A LOVE STORY: THE BOOK OF RUTH

Chapter 25

THE GLEANER BECOMES THE HARVESTER
(the poor become rich)

12-02-07

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(Ruth 2:13,14)  [Review] [THE PRAYER] Then she [Ruth, now a type of newly converted Gentile believer, a type of us] said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine [(ownership) Gentile] handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine [(ownership) Hebrew] handmaidens. [THE BLESSING] And Boaz [a type of Jesus Christ] said unto her [Boaz responded to her prayerful request to “Let me find favour” by granting Ruth’s prayer and giving her “favour” over all unsaved peoples by teaching her how to receive a revelation from God, as follows:], At mealtime [when you are hungry, in need] come thou hither [to me], and eat of the bread [of the Word of God], and dip thy morsel [(broken off) bit (piece)] in the vinegar [of the Holy Spirit, for illumination]. //// [LATER… AT MEALTIME]  And she sat beside the reapers [“in the house” Ruth 2:7, also indicating equality in status]: and he [Boaz, Jesus Christ] reached her parched corn [uncrushed seed of the Old Testament], and she did eat, and was sufficed [satisfied, full], and left.

(Ruth 2:15)  And when she was risen up [i.e. drawn up by God, a type of rapture] to glean [pick up], Boaz commanded his young men [“the reapers are the angels” Mat 13:39], saying, Let her glean [pick up (stalks)] even among the sheaves [among the stalks of the growing crop], and reproach her not:

1.       King James Bible Commentary: “Let her glean even among the sheaves,” meaning that she could now harvest the unpicked crop for herself. The Law gave the gleaners the right to follow the reapers, but Grace would give her the right to share in his possession!

2.       Commentary: “she could now harvest the unpicked crop for herself,” thereby once again, as in the just previous verse 14 where “she sat beside the reapers” in the house at mealtime, Boaz placed Ruth (you and I) on, at the least, an equal parity with the angels.

3.       (Psa 82:6)  I have said, Ye are gods ['elohiym]; and all of you are children of the most High.

a.       Gods = Heb: 'elohiym, el-o-heem'; plural of H433 [H433. 'elowahh, el-o'-ah;.a deity ot the Deity: God, god]; gods in the ordinary sense; but spec. used of the supreme God:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.

4.       (Gen 1:1)  In the beginning God ['elohiym (2605 x in the OT)] created the heaven and the earth.

5.       (John 10:32-34)  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods [Gk: the supreme Divinity: God]?

6.       (1 Cor 6:3)  Know ye not that we shall judge angels [evil angels only, of course; i.e. false doctrine]? how much more things that pertain to this life?

7.       Commentary: On another level of understanding, good Angels (Heb: messengers) are the Word of God. Good Angels inhabit our body upon our willing invitation (we choose to read or hear the Word of God), and then they wage spiritual warfare with the evil angels (fallen angels, demons, unclean spirits) who inhabit our body by invasion (thorns) and exist in the ethereal (ghostly) form of “strong holds” (2 Cor 10:4) of false doctrine. Evil angels are the word of Satan.

(Ruth 2:16)  And let fall [to the ground] also some of the handfuls [of barley stalks cut off, reaped and separated from the world by the angels] of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them [pick them up (harvest them)], and rebuke her not.

1.       Life Application Bible: The book of Ruth is a classic example of good people in action. Boaz went far beyond the intent of the gleaners’ law in demonstrating his kindness and generosity. Not only did he let Ruth glean in his field; he also told his workers to purposely snap off some grain [stalks] and let it drop in her path. Out of his abundance, he provided for the needy. How often do we go beyond the accepted patterns of providing for those less fortunate?

Amen

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