April 7, 2025 -Boaz & Jesus

RUTH 1:1-4:12

Chronological Bible Readings

Ruth 2:8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.” 10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”

When Ruth meets Boaz the one who can redeem her from the desperate situation she and her mother-in-law are in, he is kind and gracious to her. She sees herself unworthy of his kindness and concern for her. Before she knows who he is she realizes he is special. Jesus, who is the one who can redeem us from our desperate situation offers us kindness and grace. Even before we know Him as our redeemer, the first step to being redeemed we come to a place where we recognize He is special and we are unworthy.

Ruth 2:15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. 16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!”

Even before she knew him as her redeemer he provides abundantly for her. He blesses her and watches out for her. He knows who she is and he has already decided to take care of her. If we are one of God's chosen people then He already knew us before we knew Him. He provides for us and takes care of us even before we know that He can save us.

Ruth 2:23 So Ruth worked alongside the women in Boaz’s fields and gathered grain with them until the end of the barley harvest. Then she continued working with them through the wheat harvest in early summer. And all the while she lived with her mother-in-law.

Once she learns that Boaz can save her she stays with his people. She gets to know him and experiences his kindness and grace over and over again through his workers. When her mother-in-law tells her what she needs to do to be redeemed, to be saved, she does it. The more someone hears about Jesus and sees His kindness though His people the more they get to know Him. And when someone presents them with the path to salvation they come to know how to be saved.

Ruth 4:10 And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife.

And just as Ruth becomes Boaz's bride we become the bride of Christ!