The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward
be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under
whose wings thou has come to trust.
Ruth 2:12
Ruth is one of my favorite characters in the Bible...
be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under
whose wings thou has come to trust.
Ruth 2:12
Ruth is one of my favorite characters in the Bible...
She was a Moabite, a Gentile, but a famine in the land of Israel brought a woman by the name of Naomi, along with her husband, Elimelech, and their sons, Mahlon and Kilion, to the land of Moab in order to find food, and thereby survive.
Once they reached Moab, Elimelech’s family settled down. Here they met Ruth, who ended up marrying one of their sons. While her sister, Orpah, married the other son, But life is never simple. Tragedy was looming.
After a time, Naomi’s husband would die leaving her a widow, and to make matters worse, both Mahlon and Kilion passed away as well, both at a young age. Now all three women lost their spouses.
A while later, however, Naomi received word that the famine which struck Israel was over. Hearing the news, Naomi decided it was time to return to her hometown, which was Bethlehem. She then urged her daughters-in-law to return to their family as Naomi prepared to return to hers. So Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and left, but Ruth was having none of this.
Notwithstanding Naomi’s pleas, Ruth made up her mind to venture to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law. This was no small decision. It would be life-changing for Ruth. Yet, with her mind made up, and a heart devoted to Naomi and her God, Ruth said some of the most beautiful words ever to be recorded in the Scriptures. “Wherever you go, so will I. Your people will become my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will be buried alongside you” (Ruth 1:16-17).
By faith, Ruth left her homeland behind. Yet she surely must have wondered what was ahead. Poverty and loneliness? Would Naomi’s family and community reject her, being she was a foreigner and a Gentile? Ruth was someone who clearly stepped out of her comfort zone.
As the story goes, however, Ruth ended up meeting a wealthy landowner by the name of Boaz. It was a relationship that seemed planned in heaven. They married, and they had a son whom they named Obed.
Obed later had a son, whom he and his wife named, Jesse. Jesse then became the father of the one who was to become king. His name was David. Thus, Ruth became part of the royal lineage that would eventually lead to the birth of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus. God loves happy endings.
D.B.
Once they reached Moab, Elimelech’s family settled down. Here they met Ruth, who ended up marrying one of their sons. While her sister, Orpah, married the other son, But life is never simple. Tragedy was looming.
After a time, Naomi’s husband would die leaving her a widow, and to make matters worse, both Mahlon and Kilion passed away as well, both at a young age. Now all three women lost their spouses.
A while later, however, Naomi received word that the famine which struck Israel was over. Hearing the news, Naomi decided it was time to return to her hometown, which was Bethlehem. She then urged her daughters-in-law to return to their family as Naomi prepared to return to hers. So Orpah kissed Naomi goodbye and left, but Ruth was having none of this.
Notwithstanding Naomi’s pleas, Ruth made up her mind to venture to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law. This was no small decision. It would be life-changing for Ruth. Yet, with her mind made up, and a heart devoted to Naomi and her God, Ruth said some of the most beautiful words ever to be recorded in the Scriptures. “Wherever you go, so will I. Your people will become my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will be buried alongside you” (Ruth 1:16-17).
By faith, Ruth left her homeland behind. Yet she surely must have wondered what was ahead. Poverty and loneliness? Would Naomi’s family and community reject her, being she was a foreigner and a Gentile? Ruth was someone who clearly stepped out of her comfort zone.
As the story goes, however, Ruth ended up meeting a wealthy landowner by the name of Boaz. It was a relationship that seemed planned in heaven. They married, and they had a son whom they named Obed.
Obed later had a son, whom he and his wife named, Jesse. Jesse then became the father of the one who was to become king. His name was David. Thus, Ruth became part of the royal lineage that would eventually lead to the birth of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus. God loves happy endings.
D.B.
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