Ruth 2:18-23

I. Verse 18, And she took <it> up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.

A.  Gal. 6:9 - Don't be weary in well doing.

B.   Prov. 12:27 - Take care of what you have.

1.   Prov. 14:23 - material blessings.  She did more than talk, she worked.

2.   II John 8 - Spiritual blessings.  Keep that which you have gained.

3.   Verse 18 - Carried her own grain home.

C.   Saved some of her dinner (noon meal) for Naomi.  It is good for us to be frugal (but don't be stingy) to provide for those you love.

1.   I Tim. 5:4 - let children learn to take care of their parents.

2.   Eph. 6:1,2 - Honor thy father and mother.

II.   Verse 19, And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day <is> Boaz.

A.  Naomi had the right to know where Ruth was all day, even though she knew where, when, why, how, and with whom she was supposed to be.

1.   Purpose - Not to be nosy, but to show she cares for her.

2.   Remember - Ruth is a grown woman, had already been married.  Surely she is old enough to know right from wrong.  But Naomi still asked her about her day.

3.   Shouldn't younger, less responsible people be asked?

B.   Ruth looked upon herself as accountable to Naomi.

1.   So it is today.

2.   Children are accountable to their overseers and shouldn't complain when questioned about their activities.

C.   She gave almost a full account. (She left out verse 11 - True humility teaches us not only not to praise ourselves, but not to tell of others who praise us.)

D.  A question we ought to ask ourselves at the close of each day, "What have I gleaned today?  Do I have anything to show to todays time?"

E.   Naomi was praying for Naomi all day.

1.   Praying for our children is a part of our parental duty.

2.   Only God can keep our children.

3.   We need to pray for our children when they're away from us and when they're with us.

4.   Naomi was also praying for whoever would help Ruth.

III. Verse 20, And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed <be> he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man <is> near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

A.  Naomi now prays for a particular person who will be helping Ruth.

1.   Add, "of the Lord" to blessings.  This assures real blessings.

2.   Pray for a particular thing when you know what to pray for.

B.   Ruth now hears that Boaz is a near kinsman.

1.   This doesn't change Ruth working around him.

2.   Apparently Boaz also knows he is a near kinsman (but there is one closer).

3.   Boaz doesn't change in his attitude toward Ruth.

C.   There is no mention as to why Naomi doesn't mention the other kinsman's name.  Maybe she see the way God is leading.

IV. Verse 21-23, And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. {22} And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, <It is> good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. {23} So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

A.  Ruth is to stay by the young men.

1.   Not to get a husband.

2.   But to stay by the workers.

B.   Go out with the maidens.

1.   Not a reprimand.

2.   An encouragement to remain working there.

C.   Let them not find you in another field.

1.   This would be a contempt on his courtesy.

2.   Also, this doesn't mean "hide when you work for somebody else."

3.   If God is our provider and has told us to stay with Him (and He has if we belong to Him) don't let Him find us in another field (the world).

4.   Has the Lord dealt bountifully with us?  Then let us not go to seek fulfillment (happiness and satisfaction) in any other field.

5.   If you're working for one company and learn to do the job under them, it's not good to leave them and go somewhere else.

D.  Ruth obeyed her mother in law.  God blessed by:

1.   Providing food for the winter.  See Prov. 6:6-8.

2.   Worked toward Ruth marrying Boaz.

3.   Put Ruth in the lineage of Christ - Matt. 1:5.

E.   Dwelt with her mother in law.  Not like Diana who went out to see the daughters of the land and found a son in the land.  Gen. 34:1,2.

F.   For an explanation of barley harvest and wheat harvest see the notes on Ruth 1:19-22, part III.

to take care of their parents.

2.   Eph. 6:1,2 - Honor thy father and mother.