Go To The Field Ruth 2: 1-23 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

We were told by Jesus, “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest,” [Matt 9:28].  Ruth is a great example of laboring in the harvest.  

Ruth wanted to go – Ruth 2:2 – “Let me now go to the field.”  Her desire reminds us of those who are pastors.  1 Tim 3:1 says, “if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”  In other words, the Lord doesn’t send people into the harvest that don’t want to go.  Naomi said, “Go.”  And the Lord says to us, “Go” when we desire to be sent.  You see the same thing with Isaiah in Is 6:8, “Here am I, send me.”  He volunteered.

Ruth went – Ruth 2:3 – “And she went.”  There was no hesitation after Naomi sent her.  She went. We see the same thing with Philip in Acts 8:26-27.  The angel of the Lord said, “Arise, and go.”  And “he arose and went.”  She acted on what she desired.  She did something about it.  She showed some initiative. 

Ruth was led by the Lord – Ruth 2:3 – “her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz.”  Hap is something that happens unpredictably without human intention or observable cause.  In other words, she just ended up in the right field.  That’s Prov 16:9.  And when you are sent by the Lord into the harvest, you will see him lead you along the way.  He’ll lead you to “the field” and he’ll lead you to “the people.”  In Ruth’s case, she was led to Boaz’s field.  And she was led to Boaz.  “Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem,” [Ruth 2:4].  This is how the Lord makes divine appointments.  Grace, our new neighbor.

Ruth worked through the day – Ruth 2:7 – “she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now.”  Pastor Jason Murphy said that harvest time is urgent, intense, all day and night, timely, undistracted, and the highest priority.  He added that you get what you go for.  Dewey Bellows said that he picked the last acreage of cotton five days early because of the probability of rain and thanked the Lord that he missed these big rains that we’ve had lately.  The harvest is indeed timely.  The fields “are white already to harvest,” [Jn 4:35].

Ruth worked where she was told to work – Ruth 2:8 – “Go not to glean in another field.”  This is the Lord’s harvest and he wants you working where he tells you to work.  In other words, this is his harvest, not yours.  And he has the place where he wants you to work; the place where he will provide for you while you’re working [Ruth 2:9].  That’s a huge relief.  Bro. Gaddes became overwhelmed with all of Australia.  Let God worry about who’s going to cover all those other fields.  You cover yours.

Ruth left her family to work in this field – Ruth 2:11 – “thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore.” Ruth is like a missionary, in this regard.  And there may be someone here that the Lord will call to the mission field.  You better learn how to work like Ruth in this field before you try to work in a field in a strange land.  Work among those here that you haven’t know before.

Ruth was assured a reward – Ruth 2:12 – “a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel.”  When you work in the harvest, not only do you glean the fruit of the harvest, but you also receive the full reward of the Lord [Col 3:23-24].

Ruth reaped more than her labor – Ruth 2:16 – “let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose.”  The Lord knows who’s out there working in his harvest.  And you’ll receive some of what others have harvested.  The more we are involved in the work of the harvest, the more of the harvest the Lord puts in our church.

Ruth worked till the harvest ended – Ruth 2:23 – “unto the end of barley harvest of of wheat harvest.”  We are to stay with this work until the harvest is done.  And to my knowledge, it’s not done yet.

Conclusion: do you have a desire to work in the harvest?  Then tell the Lord that you want to go.  And then go.  He’ll lead you.  I have been praying for the college students on the college campuses.  If you are in college you can work in the harvest there better than I can.  Trust that the Lord will lead you, work while you are there, realize that you are “come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore,” work with a partner like Ruth worked with the maidens, and work with the confidence that God will reward your labor and put some extra harvest in your path.  The same goes for your neighbors, your co-workers, your friends and your family.  They are your field.