Tag: danger

Kindness and Protection

DSCN3649Ruth 3:13-18

We live in dangerous times. A quick look at today’s news provides unwanted confirmation of that somber fact. To watch the evening news in a metropolitan area is to see a recount of a number of murders, armed robberies, or other acts of violence. Boaz and Ruth also lived in a dangerous time, the time of the judges.  In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit (Judges 21:25).

Boaz protected Ruth’s person. He told her to stay with him the rest of the night. There was good reason for this, since this was a time of celebration, and men could be wandering around drunk late at night, and Ruth might be harmed. There are situations that a woman should avoid, especially a young woman. A mature man knows these situations and protects the woman.

Boaz acted in a sexually moral manner. This is indicated by the Hebrew word translated “stay here” (or “lodge”) used in this context. It has no sexual connotations. Being a Christian is not an excuse to act in a foolish manner.  A man knows how men are and acts wisely. Young women take far too much pride in their freedom and go to places and at late hours that are dangerous. You can be godly and street smart at the same time.

Boaz protected their reputation. He wanted to avoid any hint of sexual immorality. If people found out that they were at the threshing floor together, no amount of explanation would clear their reputation. It is better to avoid giving material to gossips. He also would avoid complicating problems about redeeming Ruth. If anyone found out about their midnight rendezvous, it could make the process difficult. Please don’t complicate problems! If something is bad, don’t make it worse!

His kindness added provision (3:15-18). Boaz gave fullness for the present. Boaz had already done a lot for Ruth and Naomi. He had even done more than the old covenant law required! Yet he decided to do more. Boaz was a very generous man. He did not think about the least he might do, but what the two widows needed. This is the way of love. Be assured that when you give generously for Christ’s sake that he notices everything you do (Matthew 25:34-40). This is God’s way of love (John 15:12-13), and Christ is the supreme example of it.

He did something immediately (for the “now”) to help her and Naomi. He gave her six measures of grain. Six might simply be a fact, but it could be symbolic. He did not give seven, since seven was the number of completeness, so he stopped at six. There was the promise of more to come. Though we cannot be exact, it seems that he gave her about 60-95 pounds of grain to carry home. Yes, Ruth was a strong young woman! This was for Naomi, since he had promised to marry Ruth if possible. Guys, if you’re really interested in a girl, be very nice to her mother. For example, if you take a young woman out to the Cheesecake Factory, buy an extra piece of cheesecake for her to take home to her mom.

Boaz provided confident anticipation for the future. He returned to town to do what he promised. Boaz was on a mission. The next place we see Boaz is at the city gate, where such actions occurred. This illustrates Christ going to Jerusalem to accomplish our redemption. Naomi saw that his action gave hope for the “not yet”. Things were going to change, because Boaz went to town! She reassured Ruth that Boaz will do what he promised.

The Lord Jesus Christ has already accomplished redemption by shedding his blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. He rose from the dead that we might be right with God. He ascended to heaven to pour out the promised Holy Spirit, and now he lives to intercede for us, waiting for the time set by the Father to return in power and great glory. Is Christ your Redeemer? He will set you free from sin and death and condemnation, if you turn from your sins and trust in him. Right now is the time for that to happen. Right where you sit, you may call on the Lord Jesus and be saved.

Grace and peace, David

Beyond Coincidences

IMG_0910Ruth 2:1-7

Once in a while, you might see a movie or read a novel that presents both sides of a story. The main characters function as both protagonists and antagonists. An example would be the movie Gettysburg, which attempts to tell the story of the battle of Gettysburg from both the perspective of the Union and the Confederates. In this section, we encounter something similar occurring. As we see Ruth take center stage, we see two sides of the story. On one side we find Ruth, her significant choices, and random or chance events. But on the other side the story is about the invisible but true God, directing her life so that it moves beyond coincidences.

Ruth exercised a bold initiative; she decided to act. Ruth knew that having a house and a table is insufficient. They needed bread on the table, if they were going to survive. She was not afraid to work for that goal. The Bible teaches that we both pray for God to supply our food (Matthew 6:11) and actively fulfill our responsibility to work for it (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Ruth overcame the temptation to laziness and the apparent depression of her mother-in-law. When Naomi agreed to Ruth’s action, she gave a two-word answer in Hebrew. So then Naomi was not in a good emotional or spiritual condition. If you are in a depressed condition, you need to return to active service for Jesus. To do this, look to his cross and see a better covenant made with you by his blood. The Lord is on your side and he is committed to help you, regardless of your present circumstances.

Ruth used a provision in God’s old covenant law for her good (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-22).  To glean means to gather or collect. God allowed those who were in need in the specified circumstances to provide food for themselves from the property of others, since the land belonged to God ultimately. We should see more than the law; we should see the kindness of the Lord who gave the law to his people. God’s commands flow out of his nature, all revealing his glory as God in some way.

We need to see all that we have as coming from the kindness of our Father in heaven. Whatever we give is his anyway, and by giving we reflect God’s kindness. Observe carefully that Ruth was not guided to glean by some nighttime vision or dream, by hearing voices from heaven, or by an angelic escort. She simply walked according to the word of truth, the Bible.

Ruth took a risk. There was danger because of her ethnicity. People have many prejudices in regard to people of other ethnic groups. Many of these arise from differences in skin color, language, customs, and religion. Though the Lord had given the law of gleaning to provide for the aliens in Israel, not everyone would be willing to obey God’s law. The law of God reflected God’s character and will, but it did not achieve it. Grace comes through the gospel, not the law.

There was danger because of her gender. The time of the judges (cf. 1:1) was marked by open sexual immorality, like our time. (Sexual immorality is always a human problem in this world, cf. Mark 7:21; Romans 1:24-27.) Without a strong central government committed to God’s law covenant, outward expression of the heart’s sexual immorality was not hindered as it should have been. It could have been risky for a woman to go out to the fields alone. We will notice more about this in the next section. Israel had become more like the nations that she was to be separated from. Having forsaken God and the good news of Jesus, our nation will become increasingly sexually immoral and violent, which is the companion of sexual immorality. (Read Romans 1:18-32.)

There was also a risk because of her limited knowledge. All people face this in various ways and degrees. Ruth was not sure about who would show favor to her. Would they treat her as a needy person or as an unwelcome, troublesome foreigner? She simply didn’t know. But she took the risk. God expects us to live by faith according to the Scriptures. In his providence, Ruth was a widow, an alien, and poor. In his covenant law, he had provided for her provision in the law about gleaning. By faith she had to act on God’s revealed will and to trust God to provide.

Ruth’s risk was rewarded by God (2:3). Here we see the hand of the invisible God silently at work. From the human perspective, Ruth simply made her choices. “Let’s see; that looks like a nice field and the workers seem happy. That might mean that the owner is generous. So, I’ll try my luck there.” But Ruth might not have even thought that much. The Hebrew text literally reads, “Her chance chanced upon.” She might have simply wandered into the field with a sigh and a shrug of her shoulders and started to glean.

However, what people call chance or luck is not simple random occurrence. Instead, this is God’s sovereign providence. God guided her steps to her destiny that he appointed for her (Proverbs 16:9). God directed her steps, so that she walks seemingly “by chance” into the fields of Boaz.

My whole life has been shaped by various chance happenings, like a computer picking my college roommates for my freshman year, randomly sitting next to someone in my first class at a new college, and a man suddenly recalling at the right moment that he had my phone number on a scrap of paper in his Bible. Those are three examples from what I do know, and God alone knows in how many other ways he has guided my life through “chance” happenings.

The life of faith is an adventure. It’s exciting to think of what God might do; that is, if you’re trusting him! Are you?

Grace and peace, David