So now they journey together, the rugged 50 or so miles from Moab to Bethlehem. We don't know what they talked about, but surely Ruth had some trepidations about leaving everything she had ever known to move to a land she had only heard about from her now-dead husband and his family. She would be a stranger, in a strange land, making a new beginning.
What if God called you into another country, a foreign culture, where you knew neither the language, nor the customs, nor much of the religion, nor the laws.... As a woman it would be particularly intimidating. You females out there know what I mean. Our tribe can be particularly condescending, cruel and unaccepting of "outsiders". It would be a fearsome calling, would it not? Some of you, like Helen, Judy, and others of my friends have experienced this. Others have are experiencing it on other planes, like my friend whose husband recently abandoned her, leaving her to raise her children essentially on her own, or the friend whose spouse died suddenly with no warning....new land, new laws.
I have never had the physical experience of being asked to go live in a foreign land. Given my personality, I would tend to look at it as an adventure. But, not everyone is built that way. At least Ruth had a woman of some standing and reputation with her. We see this by the fact that Naomi was recognized when the pair arrived back in Bethlehem. And the fact that she had brought home a Moabite daughter-in-law, a widow? Well, that stirred up the whole town...
19So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
20“Don’t call me Naomi,b ” she told them. “Call me Mara,c because the Almightyd has made my life very bitter. 21I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lordhas afflictede me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”
22So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.
Ruth 1:19-22 (NIV)
The women's question was not one of ignorance, but of incredulity! They certainly knew this was Naomi, but they were "extremely surprised to near disbelief" (incredulous) the Lord had brought her back home.
To properly understand the deep symbolism of this story, it is important to learn about the barley harvest referenced in verse 22. This harvest was a time when the town gave praise and honor to God because of His goodness. This goodness was manifested in the abundant crop which He gave each year.
The timing of Ruth's story was important because of the role these women played in the foreshadowing of Jesus Mashiach (Messiah) and His redemptive first work during His last few weeks on Earth.
Ruth and Naomi arrived in the spring, most likely in or near the first month of the Jewish year. The barley ripened in March-April. This usually occurred at the same time as Pesach (Passover).
Some of you will wonder that I referred to Nisan as the first month of the Jewish calendar. The ancient Jewish biblical calendar began with Nisan 1, the month of redemption (Chodesh HaGeulah). The civil Jewish calendar celebrates the new year in the fall, on Rosh Hashanah. This year, 5778 on the Jewish calendar, Nisan 1 falls on March 17th. For more info about the Jewish calendar, you can click this link:
http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Rosh_Chodashim/rosh_chodashim.html
So, back to the barley harvest. In Judaism and Messianic Judaism there are three "harvest feasts". The first occurs with Passover (Pesach), the second is Pentecost (Shavuot) and the third is Tabernacles (Sukkot). Coincidentally(?), at each of these three times of year Jewish males were required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to keep the feasts there, if at all possible. Bringing in the harvest, you see...
9The Lord said to Moses, 10“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest.11He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.
Leviticus 23:9-11 (NIV)
The barley harvest is the first grain of Israel to ripen. It begins in southern Israel in conjunction with Pesach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (Passover is at the beginning of that Feast, basically "kicking it off".)
"As the firstfruit crop of the Harvest, Barley speaks loudly throughout Scripture as prophetic of not only Yahushua, but of the Bride {of Christ - - i.e. The Church}. In many of the prophetic pictures of the Bride, Barley is either present or is associated in some way. Many of the Bride examples, as well as Bride characteristics, include mention of the word Barley in some way."1
The first sheaves of barley harvested were offered as a "wave offering" to God. Basically, in the religious ceremony the priest would literally wave the sheaves through the air in worship. These sheaves of barley were the first-fruits of the first harvest. They were offered on the Sunday following the Sabbath that began the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Now, watch this:
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 (NIV)
Yes, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead the Sunday after Passover. This is why Paul referred to Him as "the firstfruits of them that slept". But, I am getting very far afield here. I need to get back to Ruth.
Re-read Lev. 23:9-11. Like the Israelites many generations before her, Ruth entered into the Promised Land at the barley harvest. She entered a stranger to that land, but she became accepted because of her devotion to the one, true God and to her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth, who becomes the bride of Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer (more on that later), represents and pre-figures the Bride of Jesus Christ, that is, the Church, that universal group of believers who trust Him as Lord and Savior.
Jesus calls us, His Bride, out from a land of sin, from our own Moab, if you will, into a land of promise. It is an unfamiliar land.
Have you recently been called by Him into The Unknown? Even if you have worshipped and followed Him for years, He will at times take you to unfamiliar places - - places that seem intimidating or ... even horrifying to contemplate. Please remember during those times that He is your Bridegroom. He will never leave you, nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). He did not abandon Ruth. He won't abandon you either. He is in the business of "making paths straight".
I just love these verses, Proverbs 3:5-6 (NET). Let's close this post with these:
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding.
6Acknowledge him in all your ways,
and he will make your paths straight.
Source:
1 http://www.thewayprepared.com/studies/3-foldharvest.html
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