, we see that for each expression of dependence and appreciation that Ruth makes known to him, Boaz has an answer of favor. When she expresses her appreciation of his favor and of the comfort it was to her, he invites her to eat together with him and the reapers. He gives her food until she is satisfied, and then when he continues to give her more, she takes the extra to her mother-in-law in the evening. Grace gives generously according to the goodness of the giver.
This is followed by instructions from Boaz to the reapers to let her glean among the sheaves and to leave handfuls of purpose for her to glean. All this happened the first day and continued until the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest. This would have lasted for several weeks. Grace gives a double portion, that for the natural as well as the spiritual needs.
Up to this point the favor from Boaz was to restore food and sustenance that had been lost when the family left their inheritance in Bethlehem-Judah. But there was a greater destitution, for not only had they lost their inheritance in the land, but they had also lost their sons — the inheritors. This condition is even more difficult. But God’s grace has a remedy for this too.
Naomi’s Venture
Ruth had been the one who was providing sustenance for them, but now Naomi takes a venture in faith. She seeks rest for Ruth. Each one is looking out for the other. Her plan was to advise their kinsman that they had no children and needed some near kinsman to redeem them from this situation. Boaz was noble and would do nothing in secret. He set about to redeem publicly those who had lost all and to take Ruth as his wife, giving them an inheritance. This is what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us at the present time. By accepting Him as our Kinsman-Redeemer, we are born into His family — we have eternal life.
For this to take place, it was necessary for Ruth to give up her own choice of a husband and follow Naomi’s word. Boaz comments on this when she appeared at his feet in the night; he said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich” (Ruth 3:1010And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. (Ruth 3:10)). We cannot follow our own wills and expect grace to give us the best gift. A token of barley — six measures — was given to Ruth as proof of his care for her until the matter was completed. We may be assured the Lord will care for our temporal needs until He comes to take us as His bride.
The First Right of Redemption
One more obstacle needs to be removed for Boaz to perform all that he in grace desired to do, for he wanted to avoid any disputing afterward, as to what belonged to him. There was a kinsman who was nearer to Naomi. He must be given the first right of redeeming the destitute family. The kinsman who had this first right wanted to redeem the family until he was advised that it involved taking Ruth as wife and raising up a seed for Naomi’s family. This he declined to do, as it would mar his own inheritance, so Boaz is given the exclusive option to do so, which he promptly did. Perhaps it was because, being a grandson of Rahab, he realized what grace could do. The scriptural procedure of Deuteronomy 25:7-107And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 8Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 9Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. (Deuteronomy 25:7‑10) was followed (omitting the spitting in the face) regarding the removal of the shoe, which would be kept as a testimony in case there was any future claim for the redeemed woman. After this is settled, Boaz had exclusive rights to redeem all the inheritance of Elimelech’s family, and, also, he states that he was purchasing Ruth as his wife so he could raise up a seed upon the inheritance of the dead. It is a picture of resurrection life from Christ. The Lord Jesus has accomplished this for us and it enables us to enjoy Christ in glory. Soon He will take His bride to be with Him, as He promised. Thus, as Ruth was brought into the nearest relationship with Boaz, so we are brought into close relationship with Christ.
Naomi’s Child
When Ruth gave birth to a son, Naomi took him as her son. Again, Ruth surrenders all her own rights so that grace may give according the fullness of the Giver. So it says in Romans 11:5-65Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:5‑6), “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.” The comment was made to Naomi that Ruth who loved her was better to her than seven sons. The complete surrender of her rights allowed her child to receive the inheritance of Boaz and Elimelech. It would not do for the child to be part Moabite and part Israelite. And yet everyone now remembers it was through Ruth that the blessing came to the house of David. May the Lord give us to refuse all human rights and trust completely in what grace gives to the needy. Ruth is an example of how to do that.
D. C. Buchanan