Some Rabbis claim that Elimelech was a wealthy Jew who fled Israel so that he could not be approached for assistance at a time of national crisis. They also claim that the rest of the book of Ruth is supposed to highlight the consequences of this act. I see no indication of this in the book. Even though Naomi was famous in the city there is nothing in the text to suggest that her husband was unethical, and indeed that would break the allegory with the God of the Old Covenant. The book is supposed to have been written by Samuel. This raises the question of why would he seek to record this story for posterity? Did God show Samuel something more profound using this story as an allegory?

I summarise my approach to Pentecost in articles looking at what I consider to be significant elements of Pentecost.

Pentecost - Why read Ruth?

The book of Ruth summarises the subject of Pentecost in allegory. The characters live out the story of Passover to Shavuot and show why the period is so full of meaning. I believe that the book of Ruth is strong evidence that God had this plan laid out in a pattern for life.

Ruth's lineage is traced through Boaz, her husband, and their son Obed, who was the father of Jesse, the father of David. David wrote many of the Psalms. I will also refer to the prophets Amos and Isaiah who lived many years later in the time of Amaziah and Uzziah (a.k.a Azariah) in Judah or from Jeroboam II to Pekah in Israel. In other words they lived around the time that the northern 10 tribes were scattered. The point of emphasis is that God knew well before what would be the future of Israel and allegorized it in the life of Ruth.

Ruth 1 - Emigration and Immigration

At the time that I originally wrote this piece I recorded that much of the information in this article was corroborated by or gleaned from Eastons Revised Bible Dictionary (Easton's) in The Online Bible. It was my default reference. I can no longer find that website however you can still find Eastons Bible Dictionary online.

The first chapter of Ruth covers the emigration of Elimelech's family leaving because of a famine in the land and the immigration of Ruth, his daughter-in-law.

Emigration

In the Bible physical famine in Israel is linked to spiritual famine in Leviticus 26. Perhaps God's perspective is made even clearer by John 6:35 which identifies Christ as the bread of life. Elimelech means God is king so that God and king of Israel left and later died leaving room for a new king out of Bethlehem.

Elimelech left Bethlehem because of famine but so did Naomi and she wound up without a husband in Moab. Easton's shows that Moab has a dual meaning. On the one hand some claim that it is the seed of the father, or, according to others, the desirable land, from the eldest son of Lot (Genesis 19:37), of incestuous birth. From Abarim Publications the etymology suggests the meaning to be Who Is Your Father? or Water Of A Father each meaning perhaps an indication of incest and illegitimacy if father is the father of the mother. The etymology and original meaning of the name Moab is unknown. What seems to be certain is that it is not of Hebrew origin. On some level this wife left the land of her husband and was now destitute in a strange place.

From Amos 8 above we see that prophecy shows that there would be a spiritual famine in Israel. The rest of this prophecy goes down to Amos 9:15. There is not an exact parallel but the significant points are these. There would be a famine. The children of Israel would flee but God will nevertheless devastate them. Because of the famine Israel would be driven from her land.

This parallels Naomi's condition and explains her name bitter that we come to later.

Then we have from Amos 9,

This prophecy shows death to people who flee in fear of their homes crumbling around them.

The rejection and physical famine would be the consequence of sin (a spiritual famine). In Leviticus 26:1-5 God explains that obedience in Israel would bring prosperity but goes on to show that if His word was allowed to become scarce there would be famine.

God would reject Israel because of the spiritual famine. That spiritual famine led them to reject Him at the time of Samuel, and later as Christ. That final one we know would eventually lead to His death on the cross.

In the allegory therefore, Naomi would have been thrust out of the Promised Land because of sin (famine) and is seeking a better life in an illegitimate land.

Since Elimelech means God is king the immediate implication is that God was King of Israel but left and died. This is the true story of ancient Israel where God did leave them several times during the time of the judges. He also left with the loss of the Shekina fire at the destruction of the first Temple and finally when they rejected Him as Christ. The story of Ruth, and history itself, indicate that it is permanent now by the loss of the second temple. That God died as Christ and a new relationship is formed at the resurrection. He was of the tribe of Judah who God says is His lawgiver and king.

At the time of the Judges there was no human king in Israel.

Israel got its first king under Samuel

Before then, God was their king but they rejected Him even though He did not yet reject them. Israel was the only nation where God was king. It was His church in the wilderness and became His bride at Sinai. It remained the bride during the captivity: Jeremiah 3:14 [KJV], Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. So the term God is king in the marriage of Elimelech and Naomi clearly points to God and Israel.

Naomi therefore represents Israel in a covenant by marriage with God as king and lawgiver. Because of a famine the wife of God as king was driven from her land by a famine. We also see God's mercy in Elimelech because he was descended from Rahab and not pure Israelite pedigree in the flesh, so the God that Naomi was married to also had an interest in Gentiles. I say pure Israelite in jest because if you know the history then the whole concept is ridiculous.

The genealogy of Boaz is set out in Ruth 4:18-22. There is also a line of thought to link the story through the genealogy of Elimelech. I do not see it as particularly useful to the spiritual significance of the book but you can find further details on creation wiki website. It is based on the identity of Elimelech's unnamed relative who was closer to him than Boaz. The Rabbins say that, whoever he was, Naomi was his niece. Anyhow, for my purposes, Naomi's husband died physically separated from his countrymen. Christ died rejected by his countrymen and spiritually apart from them.

It is possible that Mahlon and Chilion are Joash and Saraph, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:22. The Targum (an Aramaic version of the Hebrew Bible that is not considered authoritative) proposes this but I prefer not to pursue that because of unreliability. That view does gel with God's intention to make Israel lights or flames, but I approach that from a different perspective. Preserving God's oracles is being a kind of light.

They were to be a kingdom of priests making them spiritual lights.

This is what God intended for them but instead the nation became sickly and pining. Mahlon means sickly. He was the elder of Elimelech's two sons by Naomi. Chilion means the pining one. The same word is translated failing in Deuteronomy.

So these children were given by the Lord as a light and a guide to others but became better known as pining and sickly. They both died childless ending that line. Those under the Old Covenant will die at some point and the line will end. The covenant with Naomi will end with death but seed will survive because of Ruth. Naomi actually means The lovable, my delight but we see a transformation into bitter or sad by the time she returned in verses 19-22. For some time before she left Bethlehem-Judah she was very much desired by God.

We find that God expected to delight in Israel.

If Israel had done as promised God would always have delighted in her.

Suggested meanings of Orpah are drip, cloud, neck, mane, forelock and fawn. The point is that it has no Biblical or spiritual significance. She was the wife of Chilion (Ruth 1:4, 14) the younger and hence the inheritance was not carried on through her. On the death of her husband she accompanied Naomi, part of the way to Bethlehem, and then returned to Moab. This is a forerunner of the parable of the sower, where Orpah represents all those who do not mature spiritually. Chilion means the pining one. Pining means to suffer a mental and physical decline. It is especially connected to a broken heart. Yearning for things that we love or crave leads us to this state. This could be telling us the pining ones will not endure to produce seed but the sickly ones can be healed to produce. Remember that seed could be raised up to a dead man from a close relative through his widow.

Ruth means a friend. She was the wife of Mahlon. She had a legacy of sickness (Mahlon) but her friendship to the Old Covenant led her to a saviour which healed that legacy. On the death of Elimelech and Mahlon, Ruth refused to leave Naomi and followed her to Bethlehem. There she married a rich relative of Naomi and Elimelech, Boaz. She became the mother of Obed, the grandfather of David. Her unselfishness and brave love (1 Corinthians 13:13), binds her to David (Ruth 4:18-22) and Christ (Matthew 1:5), though not of the chosen race, a lineage she shares with the Canaanitess Tamar (Genesis 38:29 Matthew 1:3) and the Canaanitess Rahab (Matthew 1:5).

Transition

The Old Covenant had produced some seed but by and large it was sickly and pining spiritually. With the Neo Babylonian captivity it was basically destroyed. The attempt to rebuild after with Ezra and Zerubbabel never really took off. By the time of Christ the priesthood was a farce. While there were Levites around there is no mention of a clear Aaronic priesthood and those in the office were political appointees. One key part of the marriage was the mercy seat and that had disappeared with the Ark during the destruction of the first Temple. What was left was basically a sham spiritually and even those trappings would be gone with the destruction of the second temple in the middle of the First Century. The spiritual relationship was virtually dead, at best pining and sickly. A new relationship was to develop out of the first. It would be developed by those who clave to the Old Covenant and earnestly looked for a saviour, never abandoning the root of the relationship. The one thing in common with the disciples is that they sought the messiah and found Him through following the Old Covenant.

Naomi was the schoolmaster.

So the one who had no spiritual significance went back but the one who accompanied Naomi did not do it out of obligation but she did it out of genuine friendship and therefore love combined with faith. We see the faith coming out especially later when she followed Naomi's instructions without complaint. It is the true friendship of Israel (the Jerusalem above) that helps Christians endure. Physical Israel preserved the word of God through the Old Covenant for Christians, and it is therefore through Israel and the Old Covenant that we are given hope, showing that it (Old Covenant Israel) is also our friend. We recognise its value and learn its ways as given by God and abandon our Godless ones. Ruth's plea was 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.

Ruth had respect for the elderly, a trait that God loves.

Immigration

Ruth's immigration begins in verse 19. The old husband is dead and the new one has not yet come. Christ died as God of the Old Covenant but the new King has not yet come. I take the view that Naomi represents the ministration of death or the old covenant wife while Ruth represents the ministration of life or the New Covenant wife.

This seems to apply perfectly to Naomi and Ruth. Naomi had a glorious marriage. Upon her return home in verse 19 everybody in the city was moved about her condition despite the fact that she was gone for ten years. That means that her family had to be prominent to have been that well known. The union had all of the beginnings of something wonderful but it ended in tragedy. On the other hand Ruth had a more glorious marriage in that it produced eternal seed. So Old Testament Israel is famous but New Testament Israel will be even more famous. Naomi was the returning remnant. She was gone over ten years (verse 4). Ten, being a number of completion, would suggest that Naomi should have been a complete stranger. With the gentile component she was creating a mixed remnant to begin the New administration.

They returned to Bethlehem, the place where the new era of the family was to start.

It is notable that they had left because of famine since Bethlehem means House of bread. It later became the city of David (Luke 2:4) the king. The season that we are dealing with, Passover to Pentecost, is all about bread. As a matter of fact the two had returned around the First Omer. The First Omer was an offering that had to be made before the barley harvest could begin and verse 22 tells us and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

In Israel bread was made either from barley or wheat and was the staple diet of all Israel. In essence it was life. The New Testament associates bread with life at Passover.

Christ was born in Bethlehem. He was the bread of life

The world was starving spiritually and He came to feed us. There is also the relationship or bread and manna where manna sustained Israel in the wilderness and Christ sustains us spiritually

Bread was withheld from Naomi but Ruth would inherit plenty. Mara means bitter or sad. This is how the original wife of God became as a consequence of her misfortunes among the Gentiles (Ruth 1:20). Of course the implication is that there was a spiritual abandonment of God which brought Israel to this state.

Once the harvest begins the role of Naomi is only advisory. Once Christ started to build His Church the role of the Torah was relegated to the letter but He taught the spirit. It is the New Covenant Church that takes the active role.

Ruth now takes the active part in seeking to continue the line of Israel but the wisdom comes from Naomi. As Christians we learn from the Old Covenant while we build our New Covenant relationship. Ruth leaves a land of physical plenty because she sees life with Naomi as more desirable. Ruth starts with an uncertain future gleaning the crumbs from the table (Matthew 15:27).

Notice that this woman was a Canaanite or a foreigner just like Ruth.

Ruth 1: 22 states that they returned at the beginning of the barley harvest. Barley was usually the food of horses (1Kings 4:28). Barley bread was used by the poorer people (Judges 7:13, 2Kings 4:42). Barley lacks gluten and so never rises like wheat bread to  have that cushiony texture. It was the first crop and was ready for the harvest by the time of the Passover.

Like barley, the Christians during this period will not be desirable in this life but will be hardier than those that come later.

The beginning of the barley harvest would have been at the time of the wave sheaf. Passover would have preceded the wave sheaf by two or three days. At Passover Christ died to usher in a new era which would start at Pentecost, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. Christ was married to Israel.

That relationship ended with His death at Passover.

I would have explained in another article that in my opinion Yahweh, or better YHWH, is the word that we pronounce Joshua and is anglicised as Jesus. Moses wrote what he heard and expressed it with the phonetics of the language of his time, and Mary expressed it with the phonetics of her time, but it was the same sound. This word is translated Lord throughout the Old Testament. If we insert this understanding into the extract below it becomes pregnant with meaning. Note also that Elohim is the plural word for God implying both Father and Son.

The wave sheaf begins a new season which translates to a new spiritual era. You can read a lot about the wave sheaf on wikipedia under shavuot.

Connection with the harvest

The wikipedia website shows a subtitle Agricultural (wheat harvest) under the main caption Shavuot which states:

Shavuot is not explicitly named as the day on which the Torah was revealed by God to the Israelite nation at Mount Sinai in the Bible, although this is commonly considered to be its main significance.[7][8]What is textually connected in the Bible to the Feast of Shavuot is the season of the grain harvest, specifically of the wheat, in the Land of Israel. In ancient times, the grain harvest lasted seven weeks and was a season of gladness (Jer. 5:24, Deut. 16:9–11, Isa. 9:2). It began with the harvesting of the barley during Passover and ended with the harvesting of the wheat at Shavuot. Shavuot was thus the concluding festival of the grain harvest, just as the eighth day of Sukkot (Tabernacles) was the concluding festival of the fruit harvest. During the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem, an offering of two loaves of bread from the wheat harvest was made on Shavuot...

WikipediaShavuotWikipedia, the free encyclopediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shavuotversion 21:36, 6 January 2021

The quote above represents the general information available. It appears from that extract that there is no specific point given to end the wheat harvest which I too believe is true, however I believe that the barley harvest started at Pentecost based on Leviticus 23:15-17. It seems clear to me that this second sheaf officially ends the barley harvest (and starts the wheat harvest) just as the first one started it but be aware that this is not accepted by all commentaries. In other words I assume that firstfruits in Leviticus 23:17 means barley being brought out of your habitations where it would be, having been harvested, threshed and winnowed before. Some commentators say that Pentecost represented the end of the grain harvest rather than the beginning of the wheat but then it would make no sense to talk about firstfruits. Their understanding appears to be that the seven weeks represent all of man's existence on the present earth, a view to which I do not subscribe. Completing the series on proof for timing Pentecost which this article forms a part of, should provide ample evidence. In any case there is a firstfruit harvest and one later. This is the case with the picture of the first harvest season taken alone (Passover to roughly Pentecost) and also when all the harvests of the whole agricultural year are taken collectively. But those coming in at the end are not as hardy as those at the beginning. Christ is the First of Firstfruits represented in the wave sheaf at the First Omer at the beginning of the barley harvest while the remaining firstfruits are represented by barley taken from their habitations and not freshly reaped, since most Christians would by then have died over the years and have to be resurrected from the community of the saints. Judges 7:13 [KJV] says And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. This barley bread would be the wave loaf which represents Christ.

Wheat vs. Barley

Nowadays barley flour is a common alternative to wheat for those who are gluten intolerant. Although bread is made from barley it is not as tasty as wheat bread and in ancient Israel such bread was eaten by the poorest of the poor or in times of famine or hardship. Usually barley and straw are for the horses and camels (I Kings 4:28).

One perspective on Christianity comes from comparing the life cycle of barley and wheat. Both barley and wheat are planted in the fall but the barley matures before the wheat. It is the less comely grain that reaches maturity first.

In another regard barley and wheat were considered a sign of obedience and consequent blessing from God. We find in Deuteronomy 8:8 that the land that YHWH promised to Jacob was very fruitful and as long as the people followed Him there would be plenty.

Asaph sung a song about wheat as a reward from Yahweh. In Psalm 81 Asaph is saying here that if Israel just followed Yahweh He would have filled their stomachs.

Ruth 2 - Noticed by Her kinsman Redeemer

As a point of clarification, we find references to corn in the book but the Hebrew for them is shibbol or shibboleth (Strongs H7641) which literally means the part of a plant containing grains, like an ear of corn or a stalk of grain. Moving on, Ruth 2 shows how Boaz and Ruth become acquainted. Boaz in the allegory is Christ. He notices her. Naomi had brought her to Christ in allegory. Ruth goes to get gleanings. She sought grace in the sight of Boaz (verse2). Boaz came from a land of bread (v4). Because of how she treated her mother-in-law Boaz saw special qualities in her. Ruth was a stranger that followed Naomi (Old Covenant Israel) to Christ (verse 6). We as Christians need to respect the old covenant. It is the schoolteacher that brings us to Christ as we noted earlier in Galatians 3:24.

Boaz then secretly makes special provision for her. We see this in our own conversion as Christ draws us to Him. We think that we are the ones leading the charge but we really are not.

God is a jealous God: Exodus 34:14 [KJV], For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Once the relationship begins we are encouraged not to go gleaning anywhere else bouncing from religion to religion. If we comply the relationship blossoms. We see that Boaz has maidens available to him but he shows no special interest in them and they do not seem to show any special interest in Him. There is much more that we can infer by reading this chapter.

Because God is jealous He gives us the warning that Boaz gives to Ruth in verse 21 ...Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest, and Ruth obeys in verses 22-23.

I think that it is useful to consider what Ruth had gleaned according to verse 17. It produced an ephah. An ephah is about 29 to 30 pounds and is 10 omer, making an omer about 3 lbs.

Verse 18 is a bit difficult to understand from the KJV but what it says is that she showed Naomi the ephah that she had gleaned and then gave her some parched corn that she had kept back from her lunch. Consider that Ruth did not glean a great deal for her day's work.

So she had gleaned ten times what would be considered adequate for one person for a day. While that ensured that they would eat it did not do a great deal more, And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (19) And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matt 16:18-19 [KJV]). This is the same condition that we find ourselves in as Christians. This world offers us little more than survival but there is some hope even in this life as we see when we get to chapter 3.

After Ruth made her commitment to Boaz he was even more generous. By God's grace we may enjoy this generosity even in this life but it is not guaranteed. Many committed Christians have suffered all of their lives.

So the same God that raised some from the dead allowed some to suffer.

Ruth 3 - Obedience rewarded

Ruth seeks out Boaz from the beginning having taken this advice of Naomi. As she obeys Naomi she is drawn into a more rewarding relationship. Naomi now seeks a blessing for her in verse 1, ... My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?

We showed earlier that she came back at Passover (Ruth 1:22) and now we see that she was married around Pentecost. Boaz was winnowing and we talk later about the significance of that. Notice then might also indicate that the harvest was finished but it seems that only the barley was finished and she was continuing to the end of the wheat. Boaz was still winnowing barley.

Eastons Revised Bible Dictionary says

Ruth

A friend, a Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, whose father, Elimelech, had settled in the land of Moab. On the death of Elimelech and Mahlon, Naomi came with Ruth, her daughter-in-law, who refused to leave her, to Bethlehem, the old home from which Elimelech had migrated. There she had a rich relative, Boaz, to whom Ruth was eventually married. She became the mother of Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus Ruth, a Gentile, is among the maternal progenitors of our Lord Mt 1:5 The story of "the gleaner Ruth illustrates the friendly relations between the good Boaz and his reapers, the Jewish land system, the method of transferring property from one person to another, the working of the Mosaic law for the relief of distressed and ruined families; but, above all, handing down the unselfishness, the brave love, the unshaken trustfulness of her who, though not of the chosen race, was, like the Canaanitess Tamar Ge 38:29 Mt 1:3 and the Canaanitess Rahab Mt 1:5 privileged to become the ancestress of David, and so of 'great David's greater Son'" Ru 4:18-22

In Chapter 3 we see that Ruth prepares herself to approach Boaz. David did the same thing before going to the house of the Lord in 2 Samuel 12:20 and Esther dressed up before approaching the king in Esther 5:1. In verse 3 Ruth washes herself, puts on fresh clothes and puts cream on her skin.

Isaiah tells us about washing.

Matthew tells us about dressing appropriately.

This is just what we must do. We must wash ourselves and make ourselves ready. This information is there for us in the Old Covenant. The New Covenant Christian gets vital advice from the Old Covenant on how to proceed with God. Notice verse 4, And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. You cannot know to do things like that without getting the advice from the right source.

In verse 10 it shows that Ruth could have gone looking for a relationship with a younger (and supposedly more exciting) man. She sought more lasting qualities just as we should as Christians. We can find more exciting religions but serving God is going to last while the others have no long term value.

God makes Himself available to us but we must make the approach to be His. Even though it must have seemed awkward Ruth did as she was told and arrangements were made that she could not have accomplished on her own, Ruth 3:13,18 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, [that] if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, [as] the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning...18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

Once we approach Him correctly God makes us some promises. He is the one who brings about the circumstances and prepares the way for the marriage.

Eastons Revised Bible Dictionary says

Boaz

Alacrity

1. The husband of Ruth, a wealthy Bethlehemite. By the "levirate law" the duty devolved on him of marrying Ruth the Moabitess Ru 4:1-13 He was a kinsman of Mahlon, her first husband.

Alacrity means liveliness; eagerness; enthusiasm; promptness. Boaz responded to Ruth in this manner because Naomi said that he would sort it out the same day. Once we offer ourselves to God He responds with alacrity.

• There was a famine in Israel - there is a spiritual famine in physical Israel
• Naomi's husband died - Jesus was married to Israel and died
• Naomi's seed were sickly - physical Israel produces spiritually sick seed
  
• Naomi's seed died - physical Israel's seed die spiritually
• Naomi produced a daughter that became hers by choice - the Church is of Israel by choice
• The new union (Ruth+Boaz) is between an eager husband and a true friend as a wife - the new marriage of Christ is the same
• Boaz was wealthy and Ruth was destitute - Christ and the church are the same

In verse 18 we see that it was still the barley harvest when Boaz agreed to settle the matter for Ruth. He gave her barley not wheat and someone seeking to impress would give the best available. There was no wheat available yet.

Ruth 4 - The Harvest Ends, Redeemed by Her Kinsman

Finally we get to where Ruth's inheritance is redeemed and her posterity preserved. In this life we and all our progeny face death because we are mortal. It goes back to the need for the Passover which is discussed when dealing with that subject.

KINSMAN REDEEMER

The book of Ruth typifies what is happening in Revelation 5, where Christ is the Kinsman Redeemer who purchases the debts and redeems the possessions before He marries the bride. Remember the alacrity of Boaz, how eager he was and would not rest until he did it the same day. From various parts of the Bible we gather these five things that were required in order to be a Kinsman Redeemer:

• You must be a close relative. (Leviticus 25:48; 25:25; Ruth 3:12-13)
• You must have the means to redeem (Ruth 4:4, Leviticus 25:27)
• You must be free of pre-eminent encumbrances (Ruth 4:4-6). You cannot have more important obligations.
• You must be willing (Ruth 4:6)
• You must pay the whole price of redemption (Leviticus 25:27; Ruth 4:9-11)

The Marriage

Chapter 4 deals with the marriage and the outcome.

At chapter 3 verses 1 & 2 Boaz was still winnowing.

The harvest takes place in three steps. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvesting, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. It is the first step. Next comes threshing which is the process of loosening the edible part of grain from the straw or stalk to which it is attached. Finally there is winnowing. Winnowing is the stage where the grain is separated from the chaff. In its simplest form, it involves throwing the threshed grain into the air so that the wind blows away the lighter chaff. Boaz was now winnowing suggesting that the reaping and threshing was completed and so it was around the time of Shavuot.

In chapter 4 we see that someone has a prior claim to us. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;(9) And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me (Matt 4:8-9 (KJV)). Before we can be married that obstacle has to be removed. Notice that we are redeemed by Boaz because he is willing to pay the price for us while we have no value to the one who has prior claim. Satan claimed to own all the people in the Earth (Matthew 4:9). A kingdom is the territory and the subjects.

In redeeming Ruth, Boaz also released the debts for the inheritance of Naomi. Naomi is the one who originally had the inheritance but Redemption of Naomi comes by the Redemption of Ruth. The original is redeemed because of the actions of someone who is faithful and both are saved. Consider what v11 says about Ruth: She was now to be building a new Israel that would have come out of faith, Ruth's faithfulness. The fact that she was a gentile and Boaz was part gentile through Salmon is not lost on us.

Again from Easton's Bible Dictionary:

Ephratah

Fruitful.

2. The ancient name of Bethlehem in Judah Ge 35:16,19 48:7 In Ru 1:2 it is called "Bethlehem-Judah," but the inhabitants are called "Ephrathites;" in Mic 5:2 "Bethlehem-Ephratah;" in Mt 2:6 "Bethlehem in the land of Judah." In Ps 132:6 it is mentioned as the place where David spent his youth, and where he heard much of the ark, although he never saw it till he found it long afterwards at Kirjath-jearim; i.e., the "city of the wood," or the "forest-town" 1Sa 7:1 comp. 2Sa 6:3,4

The connection to the messiah is clear to me. This Israel would be built from Bethlehem.

The second son was called Ephraim which has two opposing meanings. One is two-fold increase, doubly fruitful and the other is exhausted or depleted, ashes. Ephrathites and Ephraimites mean the same thing. For instance in Judges 12:5, the men of Gilead arrest fugitives of Ephraim and asks them if they are Ephrathites. The duality in the meaning of Ephraim is seen in the life of the messiah who suffered bitterly but is fruitful in the end.

From the same source

Pharez

Breach, the elder of the twin sons of Judah Ge 38:29 From him the royal line of David sprang Ru 4:18-22 "The chief of all the captains of the host" was of the children of Perez 1Ch 27:3 Mt 1:3

Again the Messiah was to be a King. Pharez was an ancestor of Boaz as is detailed in verses 18-19.

A Jewish wedding is called a simcha, it means gladness, or joy. The term is used for any happy occasion, such as a wedding or engagement but we would recognise it also as a feast. The wedding is recorded in verse 13.

I find verse 10 to be very interesting. Mahlon means Sickly. Christ came to heal the sick. Chilion means failing and there is no mention of Him dealing with those who have accepted failure. As a matter of fact the parable of the sower tells us that some will fail. Boaz raised up seed to Mahlon. The New Covenant does not disregard the old. It raises up Godly seed from the old. They are all one.

Verse 17 shows what type of union the relationship produces.

The child was named by the people. The people recognised that this seed is worthy to be served and worshipped. Again from Easton's we get:

Obed

Serving; worshipping.

1. A son of Boaz and Ruth Ru 4:21,22 and the grandfather of David Mt 1:5

So this wedding at the time of Pentecost produces the promised seed who would be heir of Elimelech (God is king) through his eldest son. I would have supplied an article earlier showing the likelihood that the two loaves waved at Pentecost represent Christ and the Church entering into a union, so I won't repeat it here. There is so much more that can be gleaned by reflecting on the book of Ruth at Pentecost.

Conclusion

The book of Ruth shows us the history of the Old and New covenant. The Bible shows that the new is more glorious than the Old but the Old has great value. This Old Testament book reveals to us figuratively our relationship with God and our marvellous future.

Acknowledgements

Over the years I have resorted to this website many times for assistance with Hebrew names: Abarim Publications https://www.abarim-publications.com/index.html

While I was browsing I came across this interesting article on Jewish Weddings. Since it is a blog I do not know how long it will remain there:  https://timchatfield.blogspot.com/2015/02/ancient-jewish-wedding-and-return-of.html