The specific message of Ruth to the 21st Century Church
“In days to come His people will understand this clearly
(Jeremiah 23:20, 30:24 – Good News Translation)
The book of Ruth is seen, rightly, as a wonderful romance. In addition, the character Boaz has long been seen as a “type” of Jesus. But is there a deeper and more urgent sub-text to help believers in the 21st century?
- How does the book of Ruth speak into the often vexed relationship of Jew to Christian?
- What is the Christian’s fundamental responsibility to Jewish people?
- Who is YOUR “kinsman-redeemer”?
Ruth as a Prophetic Parable
The book of Ruth is one of the most well-loved in the Bible. Action-packed and fast-moving, it recalls a Gentile woman’s sacrificial love for her Jewish mother-in-law, her risky journey to another country, and her life-changing encounter with a man of great kindness and generosity. First and foremost, it is a passionate love story, but it is also about enduring friendship between historical enemies, exceptional faith, and the Lord’s power to restore and heal. Like so many great stories, it climaxes in a cliff-hanger of high drama before delivering the desired happy ending. In short, Ruth is an inspirational true story.
Not surprisingly, a great deal has been said and written for the benefit of believers concerning the spiritual truths contained in this wonderful gem. Rather than repeating what has already been said, we are going to look at this story from a different perspective – that of a prophetic parable. The idea that we explore is that the key players in Ruth’s story are prophetic types for people who are central to the Biblical story. Not only that, there are important messages for believers to not just understand, but consider and act on in response to the Lord’s personal leading.
Approach to Understanding Prophetic Types
Yeshua made the astonishing claim that the entire Hebrew Bible was about Him, stating that “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms”[i]. This, therefore, is the key to unlocking the types, shadows and prophetic parables contained in the book of Ruth. So, the approach we shall take is to first ask where Yeshua most obviously appears in type – in other words, which character most resembles Him. We will explore the spiritual significance of elements in the story which reflect something of Messiah’s person and ministry. The God of the Bible is passionate about His relationships with people. Therefore, by examining the relationships of the various characters within the story, we can see how the key players are also prophetic types of people groups whose story is important to the Biblical narrative, such as the Jews and believers. These relationships in turn will encourage us to dig deeper into the important spiritual themes which the story touches upon.
An analogy for our approach might therefore be like following a breadcrumb trail. Each breadcrumb leads us another step along the journey. The beauty of this method, I believe, is that it encourages us to dig deeper into Scripture and enjoy the Lord’s revelation for ourselves. We can learn to receive more directly from Him rather than simply relying on the insights of others, no matter how valuable they may be. After all, Yeshua said that His Spirit would indwell us to lead us “into all truth”[ii] and remind us of “everything I have said to you”[iii].If you find this study helpful, I encourage you to see what you can learn from it.
Boaz
Messiah Foreshadowed
Most believers, if asked who most closely resembles Yeshua in the story of Ruth, would no doubt reply Boaz. The similarities between him and Yeshua are easy to identify. Boaz is thoroughly righteous, taking care of his own people and welcoming a stranger from a people with a long history of hostility to his own. He is a model of generosity, kindness and compassion. A Jewish man from Bethlehem, of the lineage producing King David and Israel’s Messiah, he performs the role of “kinsman-redeemer” regarding his relative Naomi.
Yeshua, Famine and Harvest
Famine and harvest are threads which run throughout the narrative. They are the reason behind Elimelech’s family leaving the land and Naomi’s return with Ruth. So, food is clearly important. This should prompt us to ask what Yeshua has to do with food, and perhaps remind us that He said “I am the bread of life”[iv]. Appropriately, Yeshua was born in “Beit Lechem” (Bethlehem), meaning “house of bread”. He told His disciples at their last Passover together that the unleavened bread they were to eat represented His body[v], and at other times described Himself as living water for people to drink[vi]. Yeshua’s words are the “words of eternal life”[vii], Messiah is the “Word of God”[viii]and He is the bread that came “from heaven and gives life to the world”[ix]. The great Biblical festivals instituted by the Lord in Leviticus 23 were both feasts and “appointed times” of meeting with Him. Being in close fellowship with Him is always something to enjoy and be celebrated! Two of the festivals, First-Fruits and Latter First-Fruits (Pentecost), were specifically associated with harvest.
Tanach also hints at these relationships by describing a time when there was “a famine of hearing the words of the Lord[x]” in the land. We will explore this theme in depth later, but for now let us simply pose a question. Could famine indicate the Lord’s absence, and an abundant harvest His presence, in some way?
Ruth
Her Relationship to Boaz
Ruth is the central figure of the story, which prompts the question of her relationship to Boaz. This will then lead us without too much difficulty to whom she represents in type.
Ruth was a Gentile woman who came to faith in the God of Israel and was drawn by God to Boaz, the man who took her under his protection and married her. Therefore, if Boaz represents Messiah, who does the New Testament say is His bride? The answer is clear – “the called-out ones” (ecclesia, usually translated “church”), who are also described as His body[xi]. There is no contradiction between these terms, for a husband and wife become “one flesh”[xii]. So, the relationship of Boaz and Ruth is a love story building up towards a marriage. This is exactly how the New Testament portrays Yeshua and His followers.
Ruth and Harvest
Ruth’s first encounter with Boaz is during the barley harvest. Yeshua Messiah was raised from the dead on the day of “first fruits” at the beginning of the barley harvest, which was followed by the festival of Shavuot (“Pentecost”), celebrating the start of the wheat harvest and the giving of Torah. On this day, the Holy Spirit was poured out, because the Word of God and the Spirit are an unbreakable bond. Believers are born again when they receive the Holy Spirit, who seals us for our future resurrection when we shall become as Messiah. Yeshua also spoke of the salvation of souls as a harvest[xiii].
Mercy over Judgement
Ruth is a Moabite, a race of people who were so hostile to the God of Israel that they were barred from fellowship under the covenant terms of Torah[xiv]. How could Boaz, a righteous, Torah-observant man, take such a woman to be His wife?
Boaz foreshadows Messiah, who loved us whilst we were still God’s enemies[xv] and brought us near through His covenant of grace. There is no greater love than laying down your life for your friends[xvi], except for sacrificing yourself for your enemies. Yet Yeshua was without sin, meaning that He was obedient to Torah. So, how can Boaz foreshadow Him whilst apparently setting aside God’s command?
[i] Luke 24:44
[ii] John 16:13
[iii] John 14:26
[iv] John 6:35
[v] Luke 22:19
[vi] John 4:14
[vii] John 6:68
[viii] 1 John 1
[ix] John 6:33
[x] Amos 8:11
[xi] 1 Corinthians 12:27, 2 Corinthians 11:2
[xii] Genesis 2:24
[xiii] John 4:35
[xiv] Deuteronomy 23:3
[xv] Romans 5:10
[xvi] John 15:13
Recent Comments