Book of Ruth – Brimming with Jesus’ work of redemption and the reasons

Deutsch

The Book of Ruth, a small section of the Old Testament with just four chapters. A “nice” story with a happy ending. Nice. Was that it? No, because the seemingly casual anecdote contains the work of Jesus Christ, His principle of salvation, and also the background of why everything had to happen this way.

With Ruth another type

The Old Testament contains numerous events and characters that symbolize the characteristics and work of Jesus Christ. Alongside well-known figures such as David, Joseph (who was sold into slavery in Egypt), and Moses, the story of Ruth also parallels Jesus’ ministry and the principle of His prepared path of salvation. The following list includes the Book of Ruth with all four chapters..

Elimelech and Naomi leave Judah

During the time of the Judges, a period after Israel’s entry into Canaan (c. 1410 BCE) and before the first king, Saul, was crowned in 1051 BCE, a famine raged in Judah. ​​A man named Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, set out to seek refuge in the land of Moab. There, they apparently found better opportunities to escape famine. Both settled in Moab with their sons Mahlon and Chilion.

During his ten-year stay in Moab, Elimelech died. Both sons took Moabite wives there; one married Orpah, and the other Ruth. Mahlon and Chilion also died, leaving only the widowed wives: Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. All three left Moab to return to Naomi’s original homeland, Bethlehem.

Upon their return, Naomi was recognized and approached by some of the inhabitants of Bethlehem. She no longer wanted to be called Naomi, but rather Mara. This was due to her bitterness over her losses. Mara means “bitterness” and was already significant among the people of Israel during their wanderings in the desert. They arrived thirsty at a spring of water. It was undrinkable due to its bitterness. This watering hole was named Mara. God then showed Moses a piece of wood to throw into the water. The bitterness disappeared (Exodus 15:23-25).

DThe time when Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem was during the barley harvest. A relative of Naomi’s deceased husband, Elimelech, was Boaz. He was very wealthy and a respected man in the Bethlehem region. Ruth saw that the barley harvest was just beginning and offered to go into the field to gather the barley ears harvested by the reapers ahead. This field belonged to Boaz. As Boaz passed by, he noticed Ruth, who was still unknown to him.

The first clear parallels

Even the first scenes contain a whole series of descriptions that point to the saving work of Jesus Christ. As is well known, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem (as was David). The famine prevailing there indicates a measure taken by God in response to the unfaithful people. Furthermore, the sons took pagan women as wives. This was something God forbade His people from associating with the pagans. They were to be an example to them, to prove the true God through a carefree life, but not to adopt their rites, traditions, or even idolatry.

Moab, the land of the Moabites. The patriarch Moab was a son of Lot, conceived by his elder daughter. After the destruction of Sodom, she got Lot drunk and wanted to have children. Lot’s younger daughter followed her elder sister’s example, and thus Ben-Ami, the patriarch of the Ammonites, was conceived.

Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, has the fitting meaning “House of Bread,” or “House of Bread.”

The men, Elimelech, who left Bethlehem and thus the people, as well as Mahlon and Chilion, who took pagan women as wives, died in the land of the pagans.

Barley harvests took place in the Bethlehem region in the spring (March-April). The early harvest, which also served as the occasion for celebrating the Feast of First Fruits on the 16th of the month of Nisan (Info), also symbolizes the first, valuable fruits to sprout after the sowing of the Gospel. The wheat harvest (late harvest), which takes place a year later, symbolizes the conclusion. The latter rain falls beforehand to complete the fruit for harvest. Then comes the (final) harvest, in which the wheat is separated from the weeds (believers and the ungodly).

Ruth meets Boaz

After Boaz noticed Ruth in the field, one of his servants asked who this woman was. The servant explained that Ruth worked diligently in the field, from morning to night, and wasted little time at home. Boaz approached Ruth and told her not to leave his field to work in another field. Ruth should always keep her eyes on the reapers ahead and follow them. When she was thirsty, she should simply go to the water drawn by Boaz’s servants.

Ruth was ashamed and amazed that she, a foreigner, had found favor in Boaz’s eyes. But Boaz had previously heard that she had remained faithful to her mother-in-law despite her own great loss, even leaving her birthplace to go with Naomi to a land of a people completely unknown to her. Boaz added:
“The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” (Ruth 2:12).

Boaz – A Type of Jesus Christ

With this statement, Boaz has already clearly indicated the reference to Jesus Christ. Working in Boaz’s field symbolizes doing the work of God. Just as the workers in the Lord’s vineyard do, Jesus Himself is the vine, without whom the branches are capable of nothing. Capable of all sorts of things, yes, but not capable of doing God’s work.

Boaz instructed Ruth to stay in his field and not work in other people’s fields. There is only one field of God, in which God’s work is also done. Other fields and the works performed there, accordingly, are the territory of paganism. There is simply no “intermediate field” or “neutral field.” Either man and his works, thanks to the power of God, are in God’s field, or in the field of the sower of tares.

Ruth came into the people of God, over whom the Lord has spread His protective wings. A representation also used by David,
“” (Psalm 91:4)
und gut 1100 Jahre später auch Jesus Christus selbst. Allerdings unter sehr traurigen Umständen:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37)

Boaz protects Ruth

Boaz ensured that Ruth would be looked after. She was also to take care of the harvest among the sheaves, and the servants were instructed by Boaz that no harm should be done to her. The servants were even to pull some of the bundles of grain and leave them for Ruth to gather. She was not to be scolded for this, however.

God protects His people

Working in God’s field is no picnic. Challenges will arise, requiring perseverance and patience. People will also prove stubborn and hardened, but they should not be deterred. God knows His people who work in His field, and He protects them, indeed, treating them as the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8; Zechariah 2:12; Deuteronomy 32:10).

Ruth wants to stay in Boaz’s field

Ruth returned home after her day of working in the fields and spoke with her mother-in-law, Naomi, about her experiences. This is how Naomi learned that Ruth had been dealing with Boaz. Naomi told her daughter-in-law that Boaz was a blood relative. Ruth told her that she was to stay in Boaz’s field until the entire harvest was finished. This was very good news for Naomi, as she emphasized that it was better to work in Boaz’s field than in any other field, and to be bothered there, too.

So Ruth stayed in Boaz’s field and was to continue working there until the barley and wheat harvests were finished.

Working in God’s field – Until the end

Well, it’s obvious that this indicates that good works can only be done in God’s field. This is not for a limited time, but until the end. The wheat harvest symbolizes the end of the year, and thus the final harvest, when the angels, as reapers, move through this world to separate the wheat from the weeds. The return of Jesus Christ is imminent (Revelation 14:14-20).

“And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” (Revelation 14:15-16)

Ruth gets ready

Naomi was concerned about finding a husband for her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth who could care for her. She advised Ruth to bathe, anoint herself, and dress in fine clothes. Once prepared, she should then go to the threshing floor. This is the place where the harvest is threshed and the grain is separated from the chaff. Ruth was to keep a low profile until the man had finished eating and drinking. When he finally lay down to sleep, she was to follow him, lie at his feet, and do whatever the man told her.

This man is Boaz. He lay down, and Ruth followed him and lay at his feet. He asked her who she was, and Ruth identified herself. She replied: “And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.” (Ruth 3:9)

“Kinsman” (Hebrew: “ga’al”), someone of the same ancestral line, a relative who, according to oriental kinship law, can repurchase the property of a relative or marry his widow.

The Bride of Christ Prepares

Here, Ruth fulfills the representation of the people of God, the bride of Jesus Christ. She prepares herself, purifies herself, and puts on beautiful garments. The purification of the people occurs through the sanctification of each individual—the overcoming of sin, with the help of God’s power. Thus, the people of Israel were urgently urged to purify themselves, repent, and prepare themselves before the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, 10 of Tishri). This also applies to the preparation for the “wedding of the Lamb.”

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8).

Jesus Christ, incidentally, has only one bride. There’s absolutely no room for any separate consideration of different faith groups, some of which may be lifted up through a “pre-rapture” and the others will rule in a subsequent Kingdom of Peace on Earth (Info).

Boaz will finish it

Boaz praised Ruth for not following young men like so many other maids, whether rich or poor. Boaz wanted everyone in his household to know that Ruth was virtuous and promised to fulfill her every wish. While Boaz emphasized that he was a redeemer, he pointed out that there was another redeemer besides him, one who was even closer to Ruth. Ruth remained at Boaz’s feet until the next morning.

Early in the morning, Ruth got up before any of the others present at the threshing floor noticed her. She didn’t want it to become known that a woman had been present. Boaz asked Ruth to hold her robe spread out in her hands and filled it with six measures of barley. Ruth returned to Naomi and reported to her that this barley was Boaz’s, as he didn’t want her to return to her mother-in-law empty-handed. But she advised Ruth to wait in silence, for Boaz would certainly not rest until the matter was completed.

Jesus sees it through to completion

Jesus Christ doesn’t do things by halves. The plan of salvation has been established since time immemorial, and so it will come to pass. Those who work in His field certainly don’t have it easy—after all, work is work, and there’s a lot of opposition—but no one will go home empty-handed. After all, the workers carry their fruits to the surrounding areas of the field. And it will benefit them if they only accept this. An invitation to come into God’s field and do His work.

It is also emphasized to remain firmly in God’s field and not to work in any other fields. In other words, to advocate, let alone teach, doctrines other than the Gospel. Nor to pursue any philosophies.

Boaz buys the land of the widow Naomi

Meanwhile, Boaz went into the city and met the other redeemer, of whom he had last spoken. He was to sit with Boaz. Ten of the city’s elders also came. Boaz told the other redeemer that Naomi, who was returning from the land of Moab, wanted to sell the land of her deceased husband, Elimelech. Boaz asked the redeemer if he wanted to purchase it, and if so, the others present should be witnesses. The redeemer agreed. Boaz pointed out that by purchasing the land from Naomi, he was also acquiring it from Ruth, the Moabite. In doing so, the redeemer would restore the deceased’s name to his inheritance.

This led the redeemer to the opposite decision. He refrained from purchasing the land because he would ruin his own land by acquiring the pagan Moabite’s share. He urged Boaz to buy the land himself. Boaz did so and even went a step further. He spoke to the elders and the rest of those present:
“And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.” (Ruth 4:9-10)

It happened as promised. The people present confirmed their presence and affirmed that Ruth should come into the house of the Lord, as Rachel and Leah had been willing. They wished Boaz that his house would become powerful through his offspring. Naomi remained in the house and nurtured the firstborn.

The principle of ownership and inheritance

This passage contains a weighty core that not only describes the principle of salvation, but also the “why and wherefore.” The connections are somewhat complicated, but “complicated” means “intricate,” not “difficult.”

The beginning of the dilemma

It’s about property rights and inheritance. Who created this world? God is the Creator through Jesus Christ (Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16; John 1:1-2;14). Who took over this world (Earth)? That was Satan. He didn’t steal it, however, but rather incorporated it into his own through deception. This happened in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and obeyed the serpent’s promises (lies). They chose the adversary as their authority and became unfaithful to God. Since man was given dominion over the rest of the (earthly) creation (Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8), the adversary immediately took advantage of this as well.

This kind of unified rebellion of humanity (at that time there were only two) was also a concern of Satan’s soon after the Flood. Nimrod and the Tower of Babel were such an approach. It failed. But this has remained Satan’s goal to this day: rebellion through disobedience, that is, disregard for God’s law.

Power is clear – but also justice?

Simply eliminating Satan would have been easy for God. But that is not God’s character. Everyone agrees that God is almighty. However, at least a third of all angels were less convinced that God is truly just and love incarnate. Satan, in his rebellion against God, had taken this onto his own side (Revelation 12:3-4). But even among the angels who remained faithful to God, the seeds of potential doubt had already been sown. Thus, sin had entered the entire universe for the first time. God created this world of ours and thus also humanity. Satan undeterred simply continued his evil work.

Now it is up to humanity to glorify God through obedience to God’s law and ultimately to prove that, contrary to Satan’s accusations, God’s law can indeed be kept. Thanks to God’s power. This, in turn, leads to the proof that God is not only love, which is demonstrated beyond all else by the death of Jesus on the cross, but also just. Not simply proclaimed justice, but proven justice (Info).

Everything God, or rather Jesus Christ, does is neither impure nor secret. The world is witness (according to Ruth, the elders and the people are witnesses). The righteous deeds are not all evident now, but they will be revealed, that is, made understandable and comprehensible (Revelation 15:4).

The same principle until the final

Since Satan’s goal is to unite all people without exception in rebellion against God, his wrath is all the greater against those who remain faithful to God despite all opposition. The dragon will wage his final war against those, and only those, who observe God’s law and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17). And the witnesses will watch. Until the time comes when the last remaining ones, those who did not accept the mark of the beast but instead received God’s seal (Revelation 7:1-3), will be killed. That is the moment when God will intervene and end all this.

God’s justice has been conclusively proven, and Satan’s false accusations have been proven just as proven. Thus, it is also proven that Satan’s claims of ownership are based on lies, deceit, and deception.

The result is extremely visible. Humanity has been in sin since Eden, a fallen nature. Sin is “actually” a non-condition, an absurdity, a no-go, in the universe created by God. His love for His creation is God’s character, and the plan of salvation is also God’s logical consequence. He does not want anyone to perish. But man decides for himself. Just as Satan chose his path. Sin will disappear from this universe again, and with it those who clung to sin and rejected God’s gift.

Repurchase and inheritance

Jesus Christ “buys back” the land. He did this especially with His own blood. He redeems it. Thus, true believers and people faithful to God are also the “bought.”
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” (1 Corinthians 7:23).

And it is also the inheritance. Only relatives are entitled to an inheritance. This includes sons. People who remain faithful to God are also the “sons of God” and thus entitled to inherit. Jesus Christ divides the repurchased land among the heirs. Romans 8:17:
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.“

That this right of inheritance is completely independent of origin and lineage is demonstrated by:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
und
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29)

It culminated in Jesus Christ

The son of Boaz and Ruth was Obed. After him, in the generations following, came Jesse, Eliab, Abinadab, Shimea, Nethaneel, Raddai, Ozem, and finally David, 10th after Judah and King of Israel. And “only” 27 generations later came Jesus Christ, the 40th after Abraham.

The human lineage of Jesus Christ was not, as many might assume, without “spot and wrinkle.” Ruth is a direct ancestor of David. She is therefore also called the “mother of the house of David.” Thus, there is a Gentile in the line. But Boaz’s mother, Rahab, also had a less than flattering past. She also came from “outside” and married Salmon, a Judean. Rahab had previously lived in the city of Jericho as a prostitute. Not exactly a flawless line, but fortunately quite unproblematic (Info).

The reference to the work of Jesus and even to the causes and reasons for the path to salvation in the Book of Ruth also contain detailed symbols that are hidden, among other things, in the respective names.

Naomi means “my beloved”
Elimelech means “my God is king”
Kilion means “sickness, faintness”
Orpah means “stubborn”
Ruth means “friend, companion”
Boaz means “in him is strength”

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)