Title: In the Field of Boaz
Ruth 2:3-7
Ruth went and followed the reapers to glean in the field, and by chance she came to a field belonging to Boaz, Elimelech's kin. Just then, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, "The Lord be with you." They answered, "The Lord bless you." Boaz said to the servant who had the shearers, "Who is this girl?" The servant who had the shearers answered and said, "This is a Moabite girl who has returned from the region of Moab with Naomi, and he said, "Let me follow the shearers to glean between the altars." Since I came, I have been working on it until now, except for a little rest at home.
According to the Old Testament law, the poor were allowed to glean. However, the gleaning time is limited after the harvest is over. But today, Ruth is gleaning after the shearers. It's very special. Let's take a look at how Ruth received such a special favor.
2:3, "Ruth went and followed the reapers to glean in the field, and she happened to come to the field belonging to Boaz, Elimelech's kin."
By "accidentally" we do not mean that we did it consciously or intentionally. There is absolutely no human intention involved. The story is that they go to glean without thinking about whose field this is, but it is a field belonging to Boaz.
However, in the text here, Boaz is not simply referred to as Boaz, but Boaz is described as “Boaz, a relative of Elimelech. This is important. The author of the book of Ruth was trying to show that in Israeli society the kinship was given responsibility. As Elimelech's kin, Boaz was trying to show that Elimelech's remaining family members, Naomi and Ruth, had a social responsibility. This responsibility creates a connection between Ruth and Boaz.
2:20 And Naomi said to her father-in-law, "The blessing of the Lord be with him. He does not cease to show kindness to the living and the dead. And Naomi said to him again, "This man is a close relative of us, and we will inherit our inheritance." He is one of those who draw radish."
In Israeli society, the kin has a responsibility to recover the lost property of the kin.
Leviticus 25:25, "If your brother is poor and has sold some of his inheritance, his relatives will come and destroy what his people sold.
This is a law ordained by God. For example, I sold part of the land I had cultivated and lived because of difficult circumstances. Then one of my relatives who is in good shape is supposed to buy the field and return it to me. By doing so, the people of Israel became a beautiful figure of relatives who loved, helped, and protected each other.
So, Boaz here is not just Boaz. They are their relatives who are responsible and have the right to give back to them the land they were forced to leave because of poverty.
Finally, Boaz appears.
2:4, "At the same time, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the cutlers, The LORD be with you; they answered, The LORD bless you."
The word “finished” at the beginning of verse 4 is consistent with the word “accidentally” in verse 3. Coincidentally, coincidence happened. At the same time, Boaz miraculously came from Bethlehem. Is it really just a coincidence? To the human eye, it is coincidence, it does not contain human intention, but there is no such thing as coincidence in this world. Jesus said, "Not even a sparrow will ever fall to the ground unless God permits it." It means that there is a God who provides providence behind the scenes. That is how God led us.
Just when Boaz came from Bethlehem and came to the cutlers, Ruth and Boaz met each other. Ruth has gone to the right place indeed. He didn't go there to go. It wasn't meant to be. That's what God did. And I went there at the right time. That's how God provided it. Don't you go through that a lot too? It seemed like such a thing happened by chance, but after looking at it, don't you find out that it all happened because of God's providence?
Boaz came to his field from Bethlehem and came to the reapers. Perhaps they came to supervise workers to make sure they were doing the right thing and to encourage them to work hard. What did Boaz greet the people when he came here?
“The Lord be with you.”
Boaz must have been a man of strong faith. Instead of saying, "Hello? How are you doing?", he said, "The Lord is with you," with a religious greeting. At that time, the workers also respond.
"The Lord bless you."
A good person has such a good influence around them. We have to get to know people, but we have to get close to people of faith.
Who can be blessed? Who does God bless? The Bible tells us clearly. Before thinking about the blessings you will receive, it is said that you first become a person who can receive blessings. It is said to be a blessed person. Even in Psalm 1, we do not talk about the blessings we will receive first, but rather about the blessed people. You must first become a blessed person for God to bless you. When you become a person who will receive blessings, blessings automatically follow you. If a kid asks his father for 100,000 won, will he give it to you? Of course I don't give it. However, when the child grows up and needs 100,000 won, the father takes care of everything. Likewise, before asking, “Lord, bless me,” we must first think about whether or not I can be blessed.
What did Boaz say to the workers? “The Lord be with you,” he said. I prayed that God would be with me. If God is with you, everything else will automatically follow. Therefore, we must become such people that God is with us. According to psychologists, the happiest time for newborns is when they are in their mother's arms and breastfeeding. At that time, in the heart of the newborn baby, the mother is with me, the mother's presence is fully felt. Without the worries of the world, the baby sleeps peacefully in the mother's arms. Likewise, no matter how great the winds of temptation and tribulation blow, if God is with us and Jesus is with us, we will feel secure. I'm happy. Peaceful.
Read Psalm 23. As you read, look for the most central verse. Around this verse, the number of words before it and the number of words after it are the same.
Psalm 23:1-6, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters. He refreshes my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. Though I walk through the valley of darkness, I will fear no evil, For You are with me, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You have prepared a table for me in the sight of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Yes. That's right. The phrase "The Lord is with me" is the most central. If the Lord is with me, there is no need to fear even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
Dear saint! I pray in the name of Jesus that you will have a blessed day when God is with you and the presence of God is fully felt in your heart.