Bible Study Seattle

“One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he 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.” “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.” Ruth 3:1-6

It is interesting that Boaz could redeem Ruth only after the barley harvest was complete. The barley harvest corresponds to the church. The Passover symbolizes this. Nissan 14th is the Passover Seder.

The day following the first day of Unleavened Bread is called Reshit Katzir (רֵאשִׁית קָצִיר) the “beginning of the harvest” (sometimes confusingly called the Feast of Firstfruits). In ancient times, on this day a sheaf (omer) of barley (the first grain crop to ripen) was waved before the LORD in a prescribed ceremony to mark the start of the counting of the omer, thereby initiating the forty nine day countdown to the harvest festival of Shavuot.

“So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her. When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down. It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative.” Then he said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence. Now it is true I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the Lord lives. Lie down until morning.”

So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” Again he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then she went into the city. When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. She said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he has settled it today.” Ruth 3:6-18

Why did Ruth become known to Boaz at midnight? Sounds like:
“Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—”. Mark 13:35

Who was this closer redeemer? Possibly this represents Satan? Ruth must wait until morning to find out who will redeem her. In the morning the closer of kin refuses, since he possibly fears the fate that befell Mahlon and Chilion for marrying non Israelite wives. Morning follows evening in Hebrew days. The church is completed in the evening, while it’s still dark.

“Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.” Ruth 2:1
Elimelek means ‘God is King’. Boaz means ‘By Strength’. The other Boaz in the bible was one of two main pillars in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 7:21). Was Ruth the other? “‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” Revelation 3:12
“Boaz asked the overseer of this harvesters, ‘Who does that woman belong too?'” Ruth 2:5
Boaz notices Ruth. Jesus notices the church. Boaz then asks Ruth to glean in his field. Much as Jesus asks the church to glean in his field.
“Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:38
“May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.” Ruth 2:13
Ruth does not have the standing of Boaz’ servants. The Gentile church does not have the standing of the Hebrews, but are grafted in as wild branches:
“If some of the branches have been broken off (Hebrews), and you, though a wild olive shoot (Gentile), have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Romans 11:17-18
“At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.” Ruth 2:14
Boaz shared a meal with Ruth. Jesus invited the disciples to break bread with him.

“When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.” Ruth 2:14-18
Boaz made the work easy on Ruth. Jesus makes his work easy on the church.
“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30

Ruth gleaned until evening. The church will glean until evening. Hebrew days start with evening, and end with morning.
“And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” Genesis 1:5
This is significant. The church will glean all day; all thousand years of Jesus’ great Millennial Day.
Ruth gleaned barley. Barley was the first crop to harvest. The church is the first crop to harvest in heaven. The barley harvest coincides with the feast of Passover. Fifty days later is the feast coinciding with the wheat harvest. A few months later, in the fall, is the grape harvest.
“So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.” Ruth 2:13
Ruth waited until both barley and wheat harvests were finished. This represents both the church and her companions, sometimes referred to the Great Company after Revelation 7:9.
“The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.” Ruth 2:20
Boaz was one of Roth’s kinsmen redeemers. Jesus is our redeemer.

Ruth is one of the greatest women in the Bible, one of only two with an entire book named in her honor (the other is Esther). Ruth is the origin of our word ‘ruthless’. To be ruthless is to be the opposite of Ruth. Naomi had two sons who married. Her husband and both sons died, and they were left destitute, Naomi with her two daughters-in-law. Orpah went her own way but not Ruth. Ruth demonstrates the most tenacious faithfulness and loyalty to Naomi.

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.” Ruth 1:16-18

From the beginning of Ruth, we learn that Naomi’s sons married Moabite women. Why? This illustrates that the bride of Christ will largely come from the Gentiles. Ruth represents the church, or bride of Christ. Notice another detail:

“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. The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.” Ruth 1:1-5

They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. A little Messianic? Remember the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. And, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2 Ephraim was the son of Joseph, who is also Messianic. Here is Jacob’s blessing to Joseph:

“Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches climb over a wall.
With bitterness archers attacked him;
they shot at him with hostility.
But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
because of your father’s God, who helps you,
because of the Almighty, who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
blessings of the deep springs below,
blessings of the breast and womb.
Your father’s blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than the bounty of the age-old hills.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among his brothers.” Genesis 49:22-26

“The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:18

Imagine Mary’s predicament. Who would believe her? Not only would they not believe her, but now she had scandal hanging over her. Imagine the dirty looks and insults she must have had to bear! And this of one of the most pure, humble women who has ever been born! Yet as ridiculous as the whole thing is, look at Mary’s attitude:

“I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38

Wow! Is it no wonder that Mary is counted with the saints? Later she rides a donkey a great distance while 9 months pregnant, then gives birth in a barn! Imagine a modern ‘Christian’ woman putting up with that! No minivan. No creature comforts to give birth in. No nurses on call. And no cell phone. Imagine! Mary stands in such stark contrast to most modern ‘Christian’ women. Today they are so demanding. Expecting their husbands to submit to them. Alas, God will ultimately reveal his saints. We can all learn from Mary’s humble example.

“But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Genesis 2:20-24

What does it mean they became one flesh? Did they fuse together? Did they lose their identities in each other? Did they lose free will?
Obviously not. Then what?

““Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:4-6

“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:15-17

Why didn’t Paul say whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in flesh? Because Christians are to become spirit in the first resurrection just as Jesus is.

“for we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:30-32

Jesus will marry the church. They will become one spirit. Does this mean Christians will fuse with Jesus? Will they lose free will? No.
Jesus elaborates about the church:

“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” John 17:11

The church is to become one with Jesus as he is one with the Father. Does that mean that Jesus is the same person as God? Or that the church will become the same person as Jesus? No! Jesus is one with God in will, not in person. Likewise, the church is one with Jesus in will, not in person.
Think about it. If we are to fuse with Jesus and lose our free will, are we not conjoined robots? Why would God have let Adam & Eve fall if they would just become fused with God to do his will? Wouldn’t they be like robots? Likewise, when we marry we don’t lose our free will, but when two marry they become one flesh temporarily which results in a baby. The baby is the one flesh from the two. The baby gets half its DNA from mom, and half from dad. Is that not two becoming one flesh literally? So it will be with the church. She will be intimate with Jesus, leading to children! Just as Mary conceived by intimacy with the Holy Spirit, so the church will conceive by intimacy with Jesus. This will reproduce flesh – all those whom God chose not to go to heaven. This is why Paul says it is a profound mystery, Christ and the Church. We do not know all the details, but we can see dimly by the patterns set forth in the scriptures by God!

“When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.” 1 Kings 2:1
“Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace. But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom. And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.” 1 Kings 2:5-9

Here we get a glimpse into judgment. During David’s life, he let two evil men, Joab and Shimei, live. So it is that God lets evil men live for their first life. But in the second God will enact judgment. So Solomon here represents Jesus reigning during his 1,000 year reign. Joab and Shimei figuratively die a second death for their wickedness.

Sin is anything that leads to death. Even an earthquake. Somebody caused that earthquake and God did not stop it. How else can Jesus say:
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” John 29-30
Maybe we will find out who caused that earthquake in the Millennium. An angle or demon? Satan? No question will be too hard for Jesus in that Day:
“When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.” 2 Chronicles 9:1-2
No question was too hard! And none will be too hard for Jesus when he is reigning in even greater majesty than Solomon.

It is a little nonsensical for a Christian to say I’m sinning or I’m not sinning. Can we by our righteousness live forever? We can reduce sin and perhaps live a little longer, but ultimately death devours all, righteous and unrighteous alike. We are in a sinful milieu all around us. None has access to the trees of life, and Satan and demons are still prowling around to do us harm. All evil must be totally destroyed before we can have total peace. This will occur in the Eighth Day, the Grand Jubilee, the 50th thousand-year Day. That Day is still 861 years out!

The Gospel is Good News. REALLY good news. Yet people are unaware. Even Christians. The doctrine of demons has crept into the church.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1
The church has turned the Good News into the Bad News:
Believe in Jesus or burn in HELL!!
This is good news? Really? Sounds more like a threat.
No wonder the church has softened its stance and now says hell is merely separation from God. Consider:
“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?” Mathew 23:33
Jesus said this, so we must warn others, no? Keep in mind who Jesus was talking to. If we had an audience with Stalin or Hitler, we might be justified, but to the average Joe on the street, we better be careful lest we look like Pharisees.
Jesus was warning the Pharisees. Most assume that they may have gone to hell when they died. No one goes to hell when they die. They sleep! They will all be resurrected.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake…” Daniel 12:2
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out.” John 5:28-29
How else can this happen:
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born.” Zechariah 12:10
Those who actually pierced Jesus’ side will mourn for what they did. They must be alive to mourn. Those who refuse to repent will die a second time, never to rise again. This is Hell, or Gehenna in the Greek. They will not be in torture forever, but will be destroyed to the point of non-existence.
The Good News is everyone gets a second chance, no matter what! In those days many Christians will be ashamed for their inaccurate preaching about hell.

What will God do with abortions? What will become of all those babies? Did they live (however briefly) for nothing? What about this: The moms are resurrected in the Millennium, then they must bear the children all the way to birth. Is this possible? We’ll see. Some scriptures for thought:

“The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.” Isaiah 11:8
Infant’s will be present in the Millennium. Could some of these be the babies of pregnant moms?
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8
God is not mocked, whoever aborts a baby will be required to bring it to life(?)
If these babies grow up, will that not be a beautiful thing? Women will face their babies as judgment, yet it will have a beautiful ending.
Isn’t this beautiful? Judgment that restores. Justice that saves. Isn’t this the way of Jesus? Yet those who will not repent will die a second time. There will even be sin after the resurrection:
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Revelation 22:14-15
God never forces repentance, but he will not tolerate evil forever; the wicked will be destroyed by the end of the Millennium.