Ruth and Naomi: Obedient Gentile is Part of the Linage of Christ

We are going to see how the book of Ruth can be used prophetically in regards to the church. One could call the church, Ruth. It is through this gentile woman Ruth that Jesus the Messiah would be born in to this world. She refused to leave her Jewish mother-in-law Naomi and chose to serve the God of Israel.

The book of Ruth tell of the story of Naomi and her family who left Israel because of a famine. Naomi, along with her husband and two sons went to Moab, which was a pagan land full of pagan practices. While their Naomi's husband and sons died, leaving her and her two daughter-in-law widows. Naomi told her daughter-in-law that she was going to return back to her homeland, Bethlehem. She had heard that the famine had passed. So, she instructed the two daughter-in-laws to go back to their families and find new husbands. One agreed and one refused.

Ruth 1:6-17
1.) The two daughters-in-law were from the gentile land of Moab. They can be viewed as representatives of the Christian Church.

2.) Naomi is the Jew. Ruth is the members of the church who desire to restore their relationship with the Jews. Orpah is the other members of the church who could care less or who maybe even intentionally separate themselves from, the Jews, the other children of God. They prefer to stay and be with their own "type".

Ruth 1:14-15
Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."

Orpah was easily persuaded to separate herself from Naomi and to follow after that which she had been accustomed. She chose to continue her worship according to those things which had been adopted by the generations of her family. She was turning her head from the ways in which the true God had given to her as an example or instrution through er marriage ot Naomi's son, a Jew. For Orpah it was easier to remain in her "comfort zone" than to follow God. She was quick to turn her back and return to her foreign instituted worship of "God".
Ruth, on the other hand, had experienced the worship of the t rue God and His awesomeness and chose not only to stay with Naomi, but clung to her refusing to be separated. She desired to follow after Him and His ways.

Zechariah 8:23
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, "In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

Ruth grasped Naomi and pleaded to go with her. She wanted to follow Naomi and all her ways.

Ruth 1:16-17
But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn bac k from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lofge, 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 you and me.

Ruth sought to follow Naomi and athe God that Naomi served. In fa ct, she wanted and desired it to the extent that she wanted to assimilate and become one of God's people. Ruth wanted to pursue the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their ways. She promised death would be the only way to separate her from His ways.

Ruth's name means friendship. As we know or are soon to find out, Ruth shows the true meaning of friendship, by providing for Naomi (the Jew) and all her needs. By carrying the load and bringing provision when Naomi lacked the strength, Ruth displayed the ultimate act of friendship and love. Ruth brought the bread (the true word of God) to Naomi when Naomi was no longer able to do it on her own.

It was during the time of the barley season when they arrived back in Bethlehem. By law they were allowed to harvest the corners of the fields. The law of God stated that the corner of the fields were to be left for the poor and the stranger (Lev. 9:19). Ruth chose the field of Naomi's kinsman named Boaz. Boaz had compassion on her for all the efforts which she put forth to take c are of her mother-in-law, his family member. He allowed her to glean with his workers. In fact, Boaz told his servants "let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her, leave it that she may glean." He wanted to assist Ruth in her helping of Naomi. Ruth was so unselfish that when she was given a meal by Boaz, she ate until she was satisfied and then took the rest home to Naomi, so that she also may be satisfied.
Naomi sends Ruth to Boaz, according to the Levitical law of kinsman redemption (Deut. 25:5-10) to ask for Boaz to take her in as his wife. It was customary for the next of kin to take in the widow of his relative. After following the order of the law, Boaz and Ruth redeemed the name of her husband and their family.