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The story of Ruth was one I was not familiar with. I learned about her in our Bible Study and was amazed at how God looked after her. Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David and the daughter-in-law of Naomi. She lived in the period of the Judges, and her story, probably written by Samuel, is a short but inspirational account of someone who loved and obeyed God, in the midst of many other accounts of how the Israelites were continually turning away from Him. Ruth, a gentile, married the son of an Israelite family while living in Moab, but her father-in-law, husband, and husband's only brother all died. So Ruth had a choice whether to remain in her home, or to go with Naomi, her mother-in-law, who wanted to return to Judah. This was a place that Ruth had never been to. Ruth couldn't endure being separated from Naomi or from the God she had come to know. Ruth adored her mother-in-law and had sympathy for her, as she had lost her husband and both of her sons. So Ruth and Naomi made the trip back to Judah to the city of Bethlehem. She said the well-known words, "Whither thou goest, I will go" (Ruth 1:16 KJV) Ruth’s story spread, and Boaz heard of her faith. Boaz was kind and generous, and looked after her by giving her food and protection, eventually buying back Naomi's land, and marrying Ruth. They had a son, Obed, who became the father of Jesse, who became the father of King David. The story of Ruth is all about redemption. Ruth showed remarkable faith, to believe that God would provide for her and Naomi. Boaz acts as a redeemer by helping both Naomi and Ruth, and by marrying Ruth. This is symbolic of how Jesus will come to be the redeemer of all of us. Ruth herself, as a gentile, symbolizes how all nations and peoples will eventually belong to God's kingdom. If you’re experiencing troubles in your life, start with faith. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as, “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Ruth believed God was all she needed, and that He would provide for her. He took a poor, hurting immigrant and provided for her, and brought her a great love with Boaz. Redemption is possible for all of us, no matter where we come from, what we've been through, how old we are, or how we've sinned. God has a plan for each of us. |