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Outlines on the Book of Ruth
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Introduction: Ruth has chosen the God of Israel as her own, a decision which prompted her to follow Naomi to Bethlehem-judah, which was the place where God wanted Ruth to be. Through the providential workings of God, Ruth found herself in that portion of the field that surrounded Bethlehem, which belonged to Boaz. As a widow and stranger in Israel, Ruth expected scorn and harshness; yet to her surprise, Boaz showed her extreme kindness. Ruth asks Boaz in Ruth 2:8, "Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing i am a stranger?" The answer Boaz gives reveals the omniscient nature of our redeemer.

2. Remember too that Boaz represents Christ, our redeemer; and from his expression to Ruth, it is evident that he knew "all" that Ruth had done. He said that it had been "fu//y" showed him. Boaz here reflects the omniscience of our God. He sees and knows all about us. David once said, "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising, thou understandeth my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways," Psalm 139:1-3. Hebrews 4:13 says, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." When we are overwrought and heartbroken, our redeemer knows. And, when no one cares, our redeemer cares. He sees and knows our every deed and thought. What a comfort, child of God, to know that we are never alone; that our redeemer always knows our needs and is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities," Hebrews 4:15.

B. Boaz mentions five specific things that he knew about Ruth; things which pleased him much:

1. He mentions first the mercy she had shown for her mother-in-law. God's word teaches us, "be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted... " [Eph. 4:32]; and Ruth practiced that, even to her mother-in-law. Boaz was favorably impressed.

2. He was also impressed with the fact that she had left her own people after the flesh. Once Ruth said from the heart that Naomi's God would be her God (Ruth 1:16), she was then willing to give up father, mother, and relatives to follow him. Jesus said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me," Matthew 10:37; but Ruth loved him more than them, and Boaz liked that.

3. He also liked the fact that she had given up her land of the natural birth: Moab, representative of the world. Ruth had nothing in common with the Moabites any longer. She had a new God, a new people, and she went to a new country. Though her body was, her spiritual being was not like the Moabites any more. To every man, who is by faith a new creature in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17), God's word says, "come out from among them, and be ye separate saith the Lord..." II Cor. 6:17. Ruth practiced that.

4. Boaz also mentioned that Ruth had become a part of a new people. To be exact, Ruth was now a kindred of Boaz. Typically, we too become kinspeople, even brothers and sisters, of a new people, once we, by faith (Gal. 3:6) are born into God's family.

5. Lastly, Boaz points out that the people, which would include their way of life and conduct toward her, were unknown to her before. Ruth had come to trust in the Lord, as verse 12 shows; and as a result, she was dependent upon him to sustain her. Ruth was walking "by faith, not by sight" II Cor. 5:7. Long before Ruth, Abraham had left his homeland to follow God into a country, which he knew not, Heb. 11:8. And, as the faith of Abraham pleased God (Romans 4:3), the faith of Ruth pleased Boaz.

6. These traits and acts of conduct which pleased Boaz, foreshadow the type of conduct in God's children, which pleases him. Mercy, separation, fellowship with godly people, and faith are things that cause our God to delight in us.

II. BOAZ' PRAYER FOR RUTH: RUTH2:12

A. Boaz prayed that the Lord would recompense Ruth's work.

1. Our labors of love in the Lord are never in vain. I Cor. 15:58 assures us, "that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." Thus, Paul could say that he had not "laboured in vain," Phil. 2:16.

2. As Boaz suggested in his prayer, our labors are not in vain in the Lord because He is the one who sees to it that proper reward is given, and he never fails. The Bible calls him "a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Heb. 11: 6.

B. Boaz also asks of God that a "full" reward be given to Ruth:

1. Boaz did not want Ruth to get by with a minimum in her life; instead he wanted her to have all that she needed. indirectly Boaz is expressing his desire for Ruth to stay in the place where God could bless her, for it was only as long as she stayed there that she could receive a full reward.

2. This is still how it is with those who've made Jehovah their God. They must yield themselves to his will, if they are to receive a full reward of joy and blessing while they live on this earth. Jesus said it in John 13:17. "if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Note well that happiness is only in doing the will of God. Jesus also said, "these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full," John 15: 11. Notice the word "full", the same word that Boaz used in his prayer for Ruth; and the same word used by John in I John 1:4, "And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." Those of us, who will stay in God's will, can know that He will see to it that we are rewarded with all the grace we will ever need for as long as we live on this earth. He will give us a full reward of joy and blessings.

3. Not only will those in God's will receive rewards while they're on earth; but God will also reward them at his judgment seat in the heavens. I Cor. 3:12-15 tells about that occasion when the faithful saints of God, who served with love in God's fields on earth, will "receive a reward." But, in view of the fact that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad, II Cor. 5:10; then it becomes quite evident that only those who are "faithful unto death" [Rev. 2:10] will receive a "full" reward. Those, who like a shooting star, labor diligently for awhile, then fall by the wayside and sit dormant the last years of their lives, will not receive a full reward. May God help us to be faithful to him until we draw our last breath: faithful unto death. By so doing, we can insure a full reward, both on earth and in eternity.

C. It is noteworthy that in due course, this prayer that was offered by Boaz was answered through him who uttered it:

1. It was Boaz,whom God used to recompense Ruth's work and give her such a great reward. He's the one who took her in, fed her, and gave her joy.

2. So often, this is how it is. The one, who becomes concerned enough to earnestly pray for another or for a definite need, many times turns out to be the one God uses to meet that need. God told the apostles to, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest, " Matthew 9:38. They did, and the Lord sent them, as he said in John 20:21, "So send I you."

3. Sometimes we mistakenly think prayer changes God, but not so. He says, "I change not," Mal. 3:6. The fact is that prayer changes the praying person. It can bring his will into harmony with the will of God, for he is always to pray in honesty "thy will be done" Matthew 6:10. Thus, when God's people want God's will to be done, then he will use them in his will to meet the need. That's what he wanted to do all along, but he could not until the stubborn self-will was broken and the heart was yielded unto him.

4. If, we, like Boaz, would earnestly pray more, then the Lord would use us much more to accomplish his will. As James said, "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," James 5:16.

D. In his prayer, Boaz mentions that Ruth has placed herself under the sheltering wings of the Lord God of heaven:

1. He knew she had put herself where protection and shelter was. Jesus once said that he would shelter people under his wings, "as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, " Matthew 23:37. Ruth was weak, but she had placed herself under the shelter of him, who is stronger than all others.

2. We all need what Ruth was receiving. David said, "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings," Psalm 17:8. Again he said, "Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shodow of thy wings will I rejoice," [Ps. 63:7]; and "How excellent is thy loving kindness, 0 God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings," Psalm 36:7.

III. RUTH THEN HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGED BOAZ' CONCERN FOR HER: RUTH 2:13

A. Ruth knew she did not deserve even the kindness normally shown to servants. Her words are, "I be not like unto one of thine hand-maidens:"

1. The word "handmaiden" comes from the word "siphah", and differs from "amah". which is translated "handmaiden" in Ruth 3:9. This word "siphah" speaks of the most menial of servants. Ruth in her humility does not even claim a place with Boaz' handmaidens.

2. Ruth was an enemy of Boaz' people, yet he was kind. How gracious this must have been for Ruth to hear. She had faced widowhood, exile from her own land and people, and in Israel grinding poverty. These words of Boaz represent the first cheerful words Ruth has heard, and were precious to her.

B. She said to Boaz, "Thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid:"

1. Leon Morris explains in his commentary on Ruth that this is a Hebrew idiom which literally means "spoken to the heart of..." It was a graphic way of saying. that the words were kind, and had gone right to her heart.

2. What Ruth heard "comforted" her. No one else had noticed Ruth. No one else had seemed to care; but Boaz, who represented our redeemer, cared. And, when no one else could help, he could comfort. Oh, how this tells us of our great Redeemer: Christ. He is "the God of all comfort". II Cor. 1:3 ; and even when your dearest friends desert you and hurt you, you are never alone, and he will comfort your heart.

C. For the kindness and comfort Boaz gives, the heart of Ruth reached back in gratitude. She said, "Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord:"

1. Ruth is not imploring Boaz to be kind: he already has been. She is expressing her gladness, and her desire to please him, who has done so much for her.

2. Gratitude ought to spring from the heart of every child of God, like water from an artesian well. He has done so much for us. He gave us life, added us to his church, takes away our guilt, gives us joy, love, gentleness, and every grace we need to live; and one day he's coming back to take us to heaven and glorify us. Surely we, like the leper of Luke 17:18, should want to return and give glory to God for what he's done for us.

3. A humbly grateful desire to glorify God for all he is and does for us, is the only motive for acceptable service to God. How we should, like Ruth, desire to please him. He is our all in all. He has done everything for us, and "to him be praise and dominion for ever and ever, " I Pet. 4: 11