TODAY'S LESSON ...

In the Book of Ruth the obviously prevailing attitude, through all four chapters really, is "kindness." Overboard, second-mile, more than expected kindness!

The example I'd like to present you today is that of Boaz. The Text is longer than usual, Ruth chapter 2, nearly all of it. I'll just comment on its major truths.

"And Ruth went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab. 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. Then 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. 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 athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. Then 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? And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed 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. Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. 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. And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley." Ruth 2:3-17

Ruth the Moabitess, daughter-in-law to Naomi, can enjoy the advantages of a Mosaic Law in Israel, one given by God many years earlier. Poor people, Jews or foreigners, can pick up fragments and leftovers in any grain field, provided they do so after the harvesters have reaped the lion's share of the crop.

Ruth, apparently at random according to the author of the Book, comes to the field of a man named Boaz. The Hebrew noun "hap" means "an unforeseen meeting" or even "an accident." Something that occurred "by chance." We Christians of course know better than that!

Soon the landowner appears to supervise his employees. And he consequently sees a strange young lady gleaning on his property. His first "sight" of her is obscured, hidden by the Text. Personally I am convinced this is a case of "love at first sight" anyway. Boaz is soon asking "Whose damsel is this?" He uses a word that means a "maiden" or "young woman." Surely Ruth was a pretty girl too!

Here begins a string of "benefits" Boaz heaps upon his newly arrived little foreign laborer!

Let me be more specific.

As soon as he sees her, after simply learning who she was, Boaz invites Ruth to glean in no other field! He wants her back tomorrow, already a sign of future good will! "Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them." Ruth 2:8

Next Boaz commands his men workers not to dare "touch" Ruth! Is he just protecting her or is he interested in her "for himself" alone? "Have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?"

And when she got thirsty, anytime, she can go to the employee canteen and get all the water she wishes!

Then to the company cafeteria, Ruth is invited! "And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed." Ruth 2:14, bread and sauces and anything else she wanted apparently!

Then, perhaps most generous of all, the reapers were told, commanded really, to leave lots of grain in the field! Plenty so that Ruth will carry home an astounding amount. Biscuits for many days! That will please a future Mother-In-Law, Naomi for example. "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. And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley." That's somewhere between thirty and fifty pounds of grain! Depending on the value assigned to a "ephah." Quite impressive!

And the kindness, truthfully, is just beginning!

You can now see why I said it. That perhaps the key word, one of them anyway, in the whole Ruth corpus is "kindness" or in Hebrew "hesed."

And certainly kindness is one of the fundamental attributes of our great God. He is so gracious and merciful to us all.

No wonder the Book of Ruth reflects the Lord Jesus in so many ways. He Himself is indeed a wonderfully kind Saviour.

More specifically ... Jesus, like His forerunner Boaz, is kind to His Bride, the Church! And we who are saved enjoy that Kindness daily! "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentation 3:22-23

Thank God for our Boaz!

                   --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

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