A Deeper Dive Into the Book of Revelation - Part 46
In the last chapter of Ruth’s story, we see the birth of Obed restore life and purpose to Naomi in fulfillment of the blessings that the women of Bethlehem spoke over them.
“Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer (grandson, as heir) today, and may his name become famous in Israel. **May he also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age; **for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.’
“Then Naomi took the child and placed him in her lap, and she became his nurse. The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, ‘A son (grandson) has been born to Naomi.’ They named him Obed (worshiper). He is the father of Jesse, the father of David [the ancestor of Jesus Christ].—Ruth 4:14–17 (AMP)
This is a prophetic picture of the restoration of Israel at the end of this age.
Here, in the story of Ruth, we have Naomi (a Jew), who temporarily experienced separation from the blessings and provision of God due to her own choices.
This is a picture of Israel turning away from the Lord and rejecting the blessings and provision of God in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
But just as Paul described in Romans 9-11, Israel’s separation from God is not permanent. In the time that Israel has been separated from God because of unbelief, the Gentiles have been grafted into the family of God through faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Naomi (the Jew) pointed the way to the Redeemer for Ruth (the Gentile). Then the most beautiful part of the story is that Ruth’s relationship with the Redeemer bears fruit that restores life and purpose to Naomi (the Jew), bringing her back into the family of the Redeemer.
“God gave the revelation of His written word to the Jew first then to the gentiles (Romans 1:16). Naomi (Jew) reveals Boaz to Ruth (gentile). But at the end of the age, at Christ’s second coming, it will be the Church (Obed – offspring of both Jew and gentiles) that restores new life to Israel and the Jews.” (Cummins, p. 86)
We see this ultimately in the book of Revelation when thousands of Jewish believers are sealed unto God in Revelation 7:4–8. Here we finally see the remnant of Israel that will be saved and restored to the family of God, as Isaiah prophesied:
“The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea, A remnant of them will return” —Isaiah 10:21-22 (NKJV)
Also in Revelation 7, we see a great multitude of Gentiles “from every nation, tribe, race of people, and language of the earth” standing in front of the throne of God.
In this one chapter of Revelation, we see both Jew and Gentile, safe and secure in the family of God.
So, in the restoration of Naomi (the Jew) in the story of Ruth, we see a prophetic picture of the restoration of the people of Israel that God will accomplish at the end of this age. At that time, we will finally see the fulfillment of all that Jesus paid for in His death on the cross.
“But now [at this very moment] in Christ Jesus you who once were [so very] far away [from God] have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace and our bond of unity. He who made both groups—[Jews and Gentiles]—into one body and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall [of spiritual antagonism between us], by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the hostility caused by the Law with its commandments contained in ordinances [which He satisfied]; so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thereby establishing peace. And [that He] might reconcile them both [Jew and Gentile, united] in one body to God through the cross, thereby putting to death the hostility.”—Ephesians 2:13-16 (AMP)
Obed is a prophetic representation of God bringing both Jew and Gentile together in “one new man.”
**Reference: **
Cummins, D. (2021). I Am Ruth Thy Handmaid. Capitol Worship.
