The Gospel in Ruth – part 6

The Gospel in Ruth – part 6

The Gospel in Ruth – part 6 150 150 Keir Tayler

There are so many truths in the time when Ruth begins to be a part of her new family in a new nation. She entered as a stranger relying on Naomi. She was limited due to her nationality or birth or nature.

Yet there is a future.

Boaz: is the one who takes the place of the, ‘kinsman-redeemer’ on behalf of Ruth.

Those who are truly seeking the Lord will find shelter under the covering of the wings of the Lord God of Israel. There is an intimate connection between the gleaning of which 2:3 speaks and the refuge of which 2:12 speaks.

Naomi’s question to Ruth when she came back from the fields is as pertinent for us, as it was for Ruth:

  • Where do you glean?
  • Where have we been gathering today?
  • What does going to church, reading the Bible, singing the praises of God, mean for us?
  • Is it a sign that we are trusting in God is seen in our diligence in gleaning in his field?

As we look at a day of gleaning, there are 3 things we need to look at here:Barriers in the fields of Boaz:

  1. Barriers in the field of Boaz:

Ruth 1:16-18 Things that once occupied her attention is replaced by a confession that now had to be walked out.

The Law of God focused on the fact that she was a Moabitess. This is seen as Ruth the Moabitess in: 1:22; 2:2; 2:6   Why was it emphasized?

It was the one thing that could prevent Ruth coming into an inheritance with God’s people.

Dt 23:3 No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord,…

Because of what Ruth was by her nature – the law – which was holy and just was weakened by Ruth’s flesh. All her natural ties were with Moab. Moab was in her blood, and therein lay her problem.

Rm 8:3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

The law is correct but there is something it cannot do, because it is weak ‘through the flesh’. The law itself has no inherent weakness, yet is powerless.

We are in Ruth’s position. We are like Ruth – strangers to God.

Moab is in our thinking, in our life interests and motivation. To be carnally minded is to be spiritually dead … and those who are spiritually dead cannot come into the inheritance of the people of God.

Ruth said to Naomi: “I want this more than anything else”. But God’s law says to her, “You cannot have it. You cannot have it because you are a Moabitess”. Judah is a no-go area for a Moabitess.

The same law that prevents the stranger coming in also shines the path for the way in, Dt 24:19-22 the regulations of harvest. – Why?

To remind God’s people that they were also strangers in a far land – Egypt.

Ruth qualified:

  • She was stranger in Bethlehem.
  • She was fatherless in Bethlehem.
  • She was a widow in Bethlehem.

What prevented her access, provided her access!

For us: 2Cor 5:21; Rom 8:3-4

Gleaning was a harvesting thing: you could not glean at sowing, watering or growing time. Only at reaping time.

The law that provided access for Ruth, did so on the basis of a finished work!

All the sowing had been done, watering had been done, all the tending had been done.

The gospel provides eternal life to us on exactly the same way – on the basis of the finished work of the cross. Seed fell to the ground – died – it is now bearing fruit Jn 12:24; Is 53:11. There is the time of harvest. It is NOW for the church.

The provision is there for the fatherless, the stranger, and the widow:

  • Christ did not come to call the righteous to repentance but the sinners.
  • Blood is shed and hope offered.
  • Death claims Christ and life flows to us.
  • He thirsts that we might drink.
  • He dies alone that we might glean
  • He is the bread of life come down from heaven.
  • The gospel points to Christ, “come and glean”.
  • Grace overcomes the barriers.
  • Mercy triumphs over judgment (law) Ja 2:13

2.    Bundles in the fields of Boaz:

No other name is mentioned in the fields except – Boaz.

There were many reapers, people working employed in the fields.

Mt 1:21 “Call His name Jesus”. 2Cor 4:5 “We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord”.

Boaz walks from Bethlehem among His reapers and says to them: ”The Lord be with you” and they reply, “The Lord bless you”. Ru 2:4

Rev 1:12-16 The Lords position is in the center of His Lampstand – the church. He is with them talking to them, and blessing them, a person of communication. Boaz – like Jesus  – is not an absentee landlord.

About Ruth Is 43:1 “I have called you by your name; you are mine”.

Boaz had spoken to His reapers to give special attention, protection, care. To let handfuls of corn drop on purpose for Ruth to pick up.

All the law required was to leave the corners of the field and if any corn dropped accidentally when it was being reaped it was to be left. Grace abounds toward her the Moabitess!.

Why was that?

  1. Because of the abundance of the harvest. (Revival)
  2. Where there once was famine, now plenty.
  3. Bundles were nothing to Boaz, but handfuls were much for Ruth.
  4. She had nothing, no field, no corn, no food. Jn 1:16; Phil 4:19
  5. Bundles are signs of personal interest and love that Boaz had for her.
  6. May we never leave the bundles of His provision left neglected, disinterested on the ground.

3.  Blessings in the fields of Boaz:

Ru 2:18 was a new revelation to Ruth and Naomi they were ‘sufficed’. She wanted nothing more.

The corn was measured beaten out and made into bread (Bethlehem – house of bread, they once rejected).

God has one savior and He is satisfied with the one savior that He has – is sufficient (I am the bread of life).

The faith in the soul of the sinner is the echo of God’s satisfaction with Christ.

She had the pleasure of daily provision.

So Naomi could ask, “Where did you glean today”

And YOU dear friend, where did you glen today?