Everybody Wants Boaz… But Who’s Willing to Be Ruth?

How many times have you heard someone say , “I’m waiting for God to send my Boaz.”  As Christian women, we often refer to our dream man as Boaz — and rightfully so.  Boaz is often portrayed as tall, dark and handsome: the man who sweeps Ruth up in a whirlwind romance, restores her faith in love and makes her his wife — right? Well, not exactly.  Boaz does marry Ruth, but the circumstances that lead to their marriage are far from a whirlwind romance.  In fact, it is Ruth who asks Boaz to marry her.  How’s that for a nontraditional proposal! God brings Ruth to Boaz for something far more important than romance.  Boaz and Ruth become part of the lineage that leads to Christ.  But what is it about Ruth that causes God to handpick her to birth the lineage of His Son? It is her character.

Ruth is a Moabite woman. Ruth, her sister-in-law Orpah, and her mother-in-law Naomi are all widows.  Naomi urges Ruth and Orpah to return to their families after their husbands die so they can remarry and have children. Orpah eventually leaves, but Ruth refuses.

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.Your people will be my people and your God my God.Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Wow — talk about loyalty! Ruth’s words are quite remarkable for two reasons: first, she is  choosing God (Yahweh) over her pagan god Chemosh; and second, she is choosing a life of poverty and uncertainty with no husband or son to protect her. But God has a plan.  

Naomi and Ruth travel to Bethlehem, Naomi’s hometown, at the beginning of the harvest season.  Ruth ventures out to find work.  She stops at a barley field and begins to collect  grains left behind by the harvesters. Ruth works tirelessly and draws the attention of Boaz, the owner of the field, who happens to be a relative of Naomi. When the overseer of the field tells Boaz that Ruth is Naomi’s daughter-in-law, he  approaches her.

“I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.’”

Boaz is impressed by Ruth’s loyalty and extends God’s blessings to her as a reward. He tells Ruth she may work in his field and drink from the water jars whenever she is thirsty.  Boaz promises Ruth that she will be safe in his field and even directs the harvesters to leave extra grain behind for her to collect.  Boaz feeds Ruth a meal and allows her to take home a sack of barley to Naomi.  Within moments of meeting Boaz, God pours His favor upon Ruth.

When the harvest ends, Naomi sends Ruth to find Boaz.  She tells her to wash, put on perfume, and dress in her best clothes. Sounds like Naomi is sending Ruth on a mission! Ruth finds Boaz in the barn threshing wheat and waits until he falls asleep.  She lies down beside him and uncovers his feet as Naomi instructed. Boaz wakes up in the middle of the night and finds Ruth her there next to him in the darkness.  What do you think happens next?

Who are you, Boaz asks.

I am your servant Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.

In Hebrew culture, this request is an invitation to marriage. Ruth is asking Boaz to cover her as her husband.  It is common practice for a male family member to marry a relative’s widow for protection and to extend the family name.  Boaz can marry Ruth, reclaim her husband’s land, and allow their children to have her deceased husband’s name. 

‘The Lord bless you, my daughter,’ Boaz replies. ‘This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. . . I will do for you all you ask.’”

Boaz is once again impressed by Ruth’s character.  She has chosen him, a much older man, to be her husband. Ruth doesn’t choose Boaz for her own benefit  but for Naomi’s. As Naomi’s son-in-law, Boaz will provide Naomi with protection, redeem the family’s land and give Naomi a grandson.  That grandson, Obed,  is the father of Jesse, and grandfather of  King David, whose lineage leads to Christ.

Ruth’s character attracts Boaz, not her beauty.  Her faithfulness to Naomi positions her within God’s divine plan to bring forth the lineage of Christ. Theirs is not a story of romance but a story of faith. So, when you hear someone say they are waiting for Boaz, ask them if they are ready to be Ruth.