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This week, during our weekly small group meeting, our leader – a dear friend and mentor – shared that he’d been praying over the coming season. He indicated that he felt strongly that the Lord was impressing Ruth upon him as a picture of things to come, specifically between the appointed times (Mo’edim) of Shavuot (Pentecost) and Yom Teruah (the Day of Trumpets).
The word he kept hearing accompanying this impression was “divine interruption” – and so we set about analyzing this and pursuing its greater meaning… and let me tell you, the Lord revealed it to us, and it’s deep.
Rather than try to relay to you the entire discussion, I’ll cut to the chase and share with you where we landed – though I would encourage you to go back and read through Ruth for yourself. It’s only four chapters and won’t take much time.
In the story of Ruth, we find a Moabite woman who so loves her Mother-in-law, Naomi, that even after the deaths of all of the men in the family, she would not leave her. Instead, Ruth insisted on accompanying Naomi on her return to Bethlehem;
… Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God.
Ruth 1:16
When Ruth and Naomi arrive, they are essentially destitute. They have nothing, and no immediate means of providing for themselves. I’m sure you can imagine that, especially in that day and age, this was a dire circumstance for a couple of women to be in. Ruth, recognizing that it is the time of the barley harvest (which is in the Spring), decides that she will go into the fields to glean for herself and her mother-in-law… and does so with Naomi’s blessing.
The first field from which she gleans belongs to Boaz and, upon learning of Ruth and Naomi’s return and their circumstances, instructs Ruth to glean from no other field. He extends kindness, grace, protection and provision to Ruth and, by extension, to Naomi as well.
Naomi, in her love and concern for Ruth, councils her to essentially proposition Boaz. There has been much discussion concerning Ruth’s “uncovering of Boaz’ feet”, but the crux of the issue is that Ruth makes it very clear to Boaz that she would become his wife and bear him children… that’s what’s ultimately going there in Chapter 3.
Boaz then, in complete observance of the law, goes to the closer relative – knowing that this man has first rights to redeem the property that belonged to Elimelech, Naomi’s deceased husband. He also explains to this kinsman, that the redemption of the field will require taking Ruth as a wife to raise up an heir for Elimelech.
Full Stop – let’s break that down really quick. What’s at issue here is the principle commonly referred to as a “Levirate Marriage”:
If brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, the dead man’s wife must not remarry someone outside the family. Instead, her late husband’s brother must go to her, marry her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law.
Deuteronomy 25:5
Now let’s be clear – Boaz is not the brother of Machlon, Ruth’s deceased husband. Moreover, for those who did go back and read the Book of Ruth, you may have noted that the resultant first-son, Obed, is not named after Machlon either. Obviously, this is not a Levirate Marriage by the letter of the law as prescribed in Deuteronomy.
On the other hand, it’s clear to me from this text that the principle behind these instructions were viewed in a larger context culturally, and while not every provision of the cited scripture was being applied, the principle of the Kinsman Redeemer most certainly was.
By presenting the matter as an issue of inheritance, the closer kinsman would became concerned enough about protecting his own inheritance that he refused the offer – leaving Boaz to proceed as he’d intended all along. Note also that this was all settled in the presence of witnesses. Have a look through the Torah for “Elders at the city gate” for more on what’s going on there. It’s essentially a court for all practical purposes in that day.
Now, let’s get into what the Holy Spirit showed us throughout the course of our discussion:
The story of Ruth can be viewed not only literally – which it was, Boaz and Ruth and the grandparents of King David after all – but allegorically as well. In it, we can see a picture of the Messiah, the Ekklesia, and the Torah…
Boaz, as the Kinsman Redeemer, is an obvious allegory for Messiah in this story. Just as we were destitute, slaves to sin and death – so our Kinsman Redeemer raises us up from our lowly place when we fall at His feet as Ruth did before Boaz.
Ruth then, forms a stark illustration of the Ekklesia, or the Church – in dire need of provision and redemption and seeking it from the one who can rightly provide it.
But what about Naomi? Is she just an “extra” on the set?
Nope.
Naomi is consistently the source of instruction for Ruth throughout this story. Ruth is a stranger in a strange land, but in following the instruction of Naomi, finds herself redeemed and the wife of an honorable man. She is taken from a lowly place to a lofty one in one fell swoop – all because she hearkened to the words of Naomi. Naomi is therefore an allegory for the Torah. You may know it as “the Law”, but it is better translated as “Instruction” in my opinion.
So we have a destitute woman, in need of a rescuer who is not only rescued from her circumstances, but elevated to a position of honor – and all of this ultimately begets the line of Kingship from which our Kinsman Redeemer will emerge. You believe in coincidence? I don’t.
Now for the coup de grâce: Shavuot begins at Sundown this Sunday, June 5th, 2022. For believers, this commemorates both the giving of the Torah at Sinai, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. This season – the one we’re in right now – is the season in which Ruth gleaned the leftover barley from Boaz’ fields and we are entering into the time of her betrothal to her redeemer.
Interestingly, the next appointed time comes in early fall and, as I said before, is Yom Teruah – the Day of Trumpets. That do anything for you?
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God…
Thessalonians 4:16
No, to be clear I am not telling you the Lord is returning this year. I am merely connecting some dots to try and get a better view of the prophetic vision intimated through my small-group leader. A trumpet heralds the coming of the King – our Kinsman Redeemer. It is significant then, that the word he received focused on the period between Shavuot and the Day of Trumpets. It is likewise significant that the Lord highlighted the story of Ruth as a template of sorts for this season.
I do not pretend to know what the Lord is preparing to do, or how any of His plans will manifest – I only know that He’s preparing us for something. Just as Ruth did not know how matters would play out, we don’t need to know in advance. We only need to trust HIM.
Admittedly, it’s been a hard season, but as I often remind myself when I begin to get discouraged; “there is no ‘plan b'”. I am going to follow come what may, but in this prophetic picture, I find a significant hope in things to come. I hope you do as well…
Until next time,
שלום עליכם – Shalom Aleichem – Peace Be Upon You