Ruth 1 & 2
There are at least 2 really beautiful love stories in the Old Testament. One is between David and his friend Jonathan. The other is between Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi. These love stories have nothing to do with hormones or romance and everything to do with loyalty, sacrifice, devotion, character and fidelity. The love that we experience in Christ.
This is the story of Ruth’s character, Providential Hand of God and also the Provisional Hand of God, what you don’t see in Ruth are miracles.
Miracles are God working beyond or against ordinary means.
What miracles look like:
Seas parting
Dead rising
Blind seeing
Food multiplying
Fire falling from heaven
Instant healing
Have you seen what you feel is a Miracle?
PROVIDENTIAL HAND OF GOD
Providence is God working through ordinary means.
What providence looks like:
People making choices
Weather patterns
Timing of events
"Coincidences" that are too perfect to be coincidences
Natural cause-and-effect
Human decisions that God bends toward His purposes
The providential hand of God is rarely seen by looking at our current situation, never seen by looking ahead and can often be recognized by looking to the past.
MY STORY: After leaving several colleges because I was flunking out, I gave up on what I thought I had to do and signed up for the draft because I didn’t know what else to do. On my way home from signing up for the draft, I heard on the radio that the army needed helicopter pilots. I turned around and signed up to fly. This led to many other events in my life that led me closer to God. None of these things happened until I gave up on my way.
Everyone who belongs to Christ has his/her Providential event stories in their life.
Think for a moment. Can you point to what must have been God’s providential hand on your life?
THE PROVISIONAL HAND OF GOD
GOD’S PROVISION FOR THE POOR in the Old Testament centers on a system of built‑in justice, not random charity. The Mosaic Law created structural, economic, and social protections so the poor, widow, orphan, and foreigner could survive with dignity.
Agricultural Provision: Gleaning Laws, We will see this as we get into the story of Ruth.
Economic Provision: Open‑Handed Lending,
“Do not be hardhearted or tightfisted.”
“Freely lend them whatever they need.”
“Give generously… without a grudging heart.” (Deuteronomy 15:7–11)
The Third‑Year Tithe (Storehouse Tithe) Every third year, Israel stored a special tithe specifically for:
The Poor:
The Levite,
The foreigner,
The fatherless,
The widow (Deuteronomy 14:28–29).
This created a local safety net in every town.
Ruth 1:1 During the time[a] of the judges, there was a famine in the land. A man left Bethlehem in Judah with his wife and two sons to stay in the territory of Moab for a while. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi.[b] The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the fields of Moab and settled there.
During the time of the Judges, This could have happened about Judges chapter 10. Jair was probably the Judge.
The land of Israel was going through a time of judgement. This placed a hardship on the people of Israel. They did what people all over the world have done. They immigrated to another country to find better opportunities for their family. However, these were not just any people they were of the chosen nation of God. They were choosing to leave the land God had given them. To make matters worse they were going to a land that God had told them to have nothing to do with.
Deuteronomy 23: 3 No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord’s assembly; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord’s assembly. 4 This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you. 5 Yet the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but he turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you. 6 Never pursue their welfare or prosperity as long as you live.
Elimelech looked at their situation and leaning on all the understanding he had, he chose to leave the land God had given him. Now his children would be raised in a culture dominated with service to the god Chemosh.
Does anyone remember a verse that says something about leaning on your own understanding?
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Let’s meet the characters of the book of ruth.
I wondered how they came up with names for their children. Did they wait a little while and determine the temperament of the child before naming him. Did the name indicate the aspirations of the family for the child.
Ruth 1: 3 Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two children and without her husband.
After Elimelech died, her boys each took a Moabite woman for his wife. This was strictly forbidden; however, you get the idea that following God was not high on their priority list. This was the way it was during the time of the judges. People were doing what was right in their own site.
Then as if things could not have gotten worse for Naomi both of her sons die. She was broken and wanted to go home. Like the prodigal son who understood his lostness, she wanted to go home.
Ruth1:6 She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food. 7 She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah.
Her daughters-in-law loved her and did not want to leave her. She saw no future for them with her. They were Moabite women who were going to find themselves in a totally different culture.
Ruth 1:8 Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. 9 May the Lord grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly.
10 They said to her, “We insist on returning with you to your people.”
In the middle of Naomi’s grief and hurt she thought to the needs of Ruth and Orpha. This has to be one of the lowest points in Naomi’s life. She has lost her husband, her two boys and now she must convince her to daughters-in-law to leave her. She would move on totally alone. An old woman in what could be a hostile world.
One of the most divine statements in the Bible could apply here, “But God”. The Lord was not going to let Naomi proceed alone. He had other plans. We would call this the providential hand of God. We can see it plainly because we are looking back on it, but Naomi did not have a clue.
Ruth 1:11 But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, 13 would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying?[c]
This logic is strange to western culture. The idea that Naomi would hold herself responsible for providing her two daughters-in-law with a son that they could marry.
The levirate marriage: If a brother dies without his wife having a son, his brother would marry her and the first male child would legally be the heir of the dead brother. This would keep the dead brother’s property and name in the family.
An example of this is found in Genesis 38. Judah had three sons, Er, Onan and his youngest Shelah. Tamar became the wife of the Er, the oldest. He died without having any children, Tamar marries Onan, he died without having any children. Juda refuses to give his youngest son to Tamar. He did not want another son to die. Read the story in Genesis to find our how Tamar winds up in the linage of Christ.
Naomi was saying that this in impossible in her situation so Ruth and Orpah should return home where they could get married and have children of their own.
Ruth 1:13B No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me.”
Everything that Naomi had hoped for was lost. She felt that the Lord was against her. Given her circumstances we might agree. But we know what Naomi did not know. God was providentially drawing Naomi back home. She had absolutely no idea of the joy God had instore for her.
Ruth 1:14 Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. 15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law.”
With this comes some of the most beautiful words in the Bible. You may have had these words spoken at your wedding.
16 But Ruth replied:
Don’t plead with me to abandon you
or to return and not follow you. .
For wherever you go, I will go,
and wherever you live, I will live;
your people will be my people,
and your God will be my God.
17 Where you die, I will die,
and there I will be buried.
May the Lord punish me,
and do so severely,
if anything but death separates you and me.
18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her.
The Gaithers have put this beautifully to music.
The providential hand of God has placed Ruth firmly in Naomi’s life. Now Naomi must face the people she left behind when she and her husband ventured to Moab.
Naomi comes home depressed. So much about her future she does not have a clue about. Leaning on her own understanding she sees very little to be hopeful about.
We have already quoted Proverbs 3:5-8 This is an encouragement to us that no matter how loudly our understanding screams at us, we can continue to take the next step. This is a lot easier to say than it is to live out. However, it is a promise of God and God is always true to His word.
Ruth 1:19 The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival[e] and the local women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
20 “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,”[f] she answered, “for the Almighty has made me very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed[g] me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
Like the prodigal son she left her home full of hope but returned with little hope. Also like the prodigal, God has much more instore for her than dying a beggar in her hometown.
Ruth 1:22 So Naomi came back from the territory of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Who can see God’s providential hand in this verse?
The harvesting began with the barley harvest and when that was over you had the wheat harvest. In all that is 7 to 10 weeks of harvest.
Why is this important? Naomi and Ruth came into town with little or no resources. How are they going to sustain themselves.
Ruth 2:1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side. He was a prominent man of noble character from Elimelech’s family. His name was Boaz.
This piece of information is just stuck in the story for later use.
God made provision for the poor.
Ruth 2:2 Ruth the Moabitess asked Naomi, “Will you let me go into the fields and gather fallen grain behind someone with whom I find favor?”
Naomi answered her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So Ruth left and entered the field to gather grain behind the harvesters. She happened to be in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family.
Don’t you just love the use of the words, “She happened” Again, the providential hand of God.
Gleaning is a provisional hand of God.
When you harvest your fields:
Ruth 2:4 Later, when Boaz arrived from Bethlehem, he said to the harvesters, “The Lord be with you.” “The Lord bless you,” they replied.
This tells us about the character of Boaz. He had established a culture in his workforce which honored the Lord. The ideal Boss.
Ruth 2:5-7 Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?”
6 The servant answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. 7 She asked, ‘Will you let me gather fallen grain among the bundles behind the harvesters?’ She came and has been on her feet since early morning, except that she rested a little in the shelter.”[a]
Boaz caught sight of Ruth and asked his foreman who this woman was. She was a stranger, not someone Boaz had seen before so he was curious. His foreman tells of her relation to Naomi. He had heard of this Moabite who came to town with Naomi. The foreman continues with how polite and humble she was asking if she might glean. Then the foreman goes on about what a hard worker she was. Needless to say Boaz is impressed.
Ruth 2:8-9 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter.[b] Don’t go and gather grain in another field, and don’t leave this one, but stay here close to my female servants. 9 See which field they are harvesting, and follow them. Haven’t I ordered the young men not to touch you? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the jars the young men have filled.”
Ruth was a young Moabite widowed woman. This placed her on about the lowest rung of the social ladder. She had no reason to expect any kindness. She was in a very vulnerable position. For Boaz to show her any preference was totally unexpected. This has been compared to our position before God before salvation. Our sin placed us totally outside the camp of God. We could have no expectations of warranting God’s favor. Yet he chose to bestow it on us.
While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Boaz goes up to Ruth and calls her daughter. Then he proceeds to show her favor. She is dumb founder. Why would such a man have anything to do with me.
10 She fell facedown, bowed to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor with you, so that you notice me, although I am a foreigner?”
11 Boaz answered her, “Everything you have done for your mother-in-law since your husband’s death has been fully reported to me: how you left your father and mother and your native land, and how you came to a people you didn’t previously know. 12 May the Lord reward you for what you have done, and may you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”
The benefits of good character. Proverbs 22:1 — “A good name is more desirable than great riches.” Ruth’s reputation had reached Boaz even though he had never met her before this.
God’s providence had placed Ruth in that field. Ruth’s character shaped the outcome.
13 “My lord,” she said, “I have found favor with you, for you have comforted and encouraged your servant, although I am not like one of your female servants.”
Can you imagine the encouragement that having a prominent Godly man of the village pay attention to her and show her favor. She went from barely hanging on to hope, to being encouraged.
14 At mealtime Boaz told her, “Come over here and have some bread and dip it in the vinegar sauce.” So she sat beside the harvesters, and he offered her roasted grain. She ate and was satisfied and had some left over.
Boaz shows her more attention than one would expect him to show the widowed daughter-in-law of a relative. He was likely becoming twitterpated.
15 When she got up to gather grain, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her even gather grain among the bundles, and don’t humiliate her. 16 Pull out some stalks from the bundles for her and leave them for her to gather. Don’t rebuke her.” 17 So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening.
Boaz is definitely twitterpated.
After gathering grain all day she still has work to do.
She beat out what she had gathered, and it was about twenty-six quarts[c] of barley. 18 She picked up the grain and went into the town, where her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She brought out what she had left over from her meal and gave it to her.
I got tired just reading all the things she did. This young lady knew how to work.
Ruth had herself quite a day. She started her day being a little-known Moabite woman in a town just trying to get food for her and Naomi to eat. Then she accidentally finds herself in Boaz’s field. She then goes from being well thought of to getting special privileges. At the end of the day, she had a very influential, Godly man looking out for her best interest. She also had a lot to tell Naomi.
We can see the providential hand of God all through the day.
Ruth 2:19 Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you gather barley today, and where did you work? May the Lord bless the man who noticed you.”
Ruth told her mother-in-law whom she had worked with and said, “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz.”
Naomi starts to do her happy dance.
Examples of The Providential Hand of God
20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May the Lord bless him because he has not abandoned his kindness to the living or the dead.” Naomi continued, “The man is a close relative. He is one of our family redeemers.”
21 Ruth the Moabitess said, “He also told me, ‘Stay with my young men until they have finished all of my harvest.’”
22 So Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, “My daughter, it is good for you to work[d] with his female servants, so that nothing will happen to you in another field.” 23 Ruth stayed close to Boaz’s female servants and gathered grain until the barley and the wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with[e] her mother-in-law.
