How does Ruth 2:20 demonstrate God's providence in Ruth's life? Setting the Scene • Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem empty-handed and vulnerable (Ruth 1:19-22). • Ruth “happened” to glean in Boaz’s field (Ruth 2:3). What looks like coincidence is God steering details for their good (cf. Proverbs 16:9). • Ruth 2:20 captures Naomi’s sudden recognition of God’s guiding hand. Ruth 2:20 “Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘May he be blessed of the LORD who has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead.’ She continued, ‘The man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers.’” Key Phrase: “Has not withdrawn His kindness” • “Kindness” (ḥesed) is covenant love—steadfast, loyal, unfailing. • Naomi had earlier felt God’s hand was against her (Ruth 1:20-21). Now she confesses God’s loyalty has never wavered. • Providence means God’s care operates even when unseen (Psalm 57:2; Romans 8:28). Providence Seen in the Kinsman-Redeemer • Boaz is introduced not merely as a generous landowner but as “one of our kinsman-redeemers.” • The kinsman-redeemer (Leviticus 25:25; Deuteronomy 25:5-6) could: – redeem land lost through poverty, – marry a widow to preserve the family line, – defend relatives in need. • God had already positioned Boaz, a godly, prosperous relative, before Ruth ever set foot in his field—clear providence. • Through Boaz, God intends to: – rescue Naomi’s family from extinction, – secure Ruth’s future, – keep the messianic line alive (Ruth 4:17; Matthew 1:5-6). Connecting Threads in Ruth’s Journey 1. Provision of Food • Ruth seeks leftover grain; God supplies abundantly through Boaz (Ruth 2:17-18). 2. Protection and Favor • Boaz instructs his men to guard and bless Ruth (Ruth 2:8-9, 15-16). 3. Preservation of Lineage • The redeemer relationship opens the path for marriage and offspring, culminating in Obed, Jesse, and David (Ruth 4:21-22). 4. Personal Transformation • Naomi moves from bitterness to praise; Ruth moves from foreign outsider to honored matriarch. God’s providence reshapes hearts as well as circumstances. Takeaways for Today • God’s covenant love operates both in daily bread and in grand, redemptive plans. • Apparent chance meetings often mask divine orchestration. • Even seasons of emptiness serve God’s larger design; He “works out everything according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). • The kinsman-redeemer foreshadows Christ, our ultimate Redeemer (Galatians 4:4-5), proving God’s providence reaches its climax in Jesus. |
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