Woven and Spun, Part 1

Previously in the Written on Our Hearts Series: Intro; Rahab: Got Labels? and That Prostitute is My Grandma; Ruth: Hang On

The eternity written on Ruth’s heart declares its presence as she makes a covenant with Naomi in the beginning of the story. Ruth states, “I’m following you, I’m going wherever you go, I’m staying wherever you stay, your God is my God.” With her declaration, she placed the rest of her days in the hands of God which allowed him to continue weaving her into his story.

As we look at the eternal threads, we will see shadows of Christ just as we did with Rahab. Although not limited to him, they will predominately appear with Boaz. In Ruth’s life he is the kinsman-redeemer. The Hebrew word is goel. It involves a family member who is able “to buy back” a loss within the family. The book of Ruth is rich with these shadows. Look for them. I want to know what you find!

This week we will look at how God redeemed Ruth from being a foreigner and how he redeemed her from being poor. Next week we will look at how God redeemed Ruth from being a widow and from being childless.

From Foreigner To Known

Ruth didn’t waste any time and began gleaning in a field. I love how Ruth 2:3 says she happened to come to the part of the field that Boaz owned. I love that Ruth had no clue how purposed, how organized, how ordered her steps were. Boaz happened to be there that day and noticed Ruth. When he asked his servants about her they replied, “She is the young Moabite women who came back with Naomi. She has been gathering sheaves since early this morning.” (Ruth 2:5-7)

Notice how the description of Ruth included that she was a foreigner, but it also included that she was loyal and a hard worker. In response, Boaz extends Ruth kindness. He tells her to stay in his fields and close to his servants. He also tells to get water whenever she is thirsty. Ruth asks, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, why should you take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” (Ruth 2:10)

Boaz replies to Ruth’s humble inquisition by restating the covenant she made with Naomi, the covenant she made with God. He finishes by saying, “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” (Ruth 2:12)

In these verses we see Ruth’s growing reputation. She goes from a Moabite to a loyal, hard working servant. Then, Boaz steps in and takes it one step further as he acknowledges Ruth being under the wings of the God of Israel. This foreign nobody has now been noticed and identified, She is known.

From Poor to Favored

Boaz’s servants allowed Ruth to glean the fields according to the law. But when Ruth was made known to Boaz, he lavished his kindness on her above and beyond the provision within the law—something he learned from his mother, Rahab, no doubt.

First, Boaz tells Ruth to stay in his field and stay close to his servants. He had everything she needed, more than enough, actually.

Second, Boaz instructs his young men to keep their hands off of her. There is vulnerability in being poor; it is easily preyed upon. Boaz protected Ruth from the mistreatment of poor women. Perhaps this was another quality he learned from his mother—the prostitute.

Third, he offered her water for whenever she was thirsty. Boaz cared for his servants. He provided them with water in the fields. He extended this same care—providing a necessity—to Ruth.

Fourth, when it was mealtime, Boaz invited the poor widow gleaner to sit beside his reapers, to dip her morsel in wine (a step up from water), to take roasted grain as it was passed around. He gave her a seat, a place to belong. She ate until she was satisfied; she even had some left over. There is a difference between getting enough to survive and getting enough to satisfy.

Fifth, as if all that wasn’t more than enough, Boaz instructs his servants to let Ruth glean from the sheaves and not just what fell to the ground. Plus, he instructed them to pull out sheaves from the already reaped bundles. They were to leave them for Ruth on purpose and not rebuke her.

Boaz responded to Ruth above what the law required and what anyone expected, even beyond what was necessary. Graham Cooke talks about how favor is more about acceptance and pleasure than it is provision and blessing. It is out of the acceptance that provision flows. Ruth went from poor to favored in the fields of Boaz.

Shadows of Christ

What shadows of Christ have you seen so far? Do share! I will limit myself to sharing only one because I don’t want to hog all the space.

As I read and studied the story this time around, I was struck with how Boaz protected Ruth from assault in the fields. His instruction to his young men servants not only protected Ruth, it taught them respect and how to love well. It also taught his young women servants how they should be treated. Similarly, as 1 John 4:19 says, We love because he first loved us. On that same line, Boaz’s lavish favor on Ruth shadows the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love as Ephesians 3:17-21 talks about. Paul wraps it up by saying [Jesus] is able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or think. Ruth got to foretaste that kind of love. Plus, Boaz’s young men servants got a great lesson in how to woo a girl.

Seriously, what shadows do you see?

Next week we will finish up Ruth as we look at how God redeemed her from being a widow and from being childless.