Ruth 2:8  Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens:
9  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.
10  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?
11  And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
12  The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
13  Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

We see that the people in Bible times had not learned the ‘political correctness’ that we are “supposed” to use today. We might consider Boaz’ words in verse 8 to be rude and abrupt. However, this is how they communicated in that time. We already know that Boaz was not disrespectful to Ruth. He was not an abrasive person. He spoke plainly and got to the point. Ruth also was not a woman who expected to be tiptoed around. She had already faced some realities that many people do not face. She was a common woman who lived in the real world.
Boaz was firm with her. He did not know her well, but he knew her mother in law. He wanted to provide for them, and he did not want Ruth to think that she needed to find some other place to glean grain. Boaz took his role as a man seriously. He also took his role as a farmer seriously. He wanted Ruth to understand that she would find all the grain she would need in his fields. He wanted Ruth to stay close to the maidens that were already there. Obviously they were trustworthy maidens who could help Ruth to understand how things work in Israel. We have a picture here of true salvation and how a Christian should live. We will speak of that further.
In verse 9 Boaz continued to give Ruth instructions. He also told her that the young men would not be trying to take advantage of her. He wanted Ruth to feel safe working in his fields. He also told her that if she was thirsty, she could drink from the water that the men had drawn. She did not need to concern herself with trying to provide her own water. Ruth may have been taken aback with Boaz’ concern for her. Boaz was not a married man, but he understood the importance of treating a woman with respect. He was not offending her. She was not a feminist who wanted to take control of her own life. She was quite pleased to be looked after in this way.
In verse 10 we see her humility further. She was thankful that Boaz was willing to grant her this grace, even though he really did not know her. She was a stranger, but that did not matter to Boaz. Boaz is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. He, the Lord Jesus Christ, is willing to save all who come to Him in repentance and true faith. He also blesses those who are saved with a peace the world does not know and cannot have. Ruth was learning about the peace of God through this man, Boaz.
In verse 11 we find that people had been talking about Ruth. As we mentioned, good news gets around. Ruth had a testimony worth talking about. She came from a pagan land. She was willing to leave that pagan land, not to get rich or to find a husband, but to know the true God. She was not learning that much about Him from her mother in law, but God would put her in contact with others like Boaz, who could help her to understand the mercy and grace of God.
Ruth honoured her mother in law. She was willing to come to a new land and seek the truth. In verse 12 Boaz wanted the LORD to reward Ruth for her humble and honourable character. It is far better to have the LORD’s blessing, than all the wealth the world can offer.
Ruth was first introduced to the land of Israel as a land of famine. Elimelech moved his family to Moab, to get away from the famine. He made a very bad choice. He escaped a material famine, but he encountered a much greater famine and that was a famine of truth.
In my years of ministry, I have often spoken to people who talk of moving somewhere. I ask them if there is a good church in that area. If there is not a good church, and they are not called to be a pastor, then what do they want in that place. Money cannot buy the peace of God. Without the peace of God, life is not worth much.
Elimelech lost his life in Moab. Mahlon and Chilion lost their lives in Moab as well. Naomi became a widow because her husband made a bad choice. Ruth became a widow by marrying a young man who was far away from God’s blessings. God brought both Naomi and Ruth back to where they could receive His blessings. Both of their lives would be drastically changed by this move.
Boaz noted that Ruth had come to put her trust under the wings of the true God. In the New Testament Jesus used the illustration of a mother hen as well:

Matthew 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

It is important to come under the protection of the Lord Jesus Christ. That place is reserved for those who turn to God in repentance and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
In verse 13 Ruth thanked Boaz for his kindness to her. She acknowledged his authority over her. She was comforted by his kind words, and his kind actions. Words without actions do not mean much. We can see that in our politicians. We can also see that in many religions. They make big statements. They use deception to try to impress people. However there is a tremendous emptiness there.
Ruth understood that she was not like Boaz’ other handmaidens. They were Hebrew women. They were raised in that society. They understood things about God that Ruth was observing, but had not grown up with.
We see the change that God makes in a person’s life after they are saved. Ruth was not being forced to convert. She wanted to know the true God. She wanted to know how to please Him. That is the change that God makes in a person’s heart and life when they are saved. That is what we do not see much of in today’s “Christianity”. We see much pseudo Christianity. Most professing Christians want to keep in tune with the world, but they also want to be assured of heaven. They do not understand, nor want to understand the importance of living the Christian life.

Philippians 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

God has not changed. He is the same, yesterday, today and for ever. Man has not changed either. Man is born a lost sinner and as a lost sinner he wants to please the flesh. The only way a person can be truly changed is when they are born again. Nicodemus did not understand that terminology. He was supposed to be a spiritual teacher of the Jews, but he was stuck in a humanistic mindset. He needed to be born again and that would change him. We know that at some point he was born again and that did make a vast difference in his life.
Ruth observed something different in Naomi’s life. Even though Naomi was a poor testimony, there was something at the core of her life that impressed Ruth. We are reminded that even in Old Testament times, God was working to bring people to Himself. He does that by giving every person a conscience. Every person can understand that they are lacking something very fundamental in their heart and life. That is why we have so much false religion.
It is common for man to try to fill that void on his own. As man is seeking to fill that void, God is working in his heart to draw man to Himself. False religion has been changing since the fall of man. It has some very strange doctrines. That is because those involved in false religion know they are not getting the answers their soul is longing for.
It is important for those who are saved to be that voice of truth to the lost. We can show the lost where true hope is found. It is not found in man. It is found in God. God has given us tools to be able to bless others. We have His preserved Word. We also have the Bible-believing local church. Of course behind the scenes is the working of the Holy Spirit. He cannot be stopped.
Ruth had the same influences in her life that Orpah had. Ruth chose to follow the truth, while Orpah chose to remain in her lost state.
Ruth is a picture of the blessings of God that are there for all who will humble themselves and follow the true God. Ruth started by putting her trust in the true LORD. She did not know Him well. She knew she did not have what she needed, in her false religions. God can move a person into greater truth when they surrender to His will.
God did not lay out Ruth’s path in detail. He showed her enough to help her to know Him and then to follow Him one step at a time. God works the same way today. The honourable person submits to God and trusts in Him for today and tomorrow. We cannot even see how today will unfold, much less tomorrow. We can know what true faith will give us. It will give us a peace that passeth all understanding and a true hope of heaven. Ruth had a peace that Naomi did not have. She had that peace because she did not resist God’s leadership in her life.
Today we can have this same peace that Ruth had. If we will humbly submit to Him we will know the blessings of God as well. It is important to be exposed to the truth. It is important to follow the truth. God led Ruth to Boaz’ field. Ruth did not know which field to go to, but she trusted God to lead her to the right place. She did not resist God. She noted that Boaz’ maidens were different. She also saw that Boaz’ men were different. This did not scare her away. All of this drew her to a closer walk with God.
Born again Christians are different in a good way. They do not lead you into sin. They show the way to greater blessings. It all begins with humility. You will know if you are following the truth, if you humble yourself and let God guide you. If you have your own agenda, that will interfere with what God wants for you. You need to ask God to lead you to a godly individual who can help you to know His blessings. Ruth would never have found the blessings of God by sitting in her mother in law’s house and moping as Naomi was. Ruth allowed God to direct her to the place she could find the help she needed. God is still the same today. It is important to let God direct you according to His will.
Pastor Bartel