Listen to the talk here – recorded 23rd June 2024 (NB moderate audio quality), or read below:

---

A number of biblical characters blazed a trail ahead of Christ – somehow pointing to or depicting key aspects of Jesus’ character, purpose or ministry. Other words and phrases to describe this are ‘prefiguration’ or ‘type of Christ’ or ‘forerunner’. These are like echoes that go across the Bible showing us something about Jesus, and acting as signposts towards him. See also Things Can Only Get Better which looks at Noah’s story.

Now, things are about to get really interesting because we’re going to look at Ruth, and how she blazed a trail for Christ. It might sound unusual to think of Ruth as a ‘type of Christ’. Because we often think of Boaz as the Christ-figure in this story – don’t we? But it’s Ruth we’re considering here, which is really exciting.

How I’ve come to view Ruth

In my particular echo chamber and my algorithm of life – which, I’ll say is somewhat (and inevitably) informed by being a single/unmarried woman in church, though what I experience is felt more widely too. The story of Ruth holds a particular – slightly uncomfortable – meaning for me. And this isn’t based on the Bible, this is more informed by church culture and wider culture too, and is something I’ve imbibed.

Ruth is a story about: a poor, sorry, single woman whose only hope is to marry a man. And who, after much misfortune is finally seen and noticed and taken pity on by Boaz. Who is a Good Man and agrees to rescue her because she cannot do that for herself. And after making a rather unorthodox approach at the Threshing Floor (more on that later) he agrees to marry her, and they live happily ever after. The End. Isn’t that the story?!

Romantic tropes and fairytales

It’s very much a damsel-in-distress/ knight-in-shining-armour trope – it’s still a very present idea in western culture. And it’s a cultural blueprint for relationships. But we all know that relationships aren’t like that in reality in the day to day grind of doing life with someone. But we still have this Disney idea and idealism about relationships.

But, the Bible offers us a higher ideal. And this story if we look closely will show us what that ideal is.

And Ruth is a beautifully constructed piece of literature – it has a fairytale format but it subverts this and shows us something else entirely.

Setting the scene

Ruth 1v1: ‘In the days when the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.’ 

This sets our scene. The very last verse of the book of Judges – Judges 21v25 – explains: ‘In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.’ So it was pretty lawless, and it wasn’t a Godly time. The man was called Elimelek. The fact his family was from Bethlehem immediately connects this story to Jesus. They were a family displaced by famine. 

Elimelek dies in Moab, leaving his wife Naomi widowed, with her two sons in a foreign land. They marry Moabite women – somewhat naturalising. And then both of her sons die after about 10 years of living there, we don’t know why but their names suggest it was from illness; Mahlon means ‘sick or sickly’ and Kilion means ‘failing’.

Naomi is utterly bereft, she doesn’t ‘belong’ there and she has been thrown together with her two daughters-in-law – two Moabite women.

In Ruth 1v6 Naomi hears that: ‘the Lord has come to the aid of his people by providing food for them’. The famine is over and she can finally go home. All three widowed women return to Judah. After accompanying her, she encourages her daughters-in-law to return to Moab to their own mothers’ homes. It’s a bit like she’s shooing them off. And while Orpah obeys and returns home, Ruth doesn’t obey, and insists that she stay with Naomi, asserting herself in v16: ‘”Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.”‘

Very early in this story Ruth shows a strength and determination which is noteworthy, and unusual.

She makes a covenant with Naomi, and with her people saying; ‘”Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.”‘ Again, we don’t know why but she has settled it within her heart, and won’t be dissuaded. This points us to how Jesus covenants himself with his Church. And how God covenanted himself with Israel. The unusual thing here is that Ruth is a Gentile, she is not an Israelite.

What’s in a name?

The name Ruth means ‘Friend or Companion’. We see how she stands with Naomi – providing that support and being her ally in difficult circumstances. And Jesus too is our friend who sticks closer than a brother, our companion. He says in John 15:13: ‘Greater love has no-one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’.  

They didn’t have male any protectors or providers and Ruth shoulders this for her mother in law. I would say in the absence of a husband but I’m reluctant to – this ability and quality is always present in women— married or single, and it’s in Ruth.

Ruth acts in a Christ-like covenant friendship towards Naomi, laying down her life for her.

Bitterness versus hope

Ruth 1v19 says; ‘When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”.’ 

‘”Don’t call me Naomi [which means Pleasant]”‘ she told them. ‘”Call me Mara because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.”‘

Naomi is bitter, and blames God for all her misfortune. Have you ever spent time with a bitter person? It is hard work! Which makes Ruth’s decision even more interesting. 

Notice the stark contrast being Naomi and Ruth. Ruth has had similar misfortunes – she’s lost her own husband too, plus her brother-in-law and they would have likely been a close family unit. But she shows no signs of bitterness. Even in this first chapter Ruth is a hopeful figure. She appears to place her hope in the God of Israel – deciding that her future lies with Naomi, and with God’s people. That God will protect her and provide for her. Unlike Naomi who has become a bitter victim of her circumstances. 

We too can place our hope in Jesus, who always writes a better story for us through his death and resurrection.

As the Barley Harvest Begins

They arrive in Bethlehem, v22: ‘just as the barley harvest was beginning…’

Ruth 2v1 tells us; ‘Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain [let me go and glean] behind anyone in whose eyes I find favour”. Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter”.’

Ruth is polite and deferential towards Naomi, but she doesn’t need permission to do this. Ruth is the initiator here, not Naomi.

Gleaning is mega-resourceful. In rural cultures, it’s a great way to earn extra cash. And this is something Jesus and his disciples would do as well many years later.

Dignifying the Poor

Ruth sought resources and work to provide for herself and Naomi, before she ever gave thought to seek romance. She needed work. She needed a job! She had a legal right to be in that field – Boaz didn’t ‘allow’ her to work there – she was positioning herself under God’s command to ancient Israel which allowed the poor to glean. A law which acknowledged the poor as valuable, contributing members of society. It was dignifying. And this points us to Jesus – how he fulfilled the law and always dignified the poor.

As she looks to God and finds a way to provide for herself, she has both faith and initiative – and these things make way for her. Ruth had already set her intentions. Ruth 2v3, ‘as it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek’. Was just happenstance, seeing her intentionality and resourcefulness already God makes a way.

Ruth 2v4 says, ‘Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”, “The Lord bless you!” They answered’. What happy workers they are.

This is the first harvest in years. And Ruth works from morning til night, and then threshes the barley herself to gather as much as she can. Boaz, removes the obstacles for her, he also invites her to eat and creates a good environment for her to work in. Fundamentally he welcomes her in and meets her needs. He reinforces that ancient law – he’s a Godly man. But he also takes responsibility upon himself to go further in making a way for Ruth to glean, he goes above and beyond the law. Still without doing anything for her, which underlines this sense of dignity – respecting her God-given sense of autonomy, agency and ability.

And you have these two God-fearing, righteous, faith filled people – unusual in their generation.

Ruth finds favour with him. In Ruth 2v10 she asks him: ‘”Why have I found such favour in your eyes that you would notice me – a foreigner?” Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband – how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”‘ Now Boaz needs to be careful, because he just might be the answer to his own prayer!

Jesus often portrayed himself as an outsider and identified himself with the poor and marginalised. This reminds me of the story Jesus tells in Matthew 25v34: ‘Then the King will say, “come…take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…I was a stranger and you invited me in…”‘

Boaz hears Jesus across the generations as he welcomes and makes a way for Ruth. He acknowledges her inherent God-given value – not only as a woman but as someone who might typically be marginalised from society. 

In this field as they speak, and contained within this interaction it’s as if the treasure of Kingdom of heaven (which Jesus speaks about in Matthew 13)  is already being gently disturbed and unearthed. Here we see two individuals, from different places entirely, who are living out of the obedience, integrity and dignity of the Kingdom of God, that Jesus would later come to fully establish through his life and ministry.

So Ruth returns home with her grain after a hard day’s work. And Naomi asks her where she’s been working, and Ruth replies that she was in Boaz’s field. I think Ruth ended up there through her instincts and intuition, and by God’s direction.

Making a plan

Naomi starts planning. Ruth 3v1 says, ‘One day Ruth’s mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be provided for”.’ She wants to see Ruth married and settled. It’s interesting that Naomi suggests this, not Ruth. Ruth never raises it.

But Naomi suddenly wants to do Ruth this ‘kindness’. And with that perhaps she is also thinking of herself, and her own future. It is she who really wants to be properly settled. Encouraged by the favour Boaz has shown to Ruth, she sets her sights on him and looks to exploit this opportunity. He is their kinsman redeemer – the closest relative she knows of, who has the right to buy back the family’s property so it would stay in the family name. I think also meaning that her and Ruth would be taken in and looked after. 

Naomi’s cunning plan

She shares her cunning plan with Ruth: ‘”Tonight [Boaz] will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”‘

Surely Ruth would have known where Boaz would have been, she had been working in his field for the entire harvest. I think Ruth also sees an opportunity which is why she is so willing and says; ‘”I will do whatever you say”.’ Verse 6 says: ‘so she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.’

Now, I’m not entirely sure what went down at the Threshing Floor, but in the middle of the night, asleep by the grain pile we know that Boaz is startled by something (her perfume) and wakes up to find a woman (Ruth) lying at his [uncovered, bare] feet asking: ‘”Who are you?”‘

Prostitutes at the Threshing Floor

This is quite random for her to dress up and go to the Threshing Floor. Apparently it was quite common for there to be prostitutes at Threshing Floors after hours . But Boaz runs his threshing floor differently. Not only is he surprised to find a woman at his feet in the middle of the night, but he’s also very clear with Ruth later on that no one must know that a woman had been there, before sending her on her way.

It does make me wonder about Naomi – what was she thinking? 

Perhaps in devising her cunning plan she was mindful to the origins of the Moabite people. I wonder too whether there was some prejudice against them in Naomi’s heart. Not only were they Gentiles, so they weren’t considered ‘clean’, but they came into existence through the incest of Lot and his daughters – which if you want to look it up is in Genesis 19v31.

I can imagine Naomi’s reaction when her husband suggested they move to Moab. She might have been appalled; “we’re not moving there!! Not to Moab…! Not those people!” And becoming ever more distressed when her own two sons married Moabite women. 

And in some ways she reduces Ruth even further, here to the status a prostitute.

And so how much more impressive it is that Ruth had pledged herself to Naomi, and continues to honour her. She had come to love her deceased husband’s God, his people and Naomi too. 

But with that she has to traverse not only Naomi’s bitterness and victimhood, but her prejudice too.

So, in response to Boaz, Ruth is very quick to identify herself. In fact she doesn’t follow Naomi’s advice here; she doesn’t wait for him to ‘tell her what to do’. She immediately tells him who she is and why she’s there. She has to. In v9 she says: ‘”I am your servant Ruth… Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer of our family.”‘

Judgement at the Threshing Floor

Threshing floors held a lot of meaning and symbolism in the Bible. Their symbolic of provision and plenty, a place of worship, of sacrifice and offerings, of the coming Messiah, and his judgement. John the Baptist says of Jesus: ‘His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’

The wheat is being separated from the chaff on this Threshing Floor tonight! Ruth’s intentions, her motives, are laid bare. She could have accepted Naomi’s plan, and been reduced by it. But Ruth instead chooses transparency and stays in her integrity. She’s not about prostitute herself, or seduce Boaz to sleep with her, and though he is older and could be her father she won’t do what Lot’s daughters did to continue their family line.

Faith is spelt R-I-S-K

In doing that she takes a huge risk, it’s a vulnerable move from her because Boaz could have suspected her of any of those things. Ruth puts herself in God’s hands, acts with righteousness, and puts her faith in Boaz’s character. Trusting that as a righteous man too, he will hear her, read her true intentions and comprehend her correctly.

And thankfully Boaz does. How does he react? Far from being shocked or horrified, he is honoured: ‘”The Lord bless you my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed me earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know you to be a woman of noble character”.’

Woman of Valour

And the Hebrew word used here for noble character actually means Valour – he calls her a woman of Valour. And it’s the same word used for the woman in Proverbs 31. Again Boaz recognises her God-given qualities. Calling her a woman of Valour isn’t so far from the meaning of the Hebrew word Ezer – Warrior. Which is what God calls himself when he comes Israel’s aid time and again. And it’s how Eve is identified when God creates her in Genesis – to be Adam’s Ezer Kenegdo – shoulder to shoulder, a sister in arms. Ruth is offering these qualities to Boaz and he is delighted and honoured by what she is proposing. He knows that she is an incredible asset. He sees that she is bold, knows her worth, has integrity and has taken a mega risk here. It’s becoming clearer and clearer that she has set out to redeem Naomi’s family.

She operating in this God-given identity and ability regardless of her marital status, or the times she lived in. And she offers this to Boaz just has she offered it to Naomi. She obeys a higher law.

Set your face

Her determination reminds me so much of Jesus. Early on we are told she is determined. She has set her face towards this, perhaps even from the point she left Moab. And she hasn’t deviated, no matter what unknowns and risks it would bring. She has such a sense of purpose, even though she didn’t know quite where it would all lead her. And Jesus too ‘set his face’ towards Jerusalem with his own unwavering determination as he approached the cross. Luke 9v51 says ‘as the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.’ He was determined to redeem us.

Ruth’s kindness

Why is Ruth kind? With Ruth would come the land which belongs to Naomi’s family. In essence I think Ruth is making a deal, an offer to Boaz saying I’m giving you first refusal, marry me and you can redeem the land by rights. So in this she is thinking of Naomi’s family first, and of redeeming Naomi’s family. Which makes Ruth a Redeemer, like Christ.

If the other Kinsman-Redeemer had agreed he’d get the land first and the widow as an after thought, potentially seen as a burden. Boaz says to the other Kinsman-Redeemer in Ruth 4v5: ‘”On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property”.’ But Ruth offers herself to Boaz first – as a prize, with the land a bonus.

And with Jesus it’s the same – his kingdom first, benefits second. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ‘”But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”‘ 

Jesus’ transparency

Like Ruth was with Boaz, Jesus is transparent with us. About the cost of following him, about who he is, and what he came to do. And he makes his proposal to us, his church, saying: ‘”Come follow me”‘.

The Final Chapter

So Boaz announces that he’s acquired Ruth and the property. And the townspeople bless him and Ruth. And she is adopted fully into Israel – compared to Rachel and Leah. And Perez… And becomes Jesus ancestor, he carries Ruth DNA, a Gentile, she actually was woven into the very fabric of Israel and into Jesus himself. Because of her faithfulness, righteousness and integrity. And she points to the Kingdom of God which was extended to the Gentiles too

And that’s not where the redemption stops. It’s plentiful like the harvest after the famine. Ruth and Boaz have a son, who redeems Naomi’s losses too. Ruth 4v14 says: ‘”For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better than seven sons [more complete – acknowledging her significance] has given birth. Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!”. And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the Father of David.”‘ And the forebear of Jesus himself.

© Alexandra Noel – all rights reserved 2024.