I introduce the blog this way to help us think about Boaz's provision for Ruth. What was that provision? Boaz first provided a field for Ruth to glean - to gather the necessary grain for making food. In Ruth Chapter 2:8, Boaz encourages Ruth to remain in his field only and to continue to work beside his workers. He provided permanent employment.
Not only was Ruth's employment permanent but it was abundant in its wages. Boaz commands his servants to allow Ruth to glean or reap even among the sheaves and not to insult her for doing so. Why would he say that? In the last post we contrasted law and grace and in Ruth 2:15-16 we see a further contrast. The law said that the strangers were to reap the outer portions of the field and to leave what had fallen for the poor and needy (Leviticus 19:9-16). Gleaning among the sheaves was left for the owner only. In Ruth chapter 2, Boaz tells his servants to allow some of the harvest to fall for her on purpose. As we see from that law in Leviticus, anything that had fallen to the ground was to be allowed to be gleaned by the stranger. Boaz is providing for Ruth lavishly and abundantly. He is allowing her to reap the most she can according to her ability and even more than her ability.
Boaz not only provided a field of permanent work and abundant wages - he also provided water for her thirsty need. The work Ruth was doing was hard and it was dry and hot. Boaz knew she would need water to quench her thirst. He tells her in 2:8, When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw. He not only provided the water but he provided that which his servants had already drawn from the well. That was one less chore Ruth had to do and she was able to quench her thirst from the water already drawn. Boaz's grace is abundant toward her and she is humbled and thankful for it.
The provision of Boaz continues to be shown by his desire for communion or fellowship with Ruth in chapter 2:14, "Come here, that you may eat bread.." The invitation to a meal was not only to share in the host's provisions but it was to enjoy fellowship with those invited. Boaz invites her to eat with him and then provides the very food for her to eat. He not only provides it but the text says that he served her the roasted grain. He prepared and served her lunch. No wonder Ruth is in such awe of Boaz whom she is coming to know as a gracious and generous man.
Ruth is also gracious, for we are told from those verses that after she had eaten and was satisfied that she kept some of the food back. She was not a glutton. Even though there was plenty of food - she stopped when she was satisfied. She also kept what was left over for a very good reason. The rest of the chapter says that she later shares what she had left with Naomi. She not only takes what she gleaned from the field to Naomi - she also takes some of the lunch that had been prepared for her so that Naomi might enjoy the benefits of Boaz's abundance too.
This story reminds me of the incident the Apostle John gives in John chapter 4. That chapter tells of a women who is a Samaritan and like Ruth - an outcast from Israel. The Lord being hot, tired and thirsty from ministering through preaching and a long journey sat down at a well where this woman was drawing water. He had the audacity to ask for a drink from this woman. In fact she is even surprised that He, an Israelite, would ask from her, a Samaritan woman.
Jesus' response to her after she questions his intentions in talking with her is, "If you knew the GIFT of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked HIM and HE would have given you LIVING WATER." WHO is it that spoke to her and what is the GIFT he desires to give? In response to her request for that Living water, Jesus reveals her sin and confesses to her that HE is the Messiah - the One who is to come to take away the sin of the world. HE is that Living Water. The GIFT He desires to give to her is ETERNAL LIFE and she must drink of the water that HE GIVES - the water that gives life eternal. His desire is to give LIFE and to give it more abundantly.
Are you thirsty today? Have you been drinking from the fountains of this world - The fountain of education, popularity, success, money, entertainment - even family? Have those fountains left you empty and dying of thirst? Have you found them to be dry and not life giving but life taking? Jesus longs to give you that Water of LIFE which only HE can give. Come to Him, ask from Him. It is His desire to fill you and to satisfy you with Living water - the water that gives LIFE ETERNAL and LIFE ABUNDANT. Do you know Who He is? He is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world - He is the Water of Life. Do you know the GIFT of GOD? It is Eternal Life and it is found only in HIM. Now that you know HIM and the GIFT He longs to give, ASK from Him. His promise is that HE will give it to you.
Ruth and the Samaritan woman are alike in another point. Ruth took her provisions and shared them with Naomi. In this chapter of John, we see that the woman at the well also takes what she has learned of Christ and shares that knowledge to the town of Samaria. This causes a whole town to come and hear Him themselves and to drink of His Living Water. This situation launches a discussion from his disciples about his actions - which they question. They think that perhaps he just needs to eat some food. The Lord's response is that He has food to eat that they don't know about and eventually has to explain to them that his food (or true satisfaction) is doing the will of His Father in Heaven.
In the rest of John chapter 4, Jesus begins to talk to His disciples about the harvest and the reaping that needs to be done. He tells them to pray that the LORD of the harvest will send for reapers into HIS fields for they are ready for harvesting. Much like the time of Ruth - it is the barley harvest season - only the harvest that Jesus longs for is the harvest of HIS PEOPLE into His Kingdom. Have you entered that harvest? Are you praying for the Lord to SEND those reapers? Each of us has his or her duty to either go, pray or send. What can we do to see that the harvest is reaped and Christ's barns are full of grain for bread?
In the next few chapters of John, Jesus talks about the importance of BREAD and just as He reveals Himself to be the WATER of LIFE - He now reveals HIMSELF as the BREAD OF LIFE. He tells them that just as we must ask and drink of the WATER OF LIFE, we must also ask and EAT of the BREAD of LIFE. As explained in the opening of the blog, the great need for physical life is water and bread (food). So, also, the two great needs for Spiritual life or Life ETERNAL is the WATER of LIFE and the BREAD of LIFE. They are Christ Jesus Himself - he says, I AM THE LIVING WATER and I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. He invites you as Boaz did Ruth to COME and drink of the WATER that HE gives and to eat of the BREAD that He provides. Do you see your need? Do you know yourself to be a sinner and HE the Savior that was to come to take away the sin of the world? IF so, He offers you that WATER and that BREAD of eternal life and bids you DRINK and EAT.
If you have drank of this WATER and eaten of this BREAD - don't be "stingy" with what HE has given. Like Ruth - take that which was given you to others who are in need also. Like the woman at the well - GO - TELL others about this ONE who has told you all that you ever did and say, "IS THIS NOT THE CHRIST?" Give to others the WATER and BREAD of LIFE and become a reaper in the LORD'S harvest. Remember that sometimes the work is hard and hot and you need to sit by the reapers and drink of that water too and eat of that bread as well - even as you go about your work of harvesting. May the LORD PROVIDE you with abundant WAGES as you go, tell and share.
Hark! The voice of Jesus crying,
who will go and work today?
Fields are white, and harvests waiting;
Who will bear the sheaves away?
Loud and long the Master calls,
Rich reward He offers free:
Who will answer, gladly saying,
"Here am I, send me, send me!"
If you cannot be a watchman,
Standing high on Zion's wall,
Pointing out the path to heaven,
Offering life and peace to all,
With your prayers and with your bounties
You can do what God commands;
You can be like faithful Aaron,
Holding up the prophets hands.
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