The Book of Ruth: Journey to Paradise

By VanLeon

The way back to life and the overcoming of this world is through the life which Jesus lived. It is a life of affliction and persecution, stemming from that same principality and power that caused Adam and Eve to fall from life unto death and all those who seek eternal life shall suffer likewise. But this life is also filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. And there are no common words which carry with them an experience known of men which are sufficient to describe these things to an unbeliever. They just have to come to the Jesus themselves to find out. It is, after all, a deeply personal experience between a person and their God. The fallen man, the man of the world, and the type and character of that man, together with the inevitable death he brought upon himself and his sons, characterize the way Jesus found the children of Israel at his coming. But not all the children were like-minded, and God would make a way for their salvation which could not fail, for it would not depend on their own perfection, or even the Levitical law, but through belief in their most holy faith, even the Word of God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645599425

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The Book of

Ruth

Journey to Paradise

VanLeon

ISBN 978-1-64559-940-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64559-941-8 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-64559-942-5 (Digital)

Copyright © 2019 VanLeon

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

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Table of Contents

Lost and Found

Finding Salvation

The Holy Spirit Baptism

Passing the Inheritance

About the Author

The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly (Jeremiah 23:20).

The last days are upon us, and I believe that the similes, parables, types, and shadows are being revealed in their truth at an ever-increasing rate of revelation. We should no longer delay our submission to the will of God, or to be offended by the past, remaining in darkness.

It is time to humble ourselves, and maybe even cry a little, for our abandonment of God. Then it may be that we see Jesus again, confess him as Lord, and offer up our submission to the Father’s will. It is for our own good, this plan of God, and I believe, when we see him in his glory and the love of the Father fills our heart and soul; all the past offenses will fade away and never matter again. I hope you find this book encouraging and a blessing. God bless you all.

This book has been written over a period of time during my growth in the Word. Some may find it enlightening, while others may find room for dispute. In either case, it is not the intent of this writer to proclaim this writing as the absolute last word on the interpretation of Ruth. Rather, it is the observations of one growing in the Word. It is no less than the revelation I have received thus far and no more than the light I have yet to receive which may at last reveal error on my part. We all grow in understanding to the end of our time here on earth. Let this book be filtered through your own spiritual eyes. See it through the Spirit.

We begin now with the following scripture:

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26–33).

There is a difference in expectation between being saved alone and becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Being saved is a work performed by commandment for the salvation of your soul and was accomplished by the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross alone. That salvation was ordained by the Father in Heaven and the sacrifice for the sins of the world was made by Jesus on the cross in obedience to the Father.

First, by the commandment: For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak (John 12:49). And then, by obedience: Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Becoming a disciple of Jesus requires first the atonement for our sins by Jesus Christ but then the transformation into his image and the acceptance of obedience that would be required to fulfill all that you will be called upon to do for his name’s sake, for you are agreeing to allow Jesus to live and minister through your soul.

Paul said: I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

In Matthew 20:21–23, the mother of Zebedees children asked Jesus if her two sons could sit down, one at his right hand and the other at his left in his kingdom. And Jesus said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, ‘We are able…’ And he said unto them, ‘Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptisim that I am baptized with…’

John answered, saying unto them all, ‘I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire’ (Luke 3:16).

This is the requirement of being a disciple for Jesus: you must receive the gift of the Word of God inwardly and then the baptism fire which is the holiness of God’s Word worked out upon your soul which will transform you into his image.

Then above all else, And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (Deuteronomy 6:5–6).

Chapter 1

Lost and Found

Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons (Ruth 1:1).

Bethlehem means House of Bread, but here we read that there was a famine in the land. Could this be the fulfillment of the scripture in Leviticus 26? Is the land cursed because of their disobedience of God’s statutes and commandments? If it is, then the penitent thing to do would be to suffer the famine, for it has come for the correction of Israel to turn them back to God. But here we are introduced to a man of Israel who would not bear the correction of God, but rather, he turned back from the land God had led him to back across Jordan to Moab, a land of strange gods who did not fear the God of Israel, that is to say, they did not worship him. And why? To escape the famine sent from God that was meant to turn the man back to him. At first glance, we might see a man looking out for the welfare of his children. But appearances can be deceiving, as we shall see in the following verses.

There is a scripture which applies to this man and all who would go back to their old ways after having known the goodness of God just because they are suffering God’s chastisement.

They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them (Proverbs 1:30–32).

But this man was not alone in his suffering, for his brethren also suffered the same as he. Would it not be more noble of him to stay and not be a poor example to his brothers. By losing his confidence in God’s mercy, his actions would affect those who are weak and lead them away from God. Instead, he could be strong and offer hope to them, a good example, a man obedient and trusting in God’s provision, giving strength to the weak and walking in faith of God.

Look at the following scriptures: But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil (Proverbs 1:33). And this: They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied (Psalms 37:19).

It is hard to travel to another country if you have no money or provisions. Yet, this man did. So God had provided for him in the famine. The question is what you consider to be enough to get by on.

When God is trying you, teaching you, and strengthening you, he doesn’t always provide a table of prosperity but a lean one because he wants to prove to you that you can trust in his provision no matter how bad the circumstances appear to the eye. This convinces you that God’s word is true and builds your trust and confidence; you believe, but there are some who are willing to stay in the house of God as long as the blessings keep flowing but are only too willing to dismiss God when there is a drought, even if it was their own doing which brought the famine. They are those seed who fell on the stony ground.

"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves,

They have not learned to believe the scriptures and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful" (Mark 4:16–19).

These would not separate themselves from their past worldly ways. So we come to this.

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the

Lord

, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the

Lord

" (Joshua 24:15).

And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there (Ruth 1:2).

Elimelech means My God, a king. However, this name does not necessarily indicate the true nature of the heart of the man or of the leadership of Israel for that matter. To know the true nature of the heart, a man must be tested in a dry inhospitable environment, and in his suffering, he will either come to obedience and submission before God or rebellion and desertion to the way of God, and here, we find the heart of Elimelech.

Now all are tested in the wilderness, that famine of the spirit, where we feel God has left us.

For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever (Philemon 1:15).

In this famine, we must overcome the flesh and its temptations, speaking the scriptures, which apply to the temptations just as Jesus did Satan; it is written!

When we speak the Scripture at the trouble, we put into action the promises of God and the authority given to us by God. And in this way, we receive him forever, for the blood Jesus shed on the cross, together with his resurrection, made him a living sacrifice, and we are justified by him and purged of all sin. And being reinstated into the blessings of God through Jesus, we are fully equipped with the right and power he bought for us, to be called the sons of God, exercising the power (Holy Ghost) in the Word through the name of Jesus Christ.

Now the things which are apparent in Elimelech are:

He was not content with God when his blessings seemed ended, showing that he never really knew God nor believe his word.

He had no faith in God’s provision for the faithful, and he could not live in hope of a better time to come.

He had no patience and was unstable and, being a double-minded man, kept in remembrance those things left behind even though he had begun a new life with God.

He showed no love for his brothers in considering the effect it would have on them due to his going back. It could be the catalyst which caused an exodus of people to follow his example.

He was a poor father, for in the exposure of his family to an environment of temptations, by going into a land which worshipped strange gods, his example was to set the stage for the development and the disrespect for God, his morals and his statutes.

Truly, this man was the head of his household, but he was spiritually sick. God may give us a calling, but it is up to us to live up to that calling and the name he gives us.

Here, Elimelech is representative of God’s opinion of the heads of Israel as written:

"Ah sinful nation,