Because of the great famine in the land, a man from Bethlehem in Judah, named Elimelech, his wife Naomi and their two sons, Mahlon and Killion moved to Moab. After settling there, Elimelech died. Naomi’s two sons married Moabite women. One married Orpah and the other married Ruth. Ten years later both Mahlon and Killion died. Three widows and no men to support them, they could not stay together. Both of Naomi’s daughter-in-laws loved her and were willing to follow her back to Judah. Naomi convinced Orpah to return to her parents, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Ruth pledged never to leave Naomi; that she would go where she went, live where she lived and make Naomi’s people her people. So they traveled to Judah. When they arrived in Bethlehem, all of the town was excited and welcomed Naomi home. She told them of her tragedy. It was barley harvest time in the spring.
Ruth 1:19-22 ESV So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, "Is this Naomi?" (20) She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. (21) I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?" (22) So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.
Boaz was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem, who was also a relative of Naomi’s late husband. It was a custom to allow the poor to pick up what was left behind by the harvesters. It was actually a law in Israel, not to harvest the corners of the fields, but to leave them for the poor to “glean.”
Leviticus 19:9-10 ESV "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. (10) And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.
Ruth and Naomi had no source of income and so Ruth offered to glean behind the harvesters wherever she would be allowed to do so. It was no coincidence that she found herself gleaning in Boaz’s field; but he noticed her and asked his foreman about her. Being told that she was not only the Moabite woman staying with his relative’s widow, but that she was a hard worker; he personally greeted her and invited her to stay in his field to glean. He also assured her that none of the men would bother her and that she should help herself to water, whenever thirty. Ruth humbly expressed her appreciation saying that she didn’t deserve his kindness, being that she was a foreigner. Boaz tells her that he had heard of all that she had done for her mother-in-law, leaving her own father and mother to travel with Naomi back to Judah and he blesses her.
Ruth 2:11-12 ESV But Boaz answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. (12) The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!"
When it was mealtime, Boaz invited her over to share in the food and she was able to eat her fill and still have leftovers to take with her. He went even further to tell his men to allow her to harvest even among the sheaves and to purposely drop barley in Ruth’s path. By the end of the day, she had filled an entire basket. She was very excited to tell Naomi all that had happened and she gave her the leftovers from the meal. Naomi told Ruth to follow Boaz’s instructions; he was showing kindness for both of their dead husbands who were his relations. So Ruth continued in Boaz’s fields through both the barley and the wheat harvests; living with her mother-in-law.
Ruth 2:23 ESV So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
A FURTHER COMMENT ON THE LAW OF GLEANING
“And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field — The right of the poor in Israel to glean after reapers, as well as to the unreaped corners of the field, was secured by a positive statute; and this, in addition to other enactments connected with the ceremonial law, formed a beneficial provision for their support. At the same time, proprietors were not obliged to admit them into the field until the grain had been carried off the field; and they seem also to have been left at liberty to choose the poor whom they deemed the most deserving or needful (Rth_2:2, Rth_2:8). This was the earliest law for the benefit of the poor that we read of in the code of any people; and it combined in admirable union the obligation of a public duty with the exercise of private and voluntary benevolence at a time when the hearts of the rich would be strongly inclined to liberality.” Jamieson Fausset & Brown Commentary
Boaz had gone far out of his way for Ruth and Naomi. Clearly he went above and beyond the letter of the law and formed a precedent for Voluntary Benevolence that Jesus Christ later magnified and has been carried down through the ages to our present time; making the Bible, truly a book ahead of its time and for all ages.
Matthew 25:35-36 40 KJV For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: (36) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for what I have left undone in giving. Soften my heart to freely give of the blessings that you have given and of your love, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
No comments:
Post a Comment