The book of Ruth touches me deeply, not just because of the loyalty of Ruth or the unlikely love between Ruth and Boaz: it is the lovely parallel of Boaz as kinsman redeemer and my Saviour Jesus Christ who has redeemed me from sin and death.
After tragedy struck in Moab, bereaved and bitter Naomi returned to Bethlehem with her daughter in law Ruth. Without husbands to provide for them, Ruth went to glean in the fields. Under the Law of Moses the poor and foreigner could glean, meaning picking up little bits which fell to the ground during the harvesting process. She "happened" to choose to glean in the field of Boaz who was a relative of Naomi. Boaz looked favourably upon the young woman who showed great kindness to her mother of law and bid her to not go to glean in any other fields. He said in Ruth 2:12, "The LORD repay your work, and a full reward
be given you by the LORD God of
Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."
After inviting her to lunch Ruth 2:15-16 says, "And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her." Here is where I identify with Ruth in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am the foreigner, the one He has been gracious to and invited to draw near to glean sustaining truth from God's Word. Jesus compared the word of God to good seed which, when planted in prepared hearts, will be fruitful. When I willingly submit to gleaning from the scripture, it seems God purposely leaves wisdom everywhere for me to find. Boaz commanded his workers to allow grain to fall from the bundles so Ruth would find them, and it delighted him to watch her find the grain and gather it up.
One important aspect of Ruth's gleaning was it was not for her benefit alone, but to provide food for her aged mother in law Naomi. Boaz was aware of Ruth and Naomi's perilous situation. At one stage he loaded Ruth down with 6 measures of barley and said, "Don't return home empty to your mother in law." The application for me is God provides His good Word not only for my benefit but to the end I would share freely with others. Gaining knowledge for ourselves should not be our sole aim in gleaning from God's Word but to provide wisdom to share with others for their benefit and God's glory. This is not to say I am continually instructing or warning others, but in faith to walk according to the Bible. I am humbled beyond reckoning of God's grace to allow me to read His Word, be granted insights, and help me speak of His goodness.
If we will submit to gleaning from the scripture, God has provided great wisdom purposely for you to find, meditate on, and share with others. He does not rebuke or reproach people who humble themselves in faith, people who are hungry and thirsty to hear from God so they might know Him and obey. Men may say we overstep our bounds, but God invites us to draw near into His presence.
After inviting her to lunch Ruth 2:15-16 says, "And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her." Here is where I identify with Ruth in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am the foreigner, the one He has been gracious to and invited to draw near to glean sustaining truth from God's Word. Jesus compared the word of God to good seed which, when planted in prepared hearts, will be fruitful. When I willingly submit to gleaning from the scripture, it seems God purposely leaves wisdom everywhere for me to find. Boaz commanded his workers to allow grain to fall from the bundles so Ruth would find them, and it delighted him to watch her find the grain and gather it up.
One important aspect of Ruth's gleaning was it was not for her benefit alone, but to provide food for her aged mother in law Naomi. Boaz was aware of Ruth and Naomi's perilous situation. At one stage he loaded Ruth down with 6 measures of barley and said, "Don't return home empty to your mother in law." The application for me is God provides His good Word not only for my benefit but to the end I would share freely with others. Gaining knowledge for ourselves should not be our sole aim in gleaning from God's Word but to provide wisdom to share with others for their benefit and God's glory. This is not to say I am continually instructing or warning others, but in faith to walk according to the Bible. I am humbled beyond reckoning of God's grace to allow me to read His Word, be granted insights, and help me speak of His goodness.
If we will submit to gleaning from the scripture, God has provided great wisdom purposely for you to find, meditate on, and share with others. He does not rebuke or reproach people who humble themselves in faith, people who are hungry and thirsty to hear from God so they might know Him and obey. Men may say we overstep our bounds, but God invites us to draw near into His presence.
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