1 & 2 Kings- Christ Through the Bible- The Reigning King

Seen in the life of Solomon

Solomon was the King of Israel. “Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.” 1 Kings 2:12

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings. “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Rev. 19:16

The Reign begins with Judgement

1 Kings 2:25-26 ‘So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah, and he died. To Abiathar, the priest, the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now because you carried the ark of the Sovereign LORD before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.”

1 Kings 2:32-34 ‘The LORD will repay him for the blood he shed because without the knowledge of my father David he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him.’

1 Kings 2:44-46 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father, David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing. Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and killed him.

The first thing that we should notice is that the reign of Solomon began with judgement. Men who had lived through the entire reign of David and had got away with many hideous crimes now got their fair punishment. Is this not the same as the start of Jesus’ reign on earth? People in our age commit great sins against both God and man and for the time being, do not seem to be judged for their actions. God in His mercy and patience allows them time to repent, but He has set aside a day when he will judge the world. When Solomon’s reign began, judgement was pronounced upon these wicked men. So, it is with the return and reign of Jesus – it starts with judgment.

Matt 25:31,32 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.’

1 Cor 4:5 ‘Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.’

Thus Solomon’s kingdom was established when he put away his mortal enemies. Likewise, when we acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ, we put him first. There is nothing we want more. We seek His kingdom first.“ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Christ also ascended to Heaven and is seated at the right hand of Majesty on high, having destroyed the power of the grave and hell forever.

 “ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’[The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:55-57

“For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. 15:25,26

“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold; I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Rev. 1:18

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,  and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Heb. 2:14,15

By destroying his enemies, Solomon did not tolerate threats to his reign or false claims to his throne. Likewise, Our God is a jealous God, and He will not give His glory to another. He is the Only One worthy to sit on the throne and judge the nations.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing. 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!’” Rev.5:12,13

The Wisdom of God Manifested

1 Kings 3:5-13 ‘At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered, “…Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So, give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So, God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.’

God was so pleased with Solomon’s request that He said to him ‘I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.’ Except one that is! The one in whom Solomon’s reign was just a mere shadow. Of all the men that had lived, Solomon was the wisest there had ever been. He judged righteously, and many came from far away just to listen to his wisdom. But even Solomon cannot compare with the soon coming rule of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.

Isa 11:1-5 ‘A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD— and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness, he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth . He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips, he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.’

Wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel are essential characteristics of the rule of Christ. In this age we struggle to discern correctly, not knowing others, hearts. Not so when Jesus reigns. Real justice will be applied in every situation as nothing can escape the limitless understanding of the God-Man!

1 Kings 4:29-34 ‘God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.’

The last line of this quote says ‘Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.’ How true this is of Jesus’ reign. We know from prophecy that

Isaiah 2:1-5 ‘In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways , so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples .

How awesome this is going to be! Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

The Prince of Peace

1 Chron 22:6-9 ‘Then David called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.’

According to this verse, one of the leading characteristics of Solomon’s reign was peace. King David had not been allowed to build the temple because of the wars and bloodshed he had been involved with. Instead, this was granted to his son Solomon, a man of ‘peace and rest’ whom God would grant ‘rest from all his enemies on every side.’ What better picture of the reign of Jesus is there? The name of Solomon even means ‘peace’! Read and enjoy these verses that speak of the peace in the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Isa 2:3,4 ‘The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. ’

Isa 9:6-8 ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace . Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. ‘

Isa 11:6-9 ‘The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.’

The Rebuilding of the Temple

1 Kings 6:1,14 ‘In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD.  So, Solomon built the temple and completed it.’

Solomon built a magnificent temple, seven years in the making, with many objects made of marble and overlaid with gold. It was one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Jesus Christ has been preparing a place for us in Heaven for 2,000 years! How awesome will that be? We will walk through gates of pearl, stroll on streets of gold, and live in a city whose foundations are made of precious stones.  Rev.21 and 22

“In My Father’s house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2,3

After Solomon finished building the temple, during the dedication, God Himself came to dwell in it. “And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” 1 Kings 8:10,11

Likewise, God ‘tabernacled’, or pitched His tent among us, when Christ took on flesh and lived among us. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

But even more glorious, will be the day when we will be in the presence of God in Heaven, seeing His face, enjoying unbroken fellowship with Him.“ ”And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God, Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’” Rev. 21:3, 4

Like Solomon, Jesus will build the temple in His Kingdom. This is the temple that has been described in Ezekiel Chapters 40-46 that has not yet been constructed. It has been written in Zechariah that the Messiah will do this.

Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. Zech. 6:13

Zech 6:11-13 ‘Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua, son of Jehozadak. Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘ Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’

The title of the ‘branch’ is a known name given to the Messiah. The crowning of Joshua in this passage foreshadowed the crowning of the Messiah who, at His second coming, would build the temple and unite the offices of King and Priest in one person just as Melchizedek had done. (Gen 14:18-20) Also, in this present age, each member of the church is the temple of God (1 Cor 6:19) – a habitation for God himself to dwell. Jesus has also been the builder of this temple as he declared to Peter -

Matt 16:18 ‘And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.’

 

The Ark and the Glory Return

1 Kings 8:6-11 ‘The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim… When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

With the temple completed and the ark of God returned to the Holy of Holies, God showed His pleasure in all that had been done by filling the temple with His presence and glory. The ark of God is a type of Jesus Himself – the manifest presence and power of God. The same glory that filled the temple will one day, in the Kingdom to come, be openly visible for the world to see.

Isaiah 24:23 ‘The moon will be abashed, the sun ashamed; for the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously.’

Isaiah 40:5 ‘And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Isaiah 60:1-3 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you, and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.’

Israel’s Exaltation

1 Kings 10:4-9 ‘When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth, you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness.”

1 Kings 10:23-27 ‘King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.’

Finally, the last characteristic that marked Solomon’s reign was the exalted position that Israel held among the nations. When the Queen of Sheba came, she was ‘overwhelmed’ and ascribed all that she saw and heard to the ‘LORD’s eternal love for Israel.’ The reign of Solomon marked an incredible influence among the Gentile nations, with many sending representatives to bow and pay homage at the footstool of his throne. Israel was praised among the nations and peace reigned. The millennial kingdom also displays the pre-eminence of Israel as out of her will come the word and glory of the Lord.

Micah 4:2 ‘In the last days…The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Zech 8:20-23 ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come, and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’ And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him.” This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you.’”

In the age in which we live, the Jew is still bearing the effects of having forsaken God, and for the last 2000 years, they have faced more persecution and trials than any other people group in the world. Yet just as in Solomon’s day when Israel was exalted and her supremacy unchallenged, so is the day coming when God again shall fulfil His promises to His chosen nation and her glory and splendor shall be restored. Gentiles will take the hand of the Jew knowing that ‘God is with you.’ Jesus himself will rule from Jerusalem for it is written that ‘the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, …gloriously.’ Also,

Zech 14:8-9,16 ‘On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name… Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty.’

Solomon was rich, with yearly tax revenue equaling 39,960 pounds of gold. 1 Kings 10:14 (See all of 1 Kings 10 ) $774,117,700,000

He had an opulent palace and many building projects, the pinnacle of which was Solomon’s temple. Read 1 Kings 6:14-22

But Jesus Christ is rich, without taxing His people. “For every beast of the forest is Mine And the cattle on a thousand hills.” Psalm 50:9-11 Psalm 50:11-13

He is the maker and owner of all things. Thus, says the LORD: Isa. 66:1-3 And He owns the gold and silver in every mine. Hagg. 2:8

Yet, Jesus laid aside His glory and riches for our sake. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Cor. 8:8-10

In what sense did He become poor? On earth, He was homeless, had only one piece of clothing worth anything, and had no possessions. He owned no property and carried no cash. He even paid His taxes in an unusual way.  “Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” Matthew 17:27

When the Queen of Sheba came to investigate the rumors about Solomon’s wisdom and wealth, she exclaimed,  “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However, I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes, and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard! 1 Kings 10:6,7” We cannot begin to imagine how amazing Heaven will be.

She said his servants were blessed to see his face and hear his righteous judgments. “Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” 1 Kings 10:8,9

Even more so, the servants of Christ are blessed to read His words and serve Him. God is praised because He delighted in His Son and was pleased to set Him on the throne of the universe, to do justice and righteousness. One day, we will see Him face to face, hear His voice, and serve Him without weariness or sin.  “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” Rev.22:3.4

Solomon received wisdom from God so that he could lead Israel. One case, stands out. Read 1 Kings 3:16-28 Two women and one live baby that they both claimed was theirs. Solomon’s decision revealed the true mother.  “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.” 1 Kings 3:28

Jesus teaching was unlike any other. He spoke with “authority. “  And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”Matt.7:28,29 He forgave sin. He passed judgment. “When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ’Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord. ’And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’” Matt. 8:10,11

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and LORD of lords.  He reigns in the hearts of those who believe Him.  Have you accepted Him as your King?

1 & 2 Samuel- Christ Through the Bible

Text: “I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them : I the Lord have spoken it.” Ezek. 34: 23, 24.

Introduction

There are a few themes worth noting in 1 and 2 Samuel:

First, it shows the arrival of the KINGS in Israel. The book of Judges ends with the statement, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25) The deplorable events of Judges set up Israel’s need for a king.

1 Samuel records how Israel instituted their first king: Saul. This was a period of relative silence from God (1 Sam. 3:1). He was waiting to punctuate this time of history with visions and miracles, so he was allowing a period of inactivity during the time of the judges. Similarly, for hundreds of years before Christ, there was no prophetic activity in Israel. Once Christ came, miraculous activity was frequent.

Second, it shows the importance of Prophets in Israel. 1 Samuel shows how Samuel—the prophet—was born and instituted prophets in Israel. He continues to play a significant role throughout the whole book, anointing Saul and David as kings. Likewise, when David falls into sin, Nathan—the prophet—calls him on this and David finds repentance (2 Sam. 11).

Third, it shows the arrival of King David. David is a significant player in the Bible. He is a type of Christ, and he represents the ideal king in Israel until Christ arrives.

In 1 Samuel we again are in a transitional time.  The people were wanting to be like the nations around them and be ruled by a king. They wanted a secular leader, and this is precisely what they get. Saul is tall, dark, and handsome (v.2). He comes from a wealthy family (v.1). Saul’s father, Kish, loses his donkeys, and he tells Saul to go find them (v.3). They bump into Samuel to see if they can get some insight on where they are. Samuel is told beforehand that this man will be the first king of Israel (v.16). Samuel tells Saul that the donkeys were found (v.20). Instead, he informs Saul that there are more important things that God has for him.

Why did God choose Saul of all people? Saul’s tribe was from the youngest sons of Jacob, and Benjamin was also a tribe that was recently massacred (Judg. 20). So, it fits with God’s wisdom to pick the smallest to make the greatest, and the youngest to give his promise. It also shows that God shows grace to people who have messed up (Judg. 20).

Why wouldn’t God pick a good king? We should point out that Saul wasn’t evil at the beginning, but freely chose to be evil. At the time, Saul might have been the best option. Moreover, God picks the king that the people wanted—tall, dark, and handsome (10:23). Saul looks good, but he lacks the necessary character to lead the nation. They wanted this, and this is why God warned them (8:12-20). Later, God picks his first round draft pick: David. He lets them go their way, and then, he shows them the one who is actually good, humble, and God-led (16:7).

As we see the transition taking place from prophet to king, Samuel asked the question if he has ever mistreated the people (v.3). They agree that he has been faithful to them (v.4). Samuel reminds them of their past to give them context in moving forward. He is worried that they will fall into idol worship (v.21). He tells them that God will not reject them as a people (v.22), but he will let them be taken over (v.25).

Samuel was hurt that the people no longer wanted him, but rather a king.  Even though they told him he was a good leader they wanted a king.  This shows that there is actually another deeper issue happening here. The point is that the Israelites are not trusting God. The reason that the people wanted a king did not rest in the fact that Samuel was a lousy judge, they wanted to be like other nations.

Saul was thirty years old when he became king and ruled Israel for 42 years. During that time he was moving away from trust the LORD.  On one occasion he overstepped his authority and displeased the LORD.  In chapter thirteen of 1 Samuel we see the beginning of the end of Saul's reign.

Saul waited for Samuel to come and offer the sacrifice to God, but because Samuel was late in arriving, Saul offered the sacrifice himself (v.9). This was an major overstepping of his authority. Saul provided a good argument for why he (the king) needed to offer the sacrifice, but Samuel wouldn’t tolerate it (v.13). He broke God’s command just to do what was expedient. This the act that let’s Saul know that someone else would replace him (v.15).

He final act of disobedience of Saul came when he was commanded by the LORD to utterly destroy the Amalekites. for their attacks against Israel, when they were slaves escaping Egypt (Ex. 17:8-16; Num. 24:20; Deut. 25:17-19). God tells Saul that he needs to wipe out the entire society. The Kenites were spared because they were kind to the Jews when they left Egypt (v.6). When Saul battled the Amalekites, he saved the king (Agag) and their valuables (vv.7-9). As a result, God regrets ever making Saul king.

Saul was so blind that he thought he was carrying out God’s command (v.13). He claimed that he was keeping the valuables to “give to God” (v.15). He keeps arguing with Samuel that he had followed what God said (vv.20-21). Samuel tells him that obedience is essential—more than sacrifices. This is the coup de gras on Saul’s kingship. Saul admits that he was in sin the entire time (v.24); he was justifying what he did. He fell into this because of man-pleasing (v.25). Samuel went through and killed Agag when Saul wouldn’t (v.33). Sometimes people are so blind to the truth that they think that they’re following it. Something to remember is that God’s judgment is severe.

Enter David.  God sends Samuel to go and find David—Jesse’s son (v.1) 

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice.

 The sons from Jesse’s family step forward one by one. God chooses the man based on his heart—not his appearance (v.7). God chooses David (v.13), and Samuel anoints him with oil. God’s Spirit had left Saul (v.14). They “just-so-happen” to recruit David to play the harp for Saul. The music would make Saul feel better (v.23). Saul loved David very much (v.22).

At this point, Saul is unaware of the fact that God had departed from him, and he moved on to David (v.14). People who are caught in sin are often the last to know that God’s Spirit has departed from them. We see here that God looks for people’s character—not appearance (v.7).

David The Type of Christ

The story of David covers a larger space in the Bible than any other of the saints, except the LORD; for he is the sum and substance of the sacred Scriptures.  All the people, places and objects were but shadows or types of Him, as has already been shown in past sermons. That David was a type of Christ is evident from the Messiah's being called David in our text, and in several other places, as Jer. 30: 9. Ezek. 37: 24. Hosea 3: 5.

These predictions do not relate to David literally, is evident since he has been dead for several hundred years.

We will look at David as a type of the Messiah, in his person, character, and offices.

 In respect of his person, we see that he was in the linage of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, and was a branch of the stem of Jesse. He was the youngest son of his father, born in Bethlehem, Judea, and spent his youthful years in feeding his father's flock.

In comparison, Jesus was from the linage of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, the line of David the king of Israel, born in Bethlehem, from the tribe of Judah and became the Shepherd of His Father’s sheep.

The prophet Micah said of Jesus’ birth,  “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2

The character of David.

When we look at the character of David we only need to see how the LORD regarded David,  “I have found a man after mine own heart, that shall fulfil all my will ;” 1Sam. 13: 14.  David paid the strictest attention to the law and worship of God.  David was not perfect. Yet, he recorded his crimes of adultery and murder and his repentance and godly sorrow for his awful crimes.

In Jesus Christ, however, we find perfection in the strictest sense of the word. “For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Heb.7: 26. Though tempted of the devil, yet he was without sin. He, indeed, was “the man after God's own heart.” It was his life’s purpose to do the will of his heavenly Father. His whole life was an exemplification of David's prediction: “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire ; mine ears hast thou opened : burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in*: great congregation; lo, have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.” Ps. 40: 6–10.

In the writings of David many Christians have found comfort, but in Jesus Christ, the Christian has the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them and the satisfaction of knowing He will never leave us or forsake us.

 David's victory, over the proud insulting Philistine, who defied the armies of the living God, was only the beginning of his exploits in serving the LORD. He heard blasphemous railing; he saw the unmanly terror of the Israelites, who all declined the single combat of this vain boaster.  David was not intimidated by the fierce appearance of the enemy of Israel. David was resolved to accept the challenge in the name of the insulted God of Israel.

Armed with no weapons but his staff and sling, he lays the enemy of Israel flat on the ground and severed his head from the body with his own sword. Goliath is an emblem of the devil, the king of terror, who has the power of death. A high reward is offered by the King of heaven, to the person who encounters and overcome this challenging enemy. No man, no angel, dared the difficult task. But Jesus Christ has heard the blasphemous railing of the enemy of our soul was not intimidated.  He accepted the challenge in the name of the Father. He did this for the salvation of the human race, and for the joy that was set before him, prepares himself for mortal combat. His brethren despised him and used him rudely, but he was not frightened from the business of the Father.

Just as David did not borrow the armor of Saul, Jesus did not use His divinity to face the enemy of our soul. It was by his own strength and wisdom he obtained the victory with the staff of his cross; a most unlikely weapon, the Father was his shield and his glory. He destroyed the devil that had the power of death:’ and the saying of the prophet is fulfilled; “I will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor by horsemen.’” Hosea 1 : 7.

David was zealous for the glory of God, and desired to build a house for Jehovah to dwell in, but was not permitted, because he had been a man of war; but Christ, the Prince of peace, has made us the dwelling place of the God.  As Paul writes, What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? I Cor. 6:19

Looking at the way David governed the people: and “therefore the people loved him because he behaved himself wisely.”1 Sam. 18: 14. And he received the honorable testimony, that “he fed the people according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.” Ps. 78: 72. But of Jesus Christ, the Son and Lord of David, it was foretold: “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.” Isa. 52: 13. And the same prophet, speaking of his descent, qualifications, and conduct, says: “There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots: and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord ; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord ; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” Isa. 11 : 1–5.

The offices which David sustained.

 He was a shepherd, as it is written: “He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheep folds : from following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob, his people, and Israel his in heritance.” Ps. 78: 70, 71. In this occupation, he repeatedly exposed his life to most imminent dangers in defense of the flock entrusted to him, and the LORD crowned his courage and faithfulness with success. So, as an encouragement inducing him to engage in combat with the giant Goliath, he related to Saul the following story: “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: and I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth ; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear ; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. David said, moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.” 1 Sam. 17: 34–37. However tremendous and admirable the courage and success of David was but a type of Christ

The sheep of Christ are innumerable and more precious than all the cattle on a thousand hills; and their enemies are mighty, vigilant, and persevering ; and although he knew it would cost his life, yet his courage never failed; and in dying “he destroyed him that had the power of death, which is the devil, and delivered them who, through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage;” Heb. 2: 14, 15; and “having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Col. 2: 15

 “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out; as a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the in habited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be : there shall they lie down in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. Ezek. 34: 11–16.

Referring to this prediction, Jesus, having reproved the hirelings which abounded in his day, said: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth : and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so, know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10; 11-15.

 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them etermal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” John 10: 27–30.

David was not just a shepherd but a prophet.   Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, he often wrote as actually personating the Messiah himself. Many parts of writings, though apparently intended of himself, have no reference at all, except as he was a type of Christ, in whom the very things predicted were literally fulfilled

Ps. 16: 10. 22: 18. 69: 21. To prove the resurrection of Christ, the apostle reasoned thus: “For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover, also, my flesh shall rest in hope : because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, (rather my body in the grave,) neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day; therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ, to sit on his throne ; he, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” Acts 2: 25–31.

 David as a type of Christ, In his office as a king.

As David was appointed of God to be king in Israel.  In fact, he was anointed three times.  To understand why David was anointed three times before he was king, I believe it is important to point out first those three times that he was anointed;

1. David is anointed to become king of Israel, in the place of King Saul who had been rejected by God. Samuel anointed David king in 1 Samuel 16:13

2. David is anointed to be king of Judah by the men of Judah. 2 Samuel 2:4

3. David was anointed to be accepted as king as king of Israel by the elders of Israel. 2 Samuel 5:3

The first anointing is the appointment by the Lord God. The anointing from God Himself, not of men. It had to be done by Samuel, the prophet of the Lord.

The second anointing was by the men of Judah for him to become their king. David was yet to be accepted of Israel. Judah had all along been perceived to be a separate entity from the rest of Israel. David had been from the lineage of Judah and was therefore readily accepted as king by the men of Judah. Judah is also the lineage of our Lord Jesus the CHRIST. According to how Jacob blessed his sons when he was about to die in Genesis 49, Judah was blessed to rule over his brothers until the coming of Jesus the Christ.  So, this was the anointing of acceptance. David received the anointing of approval; Saul on the other hand only received the anointing of appointment 1 Samuel 10:27.

The third anointing was for David to inclusively be king over Israel. This as much was also the anointing of acceptance. Saul had died, and much as Israel should have resisted the leadership of David, they had no alternative but to accept him as king over them.

David, though declared to be king in Israel and anointed of the Lord, yet had to pass through a series of long and complicated trials, to attain the promise. For a considerable time, he was in a state of reproach, persecution, and distress. In like manner, the accession of Jesus to his promised dominion was long and violently opposed ; and he was more afflicted than any man; “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” David was reviled by his own kindred, as acting from ambitious views, and other corrupt principles. “I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart,”was the slanderous and cruel speech of his elder brother. 1 Sam. 17: 28. And of  Jesus, it is said, “Neither did his brethren believe in him.” John 7: 3–5.

The long persecution which David endured from Saul should remind us of “the child Jesus, against whom both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together.” Acts 4: 27. How often was David obliged to flee for his life from place to place, and hide himself in the dens and caves of the earth!   Jesus Christ wandered from town to town, and very frequently, to avoid the violence of his adversaries, concealed himself from them, and escaped from their fury by a miraculous flight. Luke 4: 30. John 8: 59. 10: 39.

There is also a striking similarity in the professed ground of opposition both to David and to Jesus Christ; that the established government was in danger. As Saul suspected David to be his rival, so Herod feared that his power would be subverted by him “who was born King of the Jews.” Matt. 2 : 2, &c. As David met with formidable resistance from many of his own people as well as from neighboring nations, particularly from Ahithophel, one who had been a partner in his councils, and his familiar companion, but proved a traitor and sought his destruction; so very similar was the opposition to Christ's kingdom. “He came to his own, but his own received him not.” John 1: 11.

“His citizens hated him, and said, We will not have this man to reign over us.” Luke 19: 14. A murderer was preferred to the Prince of life ; “not this man, but Barabbas,” was the general cry. John 18: 40. “The multitude,” among whom were, perhaps, many whom he had fed in the wilderness, freed from tormenting devils, and healed of their diseases, “cried, Crucify him Crucify him!” His friends and

disciples fled and forsook him, like sheep when the shepherd is smitten. Peter, the most zealous of the apostles, denied his Lord and Master, and swore and cursed, to prove that he knew not the man; while Judas Iscariot, who had been a near attendant upon his person, entrusted with his counsel, like Ahithophel, a base apostate, betrayed him into the hands of his enemies.

David bore his afflictions with patience and meekness; but in seasons of darkness, under the hidings of God's countenance, he bitterly complained unto the Lord, as one abandoned and abhorred. Thus the Lord of David, of whom it is written: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth ; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep, before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” Isa. 53 : 7. When suffering from the immediate hand of God—bearing our sins in his own body on the tree, he exclaimed, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me !” Matt. 27: 46. At length, however, David saw persecuting Saul removed, the Philistines subdued, and all the neighboring nations either desolated or made tributary to him; and he reigned king over all the tribes of Israel, and many of the heathens professed allegiance to him and became proselytes to the God of Israel.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:5-11

The Father has “set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come.”Eph. 1: 20, 21.

As yet, His spiritual government has not attained its perfection.  Many refuse submission, to his yoke. But “his people shall be willing in the day of is power;” Ps. 1.10: 3; “yea, all kings shall fall down before him ; all nations shall serve him.” Ps. 72: 11. For “he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” I Cor. 15: 25. This is that “root of Jesse, which shall rise to reign over the Gentiles: in him shall the Gentiles trust.” Rom. 15: 12

In Conclusion

Christ is the Great Shepherd, the Prophet and King of kings, LORD of lords.  He will one day come back and establish His kingdom here on earth.  What is important is that you are ready, that you have made your calling and election sure in Jesus Christ.  Today is the day of salvation, now is the excepted time, don’t put off accepting Jesus Christ the Lord of your life.

Ruth- Christ Through the Bible

Text: And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: ¹⁷ Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Introduction-This is a love story without the mention of love.

The theme of marriage occupies much of the story, but when viewed as the ideal romance between faithful Ruth and godly Boaz, the rich theology of this book passes right under the noses of many of its admirers. Before the story is about this couple, it is about God. The book of Ruth is first and foremost about the covenant faithfulness of the LORD to ensure the arrival of our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God providentially guides and blesses all who trust Him.  Ruth exemplifies God’s grace in the midst of suffering. The story of Ruth is about a Gentile woman of Moab who chose to serve the God of Israel and was richly blessed by Him. The book shows Gentiles are not outside the scope of redeeming love.

The book shows how Ruth, a Moabitess, became the great-grandmother to David. It brings the genealogy down to David and so, to David’s greater Son- Jesus the Christ.

Ruth’s place in revelation has to do with the genealogy of Jesus through David (4:17-22). The message of Ruth is about the macro picture of God’s providential working through Israel to bring the Messiah. God is providentially active at work in the lives within the book but also in the scope of history. His work is often unseen in the dark days of the judges. God puts Ruth in the royal line of David and Jesus (Mt 1:5).

There is no explicit time indicated in the book, other than that the story occurred when the “judges judged” (literally: 1:1)—probably near the end of the period of the judges, which covered 450 years (Acts 13:20).

The story of Ruth took place over a period of 10 years.

The genealogy in Ruth (4:17-22) does not mention Solomon, indicating that the book was written during David’s monarchy, 1010-970 B.C.

The book of Ruth is named after its chief character. It is interesting that the book is not called after Naomi (the senior character) or after Elimelech (the head of the house), but after Ruth, the Moabitess, the stranger (non-Hebrew) who sought after God. Ruth ultimately became an ancestor of the Messiah (see genealogy of Jesus, Mt 1:5). Ruth is a book dealing with the providential working of God upon the hand of a woman.

Jews read the book of Ruth annually on the Feast of Pentecost commemorating the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai (Ex 23:16); this was the beginning of the First fruits offering. Ruth was betrothed during the First fruits celebration (Ruth 3:2).

The Kinsman-Redeemer: Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, was typical of Jesus in His redemption of man. Resolve to redeem is crucial for redemption.  The book has a focus on redemption: “redeem,” “redeemer,” “redemption,” and “kinsman-redeemer” used 20 times.  It also has a focus on “mercy” – God’s faithfulness borne out of kindness and love (1:8; 2:20; 3:10).

The kinsman-redeemer provides a type of Jesus, the Kinsman-Redeemer (Deut. 25:5-6; Ruth 4:9-17). Boaz accepted this responsibility because his brother, had died.

The genealogy of Jesus included several non-Jews (Mt 1). God showed grace in the line of David:

Tamar the Canaanite (Mt 1:3)

Rahab the Canaanite harlot (Mt 1:5)

Ruth the Moabite (Mt 1:5)

Bathsheba, probably a Hittite (Mt 1:6

Matthew 1:5 is the only other mention of Ruth in the Bible, outside the book of Ruth itself.

Ruth is a love story without the use of the word “love.”

The book is the only example of the law of the kinsman-redeemer in motion.

The genealogy at the end of the book is an important link to Christ.

Ruth was read at the Feast of Pentecost (it was a book of grace).

 Introduction

We are going to begin the study of the book of Ruth. The book of Ruth is a very brief book of four chapters. That means that we will not be spending a great deal of time on the book because there isn't that much of it, but we will be thinking together about some truths that I believe will be of real interest to us.

I would like to begin by calling to your attention what I think is at least an observation. I always think about this when we have any kind of discussion related to the book of Ruth. There are only three books in the Bible with women as central figures. Those three books are Esther, Ruth, and the second epistle of John, which is addressed to the elect lady. Many times attention is called to the fact that there are two books in the Bible which have for their names the names of women–Ruth and Esther. That is true, but I want to emphasize that there is the other book of II John, which has the one to whom the book is addressed, the elect lady. Who that lady was, no one knows. There has been a number of observations made as to whom she might have been, but there is no definite evidence as to who she was.

Related to Preservation

I have suggested that these three books are related to the subject of preservation, and I am personally of the opinion that this is one of the reasons they are included in the canon of Scripture. Ruth, is included in the canon of Scripture that the Messianic line might be preserved, because if we did not have the record of the genealogy which we have in the book of Ruth, then there would be no way to trace the Lord Jesus Christ and His lineage to David.

Time Period of the Book

As we begin our study of the book of Ruth, I think it is important for us to recognize that it is an appendix to the book of Judges. As a matter of fact, in the Hebrew Bible, it is arranged as part of the book of Judges. The reason for that is what you find in the first phrase of the first verse, “it came to pass,” when the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. This sets immediately the time for the story as found in the book of Judges, a time about which we will have a bit more to say a little later. You can see from this first statement why it would be considered an appendix to the book of Judges because it is additional information for that which you find within the book of Judges itself.

Importance of the Genealogical Record

Another thing to be recognized is that it is a connecting link between the Judges, which was a form of government, and the king, which began with Saul–more properly with David, who was God's first choice as king. Even though Saul was anointed as king, you will remember that God's first choice was David. If you are familiar with the Scripture, you will recognize that the connecting link between the period of the judges and the period of the monarchy is the book of Ruth because of what you find in verses 21 and 22 of chapter 4. There you read:

Ruth 4:21-22 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

This genealogical record, with which the book of Ruth closes, makes a connecting link between the period of the judges and the period of the kings.

The third thing that we should emphasize is there would be no historical reference upon which the genealogy which traced the Lord Jesus Christ to David and thus proved that He was the Son of David as well as the Son of Abraham. There is no genealogical record which permits this except this genealogical record which you find in the book of Ruth.

It might be wise for us to take just a few minutes to turn to the Gospel of Matthew and notice the genealogical record which is presented in the first chapter that you might understand the importance of what I am suggesting to you.

Luke follows the same procedure, including in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Four Illustrations of God's Grace

I don't know whether you noticed or not that genealogical line in Matthew four illustrations of the grace of God. If you were humanly writing the lineage of a king, you would be very careful not to mention any black sheep in the family; but in this genealogy, four women are named, and all four of them are symbols of what God's grace can actually do.  They are examples of woman of questionable lineage and character.

1.      For example, here is Ruth who was a Moabite, and according to the Scripture, could not come into the congregation of the Lord until the fourth generation, yet the grace of God opened the door for her entrance.

2.      Here was Rahab who many people consider to be a harlot–Rahab, the one who believed the twelve spies when they came into the land of Israel. Here she is an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3.      Then there is Tamra, who was a prostitute, or at least who acted the part of a prostitute in seducing Judah. Here she is in the genealogical line of the Lord Jesus Christ.

4.      Then of course there is Bathsheba, the wife of Urias. You well know the story of adultery involved in that. Only God's grace could provide for the mention of the individuals such as these. All of us ought to be grateful for that grace because it is the only reason any of us are related to the family of God.

Ruth 4:6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.7

In the days of Gideon, when famine occurred in the land of Israel, the family of Elimelech went down to Moab expecting to find bread. The interesting thing is in order to go down to Moab, they had to leave Bethlehem; and Bethlehem is translated by the phrase, “the house of bread.” They left “the house of bread” and went down into Moab, lost everything they had and did not begin to have any of it returned until they came back to the place of God's appointment, “the house of bread.”

Chapter 1: Where’s the bread?

Ruth opens with the words, “In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab.” This is almost comical, since Bethlehem is a compound word in the Hebrew, combining beth, “house,” with lehem, “bread.” Bethlehem, the House of Bread, has no more bread in it!  Naomi, after the passing of her husband and two sons, hears that “the Lord had visited his people and given them food” (1:6), and so she returns.

This points to a future time when the Lord will visit his people and give them food. Except the difference is that the Lord, I AM, will not merely give his people food, he will be their food. He will visit them, not only providentially, but also physically. He will announce to them, “I am the bread of life.”

Chapter 2: The wings of the Lord

The temptation in chapter 2 would be to compare Boaz – who gives food to Ruth, with leftovers – to Jesus – who fed the 4000 and 5000, with leftovers. But that smacks of the “this reminds me!” fallacy that we ought to avoid. Rather than drawing comparisons, trace the storyline of redemptive history.  The part that points to the redemptive historical climax in Jesus is Boaz’s statement in 2:12, “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

Here in chapter 2 we see a pagan, idolatrous Gentile come under the wings of the Lord. There would come a time when many more among the nations would do the same. But not until, in a stunning twist of irony, God’s own people refuse to come under his wing:  “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37, parallel Luke 13:34)

It was Israel’s rejection of Jesus, which included his atoning death on the cross, that opened the door for the nations – you and I – to come under his wing of protection from God’s wrath.

Chapter 3: Finding rest

The chapter begins and ends with the theme of rest. In 3:1, Naomi asks Ruth, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?” Then in the last verse of the chapter, Naomi assures Ruth that Boaz “will not rest but will settle the matter today” (3:18). The principle is that the redeemer doesn’t rest until he accomplishes rest for his beloved. Furthermore, we see that the redeemer does this on behalf of the Lord. This can be seen in the connection the author makes between Boaz’s and Ruth’s statements about “wings”. Boaz says, “a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (2:12). Ruth, in a manner of speaking, views Boaz as the incarnation of the Lord’s wing when she says, “Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer” (3:9).  But, as the author of Hebrews tells us, there is a rest that God’s people are still waiting for (Hebrews 4:8-9). Ruth chapter 3 points to the actual incarnation of our redeemer, Jesus, who promises, “I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29; same Greek word for “rest” as the Ruth).

Chapter 4: A son who anticipates the Son

The story concludes with Boaz and Ruth being married, and Ruth giving birth to a son. In this chapter, the responsibility of pointing to Jesus shifts from Boaz to this new son. There are five ways this son points forward to the birth of God’s Son.

1. This son is born in Bethlehem (4:11).

2. This son is referred to as “the offspring” in the midst of a comparison to Judah (4:12). The word “offspring” often is a technical term used to identify someone who will have a special role in God’s plan of salvation. It is first used of Eve’s offspring who will crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Later this word is used in reference to the offspring of Abraham who will inherit the land (Genesis 17:7-8), and the offspring of David who will sit on the throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12). Each of these promises are fulfilled in Jesus (see Revelation 13:3, Galatians 3:15-16, and Luke 1:32-33, respectively).

3. This son was conceived through a unique demonstration of God’s power, “and the Lord gave her conception” (4:13). Jesus also would be conceived in an even greater demonstration of power, in a virgin.

4. The women of the town bless Naomi, saying the son, “shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age” (4:15). The delightful renewal Naomi experienced was only foretaste of the complete restoration of eternal life that God’s Son would provide.

5. This son is the next step toward the coming of David, from whom would come the Messiah, Jesus (4:17-22, see the genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3).

Conclusion

A few observations regarding the application of this method. You might even call them rules of thumb.

1. As I said before, the goal is not to point to Jesus in the OT, but rather to discover how the OT points forward in the storyline to the coming of Jesus, and what he will accomplish in fulfillment of the OT.

2. Notice that the aspect of what points to Jesus changes throughout the book. It would be a mistake to say Boaz is the only pointer to Jesus because he is the kinsman redeemer. This is especially clear in chapter one, where he doesn’t appear, and chapter four, where there is strong evidence that the newborn son is the pointer.

3. The kind of pointer changes from chapter to chapter. Abraham, Moses, David, etc. will be the pointer to Jesus in some of their stories, but not in others. So, look for trajectories in theme or the part of story that demands an intensified resolution. The strongest pointers, however, are quotations or allusions of the OT in the NT, which we don’t have many of in the Book of Ruth.

Have you been redeemed?  You have been bought by the price of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  If you have not accepted Him, you still have time.  Don’t die in the land of Moab when there is life in the Bread of Life.