Faithfulness and Providence in the Story of Ruth
Summary
The story of Ruth unfolds during the dark and chaotic days of the Judges, yet it offers a refreshing glimpse of faithfulness, kindness, and God’s providence at work in ordinary lives. The narrative begins with Naomi’s family fleeing famine in Bethlehem to sojourn in Moab—a land with a troubled history and a reputation as Israel’s enemy. Tragedy strikes as Naomi loses her husband and both sons, leaving her and her Moabite daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, destitute in a patriarchal society. The significance of names in the story—Elimelech (“God is my king”), Naomi (“pleasant”), and Ruth (“friendship”)—sets the stage for a drama of loss, loyalty, and redemption.
Naomi, hearing that God has provided for His people back in Bethlehem, decides to return home. She urges her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab for their own security, but Ruth’s steadfast loyalty shines through in her famous declaration: “Where you go, I will go; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” This is not just an act of familial devotion but a profound conversion—a believing loyalty to the God of Israel, forsaking her own people and gods. Ruth’s faith and commitment become a model of what it means to trust and follow God, even when the future is uncertain.
Naomi, returning to Bethlehem, is a changed woman. She openly laments her losses, renaming herself Mara (“bitter”) and acknowledging God’s sovereignty in her suffering. This honest lament is not a sign of weak faith but of a faith that takes God seriously enough to wrestle with Him in pain, yet refuses to walk away. The story then shifts to God’s providence as Ruth “happens” to glean in the field of Boaz, a worthy man and relative of Naomi. The laws of gleaning, often neglected in Israel, are faithfully practiced by Boaz, who not only provides for Ruth but extends protection and kindness, embodying God’s mercy.
Through Boaz’s actions, God’s lovingkindness (hesed) is made tangible. Naomi recognizes God’s hand at work, seeing that her initiative and Ruth’s faithfulness have been met with God’s abundant provision. The introduction of Boaz as a “kinsman redeemer” foreshadows the greater redemption to come. Throughout these chapters, God’s sovereignty, the importance of obedience to His word, and the way He works through His people are on full display. Even in suffering, God is orchestrating a story far greater than what any of the characters can see, inviting us to trust Him, lament honestly, and participate in His redemptive work.
Key Takeaways
- God’s Providence in the Ordinary and the Painful
God’s sovereignty is not just evident in grand miracles but in the everyday decisions, losses, and acts of faithfulness. Even when life feels chaotic or bitter, as it did for Naomi, God is quietly orchestrating events for His glory and our good. Our limited perspective often cannot see the full tapestry He is weaving, but we are called to trust that His wisdom and care extend into every detail of our lives. [01:13:42]
- The Power and Freedom of Honest Lament
Lament is not a sign of spiritual weakness but of deep faith. Naomi’s willingness to voice her pain and confusion to God, while still acknowledging His sovereignty, models a faith that wrestles but does not walk away. Scripture invites us to bring our complaints and sorrows to God, trusting that He can handle our honesty and that such wrestling can lead to deeper transformation and intimacy with Him. [59:35]
- Believing Loyalty: Faith Expressed in Commitment
Ruth’s declaration to Naomi is more than familial loyalty; it is a radical act of faith—a believing loyalty to the God of Israel. True faith is not just intellectual assent but a commitment that reorders our allegiances, even when it means leaving behind comfort, security, or cultural identity. Ruth’s example challenges us to consider what it means to follow God with our whole lives, especially when the path is uncertain. [55:47]
- God’s Mercy Flows Through His People’s Obedience
The story highlights how God’s mercy and provision are often mediated through the faithful obedience of His people. Boaz’s adherence to the gleaning laws and his kindness to Ruth are not just acts of personal virtue but fulfillments of God’s design for community care. When we live within the “constraints” of God’s word, we create space for His redemptive work to flourish in and through us, blessing others in tangible ways. [01:18:39]
- Obedience as the Soil for God’s Redemptive Work
The narrative of Ruth demonstrates that following God’s word—especially when it is countercultural or costly—opens the door for God’s purposes to unfold. While God can and does work in spite of human disobedience (as seen in Judges), the flourishing and blessing experienced in Ruth’s story are the fruit of obedience. We are invited to examine whether our lives are providing opportunity for God’s will to flourish, not just for ourselves but for those around us. [01:20:00]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Introduction: Ruth in the Time of the Judges
[02:30] - The Power of Narrative Constraints
[04:29] - Setting the Scene: Famine and Loss
[08:48] - Names and Their Significance
[13:00] - Naomi’s Decision to Return
[16:00] - The Four Key Words of Ruth
[20:38] - Kindness and the Theme of Hesed
[24:27] - Orpah Turns Back, Ruth Clings
[27:55] - Naomi’s Lament and Honest Faith
[31:51] - God’s Providence: Ruth Meets Boaz
[37:07] - Gleaning Laws and Social Justice
[43:43] - Boaz’s Kindness and Blessing
[49:43] - Naomi Recognizes God’s Hand
[53:42] - God’s Sovereignty and Our Perspective
[56:11] - Wrestling with God in Tragedy
[58:39] - The Role of Obedience in God’s Plan
[01:01:17] - Living Within God’s Word
[01:02:12] - Closing Prayer and Blessing
[01:10:10] - Dismissal and Final Blessing
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Ruth 1–2
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### Bible Reading
- Ruth 1–2
- Leviticus 19:9–10 (Gleaning laws)
- Habakkuk 3:17–19 (Example of lament and trust in God)
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### Observation Questions
1. What circumstances led Naomi and her family to leave Bethlehem and go to Moab? ([44:29])
2. How does Ruth respond when Naomi urges her to return to her own people and gods? What does Ruth say? ([55:47])
3. What is the significance of Boaz’s actions toward Ruth when she comes to glean in his field? ([01:07:07])
4. According to the sermon, what Old Testament law is Boaz following by allowing Ruth to glean in his field? ([01:03:44])
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi is described as more than just family loyalty? What does it show about her faith? ([55:47])
2. Naomi changes her name to Mara, meaning “bitter.” What does this reveal about her view of God and her situation? ([57:55])
3. The sermon says lament is not a sign of weak faith but of deep faith. Why is it important for believers to be honest with God about their pain? ([59:35])
4. Boaz’s obedience to the gleaning laws is highlighted as rare in Israel at the time. What does this say about the impact of individual obedience on others? ([01:03:44])
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### Application Questions
1. Naomi openly laments her losses and even changes her name to reflect her pain. When have you felt “bitter” or disappointed with God? Did you feel free to express that to Him? Why or why not? ([57:55])
2. Ruth’s commitment to Naomi and to God meant leaving behind her comfort, security, and cultural identity. Is there something God might be calling you to leave behind in order to follow Him more fully? What would that look like? ([55:47])
3. The sermon says God’s providence is often seen in ordinary decisions and painful moments. Can you think of a time when God was at work in your life in a way you only recognized later? ([01:13:42])
4. Boaz’s kindness and obedience to God’s word provided for Ruth and Naomi. Who has God used in your life to show you His kindness? How might you be that person for someone else this week? ([01:09:43])
5. The gleaning laws were designed to care for the vulnerable. Are there “gleaning” opportunities in your life—ways you can intentionally leave margin or resources to bless others in need? ([01:03:44])
6. The sermon challenges us to “wrestle with God but not walk away” during hard times. What does it look like for you to wrestle with God honestly? Is there something you need to bring to Him in prayer or lament right now? ([59:35])
7. The story of Ruth shows that obedience to God’s word creates space for His redemptive work. Is there an area of your life where you need to realign with God’s word so that His purposes can flourish in and through you? ([01:18:39])
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Devotional
Day 1: God’s Loving Kindness Shown Through His People
Throughout the opening chapters of Ruth, we see the Hebrew word "hesed"—God’s loving kindness or mercy—emerge as a central theme, not just as an abstract quality of God, but as something tangibly expressed through the actions of His people. Ruth’s steadfast loyalty to Naomi, Boaz’s generosity and protection toward Ruth, and Naomi’s concern for her daughters-in-law all serve as vessels for God’s kindness. In a world marked by loss and uncertainty, God’s mercy is made visible through the faithfulness, compassion, and selfless acts of ordinary people. This reminds us that God often chooses to work through us to bless, provide for, and care for others, making His love known in practical ways. [50:38]
Ruth 1:8
But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me.”
Reflection: Who in your life today could experience God’s loving kindness through your actions? What is one specific way you can show mercy or compassion to them this week?
Day 2: Faithful Loyalty and Conversion to God
Ruth’s famous declaration to Naomi is more than a statement of familial devotion; it is a profound act of faith and conversion. Ruth chooses to leave behind her homeland, her people, and her gods, pledging herself to Naomi and, more importantly, to the God of Israel. This believing loyalty—trusting in God’s promises and remaining faithful to Him even when the future is uncertain—sets Ruth apart and becomes a model for all who would follow God. Her commitment is not just emotional but spiritual, embodying the call to trust and obey God above all else, even when it means stepping into the unknown. [55:47]
Ruth 1:16-17
But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”
Reflection: Is there an area of your life where God is calling you to step out in faith and loyalty, even if it means leaving behind comfort or familiarity? What would it look like to say “yes” to God in that area today?
Day 3: Wrestling with God in Lament, Not Walking Away
Naomi’s honest lament—her willingness to voice her pain, confusion, and even bitterness to God—demonstrates that true faith is not the absence of struggle, but the refusal to walk away from God in the midst of it. Scripture is filled with examples of God’s people bringing their complaints and questions before Him, trusting that He is sovereign and good even when life feels empty or bitter. Lament is not a sign of weak faith, but of a relationship with a God who invites us to wrestle with Him, to bring our sorrows and doubts, and to remain with Him through it all. [59:35]
Ruth 1:20-21
She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”
Reflection: What sorrow, disappointment, or confusion are you carrying today? Take a few moments to honestly bring your lament before God, trusting that He welcomes your honesty and remains with you in your pain.
Day 4: God’s Providence at Work in Ordinary Choices
The story of Ruth and Boaz is a powerful reminder that God’s providence is often at work behind the scenes, orchestrating events through the ordinary decisions and actions of His people. Naomi’s initiative, Ruth’s willingness to glean, and Boaz’s obedience to God’s law all seem like small, everyday choices, yet God uses them to accomplish His greater purposes. Even when we cannot see the full picture, we can trust that God is guiding, providing, and working for our good and His glory through the details of our lives. [01:03:44]
Leviticus 19:9-10
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”
Reflection: Think about a recent “ordinary” decision or action you’ve taken. How might God be working through your faithfulness in small things to accomplish something greater than you can see right now?
Day 5: Living Within the Constraints of God’s Word
The narrative of Ruth highlights the beauty and power of living within the boundaries set by God’s Word. Boaz’s faithfulness to the gleaning laws, Ruth’s loyalty, and Naomi’s trust in God’s providence all create space for God’s work to flourish. God’s commands are not meant to restrict us, but to guide us into lives that honor Him and bless others. When we choose to obey God’s Word, even when it is difficult or countercultural, we provide opportunity for His mercy, provision, and redemption to be displayed in and through us. [01:18:39]
Psalm 119:1-2
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.
Reflection: Are there any areas of your life where you are resisting the boundaries or direction of God’s Word? What is one step you can take today to align your life more closely with His commands?
Quotes
This is a big part of God's plan. God works through his people. God blesses his people through his people. God saves his people through his people. This is God's plan. You are God's plan. We are God's plan. We are God's plan to carry out his mission, and we are his plan to bless each other. [01:15:23] (23 seconds)
And that his providence orchestrates our lives in ways which we often do not comprehend, especially the difficult moments. But God is working in these things. He is orchestrating our lives in a way that will result in his honor and glory. God's character never changes. [01:13:47] (21 seconds)
So in the Old Testament, Old Testament conversion from paganism to God's people is characterized by believing loyalty, right? That's what characterizes faith in the Old Testament for God's people, believing loyalty. So believing what God has set and being loyal to him, particularly in light of the pagan gods surrounding them. [00:56:44] (26 seconds)
We see that God cares deeply for his people. He guides us. He sustains us in our weaknesses. He orchestrates our lives. And there are certainly times that we may not comprehend it. There are certainly times that we will not like it or enjoy it. But God's wisdom and God's perspective are far beyond ours. [01:14:26] (27 seconds)
And so you might have heard these verses read at a wedding or in some context like that as an expression of love. And they are a remarkable expression of love that Ruth has for her mother -in -law Naomi. But more than that, it's also a statement of her conversion. [00:56:21] (22 seconds)
Naomi does not believe that what happened to her was a matter of chance or luck or sheer circumstance. But she believes that God has providentially acted in her life, right? This is evidenced by her referring to him as the Almighty. And this brings us to a really important topic in Scripture. [00:59:14] (22 seconds)
And to wrestle with that problem is no sin, even when it leads an attempt to put God on trial. The book of Job is a wonderful example of this. So Naomi here, she's not evidencing little faith, rather with a freedom of faith that rightfully ascribes full sovereignty to God. She takes it seriously and she openly voices her complaint, right? But here we have a somber picture of her despair, of the emptiness of the life of this woman who has experienced great loss. [00:59:48] (38 seconds)
Ruth is for sure committing to Naomi here, but she's also committing to following the Lord, the true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel, the Lord himself. And so while Ruth is this incredible example and embodiment of God's mercy and loving kindness, she is not simply doing so as a moral person or as a good person, although she is those things, she is doing one at this as a follower of the one true God. And this is what is going to define her for the rest of the book. [00:57:19] (35 seconds)
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