Ruth chapter 2 - Read it here
Do pray for grace and understanding before you proceed.
The very first piece of advice Boaz has for Ruth is “Listen!”. If we take a look at the chamber that is our mind, we'll find a great commotion there – there's our parents on one side, our friends on another; there are certain 'special' friends who take yet another side. Read the newspaper and a thousand opinions jump at you and myriad philosophies vie for attention. You are caught in the middle and pulled in every imaginable direction until you finally wonder, “What is right? What is wrong? Everything seems right, everything seems wrong.”
Now, to conclude that everything is false would be self contradictory. If indeed as the mystic says, “All things are maya”, may I safely conclude that the speaker himself and his enlightened words are also a passing illusion and nonexempt from the statement? This is as good as having said nothing at all – he should have kept his silence, in the first place. On the other hand, can everything qualify as truth? This is an equally untenable position. A nice illustration by Dr. Ravi Zacharias comes to my mind. He tells of a parabolic walk in the park with his wife. She is visibly pregnant and a friend walks up to them. “Expecting a baby, are you?”, he asks. Imagine that Margie(Ravi's wife) nods while Ravi shakes his head in disagreement. What would be the result? The friend would definitely conclude that there is a misunderstanding. He would never walk off thinking to himself that both of them are making perfect sense. In that case, we conclude that both truth and fallacy exists and we must strive to discover and distinguish the two.
As human beings in the 21st century, I think 'good listening' deserves prime time in our prayers to God. At the time of Jesus' ministry, multitudes thronged to hear His words. Once, a small group came to Him for a private session as they had failed to understand the parable of the sower (the passage is seen in the gospel according to Mark chapter 4). The Lord's words in verse 11 are noteworthy - “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables.” 'Those on the outside'... of what? Now that's an interesting question to ponder. I can remember the many years I spent hearing the Word of God and thinking that everything was just about good stories – my definition of a good preacher was one who could narrate interesting life incidents or crack witty jokes. To my childish mind, that was what mattered and held my attention the most. Once the Lord began to change me and show me what the Kingdom of God was about, the nature of the Word itself changed – it became a mirror where I could see myself each time I approached it. It was the yardstick to measure how much the Lord had established His rule in my heart because that is where His Kingship begins. Here, we understand that one way to find out whether we are inside the Kingdom or outside it, is to assess our relationship to God's Word – are we the good listeners who'd keep going back to the Lord with our doubts? Or do we fool ourselves with the all-knowing 'I can't be wrong' attitude?
A little geography lesson is now necessary. In the olden days, cities were usually built according to a certain pattern. The residential areas put together would have a huge wall surrounding them and this constituted 'the city'. Outside the city walls, lay large expanses of open country which were often called 'the fields'. We find many references to this in the Old Testament particularly in the book of Joshua, Judges and Nehemiah where the phrase 'the city(or town) and its surrounding fields' is amply used. This was probably why an enemy surrounding a city could quickly cut off the food supply and force a surrender. Take a look at the happenings of 2 Kings chapter 6 verses 24 onwards. The city's main gate was also an important place of activity, often the scene of settling cases and disputes. This is where the elders of the city sat and administered justice according to the Mosaic Law. We find references to this in the book of Deuteronomy(for instance, 21:19, 22:15) and even in the Proverbs (31:23). (This is by no means a comprehensive description, rather it is a generic explanation to set you thinking.)
The fields were divided among the residing families on the basis of lots and it is into 'the field belonging to Boaz' that Ruth comes.
The merciful master's second advice is to stay on in the field and not go elsewhere. Security seems to have been an important concern as both Boaz and Naomi caution Ruth of the possibility of assault. Within this field, the workers are under Boaz's supervision and he guarantees her safety while he has no assurances whatsoever of the situation elsewhere. Even as you take your first steps of faith and experience the Lord's goodness in your life, His desire is that you would stay on in a sustained relationship with Himself, His workers and His field receiving joyfully whatever He has to give you because He “plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Other fields might temporarily seem more tempting and attractive but here in the field of God, God offers that which is best for your body, soul and spirit and not fading flowers of pleasure.
Even as Ruth is urged to stay on, Boaz next tells her to 'watch' and learn(verse 9). Ruth was expected to learn the ropes and become something more than a mere passerby. The Lord also requires us to watch and learn carefully from God's people. I must emphasise the word 'carefully' because Christianity today is not what it used to be or ought to be and much caution is to be practiced in learning from it. Several cult-like movements are springing up by the day besides the already extant rot. On the other hand, the Lord keeps for Himself a remnant who have been beautified by the righteousness which is in Christ. Both groups have their voice and yet, like Paul warns Timothy, it seems to be the cancer that spreads fast(2 Timothy 2:17). Learn we must, but to do it well is also an important issue. I believe its necessary to get the whole picture rather than some small aspect of it that seems to suit our bias.
Boaz then goes on to say, “Whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.” In my life, I've often struggled with a weariness that seemed to weigh me down, from time to time. This is because living for the Lord means making tough decisions and sometimes, I question myself whether all this effort is worth it - “Why did I start off on this lonely road?”, I ask myself. However, each time I feel this 'pulling down', the Lord refreshes me in different ways. Whenever we feel this restlessness, we must never try to hide it or suppress it. Take it to the Lord while also confiding in someone who's experienced in the ways of the Lord. I'm sure the Lord will always keep 'jars of water' to refresh you in the course of your onward journey. You must remember that He is the One who proclaimed, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mathew 11:28) Need we then drown ourselves in entertainment, sex, drugs, alcohol or cigarette smoke to escape the pangs of our soul?
Hence we conclude our discussion on the goodness of the Master of the field, the first and foremost of its specialities.
Building further upon this, we arrive at the second distinction of this field: it is a place of grace and acceptance. Boaz instructs his servants never to approach Ruth in an unfitting manner, and to make her stay as comfortable as possible. Once again I must highlight the danger of the Moabitess' identity in an orthodox exclusivity-driven community, yet here Ruth is welcomed into the field with open arms. Switching places to the New Testament, we must ask ourselves: did God intend the Church to be the perpetrator of such acts as the infamous Crusades of the Middle Ages? Did God wish that the Church be a group of righteous perfectionists who claim moral superiority over every other 'Gentile'? I've been surprised to hear even Indian Christians refer to people of other faiths in like derogatory fashion and I ask if they aren't Gentiles themselves, except for the Grace of God that makes them the 'Israel of God'. More importantly and relevantly, does God desire the Church to be the voice that preaches hatred towards other religions (particularly Islam) in the name of political prophesy?
For the Jewish mind, the foremost concern was the inheritance of the Promised Land right from the days of Moses. The disciples were no different and they expressed their concerns to the Lord in the first chapter of the book of Acts. In the words of Luke, “So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ” (Acts 1:6-8) The question was politically charged seeking the end of Roman rule. The answer the Lord gave here is significant and simply brings out 2 facts: the disciples were not to unnecessarily concern themselves with politics and more importantly, their primary task was to be His witnesses, by the power of the Holy Spirit, everywhere. Witnessing never works if walk and talk do not go hand in hand – you can't claim to love people and then, only invite Christians to dinner. Besides, I see in the Lord's sermons themselves, a far greater emphasis on man's nature than anything else. So then, who gives us the right to redefine priorities?
Boaz's field has another important distinction: Ruth finds satisfaction here (verses 14 & 18). Satisfaction is indeed a tough thing to come by today. Ever felt the intense desire to buy something, only to find a little later that you needed something better – more for the feel, than the genuine need? Insatiable hunger in various aspects of human life have drawn quite a lot of people away from the view that God had in mind for His creation. Be it pleasure or money or materialistic pursuits, man has seen history repeat itself because he fails to learn from it. Life disintegrates into a meaningless mish-mash when the central threads intended by God lie forgotten in ignominy. The rope we cling to, hoping for salvation, slowly slips out of our grip. Sadly, even this only makes us clutch it dearer until we, at last, tumble into the hopeless abyss of death. Poets talk of 'soul death' when one continues to walk and talk, yet becomes completely unable to experience any trace of emotion, so long abused in the search for happiness – a mere shell of physical matter.
The question is: Will I ever come to someone(or something) who(or that) could ultimately completely satisfy my needs? A place where I may lie back and say, “No more to seek...here is satisfaction”?
Many years ago, a multitude came to the Lord Jesus to hear what He had to say. They stayed on for several days and then there arose a logistics crisis – the Lord wanted the disciples to arrange food for the crowd numbering in the thousands. The little that they managed to gather, they brought to the Lord and after blessing it, the distribution committee took over. At the end of it all, the historian summed up aptly with these words, “So they all ate and were filled.” (Luke 9:16-18)
As I close this week, may I stress that Ruth's initial motivation to enter this field was just a search for food and nothing else. Till this point, at the end of chapter 2, this reality has not changed as far as Ruth is concerned. Life still revolves around the issues of basic survival needs, and that's fine.
The same remains true of us – in spite of originating from diverse backgrounds, we've come in contact with Christ and His Church. We experience the Master's goodness, love and acceptance in His family and satisfaction of our every need. Good.
However, is this the end of the story? Don't the remaining chapters of this short book have anything to add to the picture already presented by the opening 2 chapters?
May the Lord continue to bring His Good Word to us till we see its fullness.
P.S. I must apologize for the severe delay in updating the blog. It was only now that I finally found the time after many days of travel and 'business' that kept me away from my desk. I thank the Lord that in spite of our forgetfulness and weakness, He remains faithful and the Giver of Eternal Life to all who are needy.
I sincerely hope and pray that such delays will never occur again.
As human beings in the 21st century, I think 'good listening' deserves prime time in our prayers to God. At the time of Jesus' ministry, multitudes thronged to hear His words. Once, a small group came to Him for a private session as they had failed to understand the parable of the sower (the passage is seen in the gospel according to Mark chapter 4). The Lord's words in verse 11 are noteworthy - “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables.” 'Those on the outside'... of what? Now that's an interesting question to ponder. I can remember the many years I spent hearing the Word of God and thinking that everything was just about good stories – my definition of a good preacher was one who could narrate interesting life incidents or crack witty jokes. To my childish mind, that was what mattered and held my attention the most. Once the Lord began to change me and show me what the Kingdom of God was about, the nature of the Word itself changed – it became a mirror where I could see myself each time I approached it. It was the yardstick to measure how much the Lord had established His rule in my heart because that is where His Kingship begins. Here, we understand that one way to find out whether we are inside the Kingdom or outside it, is to assess our relationship to God's Word – are we the good listeners who'd keep going back to the Lord with our doubts? Or do we fool ourselves with the all-knowing 'I can't be wrong' attitude?
A little geography lesson is now necessary. In the olden days, cities were usually built according to a certain pattern. The residential areas put together would have a huge wall surrounding them and this constituted 'the city'. Outside the city walls, lay large expanses of open country which were often called 'the fields'. We find many references to this in the Old Testament particularly in the book of Joshua, Judges and Nehemiah where the phrase 'the city(or town) and its surrounding fields' is amply used. This was probably why an enemy surrounding a city could quickly cut off the food supply and force a surrender. Take a look at the happenings of 2 Kings chapter 6 verses 24 onwards. The city's main gate was also an important place of activity, often the scene of settling cases and disputes. This is where the elders of the city sat and administered justice according to the Mosaic Law. We find references to this in the book of Deuteronomy(for instance, 21:19, 22:15) and even in the Proverbs (31:23). (This is by no means a comprehensive description, rather it is a generic explanation to set you thinking.)
The fields were divided among the residing families on the basis of lots and it is into 'the field belonging to Boaz' that Ruth comes.
The merciful master's second advice is to stay on in the field and not go elsewhere. Security seems to have been an important concern as both Boaz and Naomi caution Ruth of the possibility of assault. Within this field, the workers are under Boaz's supervision and he guarantees her safety while he has no assurances whatsoever of the situation elsewhere. Even as you take your first steps of faith and experience the Lord's goodness in your life, His desire is that you would stay on in a sustained relationship with Himself, His workers and His field receiving joyfully whatever He has to give you because He “plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Other fields might temporarily seem more tempting and attractive but here in the field of God, God offers that which is best for your body, soul and spirit and not fading flowers of pleasure.
Even as Ruth is urged to stay on, Boaz next tells her to 'watch' and learn(verse 9). Ruth was expected to learn the ropes and become something more than a mere passerby. The Lord also requires us to watch and learn carefully from God's people. I must emphasise the word 'carefully' because Christianity today is not what it used to be or ought to be and much caution is to be practiced in learning from it. Several cult-like movements are springing up by the day besides the already extant rot. On the other hand, the Lord keeps for Himself a remnant who have been beautified by the righteousness which is in Christ. Both groups have their voice and yet, like Paul warns Timothy, it seems to be the cancer that spreads fast(2 Timothy 2:17). Learn we must, but to do it well is also an important issue. I believe its necessary to get the whole picture rather than some small aspect of it that seems to suit our bias.
Boaz then goes on to say, “Whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.” In my life, I've often struggled with a weariness that seemed to weigh me down, from time to time. This is because living for the Lord means making tough decisions and sometimes, I question myself whether all this effort is worth it - “Why did I start off on this lonely road?”, I ask myself. However, each time I feel this 'pulling down', the Lord refreshes me in different ways. Whenever we feel this restlessness, we must never try to hide it or suppress it. Take it to the Lord while also confiding in someone who's experienced in the ways of the Lord. I'm sure the Lord will always keep 'jars of water' to refresh you in the course of your onward journey. You must remember that He is the One who proclaimed, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mathew 11:28) Need we then drown ourselves in entertainment, sex, drugs, alcohol or cigarette smoke to escape the pangs of our soul?
Hence we conclude our discussion on the goodness of the Master of the field, the first and foremost of its specialities.
Building further upon this, we arrive at the second distinction of this field: it is a place of grace and acceptance. Boaz instructs his servants never to approach Ruth in an unfitting manner, and to make her stay as comfortable as possible. Once again I must highlight the danger of the Moabitess' identity in an orthodox exclusivity-driven community, yet here Ruth is welcomed into the field with open arms. Switching places to the New Testament, we must ask ourselves: did God intend the Church to be the perpetrator of such acts as the infamous Crusades of the Middle Ages? Did God wish that the Church be a group of righteous perfectionists who claim moral superiority over every other 'Gentile'? I've been surprised to hear even Indian Christians refer to people of other faiths in like derogatory fashion and I ask if they aren't Gentiles themselves, except for the Grace of God that makes them the 'Israel of God'. More importantly and relevantly, does God desire the Church to be the voice that preaches hatred towards other religions (particularly Islam) in the name of political prophesy?
For the Jewish mind, the foremost concern was the inheritance of the Promised Land right from the days of Moses. The disciples were no different and they expressed their concerns to the Lord in the first chapter of the book of Acts. In the words of Luke, “So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ” (Acts 1:6-8) The question was politically charged seeking the end of Roman rule. The answer the Lord gave here is significant and simply brings out 2 facts: the disciples were not to unnecessarily concern themselves with politics and more importantly, their primary task was to be His witnesses, by the power of the Holy Spirit, everywhere. Witnessing never works if walk and talk do not go hand in hand – you can't claim to love people and then, only invite Christians to dinner. Besides, I see in the Lord's sermons themselves, a far greater emphasis on man's nature than anything else. So then, who gives us the right to redefine priorities?
Boaz's field has another important distinction: Ruth finds satisfaction here (verses 14 & 18). Satisfaction is indeed a tough thing to come by today. Ever felt the intense desire to buy something, only to find a little later that you needed something better – more for the feel, than the genuine need? Insatiable hunger in various aspects of human life have drawn quite a lot of people away from the view that God had in mind for His creation. Be it pleasure or money or materialistic pursuits, man has seen history repeat itself because he fails to learn from it. Life disintegrates into a meaningless mish-mash when the central threads intended by God lie forgotten in ignominy. The rope we cling to, hoping for salvation, slowly slips out of our grip. Sadly, even this only makes us clutch it dearer until we, at last, tumble into the hopeless abyss of death. Poets talk of 'soul death' when one continues to walk and talk, yet becomes completely unable to experience any trace of emotion, so long abused in the search for happiness – a mere shell of physical matter.
The question is: Will I ever come to someone(or something) who(or that) could ultimately completely satisfy my needs? A place where I may lie back and say, “No more to seek...here is satisfaction”?
Many years ago, a multitude came to the Lord Jesus to hear what He had to say. They stayed on for several days and then there arose a logistics crisis – the Lord wanted the disciples to arrange food for the crowd numbering in the thousands. The little that they managed to gather, they brought to the Lord and after blessing it, the distribution committee took over. At the end of it all, the historian summed up aptly with these words, “So they all ate and were filled.” (Luke 9:16-18)
As I close this week, may I stress that Ruth's initial motivation to enter this field was just a search for food and nothing else. Till this point, at the end of chapter 2, this reality has not changed as far as Ruth is concerned. Life still revolves around the issues of basic survival needs, and that's fine.
The same remains true of us – in spite of originating from diverse backgrounds, we've come in contact with Christ and His Church. We experience the Master's goodness, love and acceptance in His family and satisfaction of our every need. Good.
However, is this the end of the story? Don't the remaining chapters of this short book have anything to add to the picture already presented by the opening 2 chapters?
May the Lord continue to bring His Good Word to us till we see its fullness.
To be continued...
P.S. I must apologize for the severe delay in updating the blog. It was only now that I finally found the time after many days of travel and 'business' that kept me away from my desk. I thank the Lord that in spite of our forgetfulness and weakness, He remains faithful and the Giver of Eternal Life to all who are needy.
I sincerely hope and pray that such delays will never occur again.
