What is the meaning of Ruth 2:23? So Ruth stayed close • The phrase pictures intentional, ongoing commitment. Ruth doesn’t drift in and out of Boaz’s fields; she purposefully “stayed close,” echoing her earlier vow to Naomi (Ruth 1:16–17). • This nearness kept her under Boaz’s protective word: “Stay here with my maidservants” (Ruth 2:8). Staying where God provides safety is a mark of trust (Psalm 91:1). • Abiding imagery flows through Scripture—“Abide in Me” (John 15:4). Ruth models the blessing that comes from remaining where God has directed. to the servant girls of Boaz • Ruth aligns herself with the right company. Boaz’s female workers would guard purity and reputation in a culture where a lone woman could be vulnerable (Ruth 2:9, 22). • Community matters. “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33), but godly companions sharpen faith (Proverbs 27:17). • Boaz’s servants represent a covenant environment; they belong to a man who honors the Lord (Ruth 2:4). Ruth places herself under godly leadership, paving the way for future blessing. to glean grain • Gleaning is humble, hands-on labor. Ruth isn’t waiting for handouts; she works within God’s provision for the poor (Leviticus 19:9–10; Deuteronomy 24:19). • Scripture dignifies labor—“If anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Ruth’s diligence anticipates the “noble wife” who “works with willing hands” (Proverbs 31:13). • Gleaning also foreshadows grace: she gathers what she did not plant, just as believers reap salvation they did not earn (Ephesians 2:8–9). until the barley and wheat harvests were finished • Ruth’s faithfulness spans both spring harvests, roughly April to June—about two months of steady effort. She doesn’t quit when the initial excitement wanes (Galatians 6:9). • The double harvest hints at abundance. God moves Ruth from scarcity in Moab to ongoing provision in Bethlehem (Psalm 23:5). • Timing in Scripture is purposeful: “There is a time for every purpose” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Ruth’s patient service sets the stage for her eventual redemption by Boaz (Ruth 3–4). And she lived with her mother-in-law • Even while working in Boaz’s fields, Ruth remains devoted to Naomi. She honors the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12) and cares for family first (1 Timothy 5:4). • Ruth resists the temptation to seek quick independence or romance. She preserves propriety, returning home each night (Ruth 2:18). • Their shared household is a picture of covenant loyalty, mirroring how the Church lives in devoted fellowship while awaiting her Redeemer (John 14:3). summary Ruth 2:23 shows a woman who abides where God places her, surrounds herself with godly company, works diligently within His provision, perseveres through the full season, and remains loyal to family. Her steady faithfulness becomes the channel through which the Lord unfolds redemption—for her, for Naomi, and eventually for all who come to Bethlehem’s greater Redeemer. |
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