Blessing in the field of Boaz

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2025 AM - MR JASON CRUISE

RUTH 2 VERSES 1 TO 12

The book of Ruth is believed to have been written by the prophet Samuel. Ruth and Esther are the only 2 books in the bible named after women. We read in Ruth of a Gentile woman who married a Jew, Boaz. In Esther we read of a Jewish woman who married a Gentile, Ahasuerus. In chapter 1 verse 1 we learn the time period when these things took place. "Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled." A dark period in the life of the nation of Israel. Judges records 7 cycles of sin. Israel sinned against the Lord and the Lord chastised them. Then they repented and turned to the Lord. The nation of Israel fall away again and sin against the Lord and the cycle is repeated. In the last verse of the book of Judges we read "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes." During that time of the judges people didn't want anyone to rule over them. Much like our present day? No-one wanted a ruler. They wanted to do that which was right in their own eyes. Very much a picture of the day in which we presently live. People live as they please. Also it says in verse 1 of chapter 1 that there was a famine in the land. The Lord had told the people what would happen if they were not faithful to him, if they didn't obey him - Deuteronomy 28 verses 16 and 17 "Cursed shalt thou be in the city and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store." At that time the people thought they could do whatever they pleased, live whatever way they liked. The famine came as a direct result of sin and iniquity of the people. The people thought they could live with no consequences. The people were happy to live in sin and continue in sin. They thought there would be no consequences as a result but the Lord sent a famine. It came as a result of their conduct and behaviour.

There is a man called Elimelech who with his wife Naomi left Bethlehem and made their way to Moab. The name Elimelech means 'my God is king'. Elimelech was brought up in a godly home. His parents knew that although there was no king in the land, they acknowledged they had one in heaven. Elimelech was their son and with his wife Naomi made their way to Moab. He died in Moab and then his 2 sons also died, Mahlon and Chilion. Naomi is left with her 2 daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth. Naomi hears how the Lord has visited his people in giving them bread and makes a decision to return to Bethlehem. In chapter 1 verse 10 we see all 3 making their way to Bethlehem. Orpah and Ruth decided to go with Naomi. They had only started on the way when Orpah leaves them and makes her way back to her own people and her own gods. In Orpah we see a picture of the false convert. When the rubber hits the road we realise it is only lip service. She quickly made her way back to her false gods and idols she knew in Moab. Naomi and Ruth make their way to Bethlehem. Ruth is a picture of the true convert. Chapter 1 verse 15 "return thou after thy sister-in-law." But Ruth makes a commitment and a promise. Verses 16 and 17 "Intreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me." Ruth has made a commitment and she was going to follow through on that commitment. She is a picture of the true convert. She turned her back on the false gods of Moab. She is on the road she has never travelled before. She is heading to a new destination. The moment we trust in the Lord we are set on a new path. We are on the narrow path heading for a new destination, heaven. We look forward to the day when eventually we reach our home.

In chapter 2 we read that Naomi and Ruth made their way to Bethlehem. Here we read for the first time of the man Boaz. He was a kinsman of Naomi's husband Elimelech. A mighty man of wealth. He has grain stores in abundance. He is a great picture of our kinsman redeemer Jesus. Inexhaustible and unsearchable riches are found in Christ, the redeemer. When we think of our soul's salvation we think of the countless millions who have put their trust in Christ down the years yet salvation is still available from God's storehouse of grace for those who will come to him today. Salvation is available. We have put our faith and trust in one whose riches are inexhaustible and unsearchable. When we think of the past week we are reminded of the good things we have enjoyed. Philippians 4 verse 19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Each and every thing we needed in the week that is past we have enjoyed by the grace of God. Boaz dwells in Bethlehem. Soon we will think of another person born in that same town, Jesus. God was willing to send him there. The babe in a manger would one day be willing to lay down his life on the cross for you and I. 

Notice the care, compassion and provision Boaz makes for those who labour in his field.

The first thing Boaz says to his workers - "the Lord be with you." He mentions the Lord first. Whenever you come into contact with friends, neighbours and work colleagues is the Lord the first thing we mention? We will talk about different subjects but when do we speak of the Lord? Could we say a word for the Lord? Verses 9 and 10 - notice when Boaz talks to Ruth what he says "Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap and go thou after them; have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn. Then she fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?" He has spoken to his workers, the young men about their conduct, behaviour. Remember the events take place in the days of the judges. The last verse of the book of Judges tells us that every man did that which was right in their own eyes. Boaz showed his men that there was a way they had to conduct themselves if they wanted to work in his fields. When we come into a relationship with Christ there is a way that we must behave. A way God expects us to conduct ourselves differently. Between ourselves and the world outside, those who know not the Lord personally. "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;" (Philippians 2 verse 15) We will come into contact with many people who have never put their trust in God's word. They will never read God's word but they will monitor you and I as Christians. I trust that our conduct will be good, that we will be shining lights for Christ, signposts for the Saviour. 

Notice also the mention of thirsting in verse 9. He has made provision for refreshment. When you are doing work for the Lord you will need to keep yourself hydrated. If you don't you will soon dry up. I pray that every day you will come to God's word to be replenished. You need it every day. If you don't come to God's word you will soon dry up. You need to come continually. Make your way in the morning before you go out into the world and then before you sleep at night. 

Ruth is overwhelmed. She now falls at the feet of Boaz. In her homeland of Moab she had never done this before. Her people, the Moabites were descendants of the incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughter. They served false gods and idols. Here she falls down at the feet of Boaz and asks "why have I found grace?" Is that not what we all can ask today? We are saved by the grace of God. Through the goodness of God who was willing to send his son to die for our sins we could easily ask "why have I found grace in thine eyes, why have you taken knowledge of me?" 

Ruth is gleaning among the sheaves - Leviticus 23 verse 22 "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest; thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger; I am the Lord your God." She is no longer gleaning at the corners of the field but among the actual sheaves. She is blessed in the fields of Boaz. As she makes her way home to her mother-in-law she has with her a ephah of barley. An ephah is equal to 10 omers. In Exodus 16 verse 15 we learn that this was the amount of manna the children of Israel were to gather each day in the wilderness. Ruth has an abundance of supply. She has received more than she could imagine. When she goes home to Naomi, Naomi asks her "Where hast thou gleaned today? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought and said, The man's name with whom I wrought today is Boaz." If I came along to you in the week that lies ahead and asked you where you had been would you be able to say where you had gleaned? Have you gleaned something of the word of God? Many seek to glean things from the word that have no substance for their well being. God has given us his precious word and I trust we come to glean something from his word daily. Will you and I ask the Lord to help us do a work for him in the week that lies ahead? Maybe it will not be in full time ministry but it may be somewhere God wants us to be. Maybe it is a work amongst boys and girls, or women in our church or community. Where do you seek to work for God? 

Chapter 2 verse 23 "So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest and dwelt with her mother in law." 7 times we read about a field, 5 of which are referred to as "the field". The workers are in the field, we read of the reapers in the field, a servant in the field and the maidens also. They are all labouring in the field of Boaz. They were seeking to see the harvest brought in. A work done for the owner. The day would come when the harvest would be over. As we drive through our countryside at the end of September we can see many fields of corn, wheat and barley. We see them cut and then safely stored in. The work is finished, all is safely gathered in. Other times the weather changes and suddenly the crop becomes wet and damp. The field has not been cut, the wind and rain turns the field to black. The harvest has come and is passed but that field has been lost. Think of those workers in Boaz's harvest field. They were seeking to do a work for him. Let me ask you - are you working in God's field today?  What work are we doing for the Lord? Are we labouring in the heavenly harvest field? Are we anxious to see the harvest gathered in? Are we doing all we can to see the harvest gathered in today?