The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Nineteen - F Jun 14, 2020 by: John Herbert | Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Audio Study Notes PDF https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/6.14.20.mp3 Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Ru 4:5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” We will continue today to look at the redemption of the inheritance. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button Sunday June 14th 2020 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 19F This My Inheritance 1). Ru 4:5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” 6 And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. 8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. 9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” There is in the Book of Ruth an inextricable connection between the redemption of the inheritance and Ruth becoming Boaz’s wife. And it is because the redeemed inheritance must result in marriage to Ruth ‘to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance’, that the closer relative cannot redeem the inheritance for himself, as it would ruin his own inheritance. a). In the type there are only 2 who are able to redeem the inheritance that was lost through the deaths of Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion, and the same is true in the antitype. The closer relative pictures God the Father and Boaz, God the Son. b). And when it comes to redeeming that which was lost in the Garden through the ‘death’ of Adam, only God is able to provide that redemption. c). Now, from the beginning of Scripture we have known – Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…………. Ge 2:18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Within the OT economy, God the Father had taken Israel to be His Wife to rule with Him in the Theocracy that was established at Sinai – Ex 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. But because of national Israel’s centuries of unfaithfulness and disobedience, actions that the Lord classified as ‘harlotry’, God the Father divorced His Wife – Jer 3:8 Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce………… In a day yet future however, all this will change – Jer 3:14 “Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 “Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. 17 “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. In that Day there will be a King in Israel and God the Father will again take Israel as His Wife, as we have seen pictured by the wedding at Cana of Galilee, which is the first sign given to the Jews in John’s Gospel, and the type of Abraham again taking a wife by marrying Keturah. d). And as we had seen last week, in this respect Israel is God the Father’s inheritance – Joe 3:1 “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And it is because God the Father will again take Israel as His Wife, taking her as His inheritance, that He will pass the right of redemption to God the Son – Re 5:7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Jn 5:22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son…….. The taking of the scroll from the hand of His Father parallels Boaz taking the closer relative’s sandal. And the taking of the scroll in the presence of ‘Him who sat on the throne’ and the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders parallels the scene at the gate of Bethlehem where the parallel transaction was conducted in the presence of ten men of the elders of the city. e). Witness has been given that the One now in possession of the scroll has the legal right to redeem the inheritance and purchase the Bride who had been revealed at the Judgment Seat. And it is the enormity of this moment within the whole scope of God’s redemptive purpose that gives rise to the scene which follows – Re 5:11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” 14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever. And in v13 we see the creation itself rejoicing at this moment’s arrival. And no wonder of it, because the creation will have been waiting almost 6000 years for this to happen – Ro 8:19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The taking of the scroll is the beginning of the fulfillment of the hope that the creation has had since the curse was placed upon it. f). And again, because of how matters were set out at the beginning of Scripture, the redemption of the inheritance by the One worthy to open the scroll must result in His marriage to the Bride who had been revealed at the Judgment Seat, as Ruth was revealed on the threshing floor. 2). Ru 4:9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired [purchased] as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” 11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. As we continue in Ruth Chapter 4, we see the completion of the legal transaction. Boaz ‘bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi’. And in the purchase of the inheritance is the purchase of Ruth as Boaz’s wife. a). As the transaction was completed, so Ruth automatically became Boaz’s wife even though she was not present when the marriage took place. b). And that which we see here in the type is exactly the way the parallel events will take place in the antitype. c). Let’s just follow the chronology for a moment – following the events of the Judgment Seat the separation of the overcoming Christians from the non-overcoming Christians will have been made in the antitype of the winnowed grain on Boaz’s threshing floor, and Ruth being revealed at midnight. d). The revealing of the Bride, as with the revealing of Ruth, of itself makes a request for the redemption of the inheritance and marriage that must be honored. And it is only because this request can now be made that the redemption of the inheritance can then take place. There must be a Bride, who will become a Wife, for whom the inheritance is to be redeemed. e). Then in the antitype of Boaz taking the closer relative’s sandal, the Lord Jesus takes the 7 sealed scroll from the hands of His Father. f). In Ruth we do not see the purchase take place. There would have been a monetary exchange, but this is not seen; there is just Boaz’s statement, ‘I have bought all that was Elimelech’s…..’. And at that moment the redemption of the inheritance is complete. g). In the antitype however, the process of redemption is shown to us in Revelation Chapters 6-19 through the opening of the 7 seals on the scroll, and the accompanying pouring out of the 7 bowls and the sounding of the 7 trumpets – 3 sets of 7 that show us complete redemption through complete judgment – Re 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. Re 8:1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Re 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” And then as the completion of the redemption of the inheritance draws near, the Bride is seen again in – Re 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His [wife] has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” The use of the word ‘wife’ in v7 could cause us some confusion. The Greek word used here, ‘gune’, simply means ‘a woman’ and can refer to either a single woman, a betrothed woman or a married woman. There is nothing in the word itself that would tell you which it is. h). But, because of the type we have in Ruth we can know with absolute certainty that the word should be translated Bride or betrothed and not Wife. It is only upon the completion of the redemption of the inheritance that Ruth became Boaz’s wife, and here in Revelation Chapter 19 at the marriage supper, in the antitype, the redemption of the inheritance is not yet complete. i). What we see in the marriage supper of the Lamb is not the celebration of the marriage itself, but festivities in anticipation of the marriage that will take place upon the completion of the redemption of the inheritance. This is a time for celebration because Christ is about to return to the earth to overthrow Gentile world power which will bring God’s redemptive purpose to its conclusion. And let’s remember that the Bride will not be present when this happens, just as Ruth was not present in the type – Re 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. It is only after Christ has returned to the earth and Gentile world power has been overthrown that the Bride will automatically become His Wife and the Millennial Kingdom can then come into view – Re 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. 3). Ru 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” In the Book of Ruth, as we previously noted, there are no details of the actual transaction that brings about the redemption of the inheritance. Rather than present these details we are taken straight to the end of the matter with Ruth becoming Boaz’s wife and bearing him a son. a). And it is at this point that Naomi becomes central to the narrative again. The son born to Ruth and Boaz is shown to be Naomi’s ‘close relative’, whose name would be ‘famous in Israel’. One who would be a restorer of her life and a nourisher of her old age. And Ruth herself is said to love Naomi better than 7 sons. b). This great blessing for Naomi then, has come about solely because of the union of Boaz and Ruth. And the blessing received by Naomi because of this union is in stark contrast to the condition in which she had returned to Bethlehem – Ru 1:19 Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” As we bring all this over into the antitype, we will realize that the redemption of the inheritance that results in the Bride becoming Christ’s Wife, also results in Israel being brought to repentance, leading to her restoration and blessing. c). It is the result of the union between Boaz and Ruth that brings this about in the type, seen through the birth of Obed, and it is the result of the union between Christ and His Bride that brings this about in the antitype with Christ Himself being the ‘close relative’, who is the restorer of Israel’s life and the nourisher of Israel’s ‘old age’. d). And this is the fulfillment of the foundational type of Noah and his family’s new beginning following the flood – Ge 9:1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. It is the fulfillment of the foundational type seen in Genesis Chapter 25 – Ge 25:1 Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. And Joseph’s family in Egypt - Ge 45:18 Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. 19 Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. 20 Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ” 4). Ru 4:16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. 17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. The Book of Ruth then comes to its conclusion with the genealogy of Perez, the son born to Tamar by Judah. A genealogy in which we will also find Rahab – Mt 1:3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king. A genealogy that ultimately takes us to the greater Son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Man the last Adam. a). The Book of Ruth ends with impending regality and in the Revelation, we find the regality to which Ruth points fulfilled; bringing to completion that which God had stated in the beginning, ‘Let them have dominion’. b). David was Israel’s second king, the first king, Saul, having been rejected, and Jesus will be the earth’s second ruler, the first having been rejected. And He is the second Man, the first having been rejected. c). And together with His Consort Queen they will rule over the redeemed inheritance for the 1000 years of the Millennial Kingdom. Re 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. We will continue next time – If the Lord is willing. The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible - Part Nineteen - F Jun 14, 2020 Speaker: John Herbert Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Category: Sunday Morning https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/6.14.20.mp3 Download Audio x
Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Ru 4:5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” We will continue today to look at the redemption of the inheritance. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button Sunday June 14th 2020 The Word of God A Survey of the Bible – Lesson 19F This My Inheritance 1). Ru 4:5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” 6 And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. 8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. 9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” There is in the Book of Ruth an inextricable connection between the redemption of the inheritance and Ruth becoming Boaz’s wife. And it is because the redeemed inheritance must result in marriage to Ruth ‘to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance’, that the closer relative cannot redeem the inheritance for himself, as it would ruin his own inheritance. a). In the type there are only 2 who are able to redeem the inheritance that was lost through the deaths of Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion, and the same is true in the antitype. The closer relative pictures God the Father and Boaz, God the Son. b). And when it comes to redeeming that which was lost in the Garden through the ‘death’ of Adam, only God is able to provide that redemption. c). Now, from the beginning of Scripture we have known – Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…………. Ge 2:18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Within the OT economy, God the Father had taken Israel to be His Wife to rule with Him in the Theocracy that was established at Sinai – Ex 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. But because of national Israel’s centuries of unfaithfulness and disobedience, actions that the Lord classified as ‘harlotry’, God the Father divorced His Wife – Jer 3:8 Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce………… In a day yet future however, all this will change – Jer 3:14 “Return, O backsliding children,” says the Lord; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 “Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. 17 “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. In that Day there will be a King in Israel and God the Father will again take Israel as His Wife, as we have seen pictured by the wedding at Cana of Galilee, which is the first sign given to the Jews in John’s Gospel, and the type of Abraham again taking a wife by marrying Keturah. d). And as we had seen last week, in this respect Israel is God the Father’s inheritance – Joe 3:1 “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And it is because God the Father will again take Israel as His Wife, taking her as His inheritance, that He will pass the right of redemption to God the Son – Re 5:7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Jn 5:22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son…….. The taking of the scroll from the hand of His Father parallels Boaz taking the closer relative’s sandal. And the taking of the scroll in the presence of ‘Him who sat on the throne’ and the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders parallels the scene at the gate of Bethlehem where the parallel transaction was conducted in the presence of ten men of the elders of the city. e). Witness has been given that the One now in possession of the scroll has the legal right to redeem the inheritance and purchase the Bride who had been revealed at the Judgment Seat. And it is the enormity of this moment within the whole scope of God’s redemptive purpose that gives rise to the scene which follows – Re 5:11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” 14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever. And in v13 we see the creation itself rejoicing at this moment’s arrival. And no wonder of it, because the creation will have been waiting almost 6000 years for this to happen – Ro 8:19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The taking of the scroll is the beginning of the fulfillment of the hope that the creation has had since the curse was placed upon it. f). And again, because of how matters were set out at the beginning of Scripture, the redemption of the inheritance by the One worthy to open the scroll must result in His marriage to the Bride who had been revealed at the Judgment Seat, as Ruth was revealed on the threshing floor. 2). Ru 4:9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired [purchased] as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.” 11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. As we continue in Ruth Chapter 4, we see the completion of the legal transaction. Boaz ‘bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi’. And in the purchase of the inheritance is the purchase of Ruth as Boaz’s wife. a). As the transaction was completed, so Ruth automatically became Boaz’s wife even though she was not present when the marriage took place. b). And that which we see here in the type is exactly the way the parallel events will take place in the antitype. c). Let’s just follow the chronology for a moment – following the events of the Judgment Seat the separation of the overcoming Christians from the non-overcoming Christians will have been made in the antitype of the winnowed grain on Boaz’s threshing floor, and Ruth being revealed at midnight. d). The revealing of the Bride, as with the revealing of Ruth, of itself makes a request for the redemption of the inheritance and marriage that must be honored. And it is only because this request can now be made that the redemption of the inheritance can then take place. There must be a Bride, who will become a Wife, for whom the inheritance is to be redeemed. e). Then in the antitype of Boaz taking the closer relative’s sandal, the Lord Jesus takes the 7 sealed scroll from the hands of His Father. f). In Ruth we do not see the purchase take place. There would have been a monetary exchange, but this is not seen; there is just Boaz’s statement, ‘I have bought all that was Elimelech’s…..’. And at that moment the redemption of the inheritance is complete. g). In the antitype however, the process of redemption is shown to us in Revelation Chapters 6-19 through the opening of the 7 seals on the scroll, and the accompanying pouring out of the 7 bowls and the sounding of the 7 trumpets – 3 sets of 7 that show us complete redemption through complete judgment – Re 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. Re 8:1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Re 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” And then as the completion of the redemption of the inheritance draws near, the Bride is seen again in – Re 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His [wife] has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” The use of the word ‘wife’ in v7 could cause us some confusion. The Greek word used here, ‘gune’, simply means ‘a woman’ and can refer to either a single woman, a betrothed woman or a married woman. There is nothing in the word itself that would tell you which it is. h). But, because of the type we have in Ruth we can know with absolute certainty that the word should be translated Bride or betrothed and not Wife. It is only upon the completion of the redemption of the inheritance that Ruth became Boaz’s wife, and here in Revelation Chapter 19 at the marriage supper, in the antitype, the redemption of the inheritance is not yet complete. i). What we see in the marriage supper of the Lamb is not the celebration of the marriage itself, but festivities in anticipation of the marriage that will take place upon the completion of the redemption of the inheritance. This is a time for celebration because Christ is about to return to the earth to overthrow Gentile world power which will bring God’s redemptive purpose to its conclusion. And let’s remember that the Bride will not be present when this happens, just as Ruth was not present in the type – Re 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. It is only after Christ has returned to the earth and Gentile world power has been overthrown that the Bride will automatically become His Wife and the Millennial Kingdom can then come into view – Re 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. 3). Ru 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! 15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” In the Book of Ruth, as we previously noted, there are no details of the actual transaction that brings about the redemption of the inheritance. Rather than present these details we are taken straight to the end of the matter with Ruth becoming Boaz’s wife and bearing him a son. a). And it is at this point that Naomi becomes central to the narrative again. The son born to Ruth and Boaz is shown to be Naomi’s ‘close relative’, whose name would be ‘famous in Israel’. One who would be a restorer of her life and a nourisher of her old age. And Ruth herself is said to love Naomi better than 7 sons. b). This great blessing for Naomi then, has come about solely because of the union of Boaz and Ruth. And the blessing received by Naomi because of this union is in stark contrast to the condition in which she had returned to Bethlehem – Ru 1:19 Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?” As we bring all this over into the antitype, we will realize that the redemption of the inheritance that results in the Bride becoming Christ’s Wife, also results in Israel being brought to repentance, leading to her restoration and blessing. c). It is the result of the union between Boaz and Ruth that brings this about in the type, seen through the birth of Obed, and it is the result of the union between Christ and His Bride that brings this about in the antitype with Christ Himself being the ‘close relative’, who is the restorer of Israel’s life and the nourisher of Israel’s ‘old age’. d). And this is the fulfillment of the foundational type of Noah and his family’s new beginning following the flood – Ge 9:1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. It is the fulfillment of the foundational type seen in Genesis Chapter 25 – Ge 25:1 Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. And Joseph’s family in Egypt - Ge 45:18 Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. 19 Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. 20 Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ” 4). Ru 4:16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. 17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; 19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; 20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; 21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; 22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David. The Book of Ruth then comes to its conclusion with the genealogy of Perez, the son born to Tamar by Judah. A genealogy in which we will also find Rahab – Mt 1:3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. 4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. 5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, 6 and Jesse begot David the king. A genealogy that ultimately takes us to the greater Son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Man the last Adam. a). The Book of Ruth ends with impending regality and in the Revelation, we find the regality to which Ruth points fulfilled; bringing to completion that which God had stated in the beginning, ‘Let them have dominion’. b). David was Israel’s second king, the first king, Saul, having been rejected, and Jesus will be the earth’s second ruler, the first having been rejected. And He is the second Man, the first having been rejected. c). And together with His Consort Queen they will rule over the redeemed inheritance for the 1000 years of the Millennial Kingdom. Re 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. We will continue next time – If the Lord is willing.