This year I have been reading through the Old Testament in the book order laid out in the Hebrew ordering of Law, Prophets, and Writings. In that ordering, Ruth comes right after Proverbs instead of Judges. This is important, because Ruth is depicted as the woman described in Proverbs 31. This ordering is meant to show you that Ruth is living out what it means to be the excellent wife (in Hebrew, woman of strength/worth) described in Proverbs 31:10. Ruth is described by Boaz as a woman of strength/worth in Ruth 3:11. So it is right to read the book of Ruth and write studies on Ruth focusing on her character, faith, godliness, and womanhood. But this time reading, I could not help but notice all the ways that Boaz is described as hitting the marks of the Proverbs 31 man (see Proverbs 31:1-11, 23, 29). So this post is dedicated to looking at the marks of Biblical manhood that Boaz lived out.
First Mark: A man of strength and worth
Boaz is described as a mighty man of strength/worth in chapter 2 verse 1 (the same term used to describe Ruth). While physical strength is a characteristic of manhood, the focus here is on his strength of character. Godly character is what makes Boaz a man of strength/worth. Boaz was a righteous man, a worthy man, living in an ungodly world. He was alive during the judges, when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Yet he was not one who did what was right in his own eyes. Instead, he was a worthy man, a man who lived uprightly in the sight of God. He was a wise man, and the fruits of his life proved so. Godly men seek to live the kind of life where their strength is used in pursuit of wisdom and worth.
Second Mark: A man of faith who uses the blessings of God to benefit others
Given the fact that Boaz had fields plentiful enough to employ reapers shows us that God had providentially provided Boaz with an abundance. And yet, Ruth begins by describing a “famine in the land” (1:1). For Boaz to remain in the land during the famine showed that he was a man of faith. God had promised that land to Israel and would provide for his people. Boaz, as a man of strength and worth, trusted in God and his promises even when God’s presence and blessings appeared absent in the land. Then, when God had “visited his people and given them food” (1:6), Boaz used those providential blessings to bless others. He used his ingenuity and business acumen to not only create wealth for himself, but for others also. He created wealth for the reapers. And he wasn’t cheap or stingy. He was well respected by those he employed. He blessed them, and they blessed him in return (2:4).
Third Mark: A man who cares for the widow and sojourner
The Old Testament frequently describes the oppressed as the orphan, the widow, and the sojourner. Ruth was two of those: a widow and a sojourner. The Proverbs 31 man is described as someone who opens his mouth to judge righteously and defends the rights of the poor and needy. That is exactly what we see Boaz do for Ruth. He gave her work, though she was a foreigner. He protected her dignity by ordering the young men not to touch her. He invited her to eat and drink at the same table as the rest of the reapers. In short, he defended her rights.
Fourth Mark: A man whose strength/worth makes him known in the community
Proverbs 31:23 states, “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.” Boaz is known in the gates of his community (4:1-12). He has pursued being a man of strength/worth throughout his life, which has led him to having a respected reputation in the community. The elders of the town gave Boaz a hearing. Other men of prominence respected Boaz. That is something earned through a life well-lived before God.
Advice to Men, Young and Old
Whether you just received your high school diploma in the mail or your AARP certificate of age, pursue being this kind of man. Make it an aim in life to be a man of strength/worth. Aim to be a man who is wise. Aim to be a man who uses God’s providential blessings, however great or small they may be, to bless and benefit others. Be a man who cares for the oppressed, and seek to have a good name in your community. Men, may the Lord bless you and keep you!
Sound Teaching, Sound Living 