YISEHAK F-SELLASSIE

Ruth

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." Ruth 1: 16-17 (Bible- Old Testament)

Comments: Ruth is a story of Love, the all-surrendering kind of Love. Displayed in the character of Ruth is the very heart and soul of the believer. The viewpoints of God and ourselves are shown in contrast to each other. In that, He can see all angles at the same time. The warmth of the sun, the glimmer of the night moon and the course of a seed planted on good ground are all illustrated in a realistic yet abstract way, so that one can only see them in part. God sees the whole picture – we only see parts of the whole picture.

Symbolism: In this painting, the structure that holds everything together is the vertical and horizontal lines (the cross). The composition depends on it and the composed elements are set in and around it harmoniously. The vertical and horizontal lines so vividly seen in this painting represent two laws. Jesus, when asked which was the greatest of all the commandments? Answered by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (represented by the vertical). “The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (horizontal), On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 (Bible - New Testament)

"Rain drops" represent blessings. Water and soil (the blue and yellow zig zag or triangles) feed the seed (from right to left) nurturing the plant as it grows to maturity. The land is fertile. We see it through a birds eye view, so to speak (In the spirit, not limited as in the flesh). There is a halo around her head; as she is in the will of God. The upper left corner represents the kingdom of God. The light of both the sun and moon is present. The heat of the sun is felt. Yellow is also the color of joy! In His presence is fullness of joy.

The jewels and the crown represent earthly valued possessions. The white hair represents wisdom. What she valued (in choosing to remain with Naomi her mother in-law) is wisdom from God. What was deep within her heart was faith, hope, and charity. “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (Bible - New Testament).

The two shapes, representing a mask on Ruth’s face, are falling away as she follows what God wants for her. The more she follows the divine path for her, the more she finds out who she is. The mask brakes apart revealing her true identity. Her out look changed, she had a renewed mind - like when we realize we want to be a Christian.