Back in Bethlehem
The Bible says they arrived back at the time of the barley harvest which was immediately after Passover. The Feast of Firstfruits had already taken place, which meant that Israel was free to gather in the harvest. The Passover is the anniversary of a new beginning and for Ruth and Naomi, it signalled a new start - two widows placing themselves in the care of the One who cares for the widow. The Feast of Firstfruits follows the Passover to indicate that there is more blessing to come. This was to be the case with this stump of a family – more blessing to come! It will be in terms of marriage and children. It is not too strong to suggest that the journey of these two women to Bethlehem was key to the:
redemption of Naomi after the spiritual drought in Moab, and the
redemption of Israel, after the spiritual drought of the period of the Judges.
All because of the redemption of Ruth, a woman through whom God could work.
So far I have suggested that a major lesson from Elimelech’s and Naomi’s lives is that we cannot use natural energies to solve spiritual problems. The famine in Bethlehem was a small element of the wider famine in Israel, a famine of the knowledge of God and His Word. Although it was seen as a physical difficulty, it had a spiritual source: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Elimelech did what was right in his own eyes by going down to Moab to escape the troubles. If we find ourselves in that situation, when things have gone wrong because we have tried to escape the discipline of God; probably resulting from our backsliding (and none of us is immune from this) then the most sensible course of action is to return to the Lord. This is what Naomi did. She would teach us that whenever we stray we need to return to God, to return to where it is meaningful. Abraham strayed and went down to Egypt because of famine. There he was almost compromised but with God’s help he recovered his moral compass and returned to the altar he first built – he returned to God. The prodigal son, when he came to himself in the far country, returned to his father and home.
Often we think we must look forward, that is to press on - but if we have taken a wrong turn, then the sensible thing is to go back. “So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest” (Ruth 1:22)
Ruth - Living for God in an Uncertain World
It must have been difficult for Ruth, coming to Bethlehem and trying to find acceptance, being a Moabite woman, considering Moab had been in conflict with Israel in the past. However, her demeanour and kindness to Naomi was noted and very quickly she was well spoken of. Also it was soon realised that, having so fully embraced the religion of Israel, she would not lead anyone astray. Now they were sheltering under the Mosaic Law, Naomi could make Ruth aware of God’s social welfare system for the poor and foreigner: "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:9–10). Ruth asked Naomi for permission to glean in the fields.
Back in the stream of God’s purposes, the care and providence of God took over. She happened to choose that part of the harvest which belonged to pious Boaz, who happened to be of the kindred of Elimelech! Even though the Hebrew reads, “... her chance chanced to hit upon the field” (Ruth 2:3) we would suggest there are no coincidences with God. Remember Abraham’s servant looking for a bride for Isaac. When he met Rebekah he did not say it was a coincidence. No! He said the Lord led him to meet her: “As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen” (Genesis 24:27). Remember Joseph: he recognised the hand of God in his life even though his brothers meant to do him harm. He comforted them: “And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5). It cannot be merely chance that placed Ruth in the field of Boaz considering she had committed herself to be a true follower of Jehovah. The owner of the harvest, the one introduced into the biography of Ruth, is someone who, because of the providential care of God, will be her kinsman-redeemer.
Boaz is first described here as “a worthy man” (Ruth 2:1 (ESV)). The Hebrew phrase, when used of Gideon, is translated “mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12). Boaz was capable, efficient, worthy, and lived an exemplary lifestyle. He is first seen in a beautiful pastoral scene when he visited the harvest and greeted the reapers, “The Lord be with you”, to which they responded, “the Lord bless you” (Ruth 2:4). This suggests that Boaz and his employees were true followers of Jehovah. When he saw Ruth, a stranger, perhaps dressed differently, he asked who she was. He was told she was Naomi’s daughter-in-law who had worked steadily all day to provide for her mother-in-law and herself. Boaz then demonstrated ‘hesed’ in that he spoke kindly to Ruth and permitted her to glean among the sheaves and to follow closely his female workers. He promised her protection and provided her with drinking water, the same benefits that his own workers received. He had gone beyond what the Mosaic code required of him and Ruth responded in utter humility, bowing low to the ground and asking why she should be the recipient of such grace and favour. She said, ‘You have noticed the un-noticeable’. Boaz explained, “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 be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:11,12) He did not know it at the time but God will use him to answer his own prayer in due course, that is, the Lord will show ‘hesed’ to Ruth through him. Moreover, the phrase, “under whose wings you have come to take refuge” will also be significant. Boaz offered further benefits to Ruth by encouraging her to dip her bread into the wine vinegar and share in the food provided for the workers. At the end of the day she should take home enough for Naomi also. Boaz went yet further - he instructed his reapers to purposely drop handfuls of barley for her to collect. So Ruth gleaned all day and threshed out enough grain to last some time.
She returned home in the evening with the grain she had collected and told Naomi all that had taken place who recognised the goodness of God and asked a blessing on the one who had shown such ‘hesed’ to them. When Ruth identified their benefactor, it confirmed that the hand of the Lord was directing their lives. Boaz’s offer of protection was very welcome because the time in which they lived was a time of low morals. So Ruth gleaned all through the period of the barley harvest, and on into the wheat harvest always keeping close to Boaz’s female workers. This included the period of five weeks from the Festival of Firstfruits to the Feast of Weeks. God had begun His firstfruit payment of ‘hesed’ to Ruth. What she had received from Boaz was just the first instalment with more to come, for at the end of chapter 2 there is a hint of the law of Levirate marriage when Boaz is described as a “... close relative of ours, one of our redeemers” (Ruth 2:20).
In this setting of harvest-time, the principle of harvest was working in her life. She had sown ‘hesed’ (loving kindness) and was reaping ‘hesed’ (loving kindness). Paul wrote, “… whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). This sowing and reaping is part of the cycle of life. Paul also wrote: “... let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
The emphasis of chapter one was on the qualities found in Ruth and Naomi: ‘hesed’ (loving kindness) in Ruth and repentance in Naomi.
The emphasis of chapter two was on the providence of God. Ruth happened to go to the field of Boaz, who happened to be a relative of Elimelech, Naomi’s late husband.
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