Redeeming Ruth 2

God’s Hand in our LuckGod’s Hand in our Luck

“Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, ‘Whose young

woman is this?’ And the servant, who was in charge of the reapers answered, ‘She is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She

said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So

she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short

rest.’

“Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field

or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping and go after them. Have I

not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.’

Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, ‘Why have I found

favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?’

But Boaz answered her, ‘All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband

has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to

a people that you did not know before. The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward

to be given you by the Lord to the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.’

“Then she said, ‘I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly

to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.’”

““Naomi had a relative of her Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech from her clan of Elimelech from her husband’s side whose name was husband’s side whose name was BOAZBOAZ.” .”

BOAZ=“strength, mighty one, man’s man.”

MAN OF WAR he could fight

MAN OF WEALTHhe runs a good

business and he’s good with money

MAN OF MEANShe gets things done if

there’s hardship, difficulty or oppression

 He is the guy who delivers results. 

Boaz is the dude of dudes.

VERSE 2 “And Ruth, the Moabite, said to Naomi, ‘Let me go

to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.’ And

she said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’”

GLEANING. “The land belongs to me. So if you own a piece of land, actually I own it, too, and when you work the

land, harvest what I give you for food, but don’t take all of the food. Leave a little bit so that the poor, the

widow, the orphan, the alien, the oppressed, the immigrant, the needy, can work”

– not just get a handout, but work – “come to the

field, and take some of the food home for themselves and their family.” This was the Hebrew welfare system.

They have hit rock They have hit rock bottom. These are bottom. These are

women who are in a women who are in a devastated, very devastated, very difficult place. difficult place.

But here’s Ruth, willing to work hard, do anything, venture out

in faith, and hope, and trust, and pray that the Lord gives them

away to have a meal. And she’s willing to work to also feed her

mother-in-law.

VERSE 3. 

“She set out and went and gleaned in the field, after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the

field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of

Elimelech.”

PROVIDENCE

4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the

reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The

Lord bless you.”

Boaz was a noble and godly man.

5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in

charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman,

who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.

This is the first sight – love at first sight.

7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from

early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

Ruth is a woman of outstanding character.

She’s not looking for a handout. She’s working hard. She’s honest. She’s worked hard all day to feed

herself and her mother-in-law. She, in many ways, illustrates the

Proverbs 31 sort of great woman with a great work ethic.

ONE:What is going to attract

him to Ruth is her character.

TWO:Boaz is going to go after the woman that’s in front

of him.

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, 8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field not go to glean in another field

or leave this one, but keep or leave this one, but keep close to my young women.close to my young women.

BoazBoazProtector, provider, defender, Protector, provider, defender,

man of war. man of war. He’s a man of chivalry.He’s a man of chivalry.

“‘And when you are thirsty,’” he says, “‘go to the vessels and drink what the young

men have drawn.’”Boaz is a picture of Jesus.

10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice

of me, since I am a foreigner?”FAVOR

This a picture of an unworthy person

receiving great favor from the hand of

God.

11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your

mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left

your father and mother and your native land and came to a

people that you did not know before.

Ruth’s good works preceded her.

Let our good works precede us as well.

12 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!”

This is a beautiful beginning to any relationship. This is not the first person Boaz has prayed for. Boaz is a

man who prays for people when he meets them. This

is just part of his character. This is how he

operates.

The flipside of providence is prayer.

Did God answer that prayer? Yes. Who did God send to answer the prayer of Boaz?

Boaz.

BASED UPON THIS TEXT, THAT

SOMETIMES WE NEED TO ANSWER

OUR OWN PRAYERS.

FUNCTIONS OF PRAYER:

Sometimes prayer moves the hand of

God.

Sometimes prayer changes the heart of

the one who is asking.

13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord,

for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to

your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”

Women are looking for a man who’s masculine, but can comfort, and

speaks kindly. He comforts her. He

respects her. He cares for her. He’s a

defender, protector, provider. He’s a man who speaks kindly. He’s an encourager.

MISCONCEPTION:

Rich = bad peoplePoor = good people

To God, it makes a little difference whether a person is materially rich or poor.

It is not an issue.

The real issue is whether a person is godly or ungodly regardless of this person’s financial

status.

Boaza man of grace and

favor

Boaz is a type of Jesus - our

kinsman redeemer.

Show the video Abbie Watanabe

Jesus was both rich and poor.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of

our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich,

yet for your sake he became poor, so that you

by his poverty might become rich.

Jesus was perfectly godly, righteous and sinless.