3我们需要对路得得著神经纶的赏赐这事实，有深刻的印象。神创造人是有定旨的，这是照著祂永远的经纶。这经纶不是普通的计画，或只是一个小小的安排。在宇宙中，神圣、永远的经纶仅次于神自己。神照著祂的经纶，创造了诸天、地和人。但神的仇敌进来，企图破坏那使人联于神，使神联于人的线。在创世记三章，撒但切断这条线；但至终基督这应许的女人后裔，（15，）藉著将人赎回归神，修复了这条线。在约书亚记、士师记、路得记里，地上没有多少人使自己联于神。在路得记的时候，神与人之间的线非常细，甚至细到一个地步，主要只有两个人在维系著，就是波阿斯和路得这一对夫妇。这对夫妇奇妙、主宰的被带在一起。虽然波阿斯生来就是以色列人，而路得是生在乱伦的摩押地，但路得被带到美地，甚至到伯利恒，大卫的城。路得有权利从许多不同的田拾取麦穗，但她却到了波阿斯的田里。路得的婆婆拿俄米知道路得在波阿斯的田里拾取麦穗，就非常喜乐。拿俄米渴望为路得找个安身之处，就指示她当行之事。（三2～4。）路得遵守拿俄米的指示，她与波阿斯就进入恋爱的追求。他们在禾场上的时候，路得要求作波阿斯的妻子。波阿斯对她说，『凡你所说的，我必照著行；我本城的人都知道你是个贤德的女子。我实在是你的亲人，只是还有一个人比我更近。你今夜在这里住宿；明早他若肯为你尽亲人的本分，就由他罢；倘若不肯，我指著永生的耶和华起誓，我必为你尽本分。』（11～13。）波阿斯非常仁慈的指明，他要照著神的律例而行。（利二五25，申二五5～10。）他们的恋爱带进他们的婚姻。藉著那婚姻，摩押寡妇路得得著神圣子民的公民权，成为神选民中的一人。
3We need to be impressed with the fact that Ruth’s reward was for God’secon o my. Man was created by God with a purpose according to His eternal economy. This economy is not a common plan or merely a small arrangement. In the universe the divine and eternal economy is second only to God Himself. According to His economy God created the heavens, the earth, and man. But God’se ne my came into attempt to break the line that joins man to God and God to man. In Genesis 3 Satan cut this line, but eventually Christ as the promised seed of the woman (v. 15) came to repair the line by redeeming man back to God. In the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, there were not many on earth who had linked themselves to God. At the time of Ruth the line between God and man was very thin. It was thin to such an extent that it consisted mainly of two persons, a couple—Boaz and Ruth. This couple was brought together in a marvelous and sovereign way. Although Boaz was born an Israelite and Ruth was born in Moab, an incestuous country, Ruth was brought to the good land, even to Bethlehem, the city of David. Ruth had the right to glean from many different fields, but she went to Boaz’s field. When Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, learned that Ruth had gleaned in Boaz’s field, she was very happy. Desiring to find a resting place for Ruth, Naomi instructed her about what to do (3:2-4). Ruth followed Naomi’s direction, and she and Boaz were brought into a courtship. When they were at the threshing floor, she applied to be his wife. He said to her, “All that you say, I will do for you; for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman. And now it is true that I am a kinsman, yet there is a kinsman closer than I. Stay for the night; and in the morning if he will do the kinsman’s duty, fine; let him do it. But if he is not willing to do the kinsman’s duty for you, I will do it for you, as Jehovah lives” (vv. 11-13). In a very kind way Boaz was indicating that he would act in accordance with God’s ordinances (Lev. 25:25; Deut. 25:5-10). Their courtship led to their marriage. Through that marriage Ruth, a Moabite widow, gained the holy citizens’ citizenship, becoming one among God’select.