Part 4   "Put Thy Raiment UPon Thee"
 
      Not only was Ruth to be clean and to be anointed with oil, but she was also to be properly arrayed.  Ruth was going forth to meet the bridegroom.  Naomi's words, "put thy raiment upon thee," in the light of that which was involved (events expected to culminate in Ruth's marriage to Boaz.), can only refer to special apparel for the occasion.  Ruth's apparel, in which she was to clothe herself, would reflect the occasion at hand.
 
     This facet of Ruth's preparation, point to the present preparation which Christians are to make, is seen in the parable of the marriage feast in Matt. 22:1-14.  In this parable, an improperly clothed man appeared at the festivities surrounding the marriage of "a certain" king's son.  This man appeared without a wedding garment, and he was not only denied entrance into the festivities but he was cast into the darkness outside.
 
     (A reference to the darkness outside [the outer darkness] also appears in the parable of the talents [Matt. 25:30]  And this parable deals with exactly the same thing as the previous parable [ the ten virgins (vv.  1-13)]. though from a different perspective.)
 
     The "certain king" and "his son", in Matt. 22:2 can refer to none other than God the Father and His Son, with the festivities surrounding the "marriage of the Lamb" in Revelation chapter nineteen in view.  In Rev. 19:7,8, the bride is said to have made herself ready by having arrayed herself in "fine linen" ("array herself" rather than "be arrayed" is the correct rendering in v. 8);  and this "fine linen" in which the bride will array herself is specifically said to be "the righteousness [lit., "the righteous acts"] of the saints."
 
     Christians preparing themselves as Ruth prepared herself, must array themselves in the proper apparel for their future meeting with Christ - a meeting which begins on His threshing floor (at His judgment seat) and carries over into the festivities which follow.  Righteous acts, forming the wedding garment, emanate out of faithfulness to one's calling.  Works emanate out of faithfulness; and works, in turn, bring faith to it proper goal, while the wedding garment is being formed (cf. Heb. 11:17-19, 31; James 2:14-26; I Peter 1:9).
 
     And it is evident that a Christian not filled with the Spirit - typified by the second part of Ruth's preparation, anointing herself - is in no position to perform righteous act (works) which make up the wedding garment.
 
     Scripture clearly reveals that Christians will appear in Christ's presence in the coming day in one of two ways.  Some will possess wedding garments, and others will not.  The words "clothed" and "naked" are used in Scripture to distinguish between the appearance of individuals in these two different manner (Rev. 3:17, 18; cf. Rom 8:35); and Christians within both groups will be dealt with in accordance with Matt. 22:10-13.
 
     Those Christians properly clothed (possessing wedding garment) will be dealt with after one fashion, and those improperly clothe (lacking wedding garments, naked) will be dealt with after an entirely different fashion.
 
     Those in the former group will be allowed to enter in the marriage festivities, with a view to their subsequently becoming the Lamb's wife and occupying positions as co-heirs with Christ in His kingdom, for His consort queen.
 
     Those in the latter group though will be denied entrance into the marriage festivities and will consequently not be among those subsequently forming the wife of the Lamb, His consort queen, and all that appertains therein.  Accordingly, they will have no part with Christ in His reign over the earth.