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

Introduction: It is not difficult to see from these verses of Ruth 2 that Boaz has the best interests of Ruth at heart. And, what a beautiful foretype of Christ Boaz is! Peter tells us of Christ: "Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you, " I Pet. 5:7. At the hand of Jeremiah the prophet, our God says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, " Jer. 29: 11. Our Boaz, even Christ, is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities" Heb. 4:15.

A. "Boaz said unto her, 'at mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.' And she sat beside the reapers: "

1 . What grace! This poor stranger is invited to the table of Bethlehem's richest man. It is such a reminder of what Christ has done for us. John said, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God," I John 3:1.

2. Boaz invited Ruth to come at "mealtime":

a. Everybody, who labors in the field, needs to eat, and God's word is our spiritual food. It is called both "milk" I Peter 2:2 and "meat" 'Heb. 5:14. Spiritual food is just as vital to our natural wellbeing. Thus, every laborer in the field needs to avail himself of God's word for it is food for the spirit.

b. just as Boaz had a definite time for eating, likewise there are definite mealtimes for God's children today. Each Sunday, and on certain other occasions, the Lord's laborers are to come together in his church to be fed from his word. Every teaching time, revivals, sermons, etc. are appointed mealtimes.

c. Notice that in Boaz' case, all his reapers came at mealtime. This was the occasion when they were fed, and could enjoy fellowship together. What a testimonial this is of how all of God's laborers today should come to the mealtimes. We ought not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, Heb. 10:25. When spiritual laborers miss spiritual meals, their spiritual strength is diminished. History has proven these to be the laborers, who fall by the wayside. If you, as a laborer of God, want to stay healthy, strong, and in the harvest, don't miss mealtime. Your redeemer has invited you to come, and he expects you to be there along with all the other reapers.

3. When Ruth arrived at Boaz' table, "she sat beside the reapers:"

a. Ruth was just a gleaner, and it took all she could do to gather enough from the field to sustain herself. Yet, at mealtime, she sat beside the reapers, who had harvested great portions of the harvest.

b. She, like the reapers, had come at his request to commune with the owner of the field; and by the grace of Boaz, she could approach upon the same level as all the rest. There were no "big I's and little you's" at this table. How well this illustrates the principal of God's grace as set forth throughout the Bible. We are not accepted at the table of God on the basis of our service. We are accepted upon the basis of our dependence upon him. It is not what we do that pleases our redeemer; it is what we allow him in humility to do for and through us that pleases him. When laborers work in the master's vineyard, those who come at the eleventh hour can sit right down beside those, who arrive at the first hour. Consider Matthew 20:1-16. Ruth was conscious of the fact that she was not like the maidens; yet she did not hesitate to take advantage of the grace that was extended toward her, for as she could clearly see, Boaz operated by grace, not legalism. She sat beside the reapers, not because she deserved to be there; but because of the grace of Boaz, which illustrates how any of us take our places among the saints of God and worship as members of his church.

B. While Ruth sat there beside the reapers, "he reached her parched corn:"

1. H. Frank Fort, in his commentary on Ruth, has pointed out what a beautiful expression is included here. "He reached her..." God has called all kinds of men to labor in his field, in the sowing of the seed and the reaching of the harvest. And, while these, who are so precious to him, labor in his field, he promises: "lo, I am with you alway," Matthew 28:20. He is the one that "sticketh closer than a brother" (Prov. 18:24), and promises, "I will be in the midst," Matthew 18:20. You will never find yourself, as a yielded child of God, in a position where he, who redeemed you, can not also reach you with all you'll ever need to sustain you. Although it is sometimes true that because of the hardness of our hearts, we refuse to let the word of God reach us, thus we rob ourselves of the blessings that result from walking in truth. Then we find ourselves in the position of lsa. 59:1-2. Every time we sit at the Lord's table, we should let him reach us with his truth.

2. Boaz gave Ruth parched corn:

a. This word "reached" as used here is unusual, and apparently means "heaped up." The message is that Boaz gave Ruth all she wanted to eat, so that her need was completely "sufficed." Ruth received all she needed and wanted; but she, by no means, exhausted Boaz' supply. So is grace. It is abounding, far beyond the reaches of sin, Romans 5:20. It meets the very need of the person who, like Ruth, will claim it; yet is just as adequate for the next as if it had never been used. When Ruth "left" Boaz' table, she did not leave grace. She had simply gotten all she needed to meet her needs.

b. We only grow in the Lord, and learn to claim by faith his grace which is available to us by partaking of his word. Peter said it is the milk of the word that causes growth, I Peter 2:2. That is why we should desire Bountiful portions of God's word, which is what you have a right to expect from the teaching and preaching at God's house as you sit with his reapers.

c. "Parched corn" is a favorite food in the agricultural communities of the East even today. A quantity of the best ears, not too ripe, are plucked with the stalks attached. These are tied into small parcels, a blazing fire is kindled with thorn bushes and dry grass, and the ears of corn are held in until the chaff is mostly burned off. The roasted grain is then ready to be eaten. This parched corn represented Christ and the strong meat of his word.

d. Christ said, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit," John 12:24. The primary fulfillment of this is that Christ is the corn that died. But, by his death and subsequent resurrection, Christ became the very source and staff of life. Christ is the corn or bread of life, John 6:35. When Boaz reached parched corn to Ruth, he typified Christ as the corn, and the fact that it was parched speaks of the crucifixion of Christ. When Ruth ate that parched corn, she was participating in the benefits of the corn that died. She typically represents the child of God today, who participates in the benefits of Christ, our corn that died. Not only is there the benefit of salvation from sin's penalty because of our corn that died; but there are countless other benefits also. As previously mentioned, there is God's grace that can sustain and give joy regardless of the circumstances. Ruth had already taken advantage of salvation from sins' penalty, when she chose Jehovah as her God in Moab [Ruth 1:16]; and now she is taking advantage of fellowship with his reapers and food from his table to sustain her.

e. And, the food Ruth was getting was "parched corn", which is strong meat; not just milk. People need milk, as we've seen in I Peter 2:2; but milk is not all they need. Hebrews 5:13 says, "Every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe." Thus as verse 14 continues, the people of God need some "strong meat" also. So, Ruth, as she sat at Boaz table ate the good, heavy food called parched corn. The growth and maturity of this fine lady was shining like a moonbeam. What an exhortation to God's people this is to avail themselves of the strong meat in God's word. Every child of God should eat some parched corn; not just drink milk all of the time. We should feed on the wonderful plan of salvation from sins' penalty; but also upon the wonderful truths about prayer, baptism, the church, sanctification, proper treatment of our brethren, etc.

2. Boaz gave strict command to the older laborers not to reproach her. It is very easy for older laborers in the Lord's work to hold back younger laborers, who would go onto greater reaping. The cold, critical, selfrighteous attitudes of older reapers, who make themselves perpetual judges of all young reapers do, discourages many a young reaper. As a result, they glean a stalk now and then; but never move up among the sheaves. Jesus said, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a mill stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea," Matthew 18:6. The Bible says, "we then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,"Romans 15:1. The young won't always do it just the way we do it. They may do it better. Although, many times, if they do not do things just like we think they should, we are quite ready to "put them down." God forbid that we older reapers should be jealous, and stand in the ways of the young gleaners. Let us help them, as Boaz told his men to help Ruth. Where God sees fit to use the talents of our brethren, let us not reproach them, even though they are doing it better than we, who may have been doing it longer. Let us not suppress the talents of God's people in his church by criticism, and thus see the talents lie wasted and unused. Instead, let us encourage them in their work.

B. Boaz went further and told his men, "let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not: "

1. The reapers were to deliberately throw out a few handfuls for Ruth. Apparently these "handfuls of purpose" were left in such a manner that she thought they were a part of the regular gleanings.

2. The truth illustrated here is delightful. Older Christians have a responsibility to help younger Christians in their labors and development; and it can often be done without the younger Christian even knowing it is happening. When it is this way, the tendency of the older, more mature Christian to put on an air of superiority is avoided. It is not important that you get the credit and glory for helping a young Christian along the way. What is important is that the young Christian is helped to good works, which in turn glorify God. When we Christians quit seeking our own glory, and in turn seek the glory of our God, we will have a burning desire within us to not only reap among the sheaves ourselves; but to also bring every young Christian right on up to full capacity so that a greater portion of the harvest may be reached. Selfishness among reapers has hindered young reapers many a time, when an unselfish handful of purpose would have made a man out of a boy, and have brought great honor to God.

3. Not only can older ones help younger ones by assisting them in soulwinning, helping them in their teaching efforts, giving encouragement, helping them see where the opportunities of service are, etc. but particularly by putting a few truths in their pathways. You, who've searched the scriptures and found beautiful jewels of truth, can make the heart of a young gleaner leap with joy by simply suggesting enough to him so that he can see it for himself. It greatly strengthens and encourages a babe in Christ to discover, perhaps with a little help from you, a truth previously unknown to him. Every older christian considering these thoughts should make it a point to leave handfuls of purpose.