3 Ways Ruth Foreshadows Christ

Anyone familiar with biblical typology has probably heard Christ compared to famed Old Testament figures. Jesus is the greater Moses, the greater David, and the greater Abraham. All these are true statements. Some may also appreciate the imagery of Boaz (in the story of Ruth) as a type of Christ, our kinsman redeemer. Some, however, may not have considered that Ruth herself typifies the promised deliverer in several ways.

Appalling Darkness Envelops

We find Ruth’s story nestled in the canon of Scripture right after the horrifying conclusion of Judges. Its closing chapters recount the unthinkable: A mob gang-rapes a Levite’s concubine. The nation then retaliates by slaughtering most of the tribe of Benjamin. The darkness that envelops Israel is appalling. The final words of that book offer a concluding explanation for the sickening turn of events.

“In those days, there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Light Pierces Through

If we stopped reading our Bibles following Judges 21, great indeed would be our consternation. The next scene of the unfolding drama of redemption, however, offers hope amid despair. We discover a woman whose story pierces through that dark night in Israel’s history: “Ruth the Moabitess.” Her pedigree is a strike against her: Her people are the fruit of the incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughter.

The chronicler highlights the dissonance between her upright character and her origins by referencing her ancestry repeatedly. As the narrative unfolds, Ruth finds herself widowed and childless. In Ancient Near Eastern terms, she’s destitute. Her obvious next step is to leave her mother-in-law Naomi, return to her father’s household, and find shelter and provision there.

Only Death Will Separate

Instead, Ruth chooses to attach herself to an even more miserably helpless widow, her mother-in-law. She thus demonstrates an unfailing, never-giving-up, above-and-beyond love for Naomi. The only adequate term to describe it is supernatural. Ruth has every reason to secure a future among her own people. Instead, she binds herself by a solemn oath to an old woman who has nothing to offer her but her needs: Need for protection, provision, and companionship. Ruth is willing to die rather than be separated from Naomi.

That this text is quoted during wedding ceremonies highlights just how significant this promise is. That kind of devotion is usually reserved for the covenant of marriage!

A Woman of Valour

Our protagonist, therefore, leaves her home, bound for a country that is not her own. Ruth exchanges the security of the known for the unknown. She gives up her family, culture, and language out of love for Naomi. She places herself in harm’s way by undertaking a perilous journey from Moab to Bethlehem. Once she arrives in her adopted land, this foreigner integrates with the people of Naomi’s hometown. She then gains a reputation for her devotion and courage. These are the words her future husband uses to describe her:

Boaz calls the Moabitess “a woman of valour,” or eshet chayil in Hebrew. This is the same term King Lemuel employs to describe the famous “Proverbs 31 Woman.” This is noteworthy, given that it only appears in these two places in the Scriptures.

Ruth protects, provides for, and cherishes Naomi. She also obeys her adopted mother’s will. In so doing, she secures an inheritance and a descendant for her among her people. As Naomi holds her grandchild on her lap, the women of Bethlehem praise the God of Israel for blessing her with such a daughter-in-law. They declare her more precious than seven sons. From beginning to end, Ruth shines as a model of courage, loyalty, virtue, and strength. But beyond her moral example, her life points us to a greater Ruth in the person of Jesus Christ.

How Ruth Points Us to Christ

1. Death and Separation

Many are the ways in which the famous Moabitess typifies our Saviour. Like Ruth, our Lord attached himself to those who had nothing to offer him but desperate need. We were powerless and utterly dependent upon him to rescue us from spiritual famine. Jesus bound himself to us in covenant love, vowing that nothing would ever separate us.

Only, unlike Ruth, who was willing to die rather than leave Naomi’s side, Jesus did undergo that fate. Death itself was the price Christ paid to seal that promise.

2. Peril and Obedience

Another bridge between Naomi and the gospel is this: Jesus also left the security of the Father’s side to undertake a perilous journey for our sake. From the moment of his birth until the moment he gave up his spirit, the Son of God also endured danger and uncertainty. And in so doing, our Saviour fully obeyed the will of his Father as well.

3. Reputation and Wisdom

Jesus, too, integrated into the world of human frailty. From the earliest days of his earthly ministry, the news of his goodness, wisdom, and power spread so far and wide that his reputation preceded him, too. And if we go back to Ruth 3:11 and Proverbs 31:10, eshet chayil is not as much about the ideal wife as it is about lady wisdom whom all believers are called to emulate.

And who else but Christ embodies all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3)?

Finding Christ in All of Scripture

If the idea of seeing Christ typified in a woman makes you uncomfortable, rest assured that this notion is both orthodox and well-attested. Consider that the God of the Bible chooses animals (such as a lion or a lamb) or inanimate objects (like a tent or a lampstand) as types of Christ. Why would he, therefore, not also choose women made in his image?

Once we understand that all of the Psalms, the Law, and the prophets point us to Christ, we are bound to see whispers of Jesus throughout the pages of the Old Testament. What a joy it was for me, and I hope for you, as well, to discover them in the story of Ruth.