A Deeper Dive Into the Book of Revelation - Part 30
The Firstfruits Harvest
“So Naomi returned from the country of Moab, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.”—Ruth 1:22 (AMP)
God established three parts of the harvest:
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Firstfruits
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Main Harvest
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Gleanings
The barley harvest represents the firstfruits harvest because it comes to maturity *first *and is gathered before the main harvest of wheat.
It is significant that Naomi and Ruth arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of this firstfruits harvest. Only Ruth takes part in the firstfruits harvest. Naomi does not. This is one more indication that Ruth is an Overcomer and represents those “Holy of Holies” believers who come to maturity before the rest of the Church setting aside the cares of this world to pursue an intimate relationship with the Heavenly Bridegroom, like the Shulamite maiden in the Song of Solomon.
We see this group of “firstfruits” Overcomers in Revelation 7:9-17. They are worthy to escape the Great Tribulation because “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
We see them again in Revelation 14, standing on Mount Zion in Heaven with the Lamb of God *before *the Great Tribulation period.
“These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, **being firstfruits **to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.”—Revelation 14:4-5 (NKJV)
Boaz
“Now Naomi had a relative of her husband, a man of great wealth and influence, from the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.”—Ruth 2:1 (AMP)
Boaz means “strength” or “fleetness.” In the book of Ruth, Boaz represents Jesus Christ, the Heavenly Bridegroom. He is a man of “great wealth and influence” from the tribe of Judah.
“Boaz was true to his name and comes to us strong in grace, integrity and purpose. As the lord of the harvest, master of servants, redeemer, bridegroom and life-giver, he is a fitting type of Christ.” (Lockyer, p.79)
Naomi, who represents an experienced Christian, knows Boaz, but not intimately.
Ruth does not yet know Boaz, but her hunger will soon lead her to find him.
As God invites each of us:
“Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”—Jeremiah 29:13 (AMP)
Searching for Nourishment
“And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, ‘Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one [of the reapers] in whose sight I may find favor.’
“Naomi said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’
“So Ruth went and picked up the leftover grain in a field after the reapers; and she happened to stop at the plot of land belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.”—Ruth 2:2-3 (AMP)
Ruth is hungry. Symbolically, this represents the spiritual hunger of someone who is new to the things of God. She doesn’t really know much, but since Naomi introduced her to the things of God, Ruth is hungry for more.
Naomi doesn’t have the same hunger for the things of God. She lives in the “house of bread” (Bethlehem), but she is still bitter towards God, and she seems to have lost any hunger that she had for the things of God. So, Naomi does not go with Ruth into the fields to gather spiritual food.
Representing a “thorny ground” believer from Jesus’ parable of the Sower, Naomi has allowed the cares and anxieties of this life to choke out the Word of God so that none of its fruit comes to maturity in her life. When people encounter Naomi, they do not meet a woman who exudes the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but instead they meet an unforgiving woman who is stained and defiled by the bitterness in her heart.
Capturing the Attention of the Kinsman Redeemer
“It was then that Boaz came back from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, ‘The Lord be with you!’ And they answered him, ‘The Lord bless you!’”—Ruth 2:4 (AMP)
Boaz represents the Lord Jesus, so when he returns to the reapers and says, “The Lord be with you,” that is significant. Symbolically, Jesus could have been saying, “The Lord is with you.”
“Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, ‘Whose young woman is this?’”—Ruth 2:5 (AMP)
Ruth captured the attention of her kinsman redeemer. This is an important lesson for all of us. When we pursue the things of God with sincere hunger, that does not go unnoticed. This captures God’s attention, and He will be faithful to reward us.
“He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”—Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
And Boaz didn’t ask, “Who is she?“ He asked, *“Whose *is she?” Boaz wants to know where her heart is. He wants to know who her heart belongs to. Who is she committed to? It is this question that separates the wise virgins from the foolish virgins. This is what separates the Overcomers from the rest of the Church.
As Ruth comes to know Boaz, she will make a wholehearted commitment to Him, just like a bondservant makes a life-long commitment to her master. This is how the “firstfruits” believers are described in Revelation 14:4:
“These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.” (AMP)
We learn more about Ruth, her hunger, and her single-minded pursuit of the things of God from the servant’s response to Boaz.
“The servant in charge of the reapers answered, ‘She is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. And she said, “Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.” So she came and has continued [gathering grain] from early morning until now, except when she sat [resting] for a little while in the [field] house.’”—Ruth 2:6-7 (AMP)
Ruth seems to have a single focus. Her hunger for the things of God has led her to the field of Boaz. She does not know her redeemer yet, but she is hungry for the nourishment that he provides. From early morning until evening, her entire focus is on gleaning spiritual nourishment from the one who will become her redeemer.
Like all of us, Ruth came to her redeemer as an unclean sinner. She is from Moab. According to the law, Moabites were strictly forbidden from joining with the people of God.
“An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation their descendants shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord forever”—Deuteronomy 23:3 (AMPC)
But thankfully, she has captured the attention of her redeemer who is able to forgive all of her sin and cleanse her from all unrighteousness.
Ruth Meets Her Kinsman Redeemer
Ruth represents the Overcomers within the Church. Boaz’s first words to Ruth are, “Listen carefully.” This is the same message that Jesus spoke to the Overcomers in every single letter to the churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3:
“The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (NASB)
Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but stay here close by my maids. Watch which field they reap, and follow behind them. I have commanded the servants not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go to the [water] jars and drink from what the servants draw.”—Ruth 2:8-9 (AMP)
Finally, Ruth meets her redeemer. She doesn’t know much about him, but her hunger has drawn her to his field where she is fed and nourished. Ruth really doesn’t know enough to know what to do or where to go, but thankfully, her redeemer gives her guidance.
This is symbolic of the hunger of a new believer who doesn’t know much, but is seeking wholeheartedly. God responds by guiding this new believer on the path to life.
Ruth’s story parallels the story of the Shulamite maiden in the Song of Solomon. The Song of Solomon is a guidebook for anyone who is pursuing a deeper relationship with God.
In that story, the Shulamite, like Ruth, begins her story not knowing where to go, but receiving guidance from the king who takes an interest in her.
“Tell me, you whom I love with all my heart— where do you pasture your flock, where do you rest them at noon?— so I don’t wander around with the flocks of your companions.”
“If you don’t know your way, most beautiful of women, then follow the tracks of the herds and graze your little goats by the tents of the shepherds.”—Song of Solomon 1:7-8 (CEB)
Along with guidance, Ruth’s redeemer provides peace, safety, protection, and the water of life:
“I have commanded the servants not to touch you. And when you are thirsty, go to the [water] jars and drink from what the servants draw.”—Ruth 2:9 (AMP)
This is also what Jesus offered to the woman at the well:
“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’
“The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.’
“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”—John 4:10-14 (ESV)
And this is what Jesus offers to each one of us:
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’”—John 7:37-38 (AMP)
After experiencing devastating loss and tragedy in her life, Ruth’s search has led her to a redeemer who provides her with Bread and Water of Life; with guidance, safety, protection, and peace. As she pursues a closer relationship with Him, He will come to mean much more to her.
References: Cummins, D. (2021). I Am Ruth Thy Handmaid. Capitol Worship.
Lockyer, H. (1958). All the Men of the Bible. Zondervan Publishing House.
