Ruth Series: Experiencing More of God's Favor and Grace (Ruth 2)

Experiencing More of God’s Favor and Grace

Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side of the family named Boaz. He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of Elimelech. One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so.” Naomi replied, “You may go, my daughter.” So Ruth went and gathered grain in the fields behind the harvesters. Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. Now at that very moment, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “May the Lord be with you!” They replied, “May the Lord bless you!” Boaz asked his servant in charge of the harvesters, “To whom does this young woman belong?” The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, “She’s the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. She asked, ‘May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?’ Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now—except for sitting in the resting hut a short time.” So Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my dear! Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. I will tell the men to leave you alone. When you are thirsty, you may go to the water jars and drink some of the water the servants draw.” Ruth knelt before him with her forehead to the ground and said to him, “Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?” Boaz replied to her, “I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. 12 May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection.” She said, “You really are being kind to me, sir, for you have reassured and encouraged me, your servant, even though I will never be like one of your servants.” Later during the mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and have some food! Dip your bread in the vinegar.” So she sat down beside the harvesters. Then he handed her some roasted grain. She ate until she was full and saved the rest. When she got up to gather grain, Boaz told his male servants, “Let her gather grain even among the bundles. Don’t chase her off! Make sure you pull out ears of grain for her and drop them so she can gather them up. Don’t tell her not to!” So she gathered grain in the field until evening. When she threshed what she had gathered, it came to about thirty pounds of barley…

Ruth 2 (NET)

How can we experience more of God’s favor and grace in our lives? In Scripture, we see people God raised up and used in special ways. Why did he raise up a young girl named Mary to become the mother of the messiah? Why did he choose a young boy named David to be the king of Israel? What are secrets to finding favor and grace with God?

In the book of Ruth, we see a poor widow named Ruth who becomes a model of God’s grace. As previously mentioned, this story takes place during the time of the judges, which details a period of potentially Israel’s greatest apostasy. There is a repetitive cycle in the book of Judges: Israel rebels against God, God judges them through a foreign nation, they repent, and God raises up a judge to deliver them. However, as the book goes on, Israel’s rebellion and apostasy just get worse. Yet in the midst of Israel’s apostasy and God’s discipline, God chose to focus the historical narrative on a Moabite widow named Ruth who left her country, family, and gods to move to Israel with her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi, and found favor with God. In many ways, Ruth is like Abraham, who likewise left his land, family, and gods to come to what would eventually become the land of Israel and received God’s blessing. While in Israel, Ruth eventually remarries and becomes a great grandmother to King David and is in the line of the messiah (Ruth 4:17-22, Matt 1:5).

To recap, the beginning of her story, Ruth the Moabite was previously married to an Israelite while living in Moab. The man died. Instead of staying with her family and finding a new husband in Moab, which would have been the easier path, Ruth moved to Israel with her mother-in-law, where she would live in poverty, have few to no prospects of being remarried, and be looked on with suspicion and often despised because she was a foreigner. After moving to Israel, she said to her mother-in-law in Ruth 2:2, “Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so.” It can also be translated “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor,” as in the ESV. Ruth recognized her desperate situation and was seeking favor. The whole chapter is about her pursuit of favor or grace. But not only does she find favor in receiving food for her and her mother-in-law to eat, God begins to transform their desperate situation and work it out for not only their temporary good and but also their eternal good. While picking up the left-over grain in a field, it just so happened to be in the field of Boaz, who was a kinsman-redeemer. Verse 3 says, “Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.” “Just happened” can literally be translated, “as chance chanced.” From an outside perspective, it seemed lucky; however, God was sovereignly in control and working things out in her favor. In ancient Israel, a kinsman-redeemer was a near relative who could restore a family member’s lost inheritance by redeeming property sold due to poverty (Lev 25). Also, in cases where a man died without a son, that close relative could also marry the widow to raise up offspring in the deceased man’s name (Deut 25). In the book of Ruth, Boaz fulfills both roles—eventually redeeming the land and marrying Ruth to preserve the family line.

As Ruth faithfully followed God, even willing to be poor and leave her gods and family to follow him, he gave her grace, favor. Certainly, this applies to us as well. How can we find favor and grace with God? Now, certainly, some would say, “Grace is unmerited favor. We can do nothing to receive it!” Yes, Scripture teaches that salvation is entirely by grace alone through faith (Eph 2:8–9). However, after salvation there are also ways believers can position themselves to experience more of God’s favor, blessing, and usefulness. James 4:6 says this to Jewish believers, “But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.’” There is more grace God wants to give us after salvation, but because of sin, ignorance, or maybe lack of effort (cf. 1 Cor 15:10), many miss it. God gives more grace. He gives more favor to those who seek it and are faithful with what they have received. Matthew 7:7-8 says,

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

And 1 Corinthians 15:10 says, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” To experience more grace, we have a role to play. Like Ruth, who received saving grace after she turned from her gods to the Lord, there was more grace God wanted to give her for life and godliness. Likewise, we need more grace, more favor to conquer certain besetting sins, to grow in godliness, to deliver us from various difficulties in life, and to be a blessing to others. God gives more grace.

As mentioned, Ruth found grace with a man named Boaz, but more than that, she found grace with God. In fact, when Boaz first heard about Ruth’s kindness to her mother-in-law, he prays this prayer for her in Ruth 2:12, “May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection.” Interestingly, God chose to reward Ruth, to show her favor, through Boaz, who prayed for her. Boaz, who also is in Christ’s lineage, is often seen as a type of Christ. As Boaz redeemed Ruth from her poverty and married her, Christ redeemed us from our slavery to sin and death and married us. Therefore, as we study this text, we learn secrets to experiencing more of God’s grace through our Boaz, who is Christ.

Big Question: In Ruth 2, what principles about experiencing more of God’s favor and grace can we learn from the narrative?

To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Often Must Take Steps of Faith

One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so.” Naomi replied, “You may go, my daughter.”

Ruth 2:2

When Ruth said to her mother, “Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so,” as mentioned, it can be translated “in whose sight I shall find favor” (ESV). Ruth did not know how they would be provided for, but she planned to go to the fields where farmers were harvesting in hopes of finding a gracious benefactor. In Israel, God had set up a work for welfare program where land owners were not allowed to plow the edges of their field or go over their fields twice during harvest season, so the poor could gather food to eat. Leviticus 19:9-10 says,

When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must not pick your vineyard bare, and you must not gather up the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You must leave them for the poor and the resident foreigner. I am the Lord your God.

This was not a handout. Gleaning the fields was hard work. It allowed the poor to earn their wages and keep their dignity. In many ways, this is an ideal type of welfare system that shows compassion while preserving dignity.

With that said, Naomi knew the law had made provisions for the poor. She even agreed for Ruth to go. However, Naomi stayed home. We don’t know why she stayed, but we do know from chapter 1 that she apparently was mad at God for the loss of her husband and sons. In 1:13, she said, “For the Lord is afflicting me!” In 1:20, she said, “the Sovereign One has treated me very harshly.” In 1:21, she accused the Lord three times, “the Lord has caused me to return empty-handed. Why do you call me ‘Naomi,’ seeing that the Lord has opposed me, and the Sovereign One has caused me to suffer?” Though we don’t know why she did not help with trying to find food, it’s likely she was still mourning and struggling spiritually, which kept her from pragmatically trying to meet her needs.

Either way, Ruth went to the fields with the hope that God would provide for her and Naomi. She took a large step of faith, especially as a female without a male provider and protector in a foreign land. Oftentimes, we’ll need to do this as well to experience more of God’s grace. With Abraham, God said this to him in Genesis 12:1, “Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household to the land that I will show you.” Abraham did not even know where to go until he left. As he took a step of faith, God made the destination clear to him. Likewise, in Luke 17:11-14, with the ten lepers who wanted to be healed, Christ told them to leave and show themselves to the priests, which people only did after being healed. As they went, God healed them. Furthermore, with Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army who had leprosy and wanted to be healed, Elisha told him to wash in the Jordan River seven times to be healed (2 Kgs 5:10). He had to take a step of faith. Often, to experience God’s grace, we’ll need to take steps of faith as well. That’s what Ruth did. She didn’t know who or if, but she went anyways, while her mother-in-law stayed home. If it wasn’t for Ruth’s step of faith, Naomi would have missed God’s grace. Often, many of us miss God’s grace as well because we’re not willing to take steps of faith.

For the person struggling with a habitual sin, taking a step of faith might mean confessing that struggle to a brother or sister in the Lord to get prayer or meeting with someone more spiritually mature for counsel. Proverbs 13:20 says, “The one who associates with the wise grows wise.” Wisdom in Proverbs refers to fearing and obeying the Lord (Prov 9:10). Therefore, by getting around those who are wise in the faith, we grow in wisdom and righteousness as well. For a person who feels like they are not progressing spiritually, maybe that step of faith might be getting involved in a ministry to serve and receive from others or even going on a mission trip. Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) says, “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.” As we bless others, we often receive more than we give. And for those of us simply wanting to know God more, in a deeper way, James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” Often God is calling us to spend more time in his Word, prayer, worship, and other spiritual disciplines to experience him more.

God gives more grace, but it is often given to those who take steps of faith. Ruth stepped out in faith, not knowing exactly how God would provide, and found his favor. How is God calling us to take a step of faith in this season to grow, serve others, or meet a need? Often, our step of faith will bless others around us, even as Ruth’s step of faith led to Naomi being blessed.

Application Question: What are common hindrances to taking steps of faith? When have you experienced God’s provision or guidance only after you took a step of obedience or faith? What did that teach you about trusting God? What is one specific step of faith God may be calling you to take right now—in your spiritual life, relationships, service, or calling?

To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Be Diligent and Responsible Workers

So Ruth went and gathered grain in the fields behind the harvesters. Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. Now at that very moment, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “May the Lord be with you!” They replied, “May the Lord bless you!” Boaz asked his servant in charge of the harvesters, “To whom does this young woman belong?” The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, “She’s the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. She asked, ‘May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?’ Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now—except for sitting in the resting hut a short time.”

Ruth 2:3-7

As mentioned, when Ruth went to the fields, she just happened to end up in Boaz’s field. Boaz was a wealthy farmer of a mixed ethnicity, part Gentile and Jewish. According to Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1, his mother (or great grandmother) was Rahab, the prostitute from Jericho who protected the Jewish spies and was granted favor and protection. Matthew 1:5-6 says, “Salmon the father of Boaz (by Rahab), Boaz the father of Obed (by Ruth), Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king…” Having a Gentile mother probably made him more open to blessing Ruth and eventually marrying her, as many Jewish men would have despised her because she was a Moabite. Clearly, he was a godly man. When he entered his field, he greeted his workers with, “May the Lord be with you!” and they replied, “May the Lord bless you!” (v. 4). He clearly respected and cared for his workers, and they cared for him. After entering his field, he noticed Ruth working and inquired about her (v. 5). The foreman described her this way in verses 6-7,

She’s the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. She asked, ‘May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?’ Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now—except for sitting in the resting hut a short time.

When describing her, he described her as working hard from the morning, with only taking a brief rest. Gleaning was hard work. It was hot work, done in the sun, and it was commonly dangerous work, especially for women. When Boaz heard about her dedication to Naomi and faithful labor, he approached her and invited her to continue to work in his field (v. 8-9). Her hard work and labor inspired him to bless her.

This is also a principle that we can discern about experiencing God’s favor and grace. He commonly blesses those who diligently labor at the work he’s called them to. In fact, God often appeared to people and called them to his service while they were faithfully doing ordinary work. Moses was called while caring for his father-in-law’s flock. Exodus 3:1-2 says,

Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush.

With Gideon, he was threshing grain. Judges 6:11-12 says,

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak tree in Ophrah owned by Joash the Abiezrite. He arrived while Joash’s son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress so he could hide it from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!”

David was caring for his father’s sheep when he was called and anointed to be king in 1 Samuel 16. In 1 Kings 19, Elisha was plowing in the field when God called him to service through Elijah. In the Gospels, Peter, James, John, and Andrew were called to be Christ’s disciples while fishing (Matt 4), and Matthew was called while collecting taxes (Matt 9). God called these people and bestowed grace on them while they were faithfully working. Likewise, instead of becoming a beggar or going into prostitution, which was common for impoverished widows, or even simply staying at home like Naomi, Ruth went out to the field, and she worked hard with little rest. This stood out to Boaz, and no doubt, stood out to God. As she faithfully labored, God gave her grace.

Again, we see this principle taught throughout Scripture. God blesses those who faithfully labor at the work he has called them to, whether that be parenting, being a good student, or a diligent employer or employee. In fact, in Matthew 25 in the Parable of the Talents, God rewarded those who faithfully labored at the work he gave them and disciplined the one who didn’t. To two faithful laborers, the Master, representing God, said this: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (v. 21, 23). And to the unfaithful laborer, the Master said,

‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. (v. 26-29)

Again, God rewards those who faithfully and diligently labor at the work he has called them to and disciplines those who are not. Consider a few more verses: Colossians 3:22-24 says, “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.” Proverbs 13:4 says, “The appetite of the sluggard craves but gets nothing, but the desire of the diligent will be abundantly satisfied.” Proverbs 10:4-5 says, “The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy. The one who gathers crops in the summer is a wise son, but the one who sleeps during the harvest is a shameful son.” Second Thessalonians 3:10 says, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” Scripture, clearly, condemns laziness and promises blessings over those who work hard.

Are we faithfully laboring with the gifts and talents the Lord has given us, or are we being lazy and wasting God’s gifts, calling, and grace? In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” It’s possible for God’s grace to us to be in vain because we don’t use it. For those who are faithful with God’s grace, he gives more. Ruth had nothing to offer but the strength in her body. She faithfully labored to meet her and her mother-in-law’s needs, only briefly taking rest. This stood out to the foreman, Boaz, and no doubt, God, leading to her blessing.

Are we faithfully laboring at the work God has called us to as a parent, spouse, businessman, teacher, student, and/or minister at our local church? God’s favor and grace are often lavished on those who do.

Application Question: Why do you think God often called people to greater ministry or gave them greater blessings while they were faithfully doing ordinary tasks? What are the gifts, talents, and responsibilities God has called you to enthusiastically labor at? Are there responsibilities God has given you that you are tempted to treat casually, be irresponsible with, or even neglect? How is God calling you to grow in being a more diligent worker for his kingdom and purposes?

To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Remain in Christ’s Field

So Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my dear! Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. I will tell the men to leave you alone. When you are thirsty, you may go to the water jars and drink some of the water the servants draw.”

Ruth 2:8–9

Again, after hearing of Ruth’s faithfulness to her mother-in-law and diligent labor in his field, Boaz approached her and said this in verses 8-9: “Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers.” As mentioned, God’s law allowed for the poor to reap the edges of the field (Lev 19:9-10) and anything that the workers dropped. Leviticus 23:22 says, “… you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and the resident foreigner. I am the Lord your God.’” Therefore, when Boaz told her to follow along after his female workers, he was giving her the first rights to what was dropped, before other poor people. In addition, he promised her protection and refreshment from the same water jars his servants used (v. 9). She was being prioritized and favored. However, his stipulation was for her to “not leave to gather grain in another field” and for her to “not go beyond the limits” of his field (v. 8).

Likewise, even as Boaz is a type of Christ in how he cares for Ruth, the same principles apply to us. In order for us to experience God’s favor, we must stay exclusively in his field, meaning his will for our lives. Many people miss God’s blessing because they are not willing to obey God’s clearly revealed will in his Word and instead choose to venture outside of it. The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 is a good picture of this. The son asked his father for his wealth, which was equivalent to wanting him dead in that culture. Children only got their inheritance after the passing of the father. Then he went and spent it on prostitutes and unruly living until eventually he was impoverished and eating pig’s food. While he was outside the father’s house, he lost the father’s blessing and protection. However, when he returned to the father’s house, he again was under the father’s favor and blessing. Likewise, God often cannot bless and favor us as he would like because we are walking in sin and compromising with the world.

To the Corinthians, God said it this way in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18:

Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing, and I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.

It should be noticed that in verses 17 and 18, if the believers separated from the world (no doubt including ungodly worldviews, entertainment, practices, and relationships), God promised to be a father to them and they would be his sons and daughters. Since they were already believers, he wasn’t talking about salvation; he was talking about intimacy and blessing. He couldn’t bless them as he wanted if they were compromising with the world in their language, values, and sexual ethics. A good father doesn’t reward sin because it hardens the hearts of his children. He punishes sin and rewards righteousness to help lead them into the right paths.

To experience God’s favor and grace, we must stay in his field, faithfully obeying his Word and direction for our lives. Matthew 5:8 says it this way, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Pure of heart has to do with being single in mind and undivided. Those who are pure in heart, as far as their devotion to the Lord, see and experience God in special ways that others do not. In contrast, James 1:7-8 says the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and will receive nothing from God. Those who try to live for the world and live for God at the same time will miss out on many of God’s blessings. Psalm 1:1-3 says it this way:

How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers. Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night. He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.

Even as Ruth had to stay in Boaz’s field to experience his favor, protection, and refreshment, we must stay in Christ’s field, our Boaz, by reading, studying, and obeying God’s Word in all situations and turning away from sin and those who practice it. Sin and compromise remove God’s blessing and protection.

Application Question: What does it practically mean to “remain in Christ’s field” in everyday life? Why is it often tempting to live partly for Christ and partly for the world? What areas of your life are most vulnerable to divided loyalty—relationships, entertainment, ambition, finances, or something else? How does spiritual compromise gradually weaken our intimacy with God? In what ways is God calling you to turn away from the world and living for self to abide exclusively in Christ’s field?

To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Be Generous, Merciful, and Caring to the Vulnerable and Needy

Ruth knelt before him with her forehead to the ground and said to him, “Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?” Boaz replied to her, “I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection.”

Ruth 2:10-12

In verse 10, after experiencing favor from Boaz, Ruth humbled herself before him by kneeling to the ground and she asked him why, especially considering the fact that she was a foreigner. As mentioned, foreigners were commonly despised in the ancient world, and Moabites had a checkered history with Israel. When Israel was in the wilderness traveling to the promised land, the Moabites would not let them cross through their land. While Israel was outside the promised land, the Moabite king tried to get a false prophet named Balaam to curse them. When that failed, the king had the Moabite women tempt the Israelite males sexually and lead them into idolatry. Because of the evil the Moabites did towards Israel in the wilderness, in Deuteronomy 23:3-6, God said this about them:

No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord; to the tenth generation none of their descendants shall ever do so, for they did not meet you with food and water on the way as you came from Egypt, and furthermore, they hired Balaam son of Beor of Pethor in Aram Naharaim to curse you. But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam and changed the curse to a blessing, for the Lord your God loves you. You must not seek peace and prosperity for them through all the ages to come.

He forbade the Moabites from entering his tabernacle to worship him for ten generations, and he commanded Israel to not seek their peace or prosperity. To add to this, during the judges stage (Judges 3:12-16), the Moabites oppressed Israel for eighteen years. Ruth was right to be surprised by Boaz’s kindness, since she was a foreigner and Israel and the Moabites had a complicated history.

After Ruth inquired about his special kindness, he said this in Ruth 2:11-12:

I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland and came to live among people you did not know previously. May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection.

He described how she left her family and homeland to care for her mother-in-law in a foreign country. He then prayed a blessing over her. When he prayed for her acts of kindness to be repaid by “the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection,” this can be translated “the Lord, God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (ESV). This pictures God like a bird caring for his small chicks, including Ruth who came to him for shelter and provision. As mentioned, God answered Boaz’s prayer through his acts of kindness toward her, including his future kindness of marrying her. Boaz sought to bless Ruth not only because of her diligent labor but specifically because she was graciously caring for Naomi, a poor widow, when she could have stayed with her family in Moab. As Boaz cared for Ruth, God was working through him.

This is a principle that Scripture repeatedly teaches about God; he abundantly blesses those who show acts of mercy to the poor and needy. According to Psalm 68:5, God “is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows.” Also, Deuteronomy 10:18 (ESV) says: “He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” Since God has committed to care for the poor, including the widow, orphan, and foreigner, when we care for those in need, we participate in his work and will be blessed by him. Proverbs 19:17 says, “The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.” Proverbs 28:27 says, “The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.” Likewise, Psalm 41:1-2 (ESV) says: “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.” Through Boaz, God blessed Ruth for her kindness to Naomi, when she could have returned to her family. In addition, God eventually blessed Boaz, no doubt, because of how he cared for both Ruth and Naomi. God eventually gave him a wife in Ruth, brought the second king in Israel through his lineage, and eventually the messiah (Matt 1:5). In fact, after Ruth brought home all the grain she received from Boaz’s field, Naomi prayed this over him in Ruth 2:20: “May he be rewarded by the Lord because he has shown loyalty to the living on behalf of the dead!” God heard and responded to this prayer.

Likewise, God promises to bless us when we care for those who are hurting and struggling in the church and throughout the world. After Christ washed his disciples’ feet, he said this to them in John 13:17, “If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” The feet pictured the dirtiest, stinkiest parts of a person’s life, including their struggles with sin. When we get involved with others who are struggling and refresh them, as Christ did while on the earth, God will bless us. Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Are we willing to refresh others, including those struggling in their marriages, with their health, financial difficulties, and sin in general? God expects this of his disciples and blesses those who do, especially when they care for other believers. Galatians 6:10 says, “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.” James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their adversity and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” Are we caring for those in need around us? When we do, this brings God’s blessing on us, even as both Ruth and Boaz experienced.

Application Question: What do God’s repeated commands to care for widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor reveal about his character? Why do you think God identifies so closely with the vulnerable and marginalized? How should understanding God’s heart for the vulnerable and needy shape how we view and treat them? Who are the “Ruths” and “Naomis” around us today—people who are vulnerable, lonely, or struggling? Who is hurting around you, and how is God calling you to graciously care for them?

To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Practice a Lifestyle of Sacrifice

Ruth knelt before him with her forehead to the ground and said to him, “Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?” Boaz replied to her, “I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband—how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection.”

Ruth 2:10–12

With that said, another reason Boaz ministered to Ruth was not just her diligent labor and care for her mother-in-law, but specifically her great sacrifice in doing so. She left her family and land to care for her mother-in-law and came under the protection of the God of Israel. As mentioned, many commentators compare Ruth to Abraham in how he also left home, land, family, and gods; however, Ruth’s sacrifice is even greater. She left everything without any promise of having a great name, becoming a great nation, and having a land. She left to become poor and potentially despised as a foreigner in a new land. Boaz recognized her great sacrifice and blessed her, and no doubt, God did as well.

This is another principle we see throughout Scripture; God blesses those who sacrifice to know, follow, and serve him. As mentioned, we see this in Abraham’s story. Because he left his land, family, and gods to follow the Lord, God promised to give him a land, a great name, and to make him into a nation (Gen 12:1-3). We also see this in Genesis 22 when God asked Abraham for a greater sacrifice, to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Because he immediately obeyed and did not hold back his son, God protected Isaac and promised Abraham that through his future offspring, the messiah, all the nations of the earth would be blessed (cf. Gal 3:16). Genesis 22:15-17 (ESV) says,

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Because of Abraham’s life of sacrifice, God blessed him greatly.

We see this same principle taught in Mark 10 when the rich young ruler was unwilling to leave his wealth to follow Christ. After considering this, Peter said this to Christ in verse 28, “Look, we have left everything to follow you!” And in response Christ said:

I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much—homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

Mark 10:29-30

Christ promised that those who sacrifice for him and the gospel will receive 100 times as much in this age, including the generosity of others opening their homes to them, spiritual family (brothers, sisters, mothers…), persecution, and eternal life in the age to come. God favors those who sacrifice to know and serve him. He rewards them in this life and the age to come.

In addition, God blesses those who sacrifice their safety in following him by being persecuted for righteousness and even dying for him. In Matthew 5:10-12, Christ said:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

Similarly, Christ promised heavenly reward to the faithful in the church of Smyrna who were suffering persecution in Revelation 2:10:

Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.

God blesses those who sacrifice for him and his kingdom, and he did that with Ruth, who left everything to follow him and care for her grieving mother-in-law. He provided her with food, a husband, children, and grandchildren, including David, who became the king of Israel. But more importantly, she, like Abraham, is part of Christ’s lineage. Likewise, God still rewards those who sacrifice for his kingdom in various ways, including by being generous with our finances to give to kingdom work, sacrificial in the use of our time to care for others, leaving our home, family, and country to do missions, or even the greatest sacrifice of suffering and potentially dying for our faith. God gives more grace to those who sacrifice in their service of him.

In what ways is God calling us to sacrifice to know and serve him? Is it the simple sacrifice of getting up earlier to spend more time in prayer and the Word? Is it the sacrifice of time as we get involved in various ministries in our local church or as we go out to the mission field? Is it the sacrifice of generous giving? Second Corinthians 9:6-8 says:

My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.

God gives more grace to those who sacrificially serve him. Ruth’s sacrifice of leaving her extended family and becoming poor to serve her mother provoked Boaz to generously care for her, and our Boaz, Jesus, does the same with those who sacrificially serve him and his kingdom.

Application Question: Why does following Christ often involve sacrifice? What might sacrificial discipleship look like today—in our time, finances, career choices, or relationships? How have you experienced special grace by being sacrificial, whether in your giving, time, or service? In what ways is God calling you to sacrificially serve him and others in this season?

To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Come to Christ’s Table for Greater Intimacy

Later during the mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and have some food! Dip your bread in the vinegar.” So she sat down beside the harvesters. Then he handed her some roasted grain. She ate until she was full and saved the rest. When she got up to gather grain, Boaz told his male servants, “Let her gather grain even among the bundles. Don’t chase her off! Make sure you pull out ears of grain for her and drop them so she can gather them up. Don’t tell her not to!” So she gathered grain in the field until evening. When she threshed what she had gathered, it came to about thirty pounds of barley.

Ruth 2:14–17

When it was mealtime (probably a mid-day meal), Boaz encouraged Ruth to come and enjoy a meal with him and his harvesters. He handed her roasted grain. She ate until she was full and saved the rest. When she went back to harvest, Boaz commanded his servants to drop grain purposely so she could pick it up and to not scold her for doing so. According to verse 17, she picked up thirty pounds (13.6 kilos) of barley, which was about two weeks of food for two people. After a meal and intimacy, he blessed her even more. This is not uncommon for growing relationships. After getting to know someone in a deeper way, maybe after coffee or a meal, we feel more comfortable with them and often share more of ourselves. Intimacy often leads to a greater sharing and favor. This is also true with our Boaz, who is Christ. As Boaz sought greater intimacy with Ruth, Christ is always calling us to his table for greater intimacy and therefore blessing. In Revelation 3:20-21, Christ said this to the church of Laodicea:

Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me. I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

With this specific congregation, Christ was knocking at their door, seeking to have greater intimacy with them. No doubt, the members of this church were busy, often with good things like programming ministries, maybe reaching out to the community, or simply providing for their families, which is good and noble; however, they were neglecting intimacy with God, which is the main purpose of the church and its members—to worship and know him. For those who opened their hearts and homes to Christ, he would bless and reward them. Sadly, many Christians are like those in Laodicea, busy with many good things but neglecting the main thing, which is intimacy with Christ, and therefore lack much of the grace and favor God wants to give them. Remember James 4:6 says, God “gives greater grace.”

We see this principle in many other verses as well. In John 15:5, Christ said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.” The word “remains” can also be translated “abide.” The one who abides in Christ, the one who makes his home in him, pursuing intimacy, will bear much fruit. God will bless him abundantly and use him greatly. Those who come to Christ’s table receive great blessings. Hebrews 11:6 says it this way, “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” God rewards those who earnestly seek him.

As with Boaz and Ruth, though Ruth incidentally ended up in his field, Boaz approached her and asked her to stay in his field. Then he approached her again for a meal, and after she ate with him, he gave her further blessings. Likewise, the Bible is the story of our Boaz, Christ, coming after us. In John 15:16, Christ said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” We may have ended up in his field by attending church, a retreat, or even being born in a Christian home, but Christ chose us, even before time Scripture says (Eph 1:4). And, he came after us in time, so we could have an intimate relationship with him and bear fruit that lasts. As we respond to his advances for intimacy, he blesses us. Are we coming to our Boaz, who has come after us?

Application Question: How do we come to Christ’s table for intimacy?

(1) First, we come to Christ’s table by accepting him as our Lord and Savior, so he can save us, deliver us from the penalty of our sins, and give us eternal life. This is represented by the acronym ABC.

A. We must ACCEPT that we are sinners under God’s just eternal wrath. He is a holy God who requires holiness of us and therefore punishes sin. We were made in his image, and therefore we sin any time we do not look like God in word, act, or thought. And to God, one sin is worthy of eternal punishment. We must accept that we are sinners under the eternal judgment of a righteous and holy God.

B. We must BELIEVE that Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead so we can have eternal life. John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Also, Romans 10:9 says, “because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Have we believed in Christ?

C. We must COMMIT to Christ as our Lord and Savior. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” To call on the name of the Lord is to not just recognize him as Lord but to accept him as our Lord, personally. This means turning away from sin and a self-led life to a Christ-led life. The Bible calls this repentance. In Acts 3:19, when Peter was teaching the Jews at Pentecost how to be saved, he said: “Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out.” To be saved, we must commit to turning away from sin and a self-led life and commit to Christ as our Lord.

This is how we initially come to Boaz’s table. We come in faith, accepting Christ as Lord, so he can save us. (2) But after that, unlike the church of Laodicea who neglected Christ, we must come to him daily in faith through disciplines like prayer, study of the Bible, corporate and private worship, and obedience. As we do so, our Boaz, who is Christ, blesses us and lavishes favor on us, just like Boaz did with Ruth. In Matthew 6:33, Christ said this to the disciples who were worried about their food and clothing after they left their jobs to follow him: “But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” As they pursued God’s kingdom and righteousness by growing in holiness and seeking to spread God’s kingdom through ministry, God would provide for all their needs. As Boaz had his workers drop bundles of grain for Ruth, so does Christ drop bundles of grace for those who are intimate with him and faithfully labor in his field.

Are we daily coming to Christ’s table for intimacy, fellowship, worship, and guidance? As we do, God blesses us. When we neglect it, it impoverishes us.

Application Question: What keeps us from coming to Christ’s table for intimacy?

1. Sin keeps us from coming to Christ’s table for intimacy with him.

First Peter 2:1-2 says, “So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation.” Peter told these believers to get rid of sin before telling them to yearn or crave God’s Word. This is important because sin negatively affects our appetite for God’s Word. When a person is practicing unrepentant sin, he will find that he gets less from God’s Word when reading it and studying it at church or small group. Consequently, because he gets less from it, he often will stop reading God’s Word or coming to hear it taught or preach. It has been said that the Bible will either keep us out of sin, or sin will keep us out of the Bible. Sin will keep us from coming to Christ’s table for intimacy. James 1:21 says it this way: “So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.” We must get rid of sin to humbly welcome God’s Word in our lives, to be intimate with our Lord.

Are we confessing sin and repenting of it, so we can come to Christ’s table?

2. Busyness keeps us from coming to Christ’s table for intimacy with him?

Certainly, we get a good picture of this in the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. While Christ was in the sisters’ home, Mary sat at Christ’s feet, listening to him preach and teach, while Martha was busy serving. When Martha complained about her sister and asked Christ to command her to help, he replied, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:41-42). Martha was busy doing good things, serving the Lord and others, but the best thing was being with Christ. It’s from intimacy with Christ that everything good flows. As mentioned, in John 15:5, Christ said that the one who abides in him will produce much fruit—that includes joy, peace, love, and patience in our hearts but also fruit in the lives of those we serve. Every good thing comes out of intimacy with God. Because of that, we must be careful to not substitute busyness for intimacy. The greatest enemy of the best in our lives is often not the evil but the good. Be careful of allowing busyness, even in good things, to keep us from intimacy with Christ.

3. Being satisfied and therefore spiritually lethargic will keep us away from Christ’s table for intimacy with him.

In Revelation 3:17, Christ also said this to the church of Laodicea: “Because you say, ‘I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,’ but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” This was part of what kept them from opening the door of their hearts when Christ knocked. They were satisfied with their lives, their knowledge of God and his Word, and therefore were no longer seeking the Lord. For many of us, we are satisfied as well, and therefore are no longer growing spiritually. We must be careful of this. In the Beatitudes, Christ said this in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” The word hunger and thirst has to do with being desperately hungry and thirsty, something many of us have never experienced, since we always have food in the refrigerator and water at our disposal. For those who are desperately hungry for righteousness, including intimacy with Christ, knowing his Word, building up the church, and seeing souls saved, God promises to bless that hunger. He doesn’t promise to give us wealth or health, but he does promise to give righteousness to those who desperately hunger and thirst for it. Being content is the opposite of this. The Laodiceans boasted that they did not need a thing, which ultimately would lead to their judgment. In Revelation 3:16, Christ called them lukewarm, meaning good for nothing, and therefore, he would vomit them out of his mouth. Are we spiritually content? This will keep us from being passionate about Christ, pursuing intimacy with him, and therefore receiving more of God’s blessing. It may even lead to God’s discipline.

In the same way that Ruth went to Boaz’s table, and it led him to bless her more, our Boaz, Christ, calls us to his table and promises to bless those who come, first in salvation and then for an ever-deepening relationship. He blesses them, meets their needs, and uses them in a greater way.

Are we coming to Christ’s table? If not, what is keeping us from him and building his kingdom? Be careful of sin, busyness, and spiritual lethargy. They keep us from intimacy with Christ and experiencing his blessing.

Application Question: What does “coming to Christ’s table” look like practically in your daily life right now? How does sin dull our appetite for spiritual things, like worship, prayer, and time in God’s Word? When in your life have you experienced the greatest intimacy with Christ? What is one step you could take this week to intentionally draw closer to Christ?

Conclusion

Ruth was a desperate widow seeking favor in someone’s field to provide for her and her mother-in-law, and by grace, she came to Boaz’s field, a near relative of hers. After Boaz heard her story, he took an interest in her and began to graciously provide for her. When he prayed for God to abundantly bless her, it was God’s will that Boaz would be God’s instrument of provision. Eventually, as a kinsman redeemer, he married her and delivered her and her mother-in-law from poverty. Boaz is like our kinsman redeemer. Christ had to become a human like us and die in our place to redeem us from bondage to sin and death. Like Boaz, he comes after us. He calls us first to accept his gift of salvation and then to experience intimacy and blessings from him. As we consider how God graciously provided favor and grace to Ruth through Boaz, we learn principles about how God often provides favor and grace for us through Christ, our Boaz.

1. To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Often Must Take Steps of Faith

2. To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Be Diligent and Responsible Workers

3. To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Remain in Christ’s Field

4. To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Be Generous, Merciful, and Caring to the Vulnerable and Needy

5. To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Practice a Lifestyle of Sacrifice

6. To Experience More of God’s Favor and Grace, We Must Come to Christ’s Table for Greater Intimacy

Application Question: What stood out most in the text/study and why? How is God calling you to apply this to your life?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to give us grace to take steps of faith to know and serve him more.

• Pray for God to give us grace to diligently work in his field and that he would bless us and our labor.

• Pray for God to deliver us from the evil one and temptations to go outside of his will for our lives.

• Pray for God to bless and protect the needy and vulnerable around us and use us to serve and bless them as well.

• Pray for God to give us grace to live sacrificially lives that exalt him and build his kingdom.

• Pray for God to draw us to his table, through disciplines like studying his Word, prayer, and fellowship with others, for more intimacy with him and further blessings.