Community Group Questions: October 1st-7th

October 1st, 2023
by Karissa Smith

Ruth 2

Ruth Meets Boaz

Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.”

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn.” 10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. 12 The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.”

14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. 15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.”

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” 20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” 21 And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

Questions:

Doctrine - How we Think

In the start of this week's passage, Ruth set out to glean (see verses 2-3). In our sermon this week, Jay mentioned that there was an inseparable link between the kind of society Israel was supposed to be and the character of the God they worshiped. Read the following passages: Leviticus 19:9-10, Leviticus 23:22 & Deuteronomy 24:19-22.
- Describe the Old Testament law pertaining to land owners and how this law affected Ruth’s right to glean.
- What do these laws tell us about God’s heart for the poor, foreigner, and widow?
We see in vs. 3 the phrase “she happened to come”. Do you believe that things “just happen” in the life of the Believer?” Why? What scripture passages can you point to?

Worship - How we Feel

Can you recall an incident of "good chance", something that “just happened” in your life that was simply too well-timed and too perfectly suited to be anything but the gracious hand of God intervening on your behalf?
Vs. 20: “And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”
- How has Naomi changed her tune? (Read Ruth 1:13). Can you think of other times in the Bible where we see examples of God's people's attitude towards God shifting? Do you ever find that your heart is fickle, complaining about God's provision for you one moment and then joyful when you later get what you want? What would be a godlier attitude in these times?

Application - What we Do

In this chapter, we are given a picture of the gospel. Ruth as an outsider was brought in, & this is what God does for us. He takes people who not only are outsiders, but are his enemies. And through his grace and mercy provides a way for us to be in his family, to be seated forever with him. As mentioned in the sermon this week, God's love is often communicated to us through the kindness of other people.
- Are there specific ways you can communicate God's love to others this week?
- Are their unbelievers that your group can commit to praying for this semester? That God through his grace and mercy might bring them into his family.
  - Take time to pray for these people by name, utilize the following passages:
    - Pray that God would open their hearts to believe the gospel: Acts 16:14
    - Pray that God would grant them repentance: 2 Timothy 2:25-26
    - Pray with confidence: James 5:16

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