Vol.8 No.2

The Gospel According to Ruth
In the story of Ruth we find the gospel in miniature.
by Doug Batchelor

The time of Judges in Hebrew history was not a time of loyalty to God. The children of Israel were oppressed by different nations and had fallen into idolatry. In the midst of that general apostasy is a little oasis—the story of Ruth. It is a story of love, redemption, trial and travel involving humble people, unaware that their daily lives were so full of gospel symbolism.

The story begins when a famine forced Elimelech, his wife, Naomi, and their two sons to sell their home in Bethlehem-Judah and resettle in Moab. Ironically, Bethlehem means House of Bread in Hebrew. In time, the two sons married Moabite girls. Then, tragedy struck: the husband and the two sons died, and Naomi was left with her two daughters-in-law. So when “the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread” (Ruth 1:6), Naomi decided to return home.

“And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her [new] husband” (Ruth 1:8-9).

Orpah and Ruth knew that the family inheritance back in Bethlehem had been sold  (a very important detail). In Bible times there was no social security, no government programs. A person’s income hinged largely upon the man who did the farming and a lot of the heavy work, thus providing for the whole family. But if a woman past the years of marriage had lost her sons and had no daughter to be adopted into a son-in-law’s family, she was doomed to a life of poverty and begging. Inspite of this, the two set out with the mother-in-law for Israel. When someone you loved was leaving, it was considered inappropriate not to follow them part of the way.

Again, Naomi urged her daughters-in-law to stay and find new husbands. Orpah, seeing that Naomi was not asking for politeness, returned. But Ruth’s intentions went beyond good manners. Her answer is the story of Christian commitment and resolve. “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me” (Ruth 1:16, 17).

The word Ruth means “friend, companion.” What better name for a young woman manifesting such loyalty, devotion and tenderness? Naomi’s testimony through trial was so powerful that Ruth could not shake the conviction that God was with her. We are the best witnesses when we go through adversity, not when we are surrounded with abundance. It is through trials that we demonstrate Christ.

Gospel Symbols

A woman means a church in Bible symbology. Naomi symbolizes the children of Israel and the Old Testament, while Ruth is a symbol of the apostolic church and the New Testament. In the New Testament church, the children of Israel are joined by the Gentiles. Ruth was a Gentile, a heathen who joined the Israelites.

When the two women finally arrived in Bethlehem, Naomi asked those who recognized her to call her Mara—bitterness—for Naomi meant pleasantness and it must have been too painful to retain it.

During the harvest, the Jews were commanded not to harvest the leftovers of the field. The poor and the stranger gleaned those. Naomi was poor and Ruth was a stranger, and so they were qualified to glean.

As Ruth went to glean, “... she happened to come” to the field of Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech (Ruth 2:3, RSV). I can’t help but smile when I read “she happened to come.” Have you ever had those happenings in your life? Once I was in a New York City phone booth looking for the telephone number of a friend, David McLean. There I was, surrounded with glass, while the streets around me were swarming with people. The list didn’t help, since I didn’t know his parents’ name. I looked outside, desperately thinking, “What am I going to do?” And ... David McLean happened to walk by the phone booth. Earlier in my life, experiences like these told me, “There must be a God in heaven.”

Boaz also just happened to be middle-aged, unmarried, and very wealthy. As he came to the field, Boaz greeted people in the name of the Lord, indicating that he was a godly man in an ungodly generation. Boaz means strong, lively; and, as a redeemer who always comes in the name of the Lord, he is a symbol of Christ.

Noticing Ruth, he asked: “Who is this woman?” This was a spark of love because there were many other young women in the field, but only this one caught his eye. Boaz must have had sympathy for a stranger since he was only half Jew himself. Rahab, his mother, was the woman who hid the two spies sent to Jericho (see Matthew 1:5).

As she asked him for permission to stay, Boaz told her: “Don’t go anywhere. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you?” And no one touched her because when you touch Ruth, you touch the apple of Boaz’ eye. The object on the earth upon which God bestows His infinite attention is His church.

Naomi told Ruth, as the story progresses in chapter 3, “Look, it’s not enough that you work in His field and that He feeds you. You need to be united with Him.” The Bible says that we must know the Lord (Hebrews 8:11). It’s  not enough that you come to church and get a little food. Do you know the Lord? Are you intimate with Him?

In this whole plot, Ruth received her directions from Naomi. You cannot understand the New Testament without the Old Testament. On the other hand, Ruth gleaned to feed Naomi. Is there any light in the Old Testament without the New? The Old Testament is like the moon, reflecting the light from the sun, the New Testament.

Naomi instructed Ruth as an old Jewish woman who understood human nature, Jewish law, and men: “Wash yourself. You’re going to present yourself to Boaz. You need to be clean. Anoint yourself and put on your best garments.” The clothing is a symbol of righteousness in the Bible. “And go down to the threshing floor.” That is where the rejoicing and the abundance of grain are. “But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Then it shall be that he will tell you what to do next” (Ruth 3:3-4, paraphrased).

So Ruth went to the place where Boaz was sleeping and lay down at his feet, a place of submission. At midnight he turned to find a warm body at his feet. Notice the beautiful symbol she used: “... spread ... thy skirt over thine handmaid” (Ruth 3:9). In other words, “I am the only one through which my family can retrieve its land. Will you redeem my family? I am the only chance of our redemption.” Under the Jewish law, if a man died and an inheritance had been sold, the next of kin could repurchase it, but would be expected to marry the widow to raise up seed for the inheritance. Jewish women could initiate this process. Christ has already initiated His union with us when He said, “Come unto me.” You and I must respond to that proposal, for we have lost our inheritance and it is only through Him that we may regain it.

In order to qualify as a kinsman redeemer, several conditions had to be met.  First of all, the kinsman had to be related to the family by blood. The nearest kinsman was the most qualified. Next, he had to desire the status of redeemer. If he did not desire it, the next of kin could qualify. Then, he needed enough resources to pay the redemption price. Finally, the redeemer could not himself be in debt.

Our Kinsman Redeemer

The symbolism of this ceremony depicts Christ’s efforts to reach lost man. Jesus became one of us—flesh and blood. He is not only related to the human race, but is also willing to redeem us and this should make us eternally grateful, for the price for your redemption and mine was His life. There was no higher price than the life of God Himself. Additionally,  Jesus was the only One who came to this earth in the form of a human who had never sinned. Though He had a human body, in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin, He was free—not in debt—and thus able to redeem you and me.

Because Boaz was not the closest kin to Naomi, he first made sure that her closer kin was not interested.  He then gathered ten elders to Bethlehem’s gate and proceeded with the ceremony of the kinsman redeemer. When Boaz accomplished everything he needed in order to redeem Naomi’s property,  he married Ruth. A child was born to them, named Obed, David’s grandfather. (Matthew 1:5, 6).

This story starts with poverty and ends in prosperity. It starts with a widow and it ends with a marriage. It starts with death and it ends with birth. Have you ever felt like Naomi in the beginning of the story? Have you ever wondered, “Why would anyone like to be with me? I have no future.” But when she united herself with Ruth and when both united themselves with Boaz, the whole story turned around.

Jesus came to redeem you and me. We are enslaved, indebted to an enemy by the choice of our ancestors and by our own choice. We might think nobody wants us, but Jesus does. And He can make us free if we accept His love and His interest in us. Are you willing to be redeemed today?