PRINCIPLES FOR GLEANERS (Ruth 2)

Expository, History, Old Testament, Ruth

Ruth 2 – PRINCIPLES FOR GLEANERS

(This is a long outline and does not contain alliteration. I suggest you prepare a handout sheet to be distributed to your hearers.) 

In Ruth 2, Ruth goes forth to “glean.” To glean meant “to gather” or to “pick up.”  According to the Word of God, gleaners were allowed to pick up grain that was missed by the harvesters. See Leviticus 19:9-10, 23:22, and Deuteronomy 24:19-21. The gleaners were poor people, such as widows. 

In a real sense, each one of us are gleaners. Today we will glean from somewhere and feed are minds and hearts with material.  It is important that we gather from the right source, God’s Word. Based on this passage, here are 8 principles for us to be aware of as gleaners. 

  1. WE WILL ALL GLEAN SOMEWHERE TODAY. Vss. 1-2

Each of us will go out to glean, whether we realize it or not.  We will pick up things from others, from the media, from reading material etc.

We are not isolated. We will be influenced by something. 

  1. THE FIELD OF GOD’S WORD IS AVAILABLE Vs. 3

There were friendly farmers and hostile farmers in Israel. Some showed compassion on the poor, others hostility. Ruth found a friendly, available field. 

God’s Word is a field from which we can glean (Jeremiah 15:16, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2-3). We can gather Spiritual nourishment from this field. 

  1. GLEANING TAKES EFFORT Vss. 4-7

It was noted to Boaz that Ruth had been working all morning, with the exception of a little rest.

Studying God’s word will also take effort. (Acts 17:10-11, 2 Timothy 2:15) 

  1. WE SHOULD CHOSE AND REMAIN IN THE RIGHT FIELD Vss. 8-9

Ruth chose the right field in which to glean. Boaz told her to stay.

The field of God’s Word is certainly the place to chose to glean, and the place to remain. (John 15:7,10) 

  1. GOD WILL GIVE US “HANDFULS ON PURPOSE” AS WE GLEAN. Vss. 15-16 

Boaz instructed his harvesters to leave handfuls of grain in the way so Ruth could pick them up. 

As we search God’s Word and ask for help, God will leave us all sorts of good things from which to learn. (Psalm 119:27, 97-104) 

  1. GLEANING BRINGS REWARD Vs. 17

Just as Ruth received a good harvest from gleaning in Boaz’s field, we will receive a great Spiritual reward as we glean from God’s field. (Jeremiah 15:16, John 5:39, Psalm 1:3) 

  1. WE SHOULD SHARE WHAT WE GLEAN WITH OTHERS Vs. 18

Ruth shared her gleanings with Noaomi. We need to share our gleanings with others. (2 Timothy 2:2, Matthew 18:19-20) 

  1. THE BIG QUESTION FOR US IS “WHERE HAVE WE GLEANED TODAY?” Vs. 19

Have we gleaned in someone else’s field, or in the field of God’s Word?