Ruth II

Ruth II

Bible Study, August 24, 2008

Taught by:  Carolyn Sissom

The second chapter of Ruth is filled with a detailed description of the excellent character of Boaz, a type of Jesus as our Kinsman-Redeemer.

(2:1) “And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz.”

“Kinsman” 33045.  – “to know” The word for Kinsman in 3:9, 12, 13; 4:1, 3, 6, 8 & 14 is “Goel”.  He was a mighty man of Wealth.  “Mighty” is “Gibbor” (#1368, 1397, 1396) and means powerful, warrior, champion, chief, giant valiant man; to be strong, to prevail, exceed, confirm, be great, valiant man; more strength; hero.  Gibbor is rendered as mighty man of valor in Judges 11:1 and is the same concept as a knight.

“Wealth” is “Chayil” (2428, 2342) and means a force, whether of men or means, or other resources; army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength; company, able, activity, goods, host, might, power, riches, substance, train, war; dance

Boaz, a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, is a rich man.  Elimelech (“my God is king”) is His family, and His Name (nature character, authority) is “Boaz.  #1162 and means, “in him is strength; son of strength; alacrity, quickness, fleetness; might or power.”

Boaz was an “Ish” man (notable man of high degree).  Jesus is the Strong man.  “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Neh. 8:10b)

“Boaz” was also the left pillar of Solomon’s temple.  (11 Chr. 3:17)

The Law of Moses provided for the poor.  Ruth is submissive, she said unto Naomi, “Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace.”  Ruth is hungry.  She wants ears of corn (hearing a mature message). (Mk. 4:28). 

Ruth followed after Him (Verse 2).  And gleaned after the reapers.  The “Reapers are a type of the members of the Body of Christ.  Ruth went out of Moab, but she came in.  This is a type of the local church in which Jesus is over and He is Lord.  The church is His and the Ministry is His.  It all belongs to Him.  The following verses 4-15 describe the local church over which Jesus is Lord.

(Vs. 4)  “And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, ‘The Lord be with you.”  And they answered him, “The Lord bless you.”

Boaz speaks in the field.  The word “Behold” indicates revelation knowledge is in this verse.   The Reapers are those with a vision of Evangelism and who are each a joint of supply (Eph. 4:16).  The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy (rev. 19:10).  Other terms for this are “the Word of the Lord’ and the “Voice of the Bridegroom.”   Prophetic or anointed utterance is symbolized by the trumpet (1 Cor. 14:8).

In deed, Jesus did come from Bethlehem!  (Mic. 5:2) he is the House of Bread who says “Peace be with you.”  Ruth was led by the Holy Spirit to a local assembly where there was Praise, Worship and Spiritual ministry (through the manifestations of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Cor. 12: 8-10) it is a church where the saints call unto Him in worship and He answers them by the prophetic Word.  It is a congregation that is God-centered and not man-centered in their focus.  They are more interested in His Presence than His presents.  They love Boaz for who he is, not for what he does (or gives them).

In verse 5, Boaz’s overseer was a “servant”.  He typifies the Holy Spirit who is energizing the five-fold ministry that is set in the oversight of the church.  These are first and foremost servants to the Body. (Mk. 10: 35-45) 

She lands in a church moving in due order (1Chr. 15:13).  These five governmental ministries have been placed by Jesus.  They are set in the watchtower of the vineyard to see over the harvest.  Their responsibility is to bring the harvest to maturity.  They watch for locust, thieves, beasts (foxes), and neglect.  Jesus (Lord of the Harvest) communicates His mind to them, and enquires concerning those who are submissive and hungry like Ruth. 

In Verse 6, the servant was faithful and obedient.  Boaz had asked, “To whom does she belong?”  The one “in charge” quickly replies.  Ruth met Boaz while ministering with the reapers.   It was in a place where her companions had a relationship with Boaz.  The ministries are called to give an account of the lives of the saints unto the Lord.

Verse 7 “And she said, I pray you.   Here Ruth experiences prayer.  Her desire is to “Gather” among the “Sheaves” (the principle of Evangelism).  This implies more than just going over the field after the reapers.

Verse 8 – “Then said Boaz unto Ruth,” The first word of Boaz (Jesus) to Ruth was “Hear”  Here begins a six-fold charge to the young maiden, three being in verse 8 and three in verse 9.  The word hearest sometimes means to understand.

1. Hear and Understand
2. Do not leave the field.
3. Abide here with the local church, stick with it, Cling to the Body of Christ.
4. Do not have intimate relationships with the young men.
5. Don’t turn your life over to a novice.
6. Refresh yourself and edify yourself.

In Verse 9, Eyes speaks of vision.  The “field” is the world.  Ruth is to have a balanced vision of outreach and up reach.  Don’t get overbalanced in either area of evangelism or edification.  This local Assembly has a healthy balance of congregational ministries.

In Verse 10, Ruth had learned how to praise.  She fell on her face and bowed herself to the ground. 

In Verse 11, Boaz commends her for how she has handled herself in the care of Naomi.  Jesus is not even aware of our former life, but He is fully aware of how we have treated others “Since” our conversion.  Satan no longer has dominion.  Too many are more conscious of satan than they are of God.  We have walked away from the Kingdom of darkness and the lawlessness of the carnal mind, and the old church systems.  We have forsaken an old way of thinking and have received a new kind of mind. 

Verse 12, “The Lord recompense your work, and a full reward be given you of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to trust.”

Boaz was her full reward.  He was the gift of Jehovah.  “Under whose wings” reveals the thought of a tiny bird snuggling under the wings of its mother, but it also points to the wings of the cherubim on the Ark of the covenant.

This is Boaz’s prayer for Ruth.  Unlike Mahlon, the invalid wife-beater, Jesus loves His wife.  We are the inheritance of the Lord, and He is our Inheritance.  Boaz (Jesus) is progressively showing the program of God to Ruth.  The God of Israel is the God of the Overcomer.  Jesus sees us fully perfected and glorified in the Holiest of all!

Verse 13:  “Then she said; Let me find favor in thy sight Lord.”

The Holy ghost had changed the cry of Ruth’s heart.  Her focus is changing from the field to the owner of the field.  He is getting ready to bring her to the table and show her some of His secrets.  Ruth’s humility is genuine.  She wants a place in His company.

Verse 14:  “The Boaz said unto her, at mealtime come though hither, and eat of the bread, and dip your 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.”

This verse is rich and vast.  The word “Mealtime” reveals several Kingdom truths:  The Feast of Tabernacles, the Blood covenant, The Meal or Meat Offer, the Five-Fold Ministry, the Lord’s Supper (Communion).  We eat His flesh (Word) and drink His Blood (Spirit) by partaking of His Body, or His people.  Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (Immanuel).  Come up into the heavenlies and eat of the Feast of Tabernacles (Rev. 4:1; 21:9).  In the meal Offering we lose and lay down our reputation (identify) for the brethren.  We must “dip” (“plunge” our “Morsel” (“part) in the “vinegar”.  (“sour wine mixed with Jesus Christ.  Ruth sat beside the reapers; Food and rest go together, and the Lord will have none take their food like a beast (standing).  You have to sit down to eat.  Boaz showed no prejudice toward this stranger.  Ruth did eat by herself.  He reached her.  Boaz ministered to her personally with parched cord.  The fire had to pass over her the corn.  The parched corn was part of the first fruits and points to the First fruits Company (Rev. 14: 1-5).  (Those who have been baptized with fire.)   These were fresh ears taken from the new crop and roasted in a pan.  This is the way of Grace; there is always more than enough.

Ruth had been converted, baptized in water and the Spirit, and had been introduced to the local church principle.  She had separated from the old way of Moabitish thinking and learned how to praise and worship.  She had become aware of the five-fold ministry and has tasted of the wonders of the Grace of Boaz.  At the table (where Jesus was ever teaching), her life is changed.  It is there (in fellowship with others) that her New Lord reaches her heart.  She must plunge her joint of supply into that Old rugged Cross and begin to fellowship His suffering that she might be a participant of the power of His resurrection!.  As she eats of these revelatory concepts, she is made aware of a realm that is beyond Pentecost – the Feast of Tabernacles.  The realm I spoke of this morning was the realm of Feast of Tabernacles.

In Verse 15, Ruth rises up to glean (after the meal)  in the power of His Resurrection.  Boaz did not content Himself with an order to the Overseer; He told the young men himself.  Boaz went beyond the law of Moses and allowed Ruth the privilege of gleaning before (not after) the reapers.  The whole field of Grace (the whole Word of God) is before Ruth:  There is no limit.

Jesus went beyond the Law of Moses.  Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ.  Those under Jesus’ authority will proclaim this Grace. 

Boaz does not want a slave.  He wants a wife.

In Verse 17, She completed the day’s work.  Ruth beat our or threshed one Ephah. (about 3 pecks) of Barley.

Ruth is still in the Feast of Pentecost.  It is an in-part realm.  She labored all day for one measure.  Do you want to eat the leftovers of the edges of God’s promise, or do you want to come into a living union with the One who owns all the granaries?  We have been given the rest of the Feast of Passover and Pentecost, but you will have to find the rest of the Feast of Tabernacles. (Matt. 11: 28-30)  We must beat and walk out the word of God until it becomes practical and experiential.  We must become one with the Word.

Ruth had been in the presence of Boaz.  She had obtained a ministry and now ministers that life to Naomi. (those who are bitter).  We must give out of the abundant overflow of the sufficiency of the Christ from within.  The one who is new to the walk of the Spirit is ministering to the people who have been around the move of the spirit for years.

In Verse 20, Naomi told Ruth that Boaz was a Kinsman.

Goel – Jesus is near kin to us.  He is of the Seed of Abraham.  The Word here Gaal (#1350) means to redeem according to the oriental law of kinship. 

There were three obligations upon the Goel.

1. He was to redeem his brother and the property.
2. He was to be the avenger of any fatal violence against his brother
3. he was to raise up a successor to his brother, if his brother had died and had not left a son to be heir.

The obvious purpose behind all this was the saving of Israelites families from extinction. 

Jesus Christ is our Goel!  He has redeemed humanity from the poverty of the curse of the law. (Gal. 3:13).  We are no longer slaves.  He is our Avenger and Defender.  He was appointed heir of all things.  He has obtained a more excellent ministry and has perpetuated the nature and character of God in the earth.  He has perpetuated God’s name. 

Ruth repeats Boaz’s instructions to her about staying in his field until the end of the harvest.

She is to stay with the principle of the local church until the end of the in-part realm, for the church is the vehicle of the Kingdom.  We must maintain that balance.

She remained through the whole harvest of Passover and Pentecost.  The words “end of barley harvest and wheat harvest in verse 23, reveals end-time truths.  The Holy of Holies which was at the end of the tabernacle Of Moses; end of the race for the price of Christ; the fullness of God revealed in chapters 3 and 4.  She stayed with Naomi until the En.

We are going to have to walk through the outer court and the Holy Place in reality and experience before we enter the throne-room of Ruth 3.  The Pattern Son came into the city on the mother and the colt. (Zech. 9:9).  He rode the mother (church realm) but his feet were on the colt!  Let us ride out the Old, but let our walk be in the New.  There is a choice vine covenant (Gen. 49:11).  There is a high calling (Phil. 3: 12-14.  Church realm behold the Kingdom.  Kingdom realm, behold your mother and don’t despise her old age.

Taught by:  Carolyn Sissom, August 24, 2008

Scripture from King James Version.

Text from Principles of Present Truth by:  Kelly Varner.