RUTH'S EXPERIENCE

The story of Ruth is a typological symbolism of a woman who believes in Jesus and is led into the kingdom of God. In chapters 2 and 3 we are presented symbolically, the church where Jesus is the head and everything works under his will. The name Ruth means friend or companion. Her name is mentioned 12 times. The number 12 is a symbol of the church. 12 are the tribes of Israel, the number of the apostles and the number of the gates of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the symbol of the church (Revelation 21:12).

Let’s follow Ruth “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land...” (Ruth 1:1). The reason for the famine in the land was the disobedience of the people of Israel. God had promised his people a land flowing with honey and milk. It has rain from heaven in its season, the Lord always oversees it, and the people eat bread without shortage (Deuteronomy 6:3, 8:9, 11:11,12). On the other hand he had informed his people that if they didn’t obey his commands he would curse them (Deuteronomy 11:17). The famine happened in the time the judges ruled. The judges were people anointed by God. Apparently the people did not listen to them or they themselves didn’t do their work properly, like Gideon at the end of his ministry.

“And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there" (Ruth 1:1,2). Here we see the backsliding of a family of God. They were people of God as the names Elimelech (my God is king) and Naomi (pleasantness) reveal. They were Ephrathites. Ephratha means fruitful. God wants the family that belongs to him to dwell in Bethlehem-Judah. Bethlehem means "house of bread" and Judah means "praise". This is the place God wants the believers to be present, his church, meaning the body of Christ, not the local congregation. This is where God is present and the believers are gathering in his name and are in obedience. In this church there is abundant bread which is the Word of God, and God is in the midst of praise.

Elimelech and Naomi left the land that God told them to dwell in and moved to a foreign country, Moab. Elimelech did not ask God why he brought famine to the land. He didn't ask him what was his will during these trials. It is wrong to do what seems right to us without asking the Lord (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25). Lot followed the desire of his eyes and did not ask the Lord where to dwell (Genesis 13:9-11). That's how he ended up in Sodom. Moab has two meanings which in essence have no difference between them. It's the world. The believer, faced with trials in the way of God, returns to the methods of the world to find his way back to prosperity.

A second interpretation that on the practical level makes more sense than the first is this. Moab symbolizes the church that is built on wrong teachings, where God is absent, but has a pretentious glory that is attractive in the eyes of the believer. In Moab, there were plentiful fields, valleys, vines and much cattle (Isaiah 16, Jeremiah 48, 2 Kings 3:4). The inhabitants were in joy and at ease (Jeremiah 48:11). “Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed” (Jeremiah 48:11). But God has other plans for his children, he takes them through discipline so that they can become partakers of his holiness (Hebrews 12:5-11). In the period of the test, you must stay under God’s will and not return to the world's methods or go to a church that is pleasant in your eyes but is preaching the wrong gospel. Symbolically the second seems to have happened to Naomi. There is no evidence she forgot God or she was living in iniquity and had to go through repentance. It is clear from Boaz’ report that Ruth was already a good person before she left Moab for Bethlehem (Ruth 2:11). It means if you have a certain correct knowledge of God, and life, including spiritual life seems stagnant, you hang on and don’t go to churches that are appealing to the senses but preach a false gospel, in order to fill your emptiness. This is a trap for many believers, a congregation that could look like a celebration, a seemingly pious pastor with great oratory skills, nice worship that makes you feel like you are in heaven, and of course having fellowship with lots of people, more than enough to cover your social needs. At the end of the day, no matter what experience you have at the time of the assembly, it is the gospel preached in your church that matters, and of course by whom. If you stay in such a church, it’s possible that the only pleasant thing happening in your life is the time believers gather together. Adhering to the wrong gospel, in a church that God does not honor and He is not present at it, could come at a cost with lack of blessings or even curses in any areas of your life.

In contrast to Naomi, Ruth is a type of a woman that had never had the experience of the true church, she has never been a member of it. The results of disobedience of Naomi's family are shown in Ruth 1:3-5 “And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.”

They lived in Moab for 10 years. The number 10 symbolizes the law. Apparently they chose to live in submission to the law, that cannot redeem man. Thus they fell into one of the greatest traps of Christianity. Spiritual life is walking behind Jesus and not stagnation under the law. When the rich man asked Jesus "what must I do to inherit eternal life?”, Jesus told him to follow him. The Israelites followed the Lord until the promised land. Jesus renewed to Peter the instruction "follow me" twice (John 21:19,22). Peter had already been sanctified (John 15:3) and was trained under him, but that was not enough. The name Mahlon means weakness or sickness, and the name Chilion means pining, wasting away. When we do not have proper fellowship with God, our children are expected to be worse off concerning their relationship to God.

“Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.” (Ruth 1:6). God visited his people and provided them with food. This means that the event was preceded by repentance of the people of Israel. Naomi heard it while staying in Moab and prepared with her daughters to return to her homeland. God didn’t abandon his child Naomi because of her disobedience. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Psalm 139:7,8). God sent her the message in Moab that he visited his people. In Ruth 1:22 we see that He not only informed them, but brought them to Judah at the right time, when the barley harvest would begin. He wanted them to have full enjoyment of his spiritual blessings.

In Ruth 1:8-18 we see Naomi trying to persuade her daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, to return to their mother's house back to their gods to find rest. Naomi's stay at Moab, that is the believer’s compromise to the world or a worldly church, had a negative effect on her heart. Instead of inviting them to follow her to the true Lord, who would give rest to their souls, she tried to sent them back to the world, where her life had been destroyed. So the believer who is away from the presence of the Lord, leads others to sin and death. It’s more a symptom of frustration and lack of hope for better days, based on her experience. Orpah was finally persuaded to return, but Ruth insisted on following Naomi to Judah. Ruth told her "thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16). The little she heard about God and his people in the land of Moab was enough to activate her faith and direct her to Him. She did not seek signs like the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Matthew 12:38, 16:1, Mark 8:11, Luke 11:16). The faith of Ruth is wonderful, especially considering that all she has seen from God so far is the calamities He brought to the house of Naomi.

So, the two women arrived in Bethlehem. “And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?” (Ruth 1:19,20,21), In Ruth 1:13 Naomi had understood that the hand of God came against her. Here we see her blaming God for her struggle and her experience. She didn’t do self-criticism, that her misfortune was the result of her actions, meaning, her migration from Judah to Moab. This is a mistake that happens to many of us. We don’t recognize that the absence of God in our lives is because of us and not of God. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, she did not expect that God, in his love, was waiting for her with open arms, just like the prodigal son didn’t expect the reception of his father, his calling as a “son”, the best robe, the ring, the shoes and the calf for dinner. (Luke 15:11-24).

"And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz” (Ruth 2:1). Boaz is a type of Jesus Christ and his name means strength. The power of salvation is in Jesus and it reminds us of Jesus’ answer to the disciples question “And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:26,27). Boaz was a relative of Naomi. Naomi is a type of believer who belongs to the family of Jesus Christ as his child, and pleases him. This is the kind of relationship the believer is expected to have with God. Ruth is a type of sinner who has no place in God's inheritance. God's people are the Israelites and she was a Moabite.

“And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter" (Ruth 2:2). Here we see the proper positioning of a person before God. He asks for his acceptance through his grace (Romans 3:24, Ephesians 2:8,9, 2 Timothy 1:9). On the contrary, Cain tried to please God with his labor, offering him the fruits of his field, but causing him displeasure. Abel sought God's grace by offering a sacrifice of blood (Genesis 4:3-5). “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

“And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech” (Ruth 2:3). The field of Boaz symbolizes the church that belongs to Jesus Christ. The wheat, the barley, and the bread are one and the same, symbol of Jesus (John 6:35,48,51). Jesus is the Word (John 1:14). Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4). The believer needs the barley that grew in God’s field, watered by heaven’s rain, the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 11:11,14). The reaper is the believer who receives the Word, his spiritual food, by studying the Bible. Ruth is gleaning in the field after the reapers. She is the type of believer that submits to her elders. (1 Corinthians 16:15,16, 1 Peter 5:5). Israelites were gathering the manna by themselves, it was not given to them by Moses. Likewise, Ruth gathered the barley by herself, she didn’t wait for others to give it to her. God himself will enlighten us for the comprehension of the Word, that’s why we should cling directly to Him for our growth, and not to people. It should be noted that Ruth did not try to find the right field, God drew her to his own field, because he saw in her heart a child of his.

“And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you. And they answered him, The Lord bless thee” (Ruth 2:4). Here we see God communicating with the believers who study His Word and He blesses them. “Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?“ (Ruth 2:5). The overseer is the type of elder or pastor of the sheep. The overseer gives a good report for the new believer. In fact, he adds “and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house” (Ruth 2:7), meaning, she receives the Word of God with zeal. There is no ignorance behind Boaz’ question "Whose damsel is this”, he knows very well who she is, as we see later. “And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. your mother and the land of your birth, and you came to a place that we did not know” (Ruth 2:11). The interpretation is that God is testing the elder or pastor of the local church. God wants to see if people with ministries really care about the flock, and their growth in the Word of God. This is the major part of a ministry of the pastor or elder in the church, to help the members to interpret and understand the Bible, identify their weaknesses and work on them accordingly. The overseer in the case of Ruth performs his duties very well. He knows who Ruth is, he pays attention to her, even if she is a newcomer, and he knows her progress in receiving the Word of God. It is a progress not measured by how many sermons you hear (everybody does that in churches), but by the understanding of the Word of God.

In Ruth 2:8,9, Boaz gives instructions to Ruth. God communicates with the believers who work in his own field. God communicates with his children in the right church that does God’s will and whose head is Jesus. On the contrary, in churches that are under human wisdom and under teachings and traditions of men, God doesn’t speak, and if someone speaks there, they are evil spirits. I mention the example of Saul, who is a type of Christianity in apostasy. Saul in 1 Samuel 14:37, 28:6, sought God's instruction but God didn’t answer. Then we see Saul prophesying under the influence of an evil spirit (1 Samuel 18:10). In Eli's time the word of the Lord was rare. This was because Eli was faltering in his relationship with God and his sons were even worse, they were in apostasy.

”Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens” (Ruth 2:8). The other fields that don’t belong to Boaz are fields which are sown with tares, meaning, false teachings. They are the wrong churches. God exhorts the believer to avoid them and stay in his own field. If you labor in another field you may do yourself damage, as Naomi implied to Ruth in Ruth 2:22.

In a church with false teachings, sooner or later you will harm your spiritual health, mental health and normal life, and your heart will be filled with bitterness, like Naomi’s (Ruth 1:20). Let us recall the experience of the Israelites at Marah (Exodus 15:23-25). “And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah” (Exodus 15:23). The good water is the Holy Spirit. It’s the water Jesus promised to the woman of Samaria. “Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13,14). The bitter waters symbolize spirit other than God’s. The false teachings could suit the believers’ desires and needs, but at the end they bring bitterness in the lives (2 Timothy 4:3). Seeking the truth, and guidance directly by God would lead you to taste the water that once you are given, you “shall never thirst”.

Later, we read about Moses in the scene in Marah “And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet…” (Exodus 15:25). The tree is the symbol of the tree of life (Genesis 2:9). If Jesus is present, the waters are sweet. “And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters” (Exodus 15:27). In Elim, the Lord is present as it is seen by the perfect numbers of God, 12 wells of water, and seven times ten palm trees.

The Israelites rested in the presence of their Lord for the first time since passing through the Red Sea. They were by the waters, symbolic of the Holy Spirit. They left Elim and came to the wilderness of Sin. It’s the place that the Lord rained bread from heaven for his people, the manna. The manna is a symbol of the revealed Word of God, not the letter (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4). The food is given directly by God and not Moses (John 6:32). It’s the start of the provision of manna to the Israelites. The manna stops at Gilgal (Joshua 5:12), when the Israelites start eating from the wheat of the land of Canaan. “And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.” Revelation 2:17 informs us about hidden manna in the kingdom of God, meaning the promised land (Canaan). We have more revelation of the Word in the kingdom of God. The manna has not only a beginning but an end. The believer has to come to a certain level of knowledge in order for God to start and finish the sanctification process. God does not demand a never-ending acquisition of knowledge from the believer. We see the same message in the story of Ruth, she gleaned the barley and when she finished, she lay at the feet of Boaz.

Later in the story, Boaz says “but abide here fast by my maidens" (Ruth 2:8). Here the believer has fellowship with other believers. ”Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn" (Ruth 2:9). God instructs the believers to work collectively, and adds “have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?”(Ruth 2:9). Here God offers protection to the believer in a true church. This is not the case in churches that are under the authority of the world and not of Jesus. Jesus, in the Lord’s prayer and in Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38, Luke 22:40 tells the believers to pray so that they will be free from temptation.

“And when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn” (Ruth 2:9). Jesus promises to quench the thirst of the believer (John 4:14, 7:37) with the water of life (Revelation 22:6, 22:17). “And she fell on her face and bowed down to the ground" (Ruth 2:10). The believer is in a posture of prayer. "Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?” (Ruth 2:10). Here Ruth is wrong. She is no longer a stranger in the eyes of the one who previously called her "my daughter”. Now she belongs to the people of God because she came to take cover under the wings of the Lord, the God of Israel (Ruth 2:12). The man who believed in Jesus and found refuge in him is no longer a sinner, he was redeemed from sin through the blood of Jesus and can now have fellowship with God. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). “Let us draw near with courage to the drone in order to receive mercy, find grace in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

In Ruth 2:11,12 the nature of his answer changes and from guidance he moves to consolation. “And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 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”. The Lord knows what good deeds we did in our lives even before we believed in him. and he rewards us accordingly. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap… And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:7,9) "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed” (Joel 2:25,26). Boaz praises Ruth for her behavior. In Isaiah 58:6-14 we see what kind of behavior pleases God, something that abstinence from food can’t replace.

“Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens” (Ruth 2:13). It doesn’t matter at what stage of spiritual life we ​​are. God shows the same grace and mercy to both the new believer and the mature Christian.

“And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left" (Ruth 2:14). Here we have an image of the communion. The believer receives the blood of Christ in remembrance of the blood of the new covenant that was “shed for many for the remission of sins”. He receives the bread as a reminder of the body of Jesus Christ. I have to note that the ritual is the breaking of the bread and not the delivery to the believers of the broken bread (Acts 2:42,46, 20:7). The believer has to be reminded that he is just one part of the body of Christ, the church, with Jesus as its head, in order not to become conceited (1 Corinthians 12). The unleavened bread is supposed to be broken before the believers’ eyes.

Thus in Ruth 2:3-14 we have a complete picture of the life of the Christians similar to that in the Acts 2:42 "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers”. “And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not” (Ruth 2:15). The elders should encourage the new believers and not let them down (Matthew 19:13, Mark 10:13, Luke 18:15, Matthew 15:23, Romans 14:1,10,13).

“And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not” (Ruth 2:16). Here we see part of the work of the elders. With their teachings they help speed up the growth of the new believer so that he reaches his peak in his spiritual life as soon as possible.

"So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed" (Ruth 2:17,18). Ruth did not act selfishly like the servant with the one pound (Matthew 25:14-30). She gave barley to Naomi as well. She did not only that, but she gave her most of it. 1 ephah of barley was enough food for 10 days (Exodus 16:16,36). On the contrary, the 400 men of David who acquired spoils while fighting the Amalekites, thought selfishly and didn’t want to share it with the 200 men who were exhausted and didn’t follow (1 Samuel 30:22). “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's” (Romans 14:7,8). So the believer works for the sake of his or her brothers and sisters in Christ. The 12 disciples distributed the loaves of bread Jesus gave them, to 5000 men, beside women and children (Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:35-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:5-13).

The number 5 is a symbol of man’s work submitted to the Lord. The disciples are united with Jesus, they receive the bread from Him and distribute it to the rest of the people. Naomi is a type of believer whose heart is filled with the truth, thus has the gift to discern from the quality and quantity of the fruit that Ruth brought (one ephah of barley) whether it was in right field, in the right church or not. Ruth answered "The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz” (Ruth 2:19). The new believer comes to a better knowledge of Jesus. When Jesus asked the disciples, "But whom say ye that I am?” Simon Peter answered “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15,16).

With her answer, Naomi shows that she knew him even better than Ruth (Ruth 2:20). She says, "Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead”.  We are shown the true character of God. “And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest” (Ruth 2:21). God wants the believer to be spiritually blessed as much as possible, to develop in his understanding of the Word.

The harvest of wheat and barley has an end (Ruth 2:21,23). The provision of the manna the Israelites were eating, stopped at Gilgal, the place they encamped right after the crossing of the Jordan river (Joshua 5:12). Here we see the growth of the believer in the Word of God does not continue forever. In fact it ends soon, if the believer grows in a church with the right teachings and is committed to study the Word of God. The faster you do the harvesting in the field and the greater zeal you show, the sooner the harvest will end. I also highlight that Gilgal is symbolically the stage the believer overcomes the world, where he has his heart circumcised (Joshua 5:7-10).

Let it be noted that so far we don’t see Ruth going through trials beyond the death of her husband. The reason is this; she was a ready heart for the Lord. On the contrary, Jacob had to go through many years of the discipline by the Lord because of his difficult character (Genesis 29,30). After the hardships the Lord gave to him, he still relied on himself and garnered all remaining strength he had, to fight with God in Penuel (Genesis 32:24-32). God humbled him even more by displacing his thigh joint. He made a decision of total surrender to the Lord, in Shechem (Genesis 35:2,4). Ruth came directly to Boaz’ field and labored there. If the believer comes directly to the right church and has the right teachings at his disposal from the beginning then he will be spared from a lot of learning the hard way in his life.

In Ruth 3:1-4, Naomi gives instructions to Ruth. “Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?“ (Ruth 3:1). Ruth represents the believer who has developed on the Word of God and now he is instructed how to enter the kingdom of God, in his rest. “And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor” (Ruth 3:2). The believer is reminded where he stands before Jesus. He is also reminded of his communion with other believers.

“Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor” (Ruth 3:2). God works in hours that people are resting. He threshes the barley and separates it from the straw. He separates his Word from foreign objects to give it to the believers who are hungry for the truth and don’t compromise with the lies of the devil.

“Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking” (Ruth 3:1). The washing is the sanctification, the birth in water. The believer undergoes sanctification through the Holy Spirit and is now a sweetsmelling savour to the Lord (Ephesians 5:2). Most Christians are deceived by the false teaching that God is in love with you because you believe in Him and obey his commands. In reality, God is really pleased with you only after the new birth when you are a new creature (Exodus 4:23-26, Ezekiel 16:7,8, Malachi 3:2-4, Romans 8:8).

Ruth is later anointed. The natural follow-up of sanctification is the anointing. God fills us with the Holy Spirit which directs us and teaches us (1 John 2:20,27). The believer is clothed in the garment of righteousness, and walks in the way of God with decency. The verb get down which is repeated in Ruth 3:6 as “went down” is a sign of the believer's humility. Then the Lord will raise him up (James 4:10, Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11, 18:14, 1 Peter 16:6), and he will ascend to the gate of his kingdom “Then went Boaz up to the gate” (Ruth 4:1). Then we read “but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking” (Ruth 3:3). The believer shows God that he is not going at this moment for material goods (food, drink), but for something higher, his kingdom. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). Romans 14:17 says that the kingdom of God is not food and drink. Philippians 3:19 says not to care for earthly things. When Solomon asked for wisdom and prudence, God answered "And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee" (1 Kings 3:11-12, 2 Chronicles 1:11-12).

“And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do” (Ruth 3:4). The correct positioning of the believer before God is of vital importance. He has to interpret the Word of God the right way according to his abilities, in order to be in the place God is. He is not going to enter the kingdom of God in a church that is teaching doctrines of men. "... and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do" (Ruth 3:4). The believer surrenders himself to the Lord. Then he will receive a new instruction from God.

In the above verses, Naomi wonderfully exercises the gift of being a shepherd, given to her. This shows a right relationship with God and it is the reason that pleases him, as the etymology of her name says. The ministry of the shepherd is to serve the flock and not to be a leader over the sheep. When the Israelites begged Samuel to give them a king, God got angry and said “they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:4-8). Offices and titles have no place in the true church of Christ. Pastors, elders and deacons are ministries. This is seen symbolically in the book of Ruth and in the epistles, especially 1 Corinthians, as well as Revelation 2,3 and Matthew 23:8-11. The Father in heaven has appointed Jesus Christ as the head of the church and the head of the assembly, not a man (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18). No one should yield to the temptation to accept office in the church. The people of Israel asked from the judge Gideon to become their ruler, in other words to accept a ministry of God as an office. Gideon didn’t fall into this trap of the devil and didn’t accept it (Judges 8:22,23). Then the devil tried to find other ways to get the Israelites out of God’s favor.

In Ruth 3:5-8, Ruth did what Naomi told her and fell at the feet of Boaz. The believer surrendered to the Lord. He aims at the kingdom of God and makes a decision to die in the flesh, eliminating his ego and his will. Now the moment arrives when the believer will be born in spirit. God will remove the flesh and its consequences in the life of man (Galatians 5:19-21, Matthew 15:19, Mark 7:21,22). The days when Paul says "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I… O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:14-24) are coming to an end and the believer submits effortlessly to the will of God. He overflows with life and enters the kingdom of God. Then, and only then, the commandments "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" and "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37,39, Mark 12:30,31) are fully fulfilled in the life of the believer.

Ruth 3:9 says “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”. Boaz praises Ruth "And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning …" (Ruth 3:10). God praises the decision of the believer who has reached this point and "followedst not young men, whether poor or rich" (Ruth 3:10). The believer did not let earthly things distract him from his goal. “And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest … (Ruth 3:11). God assures the believer that he will not disappoint him but will honor his decision to surrender and enter his kingdom. "for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (Ruth 3:11). Here we see the results of the sanctification that happened earlier. The believer has a new character that becomes a testimony to other people about the work of God in his heart. “And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another …” (Ruth 3:14). We don’t boast of our relationship with God but we are witnesses of his work in our lives.

"And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor” (Ruth 3:14). The peak of spiritual life is not only the privilege of men, but also of women. “Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city” (Ruth 3:15). Here the believer receives from God, six measures of his blessing. Six is the number of man and is one less from seven, which is the number of God. This means that something is still missing from the spiritual life of the believer even though he has gone through growth in the Word of God and sanctification. What is missing is the kingdom of God. "And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law” (Ruth 3:16,17). The believer confesses the glory of God in his life to the other believers and becomes a blessing for them.

“Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day” (Ruth 3:18). God is in a hurry to bring us to his kingdom more than us. He needs the fellowship with his children who are now new creatures, spiritual, friends, brothers and sisters, and ambassadors of Christ. "Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down” (Ruth 4:1). Jesus is at the gate of the kingdom of God and expects the faithful to pass through it.

In Ruth 4:1-8, Boaz brought a relative closer to Ruth than he was, as well as ten elders and told them to sit there. He told his relative to buy the field that Naomi is selling and redeem it, and marry Ruth to raise her husband's name from the dead in his inheritance. The kinsman replied that all he can do is buy the field. The kinsman symbolizes the law and the ten elders the ten commandments. He is closer to Ruth than Boaz. The law is more accessible to man because no sacrifice intervenes. Here, all the weaknesses of the law can be seen. The law can’t redeem from sin, it can’t restore man's fellowship with God. It is impossible for man to be justified by the law. One sin is enough to make you guilty of everything (James 2:10). Sin gives us death through the commandment (Romans 7:7-13) and the law is a curse to us (Galatians 3:13). Submission to the law does not redeem, does not save, does not perfect (Hebrews 9:9, 10:1, Titus 3:5). By submission to the law the believer can’t enter the kingdom of God as we see in the parable of the five foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). Only the blood of Jesus through his sacrifice can redeem the soul of man from sin. Only his blood can heal the soul "with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24).

“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” (Ruth 4:9). Jesus redeemed our inheritance (Ephesians 1:9-11, Colossians 1:20) and bought us with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23, Galatians 3:13, 1 Timothy 2:6). “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 4:10). We have seen in the parables that the kingdom of God is presented as marriage, the union of the believer with Jesus. Boaz takes Ruth as his wife and not his slave, while the law holds you in slavery that is meaningless and without reward (Colossians 2:16-23). Jesus offers us a life of freedom through union with him (Galatians 2:4, 5:1, Colossians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:16), "...  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 4:10). These verses remind us of Revelation 3:5,12. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels”, and, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name”.

Let’s continue with Ruth. “And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem”  (Ruth 4:11). Now the believer is ready for the work of the Lord like Rachel and Leah who built the house of Israel, type of the church.

Rachel and Leah are mentioned honorably as the two women who built the house of Israel. The story of Rachel and Leah is in Genesis 29 to 31. They were two sisters who hated each other, were jealous to one another and competed with each other. They instructed their husband Jacob to sleep with his maids. Rachel desired and stole the images-gods from her father Laban. God's attitude towards them was anything but disapproval. He had mercy on Leah and he opened her womb to bear children. He showed her His love the moment her husband didn't love her. The name Rachel in Hebrew means a female sheep, a designation that confirms that she was a child of God, the same woman who violated the greatest commandments "Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Old Testament), and "love thy neighbor as thy brother” (New Testament). God sees the heart of people, something He showed with Jacob as well. He attracts people to him according to what he sees in their hearts. If his people sin, the Lord sees the motives behind their actions and not the surface.

As I mentioned earlier, now Ruth is a type of the believer ready to do service to the Lord. The devil has deceived all believers, urging them to enter the ministry before their time, convincing them they are ready. The devil introduced in Christianity a lot of false teachings, basically convincing the believer that what is supposed to be his goal, God has done it already. God already likes you, you are his beloved child, you are a new creation, God has worked in you, he gave you a new nature, he made you born again, cleansed you, sanctified you, anointed you, blessed you, you are free from bonds, you don’t have demons because they can’t coexist with the Holy Spirit that is inside you, you didn’t have the Holy Spirit before you believed in Jesus, and the similar, not a short list of falsehoods that prevail in the so-called Christianity. Only after genuine new birth you are you a valuable worker in the hands of the Lord, ready for the construction of his church. The miraculous conquest of Jericho, the fortified city by the Israelites happened after they crossed the Jordan river and after they were circumcised at Gilgal, and after celebrating the Passover, symbolic of overcoming the world.

The believer is given the impression that once he comes to the church, he has to work for the Lord. It is true the other way around, the Lord is looking forward to working inside you once you believe in Him, if you let him of course, and make you ready for his service. Jesus himself told his disciples “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33), meaning it wasn’t for granted because he was the Son of God. He had to go through this process. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16,17). If Jesus himself had to come to a certain point to make his Father declare “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”, right before the start of his ministry, would his creations be ready for service just because they believe in God and they know a few things about him? It doesn’t mean the believers of any stage in their spiritual lives should do nothing for the Lord. The subject examined here is the effective service to God, when the believer is united with Christ.

“The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem" (Ruth 4:11). The believer becomes a witness of God in his life and God is glorified in the eyes of men through him. In Ruth 4:13, Boaz and Ruth got married and had a son. The relationship of the believer with Jesus bears fruit.

“And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him” (Ruth 4:14,15). The salvation of one man becomes the cause of salvation and blessing for his whole house. Jesus said to Zacchaeus "This day is salvation come to this house" (Luke 19:9). Paul and Silas told the keeper of the prison "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). The Lord said to Noah: “Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation" (Genesis 7:1). When God was going to destroy Sodom, he sent two angels and they said to Lot, "And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place" (Genesis 19:12). “And David (a type of Jesus) said: Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1).

Naomi returned to Bethlehem, to the "house of bread”, under the wings of her Lord, in a desperate, hopeless situation. She didn’t expect the joy and blessing that the Lord would give her, the fruit of her obedience and her work. God promises to bless us if we diligently obey his voice and do his will (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

“And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman” (Ruth 4:12). The family of Ruth is compared to the family of Pharez. When Pharez was born everything indicated that he would be born second to his brother Zerah. But he was firstborn and according to the law, the heir. So was Ruth. She had no place in the inheritance of the Lord. She ended up marrying Boaz, a type of Jesus, and she bore fruit. In Ruth 4:17 they gave her son the name Obed, which means servant. This is what’s expected from the believers, to enter the service of the Lord. Obed became the father of Jesse, the father of David (Ruth 4:17). Ruth's name is included in Jesus' family tree (Matthew 1:5). It doesn't matter what your background is. Ruth was a Moabite and according to the law she had no place among God's people. From the moment you believe in Jesus you have a place in God's family.