PEN ART - REMEMBERING THE LOVE STORY OF RUTH

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

 Can't you just imagine lovely Ruth gleaning in the fields at the end of the barley harvest?  It is hot, tiring work, but she toils on, not allowing herself to become discouraged in her pitiful circumstances.  She, a widowed, destitute, lady who once reigned as a Moabite Princess, is out trying to find food to sustain her Mother-In-Law and herself.  She doesn't beg, she doesn't resort to breaking the law; she works!  She knows the work she can do will not bring her extra or money for her future security, but she goes out anyway, accepting what is sufficient to get them through a day, and working very hard for this little amount.  There is a sense that she is grateful for everything that The Lord provides.  How refreshing to see someone rising above mediocrity in the midst of troubles.   She has followed her Mother-In-Law to this strange new land with very different ways and customs.  She is a stranger and very much alone.   She meets Boaz, who has instructed his workers to let her gather barley from the leftovers of his field. 

It was the season of harvesting, when Ruth arrived in Bethlehem.  The long wait for the grain to grow was over, and it had grown into a field of plenty.  Boaz's crops were flourishing, much to his delight.  Growing barley, or any crop is never certain.  You never know the results of your farming until the harvest comes.   It is hard to see the growth of a harvest when the seeds are first put into the ground and the roots are just forming beneath the soil.  The whole growing process is unnoticed and unseen, but much is going on all the time; it just isn't visible.  Sometimes you just have to wait.  During this process the fields look empty and barren, even though there is life just waiting to spring forth, unknown and undetected. There are plants wanting to stretch through to the light, but they are unable to do so until the proper time has come.  So it was with the fields and so it was with the life of Ruth. 

It certainly seemed her life had become empty and barren.  She could not see the blessings that lay waiting in her future.  She had forsaken all she knew (the life of a royal princess) for a husband that she loved from another land.  She had left her home and customs and former religious beliefs to go with him, to  be a part of his home and his family, and had made the huge decision to worship his God, whom she previously had not known.   Even though she met Naomi's son in her own land, Ruth would have still been required to convert to the religion of her husband, who was Jewish.  It is this little fact that gives us our first glimpse into Ruth's strong character.   She did not just go through the process of conversion for the sake of the marriage certificate.  Ruth's sister-in-law seemed to be a lot less concerned about the sincerity of her vows, and she quickly left them behind after the death of her husband, but not Ruth.  Ruth was different.  Ruth believed in truth and honesty and loyalty.  Ruth truly converted deep in her heart.  Her love for The God of Israel was sincere and genuine.  She knew she had found something real.  When the hard times came she did not look back, and she never regretted her decision, even when life became very difficult.   She looked faithfully at the example that her Mother-In-Law, Naomi, lived out before her, and she became completely Jewish too. 

Though Ruth had given all, her husband died, leaving her with nothing.    She found herself widowed, childless, poor and destitute.  She left Moab and followed her Mother-in-law, Naomi, back to Bethlehem.  This was the land of Naomi’s birth.  In Bethlehem Ruth met the family Kinsman Redeemer; Boaz. In those days it was the duty of the Kinsman Redeemer to look after the whole family, especially the ones left behind when someone in the family died.  Three men in the family had died, Naomi's husband, Ruth's husband and Naomi's other son.  It was natural for Boaz to show his concern and look after Naomi and Ruth, but in this case, the feelings went deeper than concern.  While Ruth was in the process of gathering in the fields of Boaz, he saw her and fell in love with her.  He tells his workers to be sure to leave plenty of barley for her to gather.  He looked after her needs and protected her from harm.  He had her best interest in mind always, even to the point of considering that she might not even be interested in him as a husband.  Many think he was much older than Ruth.  When Ruth showed her interest in him; he took every action to make sure that her best interests were served, and not his own.

 In that day, it was the proper behavior of a servant to lay at their master’s feet in order to be ready for any command of the master.   So, when Naomi told Ruth to  lie down at Boaz’s feet as he slept on the threshing floor, she was instructing Ruth to go to Boaz in a totally humble, submissive way.  She was instructing Ruth to have the heart of a servant.  We can't  lose sight of the larger picture here, Ruth came to claim a right, the right of a Kinsman Redeemer. By law Boaz was her goel, her kinsman-redeemer, and she had the right to expect him to marry her and raise up a family to perpetuate the name of Elimelech (her former Father-In-Law, since Naomi was beyond the years of bearing a child).  This was customary for the time.  Wise Naomi counseled Ruth not to go to Boaz as a victim demanding her rights, but as a humble servant, trusting in the goodness of her kinsman-redeemer. Her humble attitude and actions said to Boaz, “I respect you, I trust you, and I put my fate in your hands.”

In those days many farmers lost their harvest to groups of thieves roaming the hills and randomly robbing the land.  There were big parties with dancing and festivals around the harvest, so the time was very public and never a secret.  Everyone knew that your fields were being gathered in.   Boaz was sleeping on the threshing floor that night in order to protect the harvest.  He was guarding it from thieves.  As instructed by Naomi, Ruth came softly in and lay down quietly at his feet, in the role of a servant.  He did not hear her approach, and was surprised to find her there upon awakening at midnight.  The words of Ruth as she spoke to him upon being found there were "take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative."  She shows great humility and submission with these words, calling herself a servant.  The words "under your wing" could be interpreted to be a request for Boaz to take her in marriage.  This Hebrew phrase is many times also translated as "spread the corner of your garment over me."   The custom of the spreading of a skirt over a widow as a way of claiming her as a wife is attested many times under the ancient laws.  This practice still exists today in some places of Arabia.  Even in our modern world, when a Jewish man marries a woman, he throws the skirt, or end of his talit, over her and this signifies that he has taken her under his protection.

God used the same phrase in relation to Israel in Ezekiel 16:8:  "I spread my wing over you and covered your nakedness.  Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you and you became Mine, says the LORD God." 

 So Ruth's words to Boaz were just a culturally relevant way to say "I am a widow, take me as your wife."  The fact that he was a close relative made this not an inappropriate thing for her to do.  It was bold, but not inappropriate.  Ruth understood this as she identified Boaz as her "close relative." 

This is the frightening moment when we find out that even though Boaz was a recognized goel (kinsman redeemer) towards Ruth, there was another goel closer in relation to her deceased father-in-law Elimelech. So, Boaz could not exercise his right as kinsman-redeemer unless this closer kinsman-redeemer relinquished his rights towards Ruth.  Boaz told her of this, being a man of honor who wanted everything done in order and in a proper way.  He did not send her home empty handed.  He gave her six measures of barley to take home while she waited on him to confirm the answer to her request. 

 Jewish traditions say that the six measures of barley given as a gift to Ruth were a sign of six pious men who would descend from her, endowed with six spiritual gifts: David, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and The Messiah.  I very much see this "gift" of six measures of barley from Boaz to Ruth as being symbolic of Jesus sending the Holy Spirit.  It is a lovely picture, but on with our love story........

Remember in the history of the Jewish people, during the days of Joshua, when Israel came into the Promised Land  the land was divided among all the tribes and then among the families. God always intended that the land stay within those same tribes and those same family groups, so the land could never permanently be sold. Every fifty years, the land had to be returned to the original family group (Leviticus 25:8-17.)  But fifty years is a long time. So God made provision for the land that was “sold,” that it might be redeemed back to the family by the kinsman-redeemer, who had the responsibility to protect the people, property, and posterity of the whole family.  This is why it was important for Boaz to contact the closest Kinsman-Redeemer.   

Boaz went to the gates of the city where business was always conducted seeking this closest kinsman to determine if he would want to make this redemption of Naomi's property.  Of course the man wanted to redeem the land, but then he found out it was a package deal.  To redeem the property would mean he must also marry Ruth and bear children to honor her deceased husband's and father-in-law's name.  He was not interested in this, probably because he already had children and was already married.  To take Ruth as his wife would complicate things and mean that he would need to distribute any of his current wealth to her children as well as to his present wife's children.  This did not appeal to him.  It would have weakened his fortune, not increased it.  He would have had more people to look after as well.  Boaz, of course, was elated!  It was the answer he had hoped for.  Right there at the gate, in the witness of many, Boaz redeemed the property and claimed Ruth as his wife.  And all the elders and all the people who were at the gate blessed the marriage.  They said:  "We are witnesses.  The LORD make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.  May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the LORD will give you from this young woman."  This was saying so much more than you may have read into it!  Rachael and Leah had twelve children between them and basically gave birth to the whole nation of Israel! This was quite a blessing declared over their marriage!

Originally, in the eyes of the world, Ruth seemed to be giving up on her best chance of marriage by leaving her native land of Moab and giving her heart and life to the God of Israel. But as Ruth put God first, He brought her to a relationship greater than she could have ever imagined. 

To Boaz and Ruth was born Obed.  To Obed was born Jesse.  To Jesse was born David.

David grew up to be the great King of Israel.  King David has a descendant by the name of Jesus!

How could they have known at the time that Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem, that their journey would have been the act that set in motion the future reason for Joseph and Mary having to go to Bethlehem to register in the census at the birth of Christ.  It was the city of their ancestor, David.   From Ruth and Boaz's story comes the reason why Jesus was born in Bethlehem.   From Jesus being born in Bethlehem, comes the redemption of the Church and The Bride of Christ! 

This beautiful love story tells us in a million different ways  how  God’s plan is perfect and filled with love.  It speaks to us during those times when we can’t figure out what He is doing and everything seems to be so desperate.  The story tells us clearly that He still knows what He is doing. We are once again reminded of that famous scripture passage:  "all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28.) 

How clearly the story paints the picture of Jesus as our kinsman-redeemer.  We can see this is why He became a man and came to live among us on this earth. God might have sent an angel to save us, but the angel would not have been our kinsman. Jesus, in His eternal glory, without the addition of humanity to His divine nature might have saved us, but He would not have been our kinsman. A great prophet or priest might have been our kinsman, but his own sin would have disqualified him as our redeemer. Only Jesus, the eternal God who added humanity to His eternal deity, can be both the kinsman and the redeemer for mankind! 
 

We clearly see this picture of the nature of our Savior when we look at Boaz.  We can also see a picture of the church when we look at Ruth and Naomi's other daughter-in-law.  Ruth symbolizes the truly converted in the church, the True Bride of Christ.  Think of the fact that she found herself in a foreign country.  We know and are constantly reminded in the church by true men of God that we are all just pilgrims here on earth, just passing through.  This land is not our true home.  But while in a foreign country, Ruth found Boaz.  Just as we, even on this earth have found Jesus Christ, our own faithful Kinsman Redeemer.  He came to us when we were broken, tired, destitute, and He called us to become his followers.  

We, the true Church of Jesus Christ have humbly submitted our lives to Jesus, just as Ruth lay down in the form of a servant at the feet of Boaz.  We have not demanded our rights, but His mercy and goodness have come to us as a free gift.  He has kept our best interest at all times, even to the point of death on a cross.  The true Bride of Christ comes fully converted, out of love and devotion and in submission to the Groom, not just for the marriage certificate that brings its own set of rewards, but for the love of the Groom and nothing else. 

Sadly, the church has been robbed of its own by Satan and his helpers.  They have robbed and plundered the things of God for years, just as those thieves that roamed the land and robbed the threshing floors in Bethlehem.  They have no true ownership, but they come as thieves to kill, rob, steal and destroy.  Jesus, The Good Shepherd is constantly guarding His sheep, protecting his church, and in essence; sleeping on the threshing floor of the harvest. 

If only we would go to him with that same submissive attitude of a servant's heart just as Ruth did, what wonders might we encounter?  Has the church forgotten this lesson?  Do we not realize what a Kinsman Redeemer does for us?  Are we not aware that The Groom is coming in an hour that we do not expect, perhaps the midnight hour, just as the time when Boaz awoke to find Ruth laying at his feet?  Perhaps this is symbolic of Christ returning to rapture the church.  In that time, we will be covered by His cloak and protected from harm, just as Boaz spread his garment over Ruth on the threshing floor.  

To make this totally legal, Jesus had to die on a cross, giving his life as a ransom, buying God's people back from where we foolishly sold our souls away to the slavery of sin and the rule of Satan.  Because of the sin of the first man and woman, we have been born into a world claimed by evil, ruled by Satan.  Only the price of a perfect sacrifice could change that fact for us.  Jesus paid the price to redeem us as His people, just as Boaz paid the price to redeem Ruth.  It was not for want of possessions or ownership that he paid the price.  It was a total act of selfless love and kindness. 

While Ruth was waiting on Boaz to confirm ownership and redeem her, she had the gift of the six measures of barley almost like a promise that he would return.  It kept her and sustained her while he was away attending to business, making sure that all things were in order and kept legal.  We have The Holy Spirit, bestowing spiritual gifts from God on us everyday since Pentecost, since after the time that Jesus ascended into the heavens to go and prepare a place for us.  

Jesus stands at the gates now, making intercession for us, pleading our case before The Father, preparing a place for us to live with Him, just like Boaz bought back the property originally deeded to the husband of Naomi, who would have passed it on to his heirs, one of them being Ruth's husband who had died.  Now Ruth would have a wonderful home where she could bring her mother-in-law and they could live happily ever after.  The same is true of us, as The Church, knowing that Jesus is preparing a wonderful home for us in the place where His Father lives, where we will live forever with our loved ones and true family. 

There is an exciting wedding feast being planned at the Father's House.  It is being announced at the gates, even as I write this down.  Blessings are being spoken over this very sacred marriage that will happen one day in the future.  The vows of the engagement have already been witnessed by a great cloud of witnesses.  The elders and the disciples will all  be there when this wedding happens.  They will bless the marriage and it will prosper.  From the marriage of Christ and His Bride will come the greatest Kingdom ever, it will produce the children of God and Kingdom of God that will bless heaven and earth from a New Jerusalem, coming down from Heaven to a New Earth. 

Only Jesus can make the happiest ending to the greatest love story ever told.  Every now and then I love to stop and remember that from the pages of eternity, God planned to bring Ruth and Boaz together, and thus make Bethlehem His entrance point for the coming of Jesus as our true Kinsman-Redeemer, fully God and fully man.