Ruth 2:1-7

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Boaz is Introduced

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. God’s plans are accomplished through what the world calls “happenstances.”

  2. God’s workfare program is better than the world’s welfare program.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Are we conscious that all blessing comes from the Lord?

  2. Are we willing to glean?

QUESTIONS

  1. What were God’s gleaning laws? How did Ruth take advantage of these laws?

  2. What is a “happenstance?” Apply to this lesson.

  3. How is Boaz a spiritual picture of Christ?

  4. How does this story make us conscious that all blessing comes from the Lord?

ANSWERS

  1. When farmers harvested their crops, they were not to reap the corners of their fields or gather every last stalk of grain, but they were to leave some for the poor people of the land, for the stranger, and for the fatherless and the widow. See Leviticus 19:9-10 and Deuteronomy 24:19. Ruth didn’t sit back and wait for others to help when she came to Bethlehem. She took on responsibility for herself and for her mother- in-law by going to the fields to glean.

  2. A happenstance is a circumstance regarded as due to chance. Did Ruth just happen to go to Boaz’ field? Did Boaz just happen to be a kinsman of Elimelech? From the human perspective, it looked like chance. But here was divine providence at work.

  3. Boaz was a kinsman redeemer to Ruth as he took on the responsibility to help and redeem her. Christ is our kinsman redeemer.

  4. Read Ruth 2:4, as to the greetings between Boaz and his workers. See also James 1:17.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Have there been times in your life that things just seem to have “happened” to fall into place? Did you recognize them as God’s divine providence and sovereign will at work? See Ephesians 1:11 and Romans 8:28.

  2. Read 2 Thessalonians 3:10. What does this reference and the story of Ruth tell us about welfare/workfare?

CHALLENGE

  1. How conscious are you that all blessing comes from the Lord? Do you have a thankful heart because of His blessings in your life? How do you show it?

KEY VERSES

  • “Ruth said, ‘Please let me go to the field, and glean grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.’” Ruth 2:2

  • “She came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.” Ruth 2:3

Ruth, Old Testament, TalksRon ReidRUTH 2:1-7