Ruth chapter 2 continues the beautiful story of kindness and love, but adds the prophetic near kinsman redeemer. Naomi had returned from the nation of Moab with Ruth, her daughter-in-law, after her husband and two sons died. Ruth stayed with Naomi even as they returned to Israel out of love for her. The chapter begins, Ruth the Moabitess, said to Naomi, “Let me go into the fields and pick up the leftover grain“. In Israel the welfare system consisted of allowing the fields to be harvested only once, leaving the leftovers for those in need. “So she went out and began to harvest in the fields behind the harvesters… in the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech“. When Boaz arrived, he asked his foreman, “Whose young woman is that?” He replied, “She is the Moabitess who came back from Moab with Naomi… she has worked steadily from morning until now“. Boaz told Ruth, “I have been told about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband… don’t go and glean in any other field… I have told the men not to touch you… and when you are thirsty, go and drink from the water jars the men have filled“. Ruth bowed down with her face to the ground knowing she was given a special privilege she did not deserve. “You have given me comfort“.
At mealtime, Boaz said to Ruth, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar“. She sat down with the harvesters and he offered her roasted grain and “She ate all that she wanted and had some left over“. When they went back to harvesting, Boaz gave special instructions to his men, “Pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up“. The grain someone else had harvested was left for Ruth, but she still had to pick up the gift. We read that Ruth “gleaned until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah“. Ruth then carried the harvest back to Naomi and even gave her what was left over from her meal. Naomi’s amazed reaction is, “Where did you glean today? Blessed is the man that took notice of you!“
Ruth replied, “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz“. And Naomi explains, “This man is our close relative, he is one of our kinsman redeemers“. The near kinsman redeemer had a couple of very special responsibilities spelled out in the Law. He was responsible to buy back the land of his kinsman that was in debt, and he was responsible to insure the family had an heir to carry on the family name. Boaz is of course a symbol of Christ and Ruth symbolizes all of us that need a Savior. Christ has all that we need in abundance, and even enough to share with others. Don’t miss the warning at the end of the chapter: “In someone else’s field you might be harmed“. Feeling down? Be careful where you are harvesting. “So Ruth stayed close to the servant girls of Boaz… until the harvest was finished“. 2 Peter 1:2 reminds us, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord“. Whatever you need today, you will find it in abundance in Jesus Christ.