Ruth 2 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Ruth 2 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• The events recorded in the book of Ruth happened during the period of the Judges (1:1). Most scholars place the period of the Judges between 1450 B.C. and 1000 B.C.

• Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David. David’s birth is dated to approximately 1040 B.C, which would place Ruth’s story around 1100 B.C.

• This chapter mentions the barley and wheat harvest in Israel. Barley and wheat were planted in the autumn and ripened in the spring. Barley ripened faster and was ready for harvest around April. Wheat was typically harvested in May.

CHARACTERS:

• Naomi – An Israelite widow. Ruth was her daughter-in-law.

• Ruth – Moabite women who became a widow after the death of her husband, Naomi’s son.  

• Boaz – A relative of Naomi. He is described as a “worthy man.”

WHERE:

• In the first chapter, Naomi and Ruth moved to Bethlehem after living in Moab.

• Ruth and Boaz met in a field near Bethlehem (2:4).

OUTLINE:

• RUTH GLEANS IN THE FIELD OF BOAZ (2:1-7):

  • At the time of the barley harvest, Ruth decided to go to one of the farmer’s fields and glean.

  • A gleaner was someone who went into a recently harvested field and picking up the grain that had been dropped or missed by the reapers.

  • This was a common practice amongst the poor in Israel. God actually forbid farmers from gleaning their own land so the poor would be able to find something to eat (Leviticus 19:9-10).

  • By chance, or rather by providence, Ruth gleaned in the field of a man named Boaz.

  • When Boaz arrived to inspect the work, he asked his manager about Ruth. The manager told him, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab.”

• BOAZ MEETS RUTH (2:8-17):

  • Boaz approached Ruth and spoke kindly to her.

  • He told her to continue gleaning in his field and gave her permission to drink the water that had been drawn for his workers.

  • Ruth bowed to Boaz and asked him why he was showing her special kindness.

  • He told her it was because he had heard all about her love for her mother-in-law, and how she cared for her after the death of her husband, Elimelech.

  • Boaz invited Ruth to eat with his workers, and he told his laborers to intentionally leave barley in the field for her to glean.

  • At the end of the day, Ruth had collected close to an ephah of barley (about 35 liters).

• RUTH TELLS NAOMI ABOUT BOAZ (2:18-23):

  • When Ruth returned home to Naomi, her mother-in-law was surprised to see the quantity of barley. She knew someone must have been generous to Ruth.

  • Ruth told Naomi about Boaz, and Naomi recognized him as one of their relatives, one of their “redeemers.”

  • Naomi encouraged her daughter-in-law to remain in Boaz’s fields, which she did until the end of the barley and wheat harvests.

APPLICATION:

• God is probably more involved in your daily decisions than you realize.

• We find out in the rest of the book, and the rest of the Bible, that it was God’s will for Ruth to meet Boaz.

• What was it that led Ruth to Boaz’s field that day and not the field of another man?

• It could have been a million things!

• Maybe she saw an acquaintance working there, maybe Boaz’s field was the closest to her house, maybe he was the only one who decided to harvest that day.

• Whatever drew her to Boaz’s field had been prearranged by God.

• If it was an acquaintance, God had worked in that acquaintance’s life for them to be in that field at that time.

• If it was because Boaz’s field was the closest to Ruth’s house, it was because God guided the selection of Naomi’s new home when she moved back to Bethlehem.

• If it was because Boaz was the only one harvesting that day, it was because God had preoccupied the other farmers or caused the variables which influenced Boaz’s crops to offset his harvest.

• Furthermore, any possible cause that influenced Ruth’s decision was preceded by innumerable decisions that brought that cause into play.

• Our daily, seemingly inconsequential decisions are part of a great chain of cause and effect, which goes back to the beginning of time, that God uses to bring about His will in the world.

• The direction you turn when you walk out of your house may have massive implications on your life or the life of another.

• Leaving for work at 11:00 vs 11:02 may be the difference between two different destinies.

• Only God knows. Only God has a mind that can fit the pieces together. Our job is to trust He will put all the pieces in the right place.