Ruth 1:16-17. But Rut said, "Don't press me to leave you and stop following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried. May ADONAI bring terrible curses on me, and worse ones as well, if anything but death separates you and me."
Everyone needs financial and physical resources to reach one’s goals in life, to sustain yourself in this world. Commitment must always precede those resources. Commitment is to carry forth into action deliberately, to obligate, to entrust, to bind, to pledge oneself to a commitment or course.
When a person demonstrates a commitment to God, when you entrust yourself to His will and authority in your life it allows God to release supernatural blessings and success into you.
Proverbs 16:3 (TLV). Commit whatever you do to Adonai, and your plans will succeed.
In the very first Chapter of Ruth, she chooses to stay with Naomi, her Jewish Mother-in Law, even after she loses her husband, Naomi's son. Ruth didn't know it, but her commitment would lead to all kinds of open doors.
1. Commitment gives Ruth work in a foreign land in a time of economic recession
Ruth 2:1-2. Na'omi had a relative on her husband's side, a prominent and wealthy member of Elimelekh's clan, whose name was Bo'az. 2 Rut the woman from Mo'av said to Na'omi, "Let me go into the field and glean ears of grain behind anyone who will allow me to." She answered her, "Go, my daughter."
There is an inverse blessing here for Boaz (Bo'az means Strength in Hebrew), a God-fearing man who understands commitment and obedience to God who opens up his own stream of blessings by following the word of God:
Leviticus 23:22. 'When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.' "
Bo’az is obedient, he is not harvesting the edges of his fields.
Ruth 2:3-7. So she set out, arrived at the field and gleaned behind the reapers. She happened to be in the part of the field that belonged to Bo'az from Elimelekh's clan, 4 when Bo'az arrived from Beit-Lechem. He said to the reapers, "ADONAI be with you"; and they answered him, "ADONAI bless you." 5 Then Bo'az asked his servant supervising the reapers, "Whose girl is this?" 6 The servant supervising the reapers answered, "She's a girl from Mo'av who returned with Na'omi from the plain of Mo'av. 7 She said, 'Please, let me glean and gather what falls from the sheaves behind the reapers.' So she went and has kept at it from morning until now, except for a little rest in the shelter."
Here's another interesting point. According to God and Leviticus 23:22 she had every right to just go into the field and glean. However, having insight regarding kingdom protocol she asked permission. This is indicative of great humility on Ruth's part.
James 3:13. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom.
Asking permission requires humility! Ruth reveals she has a Proverbs 31 heart. Her humility wins her great favor with Bo'az.
2. Commitment brought security, comfort, and safety in troubled times:
Ruth 2:8-13. Bo'az said to Rut, "Did you hear that, my daughter? Don't go to glean in another field, don't leave this place, but stick here with my working girls. 9 Keep your eyes on whichever field the reapers are working in, and follow the girls. I've ordered the young men not to bother you. Whenever you get thirsty, go and drink from the water jars the young men have filled." 10 She fell on her face, prostrating herself, and said to him, "Why are you showing me such favor? Why are you paying attention to me? After all, I'm only a foreigner." 11 Bo'az answered her, "I've heard the whole story, everything you've done for your mother-in-law since your husband died, including how you left your father and mother and the land you were born in to come to a people about whom you knew nothing beforehand. 12 May ADONAI reward you for what you've done; may you be rewarded in full by ADONAI the God of Isra'el, under whose wings you have come for refuge." 13 She said, "My lord, I hope I continue pleasing you. You have comforted and encouraged me, even though I'm not one of your servants."
3. Commitment gives Ruth abundant provision in the midst of a famine (recession) for her and her mother-in-law:
Ruth 2:14-18. When meal-time came, Bo'az said to her, "Come here, have something to eat, and dip your piece of bread in the [olive oil and] vinegar." She sat by the reapers, and they passed her some roasted grain. She ate till she was full, and she had some left over. 15 When she got up to glean, Bo'az ordered his young men, "Let her glean even among the sheaves themselves, without making her feel ashamed. 16 In fact, pull some ears of grain out from the sheaves on purpose. Leave them for her to glean, and don't rebuke her." 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. When she beat out what she had gathered, it came to about a bushel of barley. 18 She picked it up and went back to the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned, and Rut brought out and gave her what she had left over after eating her fill.
4. Commitment opens the door for Ruth to find a Husband:
Ruth 3. Na'omi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, I should be seeking security for you; so that things will go well with you. 2 Now there's Bo'az our relative -you were with his girls. He's going to be winnowing barley tonight at the threshing-floor. 3 So bathe, anoint yourself, put on your good clothes, and go down to the threshing-floor; but don't reveal your presence to the man until he's finished eating and drinking. 4 Then, when he lies down, take note of where he's lying; later, go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. He will tell you what to do." 5 She responded, "I will do everything you tell me." 6 She went down to the threshing-floor and did everything as her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 After Bo'az was through eating and drinking and was feeling good, he went to lie down at the end of the pile of grain. She stole in, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night the man was startled and turned over, and - there was a woman lying at his feet! 9 He asked, "Who are you?" and she answered, "I'm your handmaid Rut. Spread your robe over your handmaid, because you are a redeeming kinsman." 10 He said, "May ADONAI bless you, my daughter. Your latest kindness is even greater than your first, in that you didn't go after the young men, neither the rich ones nor the poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you everything you say, for all the city leaders among my people know that you are a woman of good character.
Ruth's reputation of humility and Character preceded her, she was already know by the city elders at the city gate. Bo'az takes the case to the elders at the city gate and Ruth is blessed by them:
Ruth 4:10-12. Also I am acquiring as my wife Rut the woman from Mo'av, the wife of Machlon, in order to raise up in the name of the deceased an heir for his property; so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his kinsmen and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today." 11 All the people at the gate and the leaders said, "We are witnesses. May ADONAI make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Le'ah, who between them built up the house of Isra'el. Do worthy deeds in Efrat; become renowned in Beit-Lechem. 12 May your house, because of the seed ADONAI will give you from this young woman, become like the house of Peretz, whom Tamar bore to Y'hudah."
5. Commitment opened Ruth's womb:
Ruth 4:13-16. So Bo'az took Rut, and she became his wife. He had sexual relations with her, ADONAI enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the women said to Na'omi, "Blessed be ADONAI, who today has provided you a redeemer! May his name be renowned in Isra'el. 15 May he restore your life and provide for your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him." 16 Na'omi took the child, laid it on her breast and became its nurse.
6. Commitment placed Ruth in the lineage of King David and Yeshua.
Ruth 4:17. The women who were her neighbors gave it a name; they said, "A son has been born to Na'omi," and called it 'Oved. He was the father of Yishai the father of David.
7. Commitment allowed Ruth to fulfill Biblical Prophecy:
Isaiah 56:5-6. in my house, within my walls, I will give them power and a name greater than sons and daughters; I will give him an everlasting name that will not be cut off. 6 "I will also bless the Gentiles who commit themselves to the LORD and serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who have accepted his covenant.
Ruth has an everlasting name as her story is recorded in scripture for all eternity! The Key? Commitment. Once you commit it allows God to supernaturally give provision, blessings, and sustenance to flow into your life. Lack of commitment inhibits the flow of blessings.
Let me bring this home to our reality today. I will share with you that one of the biggest issues that plague the Messianic movement is lack of commitment.
Where would we be today if Ruth had said: “I love the richness and depth of these Israeli fields, it makes everything come to life and its all truth, but I'm going to stick with the way things were in Moav, its easier for me”! Or I'm gleaning from this field but I'm sending it back to my Pastor in Moav, not to Naomi. Or “This was a great time here with Naomi but it’s getting a little rough gleaning in the fields so I'm just going to go back to Moav, its more familiar to me”.
Who will commit to the God of Israel and begin to see streams of supernatural blessings begin in their lives?
Psalms 37:5. Commit your way to ADONAI; trust in him, and he will act.
Ken Blanchard s in His book “The Minute Manager” says:
~There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.~
Who will recite this passage and take it to heart?
Ruth 1:16-17. But Rut said, "Don't press me to leave you and stop following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried. May ADONAI bring terrible curses on me, and worse ones as well, if anything but death separates you and me."
Too often people associate and base their commitment upon their emotions. If they get that warm fuzzy feeling, it's not too hard, if they are not taken out of their comfort zone, if their schedules aren't changed, and there is lots of joy and happiness they're ready to follow through with their commitment. True commitment doesn't work that way. Commitment isn't based on emotions. Commitment is a character quality that enables individuals and teams to reach their full potential. Emotions continually sway back and forth, up and down all the time while commitment must be rock solid, unmovable, unalterable. May your commitment be renewed and unfaltering!
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
Everyone needs financial and physical resources to reach one’s goals in life, to sustain yourself in this world. Commitment must always precede those resources. Commitment is to carry forth into action deliberately, to obligate, to entrust, to bind, to pledge oneself to a commitment or course.
When a person demonstrates a commitment to God, when you entrust yourself to His will and authority in your life it allows God to release supernatural blessings and success into you.
Proverbs 16:3 (TLV). Commit whatever you do to Adonai, and your plans will succeed.
In the very first Chapter of Ruth, she chooses to stay with Naomi, her Jewish Mother-in Law, even after she loses her husband, Naomi's son. Ruth didn't know it, but her commitment would lead to all kinds of open doors.
1. Commitment gives Ruth work in a foreign land in a time of economic recession
Ruth 2:1-2. Na'omi had a relative on her husband's side, a prominent and wealthy member of Elimelekh's clan, whose name was Bo'az. 2 Rut the woman from Mo'av said to Na'omi, "Let me go into the field and glean ears of grain behind anyone who will allow me to." She answered her, "Go, my daughter."
There is an inverse blessing here for Boaz (Bo'az means Strength in Hebrew), a God-fearing man who understands commitment and obedience to God who opens up his own stream of blessings by following the word of God:
Leviticus 23:22. 'When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.' "
Bo’az is obedient, he is not harvesting the edges of his fields.
Ruth 2:3-7. So she set out, arrived at the field and gleaned behind the reapers. She happened to be in the part of the field that belonged to Bo'az from Elimelekh's clan, 4 when Bo'az arrived from Beit-Lechem. He said to the reapers, "ADONAI be with you"; and they answered him, "ADONAI bless you." 5 Then Bo'az asked his servant supervising the reapers, "Whose girl is this?" 6 The servant supervising the reapers answered, "She's a girl from Mo'av who returned with Na'omi from the plain of Mo'av. 7 She said, 'Please, let me glean and gather what falls from the sheaves behind the reapers.' So she went and has kept at it from morning until now, except for a little rest in the shelter."
Here's another interesting point. According to God and Leviticus 23:22 she had every right to just go into the field and glean. However, having insight regarding kingdom protocol she asked permission. This is indicative of great humility on Ruth's part.
James 3:13. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom.
Asking permission requires humility! Ruth reveals she has a Proverbs 31 heart. Her humility wins her great favor with Bo'az.
2. Commitment brought security, comfort, and safety in troubled times:
Ruth 2:8-13. Bo'az said to Rut, "Did you hear that, my daughter? Don't go to glean in another field, don't leave this place, but stick here with my working girls. 9 Keep your eyes on whichever field the reapers are working in, and follow the girls. I've ordered the young men not to bother you. Whenever you get thirsty, go and drink from the water jars the young men have filled." 10 She fell on her face, prostrating herself, and said to him, "Why are you showing me such favor? Why are you paying attention to me? After all, I'm only a foreigner." 11 Bo'az answered her, "I've heard the whole story, everything you've done for your mother-in-law since your husband died, including how you left your father and mother and the land you were born in to come to a people about whom you knew nothing beforehand. 12 May ADONAI reward you for what you've done; may you be rewarded in full by ADONAI the God of Isra'el, under whose wings you have come for refuge." 13 She said, "My lord, I hope I continue pleasing you. You have comforted and encouraged me, even though I'm not one of your servants."
3. Commitment gives Ruth abundant provision in the midst of a famine (recession) for her and her mother-in-law:
Ruth 2:14-18. When meal-time came, Bo'az said to her, "Come here, have something to eat, and dip your piece of bread in the [olive oil and] vinegar." She sat by the reapers, and they passed her some roasted grain. She ate till she was full, and she had some left over. 15 When she got up to glean, Bo'az ordered his young men, "Let her glean even among the sheaves themselves, without making her feel ashamed. 16 In fact, pull some ears of grain out from the sheaves on purpose. Leave them for her to glean, and don't rebuke her." 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. When she beat out what she had gathered, it came to about a bushel of barley. 18 She picked it up and went back to the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned, and Rut brought out and gave her what she had left over after eating her fill.
4. Commitment opens the door for Ruth to find a Husband:
Ruth 3. Na'omi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, I should be seeking security for you; so that things will go well with you. 2 Now there's Bo'az our relative -you were with his girls. He's going to be winnowing barley tonight at the threshing-floor. 3 So bathe, anoint yourself, put on your good clothes, and go down to the threshing-floor; but don't reveal your presence to the man until he's finished eating and drinking. 4 Then, when he lies down, take note of where he's lying; later, go in, uncover his feet, and lie down. He will tell you what to do." 5 She responded, "I will do everything you tell me." 6 She went down to the threshing-floor and did everything as her mother-in-law had instructed her. 7 After Bo'az was through eating and drinking and was feeling good, he went to lie down at the end of the pile of grain. She stole in, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night the man was startled and turned over, and - there was a woman lying at his feet! 9 He asked, "Who are you?" and she answered, "I'm your handmaid Rut. Spread your robe over your handmaid, because you are a redeeming kinsman." 10 He said, "May ADONAI bless you, my daughter. Your latest kindness is even greater than your first, in that you didn't go after the young men, neither the rich ones nor the poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you everything you say, for all the city leaders among my people know that you are a woman of good character.
Ruth's reputation of humility and Character preceded her, she was already know by the city elders at the city gate. Bo'az takes the case to the elders at the city gate and Ruth is blessed by them:
Ruth 4:10-12. Also I am acquiring as my wife Rut the woman from Mo'av, the wife of Machlon, in order to raise up in the name of the deceased an heir for his property; so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his kinsmen and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses today." 11 All the people at the gate and the leaders said, "We are witnesses. May ADONAI make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Le'ah, who between them built up the house of Isra'el. Do worthy deeds in Efrat; become renowned in Beit-Lechem. 12 May your house, because of the seed ADONAI will give you from this young woman, become like the house of Peretz, whom Tamar bore to Y'hudah."
5. Commitment opened Ruth's womb:
Ruth 4:13-16. So Bo'az took Rut, and she became his wife. He had sexual relations with her, ADONAI enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the women said to Na'omi, "Blessed be ADONAI, who today has provided you a redeemer! May his name be renowned in Isra'el. 15 May he restore your life and provide for your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him." 16 Na'omi took the child, laid it on her breast and became its nurse.
6. Commitment placed Ruth in the lineage of King David and Yeshua.
Ruth 4:17. The women who were her neighbors gave it a name; they said, "A son has been born to Na'omi," and called it 'Oved. He was the father of Yishai the father of David.
7. Commitment allowed Ruth to fulfill Biblical Prophecy:
Isaiah 56:5-6. in my house, within my walls, I will give them power and a name greater than sons and daughters; I will give him an everlasting name that will not be cut off. 6 "I will also bless the Gentiles who commit themselves to the LORD and serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who have accepted his covenant.
Ruth has an everlasting name as her story is recorded in scripture for all eternity! The Key? Commitment. Once you commit it allows God to supernaturally give provision, blessings, and sustenance to flow into your life. Lack of commitment inhibits the flow of blessings.
Let me bring this home to our reality today. I will share with you that one of the biggest issues that plague the Messianic movement is lack of commitment.
Where would we be today if Ruth had said: “I love the richness and depth of these Israeli fields, it makes everything come to life and its all truth, but I'm going to stick with the way things were in Moav, its easier for me”! Or I'm gleaning from this field but I'm sending it back to my Pastor in Moav, not to Naomi. Or “This was a great time here with Naomi but it’s getting a little rough gleaning in the fields so I'm just going to go back to Moav, its more familiar to me”.
Who will commit to the God of Israel and begin to see streams of supernatural blessings begin in their lives?
Psalms 37:5. Commit your way to ADONAI; trust in him, and he will act.
Ken Blanchard s in His book “The Minute Manager” says:
~There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.~
Who will recite this passage and take it to heart?
Ruth 1:16-17. But Rut said, "Don't press me to leave you and stop following you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. 17 Where you die, I will die; and there I will be buried. May ADONAI bring terrible curses on me, and worse ones as well, if anything but death separates you and me."
Too often people associate and base their commitment upon their emotions. If they get that warm fuzzy feeling, it's not too hard, if they are not taken out of their comfort zone, if their schedules aren't changed, and there is lots of joy and happiness they're ready to follow through with their commitment. True commitment doesn't work that way. Commitment isn't based on emotions. Commitment is a character quality that enables individuals and teams to reach their full potential. Emotions continually sway back and forth, up and down all the time while commitment must be rock solid, unmovable, unalterable. May your commitment be renewed and unfaltering!
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi Eric S Carlson
Posted in March 2025
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