Ruth: Week 6 (Wednesday, June 14 2017)
Though only four chapters in length, the Book of Ruth has long been recognised - even by those who don’t believe the Bible - as a literary masterpiece. But for all its literary beauty and excellence, it is so much more than that. It is, for example, about a loving relationship between a young woman and her mother-in-law. It is also about a young maiden from Moab and the man who loved and redeemed her. It is about a romance that triumphs over racial and religious prejudices. We learn from example that the Book of Ruth is about real, genuine love. This series will also teach us that God has a special place in His Word for women, and for the unique, miraculous role they play in His plan. Perhaps nowhere else in God’s Word is a woman’s strength of character and purity of motive more evident than here. Most importantly, the Book of Ruth is a story of God’s purpose to redeem all those who will put their trust in Him, simply because He loves them.
Chapter 4
v13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He had sex with her. Then she was going to have a baby. The LORD gave her a baby son. v14 The women said to Naomi, ‘The LORD is good. Today he has given you a redeemer. We pray that his name will be famous in all Israel! v15 He will give you a new life. He will give you help when you become old. Your son’s wife loves you. She is better to you than 7 sons. She is the boy’s mother.’ v16 Naomi held the boy in her arms. She took great care of him. v17 The women that lived there said, ‘Naomi has had a son.’ They called him Obed. He was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.
Verse 13 Ruth and Boaz became husband and wife, and God gave them a son. All through this story, we see God giving good gifts to his people who are true to him.
Verses 14-17 Now Naomi had a child to make her happy, too. Her friends praised God for the baby. And they prayed that the baby would have a good life. Naomi had returned to Bethlehem feeling bitter and empty. Now she again had a child to look after. She was hopeful for the future. Everyone shared her joy. Her name was still Naomi. (They did not call her Mara!) The baby’s name was Obed, which means ‘servant’. Like Boaz and Ruth, he served God.
v18-22 This is the family tree of Perez:
· Perez was the father of Hezron.
· Hezron was the father of Ram.
· Ram was the father of Amminadab.
· Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
· Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
· Salmon was the father of Boaz.
· Boaz was the father of Obed.
· Obed was the father of Jesse.
· Jesse was the father of David.
Verses 18-22 Perez was the son of Judah by his daughter-in-law Tamar, who was also a widow. (See Genesis chapter 38.) Judah’s family gained God’s promise in Genesis 49:8-10. From this family came Boaz and, later, great King David. Jesus, the greatest of all kings, came from Bethlehem from the same family. Jesus was the son of Mary. Like Ruth, she obeyed God and always trusted him. There is no special book in the Bible about Mary, but God has given us this lovely book about Ruth. In this book, we read about ordinary people. They are living as members of God’s family because they respect and obey him. It gives us a pattern for our own lives.