The book of Ruth begins with disaster. It tells the story of three widows, Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth, and the bereavement they suffered. Orpah and Ruth were Moabite women who had married Naomi’s sons in the land of Moab, where they had fled during a time of famine. Naomi and her sons were natives of Bethlehem.
While they were in Moab, Naomi’s husband and sons died, widowing Naomi and her two daughters-in-law. Naomi said, “There is nothing to keep me here in Moab anymore; I am going back to Bethlehem since the famine has ceased.” Although Ruth and Orpah said they would go along, Naomi urged them to stay in Moab. “There is no point in your going. This is your people; this is your home.” Orpah went back to her people, but Ruth stayed with Naomi.
God had done something in her heart that we must understand. With no promise of anything that was to come, she was willing to go into a land where she would be considered a foreigner very much. The people of Moab, at different times, were very antagonistic towards the children of Israel.
So Ruth said to Naomi, Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God, where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. And when she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, she left off speaking unto her. Ruth 1:16–18. Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem.
It is difficult to understand Ruth’s deep determination. What was there in Israel for her? She and Naomi were virtually paupers; they couldn’t register at a local office for Social Security or welfare. There was only one thing they could depend on, and that was the law Moses had received from the Lord which made provision for the sojourner, the stranger, and the widow—all those who had need.
These poor ones went out at the time of harvest and were allowed to glean what they could after the harvesters had gone through the field. So, Ruth went out to glean because in these difficult times this was the only way they could obtain any grain to make flour.
When Ruth went to the fields of Boaz, he noticed her and asked, “Whose damsel is this?” It is interesting to note that he didn’t ask, “Who is this?” As a man, he was more interested in whose she was than who she was. “Is she unattached? Does anyone have a claim on that girl?” The head reaper told him, “This is the Moabitish damsel who came back with Naomi out of the land of Moab.” Boaz entreated Ruth to stay with the reapers, and he told them to drop a few handfuls of grain on purpose. One translation reads, And also pull out some for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, and rebuke her not. Ruth 2:16. That command is responsible for the relationship that developed.
The story of Boaz and Ruth is interesting. You could hardly call it a courtship! They went down to the threshing floor at the barley harvest where the early grain was threshed out. That’s where things were settled, and that’s where all of you are now—on the threshing floor.
The Lord is separating the wheat from the chaff. This is the place where you are to show kindness to one another. You might say, “I don’t feel like showing kindness.” True, there are times when you don’t feel like showing kindness to anyone. There are times when you expect a lot of things from people, and you’re almost demanding, “Somebody help me.” But it was at this time in the story of Ruth, that they showed deep concern.
Naomi was behind the scenes telling Ruth what to do. Boaz had been eating and drinking. He had laid down by the grain and gone to sleep; and the Bible says, “His heart was merry.” Ruth came and uncovered his feet and lay down by them. In the middle of the night he awakened, startled. He looked down at this beautiful girl and was upset over the whole situation. She said, “Share your blanket with me, for you’re a near kinsman.” And he did.
This is a strange and unusual incident. The modern mind would be most suspicious of the situation. But when you read about the integrity of Boaz you come to the conclusion that it was all right. Boaz set about to see one thing happen: he was going to have the right, the privilege, to take Ruth as his wife.
Here the near kinsman law was invoked. In those days this law was very important because, without welfare, there had to be a provision for taking care of the wife and children if the husband died. The next brother married the widow, and any children born to her would bear the name and lineage of the dead brother, not the living one. That is why Boaz said, “There is a kinsman nearer than I.” He then went to redeem from this kinsman his kinsmanship. When Boaz came back he said, “All the city of my people doth know that thou art a worthy woman,” and he took Ruth to be his wife.
There is a miracle finish to this story. Ruth bore Boaz a son, and he was given to Naomi to nurse. Naomi had thought her lot was bitter, but the Lord blessed her richly. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Ruth 4:16, 17.
From this we see that Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David. In order for this to take place, we must understand how a woman who was a Moabitess could be brought into that holy line. It is interesting to read of the four women named in the New Testament genealogy of Jesus. Besides Mary, the mother of our Lord, three other women are named. In reading about them one might not approve of their past. Rahab was a harlot; Tamar had played the part of a harlot in order to seduce her father-in-law; and of course Ruth, the Moabitess, was a Gentile.
The Lord seems to bring in those who are unqualified, and qualifies them by His grace and mercy. He blesses those who do not seem to be worthy of anything from the Lord.
Often we pray, “Lord, I know You are going to help me, but You should help me until You help me.” Have you ever prayed like that? We know the Lord is going to bring it out right, but we are concerned about that little tenderness, as King James says, the “handfuls of purpose” that were thrown aside for Ruth to gather. Boaz said, “Pull some out of the sheaves and leave it for her”; in other words, find a way for her to glean. Be kind, help her until the Lord helps her. That is what touched me. We know the Lord is going to work out our problems, but we need that love from each other in the meantime. Just leave a little blessing here and there, a few handfuls on purpose. Drop them along the way; pull some out of your sheaves. Leave something beyond the call of duty for those who need a blessing until they inherit one.
People need for you to bless them until they have received the portion that will come. This is the day that the Lord has prophesied a double portion for all of us; but how many of you sometimes wish the Lord would give you half a portion right now? There is fullness, and there is goodness, but we must help each other. We must become ministers of the grace of God to one another.
You can go through adverse circumstances, but keep walking with the Lord. When people are in this position, they just need a little kindness shown to them until the Lord works things out for them. Keep loving each other. Let’s share what we have. You can only wear one hat at a time; you can only drive one car at a time. There is a limit to how much food you can eat. If you have more than enough, share it; and even if you don’t have much, share it anyway. Always show the love you have for each other as much as you possibly can.
The decade before us is going to be interesting. The greatest manifestation of love the world has ever seen will come forth in God’s Remnant as they love each other and help one another. By this love, a very cynical world will know that you are His disciples. The story of Ruth is so simple. A lonely girl, a foreigner, a stranger, wandering, yet determined to walk with God. The Lord met her need. We too are pilgrims and strangers, and the Lord is going to meet our need also.
We must be aware of others’ needs and be compassionate even though we are in battle ourselves. Satan would like us to war against him instead of being instruments of God’s love. What difference do our problems make? They will be solved this year or the next. Everything we believe for will come to pass if we are channels for God’s love to reach people’s hearts.
Throughout the Body a dear price is being paid to walk with the Lord. What all of you need is someone to come up and just bless you, and tell you that he loves you. Sometimes the battles become so difficult that people can’t handle them; they don’t know which way to go. Don’t say, “They’ll have to learn to stand on their own feet.” I don’t know if they can stand alone. Sometimes their problems are so great that they become a hindrance to the whole walk and to the Body. I don’t think they do it deliberately; they just can’t handle the situation they’re in.
Don’t think the only effective ministries are the volcanic prophesiers, although they are important; we must be jarred or our passivity will take over! We need something else, though. We need that love which flows from the Lord. You don’t know how many people are right at the crossroads of their life. Many have failed a thousand times, but let’s not throw rocks. Many times people in the Body are suffering. Start helping each other. Ask the Lord to give you compassion; … love one another with a pure heart fervently, as Peter describes it. 1 Peter 1:22.
How many people are wandering along, needing help? In Philippians 1:23–25 Paul said, “To depart is far better for me, but it’s better for you that I stay and minister to you.” Paul was willing to stay, even though he was wounded, afflicted, and oppressed. He could have said, “Yes, Lord, take me. I’m ready to be a poured-out offering to the Lord.” He wanted to be that offering, but he couldn’t resist saying, “I must stay with these who need a little more encouragement, and a little more help.”
The young people are doing a great job but think about what they’ve been through and how much they have yet to receive. Who is going to help them? O people, O segment of a new generation, be ready to move into the Lord, and do the will of the Lord. This generation could be more faithful and better disciples than the former generation. God has loosed more for them.
We all need so much love. That T. L. C. (tender loving care), is the best thing in the world for babies or for men. Open your hearts to each other and become tenderhearted as the Lord says. I think we are all tenderhearted but sometimes we don’t show it as we should.
We must submit anew to His will, and look down into the depth of our heart and say, “Lord, is there anything in me that displeases You? See my thoughts afar off, O Lord.” Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me. Psalms 139:23, 24a. Cry unto the Lord, “O God, love through me. Reveal not just your power, Lord, but show me what You are. Not just to see the mighty judgments of the Lord in the earth again; but more than that—Lord, I have to know Your thoughts and Your ways.” Let us—that Remnant, the beloved of the Lord—be lifted up to serve Him and to love Him with all our heart. “Lord, let us be that channel of love You want us to be.”
I wish you people would open your hearts to each other even more. Will you try? Repent of the sarcasm; put it away from you; it is evil speaking. Comfort the fainthearted. It’s easy to be short with them, to be evasive and avoid them. Love the unloveable and try to help them; they have been through a lot, and some will probably go through a lot more.
The Lord is not easy on us; He chastens every son whom He receives. However, that doesn’t mean we chasten one another. We were raised up to rub the salve on the wounds and stripes that the Lord makes. When the Lord wounds a brother in order to teach him His ways, He doesn’t intend for him to be isolated from the Body. Minister your love and concern to him so he understands in the midst of all the chastening that there is not a harshness in the Lord. The Lord’s love is strong—not weak. Our brother will know that God loves him, even though the love must come through some human source. We’re all miracles. I’m so glad the Lord loves us.