WOMEN OF CHRISTMAS - RUTH - NAOMI'S FAITH REKINDLED

RUTH 2:15-23

NAOMI’S FAITH REKINDLED

Ruth 2:15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:     16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

Boaz went farther than the law commanded. He told his reapers to drop some stalks of grain on purpose, so she would have more to pick up. He told them not to run her off or scold her for gleaning but instead to take care of her. He told them to make her gleaning more successful.

Ruth 2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

1 ephah Biblical (ephah) = 92.99 cups dry US (cup)

Ephah (10 omers) 0.63 bushels (5.9 gal.)     22 liters

John MacArthur Study Bible:

2:17 ephah. Over one-half bushel, weighing about 30 to 40 lbs.

Ruth had worked hard and fast all day and then continued working by beating out the edible grain from that which she had gleaned. Ruth did not have an idle bone in her body. Even in her work, Naomi was at the forefront of her thoughts. She not only brought Naomi the barley she had beaten out, but she had saved some of the lunch Boaz provided for her mother-in-love.

Ruth 2:19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

Naomi must have realized that Ruth brought home far more than expected from a day’s gleaning and asked whose field she worked in. She pronounced a blessing on whatever man had taken an interested in their plight, the observant and compassionate man who had noticed Ruth in his field. Ruth told her the man who owned the field was named Boaz.

Ruth 2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

Naomi again pronounces a blessing on Boaz for remembering her husband and sons by being kind to their widows. She brings up the possibility that Boaz could be a kinsman-redeemer, one who would care for the widow of a near relative.

John MacArthur Study Bible:

Naomi began to understand God’s sovereign working, covenant loyalty, lovingkindness, and mercy toward her because Ruth, without human direction (2:3), found the near relative Boaz.

God’s providence had led Ruth to Boaz just as the spies in Joshua chapter 2 were led to the house of Rahab. We keep seeing the sovereignty of our Lord in the stories behind the Women of Christmas!

Ruth 2:21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

Ruth told Naomi how Boaz had instructed her to glean only in his fields. He had the resources to provide extra for her and had his reapers make sure she gleaned plenty of grain for her and Naomi. He was also offering her protection that she might not find elsewhere since she was from Moab.

Ruth 2:22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field.

Naomi encouraged Ruth to do as Boaz had instructed. “Meet thee” does not convey the full meaning of her words here. She was saying to stay with Boaz’ reapers lest she be assaulted by the men in someone else’s fields.

Ruth 2:23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

The two harvests lasted approximately two months from the middle of April until the middle of June. Ruth continued to glean behind Boaz’s workers that entire time. Ruth was guaranteed work and was able to provide food for Naomi as well as herself.

Ponder this: Naomi had felt abandoned by God due to the loss of her husband and sons. She was in a crisis of faith but still recognized and worshiped Him as her Lord. When she saw God’s provision by directing Ruth to the field of a near kinsman, that spark of faith once again became a flame within her, and she had hope. Have you lost hope because you cannot see how God is working in your life? Continue to trust Him, continue to obey, continue to worship and wait expectantly to see what He will do. If you have trusted in Jesus, His sovereignty is always at work. Even though at times it is difficult to perceive exactly how or when God will move, we can trust that He WILL move.