To get the full picture, we must go back to God’s instruction, written into His covenant with Israel at Sinai.
“The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you
may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’ ”
Numbers 15:37-41 NIV
Since the early Israelites were a tactile people, understanding life and their world through their senses, God used symbols to remind them of their relationship with Him. Things they could see and touch that spoke to them of the nature of their God were to be held in front of them constantly since their God was unseen.
The garment to which this law refers was originally the outer garment or cloak, an all-purpose, poncho-like garment that served as an outer covering by day and a blanket at night. The tassels attached to the four corners of the cloak, were to be of blue thread with five knots and four spaces in each tassel. Each detail symbolised some aspect of their God…blue for deity…the knots for the law, the five Books of Moses…and th spaces for God’s name, JHWH.
The garment with tassels, later on a prayer shawl, was called a “talith”, the corners were the “kanaph” also called “wings”, and the tassels were the “tsitsit”.
This imagery is used across the Bible to symbolise God’s presence, His Word, and His name. When we learn the significance of this garment with its tassels in Scripture, much of what we as westerners don’t understand becomes clear. Let’s look at a couple of examples.
The priestly blessing in Numbers…
“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Numbers 6:23-27 NIV
…was designed to put God’s name on His people, symbolised by the tassels on their garment.
There is a prophecy in Malachi…
““But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.”
Malachi 4:2 NLT
The word “kanaph”, translated “wings”, refers to the corners of the talith. As the “kanaph” covers His people, so His presence and His Word constantly protects them.
Now follow this in Jesus’ ministry…
“A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe (corner) of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.”
Luke 8:43-44 NLT
Fringe? Border? Tassel!
Would she not have put her faith in the promise of Malachi…the Sun of Righteousness, the Messiah, with healing in His wings, “kanaph”of the “tsitstit”?
Of course, Jewish people would make the immediate connection.
What of the words of Psalm 91?
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
Psalms 91:4 NIV
“Wings” = “kanaph” = the corners of the garment where the tassels are attached = the “tsitsit” which represent God’s deity, His name, and His word.
Can you now understand what the custom meant, that is, for Boaz to cover Ruth with the corner of his garment, the symbol of care, protection, provision, and belonging, a wife of covenant, and all to be carried out under the talith, just as God covered His people.
“The key Bible verse describing Jesus covering believers with His righteousness is Isaiah 61:10, which says, “He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (NIV). This symbolizes how believers, through faith in Christ, are cleansed from sin and spiritually clothed in His perfect righteousness, becoming beautiful in God’s eyes, like a radiant bride or king.”
The ultimate imagery of God’s presence, His name, and His word is in the garment of righteousness with which Jesus covers His people who believe in Him.
“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”
Philippians 3:9 NIV
Once again, even in Ruth’s request of Boaz that he honour his responsibility, as her kinsman-redeemer, to redeem her from widowhood and (understood) to produce a son who would continue the bloodline of her deceased husband, God’s will was put into action.
To be continued…