A Perfect Picture Of Grace

A Perfect Picture of Grace

Sunday, August 12, 2007 – AM

By Pastor Jim May

Ruth Chapter 2:1-3

The Old Testament is filled with types and shadows of the coming Christ. There are many stories that give us insight into the relationship that Jesus has with his Bride, the church. But there are no better examples that that of the relationship between Boaz and Ruth. I was reading this book again and it occurred to me that perhaps we need to take another look at what happened between Ruth and Boaz so that we could better understand our own relationship with Jesus.

As we look at their story this morning there are some things that I want to point out to you before we begin. As I stated, this book is filled with types and shadows of things to come. So I want to give you a quick list of the types that you will be seeing.

First of all, there is Boaz. Ruth 2:1, "And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz."

Boaz was a near kinsman, a “son” of the family of Elimelech. His roots were established in the beginning and there is never a question of his position or authority to carry out the duties that are about to befall him. Boaz was a man of wealth, power, authority and he was a mighty man. When Boaz speaks, everyone listens, for he speaks with authority.

Just to let you see how this relates to the fact that Boaz is a picture of the coming Christ, over in John 7, when the Pharisees came to question Jesus after he had spoken to the people teaching them of his divine origin, those who stood around said that, "...Never man spake like this man. "

In Mark 1:22, Jesus stood in the synagogue and began to teach. His words and teaching were so powerful that those who stood around recognized that Jesus was not just another teacher, "And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes." In that same meeting at the synagogue, Jesus cast the devil out of a man who was in the meeting. In Mark1:27 the people said, "...What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. "

Looking at these scriptures we can easily correlate Boaz with being a perfect picture of Christ in the Old Testament, but this is only the beginning. In this 2nd chapter of Ruth, there are many other things that point toward the coming Messiah.

Ruth 2:2-3, "And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech."

Into the story steps a young lady by the name of Ruth. Now Ruth is a picture of you and me, lost sinners, who have left the life of idolatry, sin and death that was in our past, and have come to seek answers and a new life among the people of God.

Ruth was born in Moab, a country of idolatry. She had no choice in the place of her birth and by default she was among the land of sinners. She had known no other life; had served no other gods but those of her own people. The chief among the gods of Moab was Chemosh.

Chemosh is also identified throughout history with other names such as “Baal-peor”, “Baal-zebub”, “Mars” and “Saturn”. Chemosh was known as Lord of the “Undead” and the “Prince of Bone”. He is the god of death. He is often described as a god of false redemption because he offers life after death but only at the price of eternal corruption. Priests of Chemosh are still around today and they generally wear black robes and white masks that resemble a human skull. The high priest of Chemosh is known as the Deathmaster, and is able to cast powerful spells through calling up evil spirits to do his work. It is occult practice at its worst.

As you easily see, she was living in the land of Satan himself, bound by her birth to live and die in a place of death where their destiny was to live in eternal corruption and death, separated from all that is good and true.

Thus it is made clear who Ruth represents. She represents every lost sinner, born into the world of sin and made servants of the devil by default, with little or no hope of escaping an eternal death without God, never knowing the Truth and the Love of the True God, until someone comes along with a message that will turn us back toward Jesus.