Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.

I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.

Boaz provided an act of kindness to a new woman in the field and in doing so reflected, in a minor way, the kindness of out God.

But for a bit of background, consider the following.

Boaz was a man who followed the Word of God, instructing landowners to allow those suffering poverty in Israel to glean from the edges and corners of a field reapers had not harvested.

Leviticus 19:9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest.
Leviticus 19:10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.

The kindness of Boaz is not seen in his obedience to Leviticus 19, for Boaz was a godly man, a God fearing Israelite, who sought to honor God in this act of obedience. In allowing the poor and destitute the opportunity to glean at the edges of the field, that which is left behind by the reapers, provided the poor not only food, but a level of honor in working in gathering sustenance for their family.

But I digress.

Our topic is an act of kindness that Boaz exercised to Ruth.

There was a time when Boaz came to his field to greet his reapers, and he noticed a new woman in the field. Was it merely due to Ruth being a new gleaner, or was it that something stirred in Boaz when he saw her. At this point in the story, it is unknown, but Boaz acted with kindness. Once he understood her circumstances, that she accompanied Naomi back from Moab, and that she had been in the fields most of the day, he determined to find ways to protect and provide for her.

I mentioned an act of kindness, but it is obvious that Boaz acted towards Ruth with kindness in many ways. How might we see these acts of kindness?

• She was not to attend to any other field (for Boaz would instruct his reapers to drop extra for her)
• She was not to leave the company of the other women in the field.
• No man was to touch her!
• She was permitted to drink from the men’s water.

As mentioned, Boaz may have had early interest in this foreign lady, this lady committed to Naomi, and for that kindness, she was thankful.

Ruth 2:10 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?”
Ruth 2:13 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.”

Boaz’s acts of kindness reflects in a small way “the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

But in reality there is a huge difference, for Boaz was kind to a grateful and faithful lady, whereas the Most High, as He sought us and died for us, provided His lavish kindness to the ungrateful and evil.

His kindness far exceeds our understanding, and for that we are grateful, and desire to follow after Him, being transformed as He lives in us!

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