Ruth, Bread, Gentiles, and Covenant

 The Book of Ruth

1. The childlessness of Naomi and her two daughters-in-law is reflective of the barrenness of Israel itself in its famine. First Israel was fruitless, and then the women themselves, left without their husbands, were themselves fruitless. In trying to escape the famine, Naomi and her family simply found the famine had followed them. Naomi reflects on her own fruitless state in 1:11-14.
2. The first turning point in the story comes when the women hear that Yahweh has turned His favor back toward Israel by giving them bread. Yahweh has remembered his covenant with his people. Ruth, who declares her covenant with Yahweh and Israel in 1:16-17, will then be given the covenantal blessing of the bread of Israel repeatedly throughout the rest of the book, until she is joined in marriage to the people of Israel. The Gentile, the foreigner who was once not a part of Israel, has now been brought near and made to be one with them (Eph. 2:11-18, Rom. 11). This is not merely symbolic of what would eventually happen in Christ, but rather one Old Testament example of the salvation of the world that God had promised to Abraham, and which would be fulfilled completely through the work of Christ. It is not mere typology.
3. Ruth is an example of the repeated testimony of Scripture, that God rewards those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). Antinomianism has no place in the covenant of God. The lazy and presumptuous cannot find Him. Rather, those who pursue Him are rewarded in their pursuit. Persistence in faith will always meet with blessing. Faith and works are not in opposition, but rather partners in the whole package of the Christian life.
4. Matthew 15:21-28 should be read with the Book of Ruth as its complement. The fact that the Canaanite woman was appealing to Jesus because of her daughter should not be missed (Mt. 15:22). Ruth was, at first, in her gleaning allowed to have the crumbs that fell from the master’s table (Ruth 2). But before long, due to her faith (Matt. 15:28), she was brought into a complete wedding banquet once only given to Israel. Though once fruitless like Israel in its famine of judgment, Yahweh blessed her with a child, giving her what she desired (Mt. 15:28). The blessings of Israel spilled out upon the Gentiles.