Ruth in the Fields Ruth 2

Ruth 7:7 "And she said I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house."

Ruth asked Naomi if she could go glean in the fields. Naomi told her to go. Ruth did not know she had went to work in a kinsman's field (that of Boaz).

It was the command that reapers leave the gleanings for the poor so that they could have food for their table. It was a humbling task. The fact that Ruth was a foreigner added to her humbled position.

As often happens in the plan of the LORD, Ruth was given favor with the owner of the property. He commanded his reapers to let her glean in places where she would find the most food.

v9 "Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athrist, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn."

Boaz notice her and enquired of her. He found out that she was Naomi's daughter in law which made him her kinsman.

It is as the LORD found us as Gentiles in the world. Although Israel is His chosen people, he instructed Israel to care for strangers and so he does as well. Ruth was a foreigner but because of her relationship to Naomi, she was accepted as one of Israel. Christ did not cast away his people. His hands are large enough to hold all of us. Romans tells us how it works:

Romans 11:26-28 "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion (Zion) the Deliverer, (Isaiah 59:20-21) and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes."

We find Ruth, in the lowest of states, without family or means of support, but she has found her redeemer and does not yet know it. Boaz has shown her favor even before we found out that they are to be married.

v23 "So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean, unto the end of barley harvest and wheat harvest and dwelt with her mother in law."

Ruth did not know the outcome as we do by reading ahead. She was just a good person who provided for herself and her mother in law. She was a hard worker and she did as she was told by the lord of the harvest. Her reward would come but she was not aware of that at the time.

It is a great chapter and should be read in its entirety. For example there is verse 16 where Ruth was left handfuls on purpose which would make a complete lesson on the grace of God towards his children.

Boaz is a type and picture of Christ and Ruth is a type and picture of the church.

It seems a good place to put Matthew 25:25"For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in. v40 And the King shall answer and say unto the, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Psalms 12:6 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

keywords: Bible study, Old Testament, Ruth, Boaz, Naomi, Milton Southerland