Ruth & Naomi

The Scarlet Thread April 2003

Ruth & Naomi

This month our stop along the scarlet thread takes us to Bethlehem and the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. We find this story in The Book of Ruth. Though only four chapters long, this book is one of the most beautiful in the Bible. It is filled with love and devotion, as well as prophetic insights regarding the One Who would later come from the union in this book.

The story begins in Bethlehem with Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion. A famine has come upon the land and the family is forced to leave their home, sell the right to use their land, and travel to Moab (modern day Jordan). While living in Moab, the boys take wives for themselves from among the Moabite women. After ten years in Moab we find that not only has Elimelech passed away, but Mahlon and Chilion have passed away as well, leaving Naomi alone with her two Gentile daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth.

Also around this time Naomi learns that God has given food to her people back home in Israel, so the three women pack up and get ready to move. But Naomi doesn't want to sentence her daughters-in-law to a life of widowhood, so she encourages them to return to their mothers' homes and find new husbands for themselves. Initially both women protest, but after further prodding by Naomi, Orpah does indeed return to her mother. Ruth, however, refuses to leave Naomi and says so in no uncertain terms:

“And Ruth said, `Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you.'” - Ruth 1:16-17

So the two women move on to Bethlehem and the promise of food. Once settled, Ruth asks for Naomi's permission to go out and glean in the fields as it is the end of barley season. (It was mandated in Leviticus 23:22, that harvesters to go through the field only once, leaving grain behind for those less fortunate to be able to come in and glean.) This had to be a very humbling experience for both women, but it was necessary for their survival.

Once in the fields, Ruth is introduced to Boaz, in whose fields she happens to be working. When Boaz meets her he knows immediately who she is and how faithful she has been to Naomi. Boaz then ensures not only Ruth's success in the fields, but her safety as well. Seeing the abundance of grain her daughter-in-law has brought home, Naomi asks Ruth where she had been working. As soon as Naomi hears Boaz' name, she sets in motion a plan that not only will restore her to her husband's land, but will result in Ruth returning to the family and having a son to carry on the family name - and become one of the Messiah's ancestors. Here's what happened.

Naomi instructs Ruth to get primped and perfumed, go to the threshing floor during the night, and wait for Boaz to fall asleep (the men had to sleep on the threshing floor to protect their grain). Once again Ruth follows Naomi's instructions and once there, Ruth lifted Boaz's skirt and covered herself with the hem of his garment - not to initiate inappropriate behavior, but to put herself under his authority as her and Naomi's kinsman-redeemer. (A kinsman-redeemer is a person who is willing to set aside their personal interests in order to restore a relative to their rightful position, or to ensure that the name of a brother will not pass away. [Lev. 25:23-25; Lev. 25:47-50; Deut. 25:5-10]) When Boaz wakes and realizes what's going on he is more than flattered and promises Ruth he will take care of everything, even though there is a man who is a closer kinsman. (It is also interesting to note the parallel here with the passage in Luke 8:43-44, when the woman with the issue of blood touches the hem of Yeshua's robe.)

Boaz then confronts the closer kinsman, who is not willing to perform in the role of kinsman-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth. At this point Boaz declares that he will step into that role for the women. He redeems the land that Naomi's husband had to lease out when they initially left Bethlehem and returns Naomi to the land. He marries Ruth, a Gentile, bringing her into the family of God and ensuring her first husband's name will not be lost. Then they have a son, Obed, who becomes the father of Jesse, and Jesse fathers David, who becomes the king of Israel and the ancestor of the Messiah. (Another interesting note: Boaz not only married a Gentile, but his mother was also a Gentile - Rahab, the harlot who hid and aided the two spies sent into Jericho by Joshua.)

I strongly believe that everything in Scripture points us to the Messiah and gives us an example of one or more aspects of His ministry - either something He completed during His time on earth, or something that He will complete at the time of His second coming. The Book of Ruth is a wonderful example of this.

In this beautiful love story, the Messiah is portrayed by Boaz. The body of Christ is portrayed by Ruth, the bride who is brought into relationship with the God of Israel through her marriage to Boaz. Israel is portrayed by Naomi. Boaz and Ruth are introduced by an unnamed servant - a type of the Holy Spirit.

When Boaz takes on the role of kinsman-redeemer, he then becomes a type of the Messiah, who has brought both Jew and Gentile into a right relationship with Father God through our “marriage” with Yeshua. (It is also interesting that the Book of Ruth is traditionally read at the Feast of Shavuot [Pentecost], the only Biblical feast which includes leaven [a hint at the bringing in of Gentiles to the covenant relationship with God.] and the feast during which the church was born through the infilling of the Holy Spirit.) When Yeshua returns to establish His physical rule and reign on the earth, He will then restore the people of Israel to the land promised them by God. (Yeshua's fulfillment of the requirements of redemption of the “title” to the land is recorded in the book of Revelation, beginning in Chapter 5.)

Wow! Is all of that really in such a small book? I hope you'll read it, no, study it, for yourself and find out! I know you'll be glad you did!

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Amplified Bible,

Used by permission.


	The Scarlet Thread April 2003 Ruth & Naomi This month our stop along the scarlet thread takes us to Bethlehem and the story of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz. We find this story in The Book of Ruth. Though only four chapters long, this book is one of the most beautiful in the Bible. It is filled with love and devotion, as well as prophetic insights regarding the One Who would later come from the union in this book. The story begins in Bethlehem with Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion. A famine has come upon the land and the family is forced to leave their home, sell the right to use their land, and travel to Moab (modern day Jordan). While living in Moab, the boys take wives for themselves from among the Moabite women. After ten years in Moab we find that not only has Elimelech passed away, but Mahlon and Chilion have passed away as well, leaving Naomi alone with her two Gentile daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Also around this time Naomi learns that God has given food to her people back home in Israel, so the three women pack up and get ready to move. But Naomi doesn't want to sentence her daughters-in-law to a life of widowhood, so she encourages them to return to their mothers' homes and find new husbands for themselves. Initially both women protest, but after further prodding by Naomi, Orpah does indeed return to her mother. Ruth, however, refuses to leave Naomi and says so in no uncertain terms: “And Ruth said, `Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you.'” - Ruth 1:16-17 So the two women move on to Bethlehem and the promise of food. Once settled, Ruth asks for Naomi's permission to go out and glean in the fields as it is the end of barley season. (It was mandated in Leviticus 23:22, that harvesters to go through the field only once, leaving grain behind for those less fortunate to be able to come in and glean.) This had to be a very humbling experience for both women, but it was necessary for their survival. Once in the fields, Ruth is introduced to Boaz, in whose fields she happens to be working. When Boaz meets her he knows immediately who she is and how faithful she has been to Naomi. Boaz then ensures not only Ruth's success in the fields, but her safety as well. Seeing the abundance of grain her daughter-in-law has brought home, Naomi asks Ruth where she had been working. As soon as Naomi hears Boaz' name, she sets in motion a plan that not only will restore her to her husband's land, but will result in Ruth returning to the family and having a son to carry on the family name - and become one of the Messiah's ancestors. Here's what happened. Naomi instructs Ruth to get primped and perfumed, go to the threshing floor during the night, and wait for Boaz to fall asleep (the men had to sleep on the threshing floor to protect their grain). Once again Ruth follows Naomi's instructions and once there, Ruth lifted Boaz's skirt and covered herself with the hem of his garment - not to initiate inappropriate behavior, but to put herself under his authority as her and Naomi's kinsman-redeemer. (A kinsman-redeemer is a person who is willing to set aside their personal interests in order to restore a relative to their rightful position, or to ensure that the name of a brother will not pass away. [Lev. 25:23-25; Lev. 25:47-50; Deut. 25:5-10]) When Boaz wakes and realizes what's going on he is more than flattered and promises Ruth he will take care of everything, even though there is a man who is a closer kinsman. (It is also interesting to note the parallel here with the passage in Luke 8:43-44, when the woman with the issue of blood touches the hem of Yeshua's robe.) Boaz then confronts the closer kinsman, who is not willing to perform in the role of kinsman-redeemer for Naomi and Ruth. At this point Boaz declares that he will step into that role for the women. He redeems the land that Naomi's husband had to lease out when they initially left Bethlehem and returns Naomi to the land. He marries Ruth, a Gentile, bringing her into the family of God and ensuring her first husband's name will not be lost. Then they have a son, Obed, who becomes the father of Jesse, and Jesse fathers David, who becomes the king of Israel and the ancestor of the Messiah. (Another interesting note: Boaz not only married a Gentile, but his mother was also a Gentile - Rahab, the harlot who hid and aided the two spies sent into Jericho by Joshua.) I strongly believe that everything in Scripture points us to the Messiah and gives us an example of one or more aspects of His ministry - either something He completed during His time on earth, or something that He will complete at the time of His second coming. The Book of Ruth is a wonderful example of this. In this beautiful love story, the Messiah is portrayed by Boaz. The body of Christ is portrayed by Ruth, the bride who is brought into relationship with the God of Israel through her marriage to Boaz. Israel is portrayed by Naomi. Boaz and Ruth are introduced by an unnamed servant - a type of the Holy Spirit. When Boaz takes on the role of kinsman-redeemer, he then becomes a type of the Messiah, who has brought both Jew and Gentile into a right relationship with Father God through our “marriage” with Yeshua. (It is also interesting that the Book of Ruth is traditionally read at the Feast of Shavuot [Pentecost], the only Biblical feast which includes leaven [a hint at the bringing in of Gentiles to the covenant relationship with God.] and the feast during which the church was born through the infilling of the Holy Spirit.) When Yeshua returns to establish His physical rule and reign on the earth, He will then restore the people of Israel to the land promised them by God. (Yeshua's fulfillment of the requirements of redemption of the “title” to the land is recorded in the book of Revelation, beginning in Chapter 5.) Wow! Is all of that really in such a small book? I hope you'll read it, no, study it, for yourself and find out! I know you'll be glad you did! Copyright (c) 1996 - 2003 Dan & Linda Krueger. All rights reserved, no portion of this site may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.