Rut 2:2 | KingComments | STEP | Ruth takes the initiative to glean ears of grain. Naomi does not seem capable of anything. Ruth is in the land, but she is not satisfied with it. She longs for food. For this she has to work, she has to make an effort. A spiritual longing for God’s Word will prompt a diligent examination of it. In practical terms, we can also learn from Ruth. She doesn’t stay at home waiting for work to come to her. She goes looking for work, she makes an effort to find it. God blesses such action. It also applies to taking a course. There too God will bless effort. It is about being faithful in what is expected of us. Whoever wants to do the will of the Lord is led by Him to the place of blessing. Ruth is aware that she depends on grace. After all, she has no right to anything. But where there are no rights and someone is aware of that, there can be made an appeal to grace. In that mind she wants to go. Ruth will not have known much about God’s gracious provisions in a case like hers ( ; ). Because her heart, however, has gone out to the God and the land of Naomi, the faith that is in her is given the space to act. She could have stayed at home, but she realizes that she can appeal to grace. God works, but man must go in faith. It is not about rights, but about grace. She will, as “the dogs”, be content with “the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” ( ). It is not about a field where she will be able to glean ears of grain, but about a person who will allow her in his grace on his field. That’s what she says. She says she wants to “glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor”. The initiative does come from Ruth, but she does not act impulsively and on her own. She discusses her considerations with Naomi. It is good for young believers to discuss certain initiatives with spiritually-minded older believers. Naomi confirms her intention and she goes. There is great connectedness between Naomi and Ruth. Naomi represents the ancient Israel, but then the part that repents and takes shape in Ruth. In Ruth, the faith of the remnant is revealed. This picture shows the relationship that exists between the faithful remnant in the future and the Israel from the past. Together they represent God’s people, with on the one hand the hopeless situation as a result of their own unfaithfulness and on the other hand the burgeoning faith with dependency on God’s grace. God will fulfill all His promises He has made to Israel in the past, to the remnant in the future. The remnant will be aware that that fulfillment will come to them by pure grace.

‏ Ruth 2:2

Ruth Wants to Glean ears of grain

Ruth takes the initiative to glean ears of grain. Naomi does not seem capable of anything. Ruth is in the land, but she is not satisfied with it. She longs for food. For this she has to work, she has to make an effort. A spiritual longing for God’s Word will prompt a diligent examination of it.

In practical terms, we can also learn from Ruth. She doesn’t stay at home waiting for work to come to her. She goes looking for work, she makes an effort to find it. God blesses such action. It also applies to taking a course. There too God will bless effort. It is about being faithful in what is expected of us. Whoever wants to do the will of the Lord is led by Him to the place of blessing.

Ruth is aware that she depends on grace. After all, she has no right to anything. But where there are no rights and someone is aware of that, there can be made an appeal to grace. In that mind she wants to go. Ruth will not have known much about God’s gracious provisions in a case like hers (Lev 23:22 ; Lev 19:9; Deu 24:19). Because her heart, however, has gone out to the God and the land of Naomi, the faith that is in her is given the space to act. She could have stayed at home, but she realizes that she can appeal to grace.

God works, but man must go in faith. It is not about rights, but about grace. She will, as “the dogs”, be content with “the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (Mt 15:27). It is not about a field where she will be able to glean ears of grain, but about a person who will allow her in his grace on his field. That’s what she says. She says she wants to “glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor”.

The initiative does come from Ruth, but she does not act impulsively and on her own. She discusses her considerations with Naomi. It is good for young believers to discuss certain initiatives with spiritually-minded older believers. Naomi confirms her intention and she goes.

There is great connectedness between Naomi and Ruth. Naomi represents the ancient Israel, but then the part that repents and takes shape in Ruth. In Ruth, the faith of the remnant is revealed. This picture shows the relationship that exists between the faithful remnant in the future and the Israel from the past. Together they represent God’s people, with on the one hand the hopeless situation as a result of their own unfaithfulness and on the other hand the burgeoning faith with dependency on God’s grace. God will fulfill all His promises He has made to Israel in the past, to the remnant in the future. The remnant will be aware that that fulfillment will come to them by pure grace.