The Gift of a Redeemer

And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law. Ruth 2:22-23

With wise motherly counsel, Naomi encouraged Ruth to stay close to Boaz and his workers because he was a godly and safe man. So the women settled into a routine of sorts, and Ruth continued working as the harvest was coming to an end.

By that time, the relationship of Boaz and Ruth seems to have cooled, as they weren’t pursuing any sort of official romantic relationship. And, because it was almost harvest time, time was running out for any sort of fairy-tale ending. This set the stage for the next scene of the book where the single woman “pulls a Ruth” on the threshing floor.

In closing, we see the themes of the hero of this section of Ruth ultimately illustrated in the Hero of all of Scripture, Jesus Christ. As Spurgeon said, Jesus is “our glorious Boaz” who came to His earth to look upon us with love like Ruth and care for us like Boaz though He had no obligation to do so. Jesus is our hesed and the lovingly gracious kindness of God was extended to us as a gift of God for our eternal life—much like the hesed that was given to sustain the life of Ruth. And, like Boaz, Jesus is our great Redeemer who died, paying our debt of sin, thereby redeeming us… although he was in no way obligated to do so.

  • What takeaways from this section of Ruth do you have about dating and seeking a spouse? Include both character and practical wisdom.
  • Why are family, community, and wise counsel so important in dating relationships?
  • Based on this section of Ruth, how might you redefine what dating should look like in your life and/or your family’s life?