Studies in Ruth

Marriage as a Rest (Part 1) : Ruth 1:9 ; 3:1

When Naomi was leaving Moab she tells both of her daughter-in-law’s that she hopes they find rest in the house of their husbands. She is encouraging both of them to return back to Moab and get married again. When Naomi is showing Ruth what she should do in regards to Boaz being the kinsman redeemer she repeats the phrase of finding rest for her. It is interesting that Naomi speaks of marriage being a rest. This makes me wonder how many people truly find rest in their marriage.

In the first part this lesson we are going to look at why the bible would call marriage a rest in order to understand the reasoning for this phrase. In the second part of this lesson we will see some things we must do in order to have rest in our marriages.

The connection between Marriage and Rest:

1)  God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-3)

• God sanctified the seventh day and rested on it, God also sanctifies marriage. Marriage and the family is established by God before anything else.
• This Sabbath was a sign to the Jews Exodus 31:13, and the seventh day pictures the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on earth as a type of rest.

2)  God created a help meet for Adam (Genesis 2:18-25)

• When originally created the woman is taken from the side of the man and is called a help meet. Here we see a clear picture of what marriage is to be. Two people becoming one flesh for the purpose of help one another fulfill God’s plan.
• This is also a type of Jesus and his bride as we will see later in the lesson.

3)  Israel entering the Promised Land was connected with entering into God’s rest (Hebrews 3:7-19 ; 4:1-8)

• When reading the above passages it is important to note that God said the reason that Israel did not enter into his rest was unbelief.

4)  In the O.T. Israel was said to be the wife of God (Jeremiah 31:32 ; Hosea 2:1-18)

• Because of Israel’s sin God has put them away, but he will restore them at the end of the Tribulation going into the Millennium.
• This also gives us some understanding in the book of Ruth. In chapter 4 Boaz says that there is a nearer kinsman than him. This kinsman can redeem the land at the hand of Naomi but he cannot redeem Ruth without marring his inheritance.
• The nearer kinsman is a type of God the father. With Boaz being a type of Jesus Christ. God already had a wife therefore, Boaz redeems Ruth.

5)  In the N.T. saved people from the Church Age are the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:1-2)

• This relationship is clearly shown to us in Ephesians 5:19-33. In this relationship we are also said to be yoked to Jesus Christ which should be a rest (Matthew 11:28-30).
• The picture of Marriage is connected with a rest and we will build upon this in the next lesson.