A Deeper Dive Into the Book of Revelation - Part 33
Symbolically, Ruth represents a new believer with a good heart who seems to have an insatiable hunger for the things of God. Since she arrived in Bethlehem (the House of Bread), she has spent almost all of her waking hours seeking and gathering nourishment provided by her redeemer. She has captured the attention of Boaz, who represents the Lord Jesus, and she has been invited to personally dine with him at his table.
Her hunger is rewarded, as God is faithful to reward any of us who persistently seek Him with a sincere heart.
“He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”—Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
Boaz responds to her hunger by giving Ruth access to more of his field. She is no longer limited to just gleaning leftovers. She is provided with nourishment that is hand-picked for her and is of the highest quality.
“When she got up to glean, Boaz ordered his servants, ‘Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her. Also you shall purposely pull out for her some stalks [of grain] from the sheaves and leave them so that she may collect them, and do not rebuke her.’”—Ruth 2:15-16 (AMP)
Ruth’s single-minded focus on gathering nourishment is symbolic of a believer with a single-minded focus on seeking God and feeding on His words in the Bible. This will pay off soon in big ways for Ruth. She will soon be rewarded with marriage to the owner of the field, a family of her own, and a secure future.
This is Jesus’ promise to all of us:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”—Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)
Symbolically, Ruth diligently sought spiritual nourishment all day. She seemed to have an insatiable hunger to grasp more of the things of God.
“So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. She picked it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. Ruth also took out and gave to Naomi what she had saved after she [had eaten and] was satisfied.”—Ruth 2:17-18 (AMP)
Ruth separates the chaff from the edible grain by beating out what she had gleaned. This is symbolic, and shows that even though Ruth is new to the things of God, she has discernment to pick out what will feed her and what will not. She ended up with about an ephah of barley. In modern terms, it would probably be about a bushel—enough to feed her for days. In Scripture, sometimes this amount is called a “measure.”
Ruth is experiencing the truth of Jesus’ blessing:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”—Matthew 5:6 (NASB)
Ruth has gleaned so much in her search that she has fresh grain to share with Naomi. This is also symbolic. Naomi, even though she represents an experienced Christian, has no fresh bread to share with Ruth; but Ruth, who is new to the things of God, brings fresh grain from her search that is able also to feed Naomi.
The Truth of God has found good soil in the heart of Ruth. This is the heart of the Overcomer. Even though Ruth has only recently been introduced to the things of God, she is already closer to her redeemer than the more experienced Naomi, and she has already sought out the source of good, fresh spiritual food that sustains them both.
This is exactly how we see the Overcomers pictured in the book of Revelation. In Revelation chapter 12, the main Church body is pictured as a woman who is clothed with the sun. She gives birth to a child who represents the Overcomers who are currently within the Church. When she gives birth to the child, this separation results in the Overcomers being caught up to the throne of God while the woman (the main Church body; the foolish virgins) flees into the wilderness to be protected during the Great Tribulation period. During these 3½ years of Great Tribulation, we see in verse 6 that the Overcomers return to feed the main church body to preserve her while she is in the wilderness. This is symbolized for us in the relationship between Naomi and Ruth.
Reference: Cummins, D. (2021). I Am Ruth Thy Handmaid. Capitol Worship.
