Last week we heard some background on the Book of Ruth, a true story that happened during the time of the Judges in the Old Testament and written down later, probably during the time of King David or a little later. We heard of Naomi, a Jewish woman who moved to the land of Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons because of famine and other bad conditions in Israel, where they had lived in Bethlehem. Tragically, Elimelech soon died, and Naomi was left with her two sons, who had each...
Last week we heard some background on the Book of Ruth, a true story that happened during the time of the Judges in the Old Testament and written down later, probably during the time of King David or a little later. We heard of Naomi, a Jewish woman who moved to the land of Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons because of famine and other bad conditions in Israel, where they had lived in Bethlehem. Tragically, Elimelech soon died, and Naomi was left with her two sons, who had each married Moabite women. Not too many years later, both sons also died, leaving Naomi alone with her two daughter-in-laws, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi was very bitter about these deaths and could not understand why all this happened to her and why God allowed it all.
We began at Ruth 1:6, then, when Naomi heard that the years of famine were over in Israel and that “the Lord had visited His people and given them food.” She heard this “in the fields of Moab.” This probably means that Naomi and her daughters-in-law had been “gleaning” any food that was left in fields after harvest. It was one of very few things widows could do in those days to try to survive and get a little food for themselves. (We will talk more about “gleaning” in a few minutes.)
Naomi decided that she would return to the land of Judah, since her husband had some relatives there and maybe some kind fellow Jews would help her. Her daughters-in-law wanted to go with her (verse 7), but Naomi urged them to go home to their own families and get help to find someone else to be married to. She hoped that the Lord would be kind to them as they had been kind to her, and that He would help them find rest and peace and new husbands (Ruth 1:8).
Orpah and Ruth wept loudly, and insisted on going along with Naomi to Israel. Again, Naomi urged them to turn back to their Moabite families. There was no feasible way she could provide another son for them, who could marry them and provide them with any inheritance and future (Ruth 1:9-13). And again Naomi expressed her “exceeding bitterness” that “the hand of the Lord had gone against” her, especially when it also so negatively affected her daughter-in-laws, whom she loved (Ruth 1:13).
Orpah and Ruth wept again loudly, but Orpah finally decided to return to her family home in Moab. Ruth, however, clung to Naomi, even though Naomi insisted again that she also go back home. Naomi even mentioned that Orpah had gone back to “her own gods” and seemed to wish the same for Ruth. Naomi was showing at this point her faith struggles and confusion and lack of confidence in the one true God if she would even think of sending her daughter-in-laws back to false gods (Ruth 1:14-15).
Ruth, the Moabite, showed more confidence in the one true God than Naomi at this point. She used the special name for the Lord, Yahweh (indicated by the capital letters LORD), and spoke strongly of her commitment to the Lord and to Naomi. She said that she would go with Naomi always and be a part of her people and let only death separate her and Naomi, or seemingly face judgment from God. Naomi saw her determination and finally agreed to take Ruth with her back to Bethlehem in Judah (Ruth 1:16-18).
The two of them then made the trip of over 100 miles to Bethlehem, and the whole town was “stirred up” at their arrival. Bethlehem was a very small town at this time, and so some still remembered Naomi, even though she had been gone for 10 years or more. It was at this point that Naomi spoke again of her “bitterness” toward God for bringing “calamity” upon her and having such a feeling of “emptiness.” But she still used the special name for God. She knew God, but did not understand why things happened as they did (Ruth 1:19-21).
Verse 22 also reveals that Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem “at the beginning of barley harvest.” This tells what time of year this was and how this fits in with other things going on among God’s people in Judah. We know from other sources that the barley harvest was done in Israel in April and May.
Look at Leviticus 23, in the third book of the Old Testament. We have a listing of Jewish festivals. Note that Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (v.4-6) are connected with each other and come about the same time as our Good Friday and then Easter in the Christian calendar. The offering of firstfruits of the spring harvest comes soon after (v.9ff). Then there is the countdown for 50 days, (v.15ff) bringing people to Pentecost, the major spring harvest festival - a very important day also for Christians.
But notice what was said especially in Leviticus 23:22. The harvesters were not to reap to the very edge of their fields, but were to leave some crops for the poor and the sojourners to harvest, along with crops that were missed or fell to the ground. This was a command from the Lord, to be of help to the poor and needy, who were allowed then to follow the harvesters. This is exactly what is described, as Ruth, Chapter 2 begins.
In Ruth 2:2, Ruth asked if she could do some gleaning in the fields around Bethlehem, in hope that someone would be kind and favorable to her. Ruth 2:1 also tells us that Boaz, a “worthy," kind and respectable relative of Elimelech, had fields in this area. Ruth was working hard at gleaning and then came to a field owned by Boaz (Ruth 2:3).
About this time, Boaz himself came out to this field to see how the harvest was going. He was clearly a faithful man of God, for he greeted the workers with the words, “The Lord be with you,” and the workers responded with the words, “The Lord bless you.” (Doesn’t that sound just like what is said in worship? The Pastor says, “The Lord be with you,” and we respond “And with your spirit” or “And also with you.” Much of our service comes right out of the Bible, as we speak God’s Word to each other. We ask God more than once to bless each of us through what He does in our worship.)
Then Boaz noticed the young woman, Ruth, gleaning in the field and asked who she was. He found out that she was the Moabite woman who had come back with Naomi from Moab and had been working hard at her gleaning all day. (Bethlehem was a small town and news spread quickly about everyone.)
It was no coincidence that Boaz and Ruth met. God was at work in all this, as we will see in future weeks, to bring good out of the tragic things that had happened in the past - good for Naomi and Ruth, good for Boaz, good for future generations of God’s people, and good even for us today. God did and still does care for the poor and needy in their struggles, and calls us to help out where we can. Think of the food banks that have operated for many years, including in some of our churches, and how many people are blessed through gleanings that are provided. May we all assist others where we can.
