In this episode of Add Bible, we delve into Ruth chapter 2, unraveling the providential encounters that define Ruth’s journey with Naomi and Boaz. As Ruth commits herself to gleaning in Boaz’s fields, we witness the unfolding of God’s sovereign plans through acts of kindness and favor. Listen as we explore the deeper meanings behind Ruth’s humble resilience and Boaz’s generous spirit, reflecting on how these biblical narratives echo in our contemporary lives.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. We join Alan J. Huth as he shares Bible passages and comments from over 30 years of his personal Bible reading journals.
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Today we are in Ruth chapter 2. Listen to Faith Comes by Hearing’s reading of the 23 verses of Ruth 2. Ruth 2
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Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.
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And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor. And she said to her,
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Go, my daughter. So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and he said to the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered, The Lord bless you. Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, Whose young woman is this?
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And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, She is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers. So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.
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Then Boaz said to Ruth, Now listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.
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Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner? But Boaz answered her,
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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. 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.
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Then she said, I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.
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And at mealtime Boaz said to her, Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.
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So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain, and she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over.
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When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, Let her glean, even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her, and also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.
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so she gleaned in the field until evening then she beat out what she had gleaned and it was about an ephah of barley and she took it up and went into the city her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned she also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied and her mother-in-law said to her
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Where did you clean today and where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.
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So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.
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And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead. Naomi also said to her, The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.
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And Ruth the Moabite said, Besides, he said to me, You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest. And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law,
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It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.
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So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, cleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
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At 28 years old, in 1983, when I read Ruth chapter 2, I wrote in my personal Bible reading journal, Ruth gleans grain in the field of Boaz. Boaz rewards Ruth for generosity toward Naomi. Two acts of kindness, Ruth and her concern for Naomi, and Boaz and his treatment of Ruth. At 42 years old in 1997, I was reading the whole Old Testament that year, and I read all of Ruth on one day, and I summarized that in the podcast concerning chapter 1, so we move on to 2011. At 56 years old in 2011, I was reading the whole Bible that year, so I was reading Old and New Testament passages on the same day, and I read all of the book of Ruth on the same day, and I again summarized that in chapter 1. Before I get into the book of Ruth, chapter 2, I do want to make a comment about these Bible reading journals. You’ll notice I read the Bible differently many years. In 1983, I read Ruth chapter by chapter. In 1997, I was reading the whole Old Testament. And in 2011, I was reading the whole Bible. I share those things so that you too can alter the way you read the Bible. To keep life in your Bible reading, you don’t need to read the Bible the same way each year. So here in my journey through the book of Ruth over various years and various decades, you can see already three different ways to read the Bible. Chapter by chapter, read just the Old Testament or just the New Testament, or read the whole Bible. I encourage you to try all three methods. Now let’s look at Ruth chapter 2. In chapter 1, Naomi and Ruth show up in Bethlehem. Ruth goes right to work, getting a job gleaning in the field so that they can have something to eat. Verse 3 says she happens to show up in the field belonging to Boaz. Do we really believe that, that she just happened to show up there? Right here in chapter 2, we begin to see God orchestrating his sovereignty in the life of Boaz, the life of Ruth, and the life of Naomi, though they may not know it at all. Boaz obviously takes notice of Ruth. Maybe it was because she was new in town. Maybe it was because she was attractive. Maybe it was just because there was a woman in his field and he wanted to know who she was. Or maybe it’s because it was ordained by God. Boaz takes special interest in her and gives her great favor in his fields. He even instructs his young men not to lay a hand on her. Ruth illustrates her humble spirit. Verse 10, She fell on her face bowing to the ground and said to him, Why have I found favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me since I am a foreigner? The story of Ruth’s love and care for her mother-in-law, Naomi, had obviously reached Boaz’s ears. He says in verse 11, All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me. So Ruth’s reputation has already preceded her in Bethlehem. What would be told of you? What do people see in your behavior? Are you acting in such a way that people would take notice of you? Ruth has showed up in town, and her behavior is being observed by many. Boaz goes the next step. He instructs his young men to treat her with even more favor. Verse 16, And also pull out some from the bundles for her, and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her. Boaz is making sure that Ruth has enough for her and her mother-in-law, Naomi. I mentioned in my journal back in 1983 two acts of kindness, Ruth and her concern for Naomi and Boaz and his treatment of Ruth. the practical application of ruth chapter two may be this regardless of your circumstances make the best of it get to work do the best you can and watch god work ruth did so gleaning from early morning all day with just a short rest Next, she fell on her face and bowed down to the ground when she met Boaz, illustrating a spirit of humility and gratefulness. Then she even saved some of her meal for her mother-in-law, Naomi. Yes, even in difficult circumstances, let your light shine before men. And maybe you’re on the other end of the stick like Boaz is. Maybe you can provide kindness to someone today. Someone who doesn’t have everything you have. Someone who may be suffering under a difficult circumstance right now. Maybe you could be a provider for such a person today. Father, we thank you for the acts of kindness that we see in Ruth chapter 2. Oh, our world needs kindness today. Help us, Lord, as Christians. Look around our world and see where we can be kind to someone today. And as we do, may we understand that you are working around us in our lives. You are sovereign. And you can provide a blessing, even under new or difficult circumstances. To God be the glory. In your name we pray. Amen. Our radio programming is set for 2025. We will cover 44 of the 66 books of the Bible using the Ezra Project day by day through the Bible 11 book series. We start at January 1 with the writings of Old Testament historical books beginning with Job. We will cover seven more historical books until spring when we jump into the New Testament writings of Mark, Peter, James, Jude, and Hebrews. By summer, we will go back to the Old Testament writings of all 13 of the minor prophets. We’ll finish 2025 with the writings of Paul. Maybe you don’t want to follow the AdBible radio programming in your daily quiet time. Okay, I offer you an alternative plan. Read the Bible chronologically starting any day you want. The Bible is not organized the way things occurred. You can order an Ezra Project Chronological Bible Reading Journal and experience an amazing journey through the Bible in the order things actually occurred. The first time I read the Bible chronologically, it was an aha experience. While reading Kings and Chronicles, I read the prophets who were alive at the time. In the New Testament, you read about a miracle or a parable by all four gospel writers on the same day. It was a very educational and inspiring way to read the Bible. One user said this about our chronological Bible reading journal. Some years ago, I used a couple of spiral notebooks for my journaling. I’ve attached pictures of the book, the first edition of the Ezra Project Bible Reading Chronological Journal. That was the picture he sent. I live in Phoenix now, and I cannot find any place that has this type of journal. I’ve used many types of journals recently, but this seems to work the best for my needs. Please let me know if these are still available. Yes, they are. In fact, it is our number one best-selling product of all time. Visit azureproject.net and order a chronological Bible reading journal today and start your chronological journey through the Bible. I know you’re going to enjoy it.
