Lesson Eight - Ruth, Esther, Job
“ Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; gor wherever you go, I will go; snd wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, snd your G-d, my G-d. Where you die, I will die, snd there will I be buried. HaShem do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.”
Rut 1:16-17
Introduction
- The Megillot are all books from the Writings [Ketuvim]. They hold a special place in our Bible because they are read at certain holiday times. Esther and Ruth are in the Megillot.
- Ruth is read during Shavuot.
- Esther is read during Purim.
- These contain the concept of Israel as a light to the nations.
Israel – Light to the Nations
- Isaiah 49:1-6: A light to the Gentiles.
- Ex 12:38: a mixed multitude was redeemed from Egypt
- Ex 12:19; 48-19: ger [Gentile living with Israel]
- Number 15:14-15: The Congregation was made up of native born and ger.
- Deut 4:6-9: G-d gave commands to draw the nations to Israel.
Ruth – Gentile Grafted In
- Rut [Ruth] 1:16-17: The identity of all who are grafted in to the Congregation of Israel is found in Ruth.
- Where you go, I go
- Where you live, I will live
- Your people, will be my people
- Your G-d, will be my G-d
- Where you die, I will die and there buried
- Let nothing part me from you
- Ruth’s faithfulness is evidenced in her being part of the family tree of Yeshua.
- Rut is read during Shavuot, the feast during the wheat harvest.
- As part of Shavuot, the elements of giving of Torah, replayed in Acts 2, remind us of the “70” nations finally again led by Israel.
Esther – Israel in the Diaspora, Kept for Regathering
- Esther is read during Purim. One should ask, “Why are all these Jews in a nation other than Israel?” – and yet, dispersed they are still protected by HaShem.
- No mention of G-d… or is there? Esther 5:1-4
- Esther 8:16-17: Even in their dispersion, HaShem uses His people to draw ger to Him.
Job – A Witness to Those Seen and Unseen
- Who is Yov [Job]? Tradition is split on whether he was Israelite or Gentile, but a prominent tradition is that he lived during the time of Jacob and that he married Dinah.
- The account of Job gives an uncanny look at how HaShem uses reverent men to display His grace to those both seen and unseen.
- Job 42:1-6: The irony: the battle has taken place in the unseen – and now Job sees.
Summary
- Israel’s role was to be a light to the nations – G-d always intended that Redemption would be played out in the life of Israel – and thus the nations would see and be drawn to Him.
- Ruth shows the model of the grafted-in Gentile.
- Esther shows how G-d protects Israel even in the lands of dispersion.
- Job shows how G-d uses us to reveal Himself to those seen and unseen.