Prophecy In The Book of Ruth

9/07


For as long as I can remember, the Book of Ruth has been very precious to me.  Initially I think it was because my mother shared with me that Ruth's declaration to Naomi was her favorite passage in the Bible (well, the Old Testament, as my family is Jewish).  Here are Ruth's words, spoken to her mother-in-law Naomi after Naomi encourages her to go back to her people as Naomi's other daughter-in-law, Orpah, did.

“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.  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.” - Ruth 1:16-17

These are very strong words for a daughter-in-law to speak to her mother-in-law, especially in light of the fact that at this point they are both widowed.  By the way, if you have never read Ruth, or if it's been a while, please take the time to do so.  It's a very short book (only four chapters long) and will bless you beyond measure.

Over the years I've heard folks teach on Ruth, using Naomi as a type, or example, of Israel, Ruth as a type of the Church, and Boaz as a type of Christ.  We, as Ruth did with Boaz, have placed ourselves under the authority of Christ.  Because of this act of submission and our accepting Christ as our Kinsman-Redeemer, we are brought into God's family and are redeemed, or saved, from our sins.  While there is merit in this teaching, I have begun to wonder about the accuracy of this teaching as a whole.  I mean, if Ruth is supposed to be a type of the Church, then it would be the Church's direct actions that bring about Israel's restoration to the land.  Unfortunately, this is not what Scripture teaches.  While the Church is to be an example of how to live in right relationship to God, and while the Church is enjoying the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant that was promised to Israel, the Church is not going to be the agent by which Israel is restored to their land.

The restoration of Israel to the land promised to her by God will take place at the second coming of Christ.  It is then that He will act as Israel's Kinsman-Redeemer and restore her to the land that was promised to them by God in a covenant that was unconditionally secured and to be performed by God alone.  This was first promised to Abraham, then to Isaac, and then to Jacob and his descendants.  The whole of the area promised to them by God has never been fully realized, yet.  After Christ returns and performs as Kinsman-Redeemer, Israel will in fact take possession of the fullness of the land for the first time in history.

So, what events will lead up to Israel's being restored not only to the land, but spiritually as well?  Unfortunately they are going to be pushed to the wall during a time that is commonly known as The Tribulation, or the Seventieth Week of Daniel (see Daniel chapter nine).  This seven year period will be a time of judgment and testing for all those who dwell on the earth at that time.  The second half of this seven year period, known as The Great Tribulation, will see two-thirds of the world's Jews exterminated by the one commonly called the anti-Christ.  (To put this in perspective, during WWII one-third of the world's Jews were exterminated in Hitler's concentration camps.)  Much of the Old Testament prophets' writings deal with this time period as well as the subsequent Millennial reign of Christ.  But in the book of the Revelation we are given a glimpse into what will be taking place in heaven during this time period.  In Revelation chapter five, there is an interesting scene.  The apostle John is speaking:

“Next I saw in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals; and I saw a might angel proclaiming in a loud voice, `Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?' But no one in heaven, on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it.  I cried and cried, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.  One of the elders said to me, `Don't cry.  Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the right to open the scroll and its seven seals.'” - Revelation 5:1-5

John goes on to describe this person who has won the right to open the scroll as, “a Lamb that appeared to have been slaughtered.”  This Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, is none other than Y'shua, Jesus the Messiah, who through His life of perfect obedience to the Father and through His sacrificial death, has won the right to open the scroll.  That's very nice, but what exactly is the scroll?  Let's look back at Ruth for some insight.

In chapter four of Ruth we are witness to a redemptive transaction.  While Ruth, under Naomi's guidance, has gone to Boaz and asked him to perform in the role of Kinsman-Redeemer for her and Naomi, there is something - rather someone - standing in the way of Boaz being able to do so.  You see, in order for Naomi to be restored to her family's land, her nearest kinsman (actually the kinsman of her late husband) would have to be willing to fulfill the requirements necessary to transfer the title deed of the land so that the land would be released by the current renter and returned to the original owner or family.  When the initial transaction would have been drawn up - in this case when Naomi's family was getting ready to leave Israel to go to Moab - the terms of redemption for the title deed would have been written on the outside of the scroll (title deed) and the scroll sealed.  That way if someone wanted to restore the land to the original owner, whether it was the original owner himself or a kinsman-redeemer, the terms would be plainly written on the outside of the scroll so that these conditions could be properly met and the title deed restored to the original owner.  In the case of Boaz, there was one other relative who was a closer kinsman than himself, so by law he had to be made aware of the situation and given the opportunity to function as kinsman-redeemer.  In this case the nearer kinsman declined and Boaz was able to function in that role.

In the case of Y'shua being able the only One qualified to open the scroll in heaven, as stated earlier it was because of His life of perfect obedience to the Father and His sacrificial death that He will be able to act as Kinsman-Redeemer on behalf of Israel.  So, if Naomi is a type of Israel and Boaz is a type of Y'shua, and if the restoration of Israel to the land happens after the Tribulation, can Ruth really be a type of the Church?

If we look again at the passage from Revelation chapter five above, we see that it is “one of the elders” who tells John that there is One who has won the right to open the scroll.  In chapter four John says that there are twenty-four elders in heaven at this time - the time prior to the seals of the scroll being opened and the corresponding judgments being poured out on the earth.  I believe that these elders represent the church saints who will be gathered in to heaven by the Lord prior to the events of the Seventieth Week of Daniel.  If that is in fact the case, then the church will not be present on earth during the time of the Tribulation.  So who would Ruth be representing if not the church?

In Matthew 25:31-46, Y'shua speaks of a time when the Son of Man will come in His glory and He will sit on His throne.  At this time there will be a separating of “sheep” and “goats.”  These sheep and goats are comprised of “the nations” or the Gentiles who will assemble before Y'shua as He sits on His throne at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom.  The criteria for classification as either a sheep or a goat is simple - how that person treated Y'shua's brethren, the Jews.  Their salvation isn't dependent upon their actions; rather their actions are dependent upon whether they have entered into a redemptive relationship with God through Christ. And just as there were Gentiles during WWII who were willing to risk their lives to help hide Jews, there will be again during the Great Tribulation.  These Gentiles will give aid and comfort to the Jews during this time, making it possible for Jews to come to the end of the Seventieth Week of Daniel thereby making it possible for Y'shua to then act on their behalf as Kinsman-Redeemer.

This is the same thing that we see happening in Ruth.  Ruth first pledges her loyalty to Naomi, going so far as saying that Naomi's God will be her God.  Then because Ruth is willing to put herself under Boaz' authority, Boaz blesses Ruth and she in turn is able to help sustain Naomi until that time when Boaz acts on her behalf as kinsman-redeemer.

After having said all of this, I don't want to forget the other daughter-in-law, Orpah.  Again, looking at the book as a prophetic type or example, Naomi would represent Israel, Ruth would represent the sheep Gentiles of the Tribulation period, Boaz would represent Y'shua as Kinsman-Redeemer, and Orpah would represent the goat Gentiles - those who turn their back on Israel.  Even taking the book of Ruth as a type of Israel and the church, Orpah would then represent those in the church who turn their back on Israel.  We are seeing this happening more and more frequently, which is highly distressing although not surprising when you look at the history of the church.  (This actually opens a whole other kettle of fish that I hope to deal with in another article very soon.)

I think that instead of trying to force the church to fit in the prophetic picture that is painted for us in the book of Ruth, we need to allow the text to show us what the prophetic meaning is.  When taken in conjunction with the whole of Scripture, I feel that the End Time scenario fits the typology of Ruth much better than the church scenario.  But should you take my word for it?  No!  Break out your Bible and dig in!  Let God show you the treasures He has for you!




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