The Tide Turns for Ruth

There were some dangers in being a lone young woman roaming strangers’ fields (2.22). But in the land belonging to Boaz, a relative of her deceased father-in-law, Elimelech, Ruth found a safe place to glean. She came to that part of the field without knowing that it belonged to Boaz; only later would she look back and recognise that it was God who had directed her there. Boaz’s man in charge found out who Ruth was and noticed how long and hard Ruth worked throughout the day. When Boaz came to visit his workers he learned about Ruth and encouraged her to work behind his people where she would be safe and share the water of his team. Ruth was overwhelmed by his kindness and encouragement and Boaz reminds her that it is the wings of God that she is sheltering under. A godly man, Boaz sees God at work in these circumstances and encouraged Ruth to trust the God of Israel as her protector (2.13).

The tide had begun to turn for Ruth. What had recently seemed to be an outgoing tide of loss and adversity began to turn and fill. And something was stirring within Boaz. He began to feel protective of Ruth. He did not merely make an arrangement for a poor young foreign widow to scratch together some gleanings safely. He couldn’t take his eye off her and when it was time for a meal break he called her in to share his team’s food. He personally served her with more than she needed (which she tucked away to share with Naomi). Then, when the team went back to work, he privately instructed the team leader to make sure that Ruth not only had the fallen leftover grain to pick up, but that she should be able to glean directly from the sheaves of wheat – and more than that, he ordered the man to pull out grain-laden stalks from the bundles of barley and drop them for her to collect. Boaz admired Ruth and began to wonder how her future might be bound up with his.

Ruth returned to Naomi at the end of the day laden with grain and shared the leftovers from Boaz’s lunch. Naomi begins to see the hand of God at work directing Ruth to that field and the man Boaz. Her dark clouds of suffering and loss are opening up and shafts of light are beaming in. She explains to Ruth that Boaz is one of the men eligible to be their ‘redeemer’. Such a man had certain rights and responsibilities to the widows of his close relatives. To redeem means to buy back or recover the ownership of someone or something. The ‘redeemer’ in this sense, was a male family member with the responsibilities of getting justice for a murdered relative (Numbers 35.19); marrying the widow of a deceased brother, to raise children (Deut 25.5-10); buying back land that had been sold (Lev 25.25); buying back a family member sold into slavery (Lev 25.47-49) and looking after needy and helpless family members (Lev 25.35). Along with many other laws, the Israelites treated this law very casually and often selfishly, sometimes choosing to take up the options to recover land while ignoring the responsibility to look after needy relatives. But Boaz will prove to be a godly man who is eager to take care of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth has already witnessed his godliness shining through even in his greeting of his workers (2.4) and his interest and involvement with them in their daily work. He was a worthy and wealthy man, but humble enough to hand out the food to his workers. Boaz was a God-saturated man. God was bringing into Ruth’s life the man who would take away the bitterness and loss and give her and Naomi a future and a hope.

Ruth stuck close to Boaz’s team until the harvesting season was at an end. The relationship between Boaz and Ruth seems to have an interesting future. Their experience teaches us about what to look for in a life partner – for this is a love story. She was not attracted to Boaz for superficial reasons. It was his godliness expressing itself in protectiveness and provision. Boaz was attracted to Ruth for her selflessness and courage. But ultimately it was their shared faith in God that brought them together for an even bigger purpose than just their joy of being lovers. For those of you yet to find your life companion – your husband or wife – don’t settle for superficial. Look for godliness in your partner.