Book of RUTH

Book of Ruth – it is Not just a Story of a Young Widow, but it is the outline of God’s Plan of Salvation & Redemption. Chapter 1 starts with a a couple called Elimelech (My God is My King) and Naomi (Pleasant), who along with their two sons moved from Bethlehem (House of Breads) to Moab (Dry Land) due to famine. When the couple started their journey, they were a complete family husband, wife and two sons, but when they reached Moab and stayed there, Elimelech died. So, Naomi was left with her two sons who married Moabite women- one was named Orpah and the Other was Ruth. Later Naomi’s two sons also died. So, she decided to return from the land of Moab to the Land of Judah. Before starting for Bethlehem, she gave free will to both her daughter in law’s – Go, Return each of you to your mother’s house. Orpah returned to her people and her gods. But Ruth Pleaded to stay along with Naomi replying: For your God is my God, for where you Go, I Will Go, your people will be my people and your God my God. So, Naomi returned along with Ruth to Land of Judah. And when she reached Land of Judah it was the beginning of the Barley harvest. Dear ones why do we have to move away from the land of Blessing? It is because of our disobedience; Adam and Eve had to move away from the Garden of Eden because of their disobedience. Naomi also moves from the land of Blessings Bethlehem due to famine which represents disobedience. Naomi represents the Believer who has fallen but the GRACE of the Lord makes her stand up again. Orpah represents the people who have rejected Lord, whereas Ruth represents the people who have a desire to know the Lord and be faithful to him. Chapter 2 Begins with Ruth’s Request to Naomi, she asks- Please let me go out to the field and glean (Gather) grain behind anyone in whose eyes I may find favour. Ruth went into Boaz’s field for gleaning (who was a prominent man of substance), where Boaz recognized her and respected her courage and provided provisions, blessed her in the name of the Lord. He instructed Ruth to take an Epah of barley for her mother in law Naomi. Naomi appreciated and advised Ruth to continue gleaning at Boaz’s field until both the barley harvest and the wheat harvest were over. We receive blessings from the Lord when we put efforts to know Him and try to be faithful to him, but sadly most of the believer stop here only i.e. they are happy receiving the materialistic provisions without realizing there is more to be received from Lord i.e. spiritual blessings which stay with us forever. As apostle Paul writes in his first letter to Corinthians: If we have hoped in Messiah in this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all people. (1 Corinthians 15:19).Dear children of Most high God we should focus on spiritual blessings in our life. Chapter 3 describes the matchmaking done by Naomi where she instructs Ruth to dress up, put on her cloak and go down to Boaz at night where he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. She tells Ruth- “When he lies down, go uncover his feet and lie down there waiting for him. He will tell you what to do.” Ruth did everything as instructed by Naomi, Boaz woke up in the middle of Night and Ruth said immediately “I am your handmaid- spread the corner of your garment over me”. Boaz blessed her in the name of the Lord and appreciated her latter act of loyalty greater than the first. Boaz sends Ruth early morning, pouring six measures of barley in her cloak as a sign to her mother in law. Naomi gladly appreciated Ruth and told her to wait until she found how matter turned out, for Boaz would not rest until he settled the matter that day. Boaz represents Lord Yeshua our Messiah, when a believer continues to follows Lord Yeshua even in the absence of any blessings i.e. waiting which represents our journey on the face of the earth, humbly submitting at the feet of the Lord Yeshua. Lord Yeshua our Messiah appreciates our loyalty and gives us a deposit guarantee of redemption i.e. Spirit of Truth- Holy Spirit. As it is written “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)”. Chapter 4 depicts who will redeem? Boaz called elders of the town and said to a closest relative– Naomi who had returned from the region of Moab is selling the parcel of land that belongs to our brother Elimelech. Relative replied I will redeem it but later withdrawn when he came to know about acquiring Ruth the Moabitess in order to raise up the name of the deceased over his inheritance. Boaz agreed and accepted in the presence of the closest relative and elders to redeem Naomi’s land and Ruth the Moabitess by giving his sandal which was the legal way to finalize the redemption. So, Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. She conceived and gave birth to a son called Obed. And Ruth, Boaz and their son Obed became part of the family line that brought forth our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Ruth represents us the gentiles who were lost and had no hope, but because we came to Jesus, as Ruth came to Boaz and laid our faith in Him, he accepted us as his own. Paid the price for redeeming us gave us his spirit as a deposit and very soon he is coming back to take us so that we can be with him for eternity in our heavenly abode. Halleluiah! What a beautiful plan of redemption! Our spirit is renewed and the soul is resurrected in Lord Yeshua our Messiah. So dear child of God as it is written, Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder, and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2) Yeshua our Messiah is Coming Soon!