If you read this blog very often, you have heard me make this statement before; we serve a God of great reversals. Look at how He changed the life of Ruth. Now that is truly a story that shows us yet another great reversal brought about by God.
The last time we left our story, Boaz had claimed his role as the Kinsman Redeemer. He had acquired the land that Naomi was selling in the name of Elimelek and their two sons. Boaz legally gained Ruth as a wife in that transaction. He has the sandal of the other kinsman to prove it, as well as the witness of ten of the elders of Israel.
It was a lovely day for all of Israel.
THE STORY THAT LIVES ON AND ON
Little did they know that this sweet love story would also lead into an amazing day for all of the rest of the world as well.
Something that we might not have mentioned before (recorded in the Jewish literature) is the fact that Naomi KNEW that Elimileck’s heritage was destined to royalty.) One might stop to ask, but how could that be? Elimelek and both of their sons had died in Moab.
Yet; Naomi remembered the fact that Elimelek had often referred to how his name signified kingship. Elimelek means “eilai tavoh malchut” in Hebrew. That means; “to me shall kingship come.”
It appears (when you study the Hebrew) that Naomi always knew prophetically that a member of her family would be the ancestor to a kingly dynasty. Perhaps she had pondered this fact before she sent Ruth to the threshing floor in the middle of the night in order to surprise Boaz.
This story dives even deeper when we consider the story behind the story, of who Boaz actually was at that time in history. There are some facts that we have not yet mentioned about Boaz. To this point we have mostly been concerned with the plight of Naomi and Ruth. The short book in your bible leaves a lot of the historical details of the life of Boaz untold. We will talk more of the history of Boaz next week though.
WILLING AND OBEDIENT SERVANTS
For today we are looking at what a great reversal God brought into history by using the everyday lives of two willing and obedient servants named Ruth and Boaz.
The night that Ruth and Boaz were wed, Ruth became pregnant with a son. His name was Obed.
Obed bacame the Father of Jesse, who became the Father of David.
We all know what a great King David was over Israel. He was more than a King, it was from his heritage that the physical and human side of Jesus Christ came to live on the earth. The bloodline of King David brought forth The human side of our Messiah.
Of course God was the main reason that this happened, but look how far back in time God used the events of Ruth and Boaz’s life to bless all of the earth.
THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED
So much came from so little.
A holy nation had hoped and dreamed of a Messiah, and God sent this miracle into motion through two of his most faithful servants.
What seems totally impossible to mankind is easily possible with God.
All of this would never have happened if Ruth had not made the conscious decision which sprung from her love, devotion and commitment to stay with Naomi. God truly gives us choices and hopes that we make the right ones. If one person fails His plan, He simply moves on to the next. Ruth’s desire and conscious decision to love and care for her Mother-In-Law brought forth the events that gave her a long and satisfying life.
Best of all; the results of her good choice eventually produced a Savior of the World!
GOD CARES FOR WIDOWS
Naomi was greatly blessed through the life of Ruth. She is pictured in this last chapter of Ruth holding her grandson in her arms. What a lovely portriat of Naomi’s life’s end to leave this for this world to know and understand that there IS a God and He loves and cares for widows.
The whole community noticed how Naomi’s countenance had changed when Ruth gave birth to this son. They rejoiced in what God has done for Naomi and Ruth.
GOING DEEPER INTO THE STORY
It just does not get any better that this!
Or – wait!
Maybe it does, in a way.
Maybe this story goes even deeper.
You never know what your next small act of human kindness is going to bring about in God’s plan for mankind.
If you don’t believe me – just begin to practice the art. God uses people like Ruth with loving hearts and caring spirits to make this world a much better place to live. He also uses people with giving and generous hearts, such as was inside the heart of Boaz.
We can look at the seemingly hopeless state that Naomi found herself in at the beginning of the story and see how God loves and cares for widows. It is easy to see that He reverses their bad circumstances and turns them to good. God does for them what seems humanly impossible to the rest of the world.
This beautiful story of Naomi’s life should shed the gift of hope into the hearts of all strugging widows who are living today.
Ruth was a widow too.
Look at what God did for her!
It was a total and complete reversal that could only come through faith, obedience, righteousness and prayer.
WHAT ABOUT BOAZ?
Many have heard the Jewish commentary about Boaz and have wondered about its full meaning for us today. The Jewish sages say that Boaz died the next day after he married Ruth. How strange and shocking an ending to such a happy story.
Could this legend be true?
Before we answer, there are also other quesitons we want to consider about this amazing story of God’s love for His people.
MORE QUESTIONS
We could start with the question that asks why do the Jewish people always consider and read the Book of Ruth (called the Megillat) at Pentecost? Remember what we have learned about the annual Holy Days of which Pentecost is major? They are GOD’S DAYS, and they do not belong only to one particular group of people. God called them HIS days. If you are a child of God, He invites you to observe His Holy Days. Your Fathers calls you to keep the family traditions.
QUESTIONS BEHIND THE QUESTIONS
These questions may led us to asking even more questions.
It is clear that though the story of Ruth in itself is enough, and well worth considering on the surface, we will also find many deeper and hidden meanings underneath the surface.
This will be a good place for us to stop and ponder the facts for a few more days. What answers do you have? We will take up this discussion further in our next lesson on The Book of Ruth.
You thought we were through; didn’t you?
God’s Word is so full of layers of meaning that we never seem to quit being able to dig deeper and deeper. The deeper we dig, the more we learn. The more we learn, the more we grow.
Only God could have written the bible in such a way and inspired only his faithful to be the scribes who gave it to us.
Let artificial intelligence try to top that feat!
ONLY GOD
Machines will never achieve the spiritual level that God wishes for us to take. I’ve come to think of artificial intelligence of a type of Tower of Babble, and God’s Word as the only true source of knowledge that exists for the good of human kind. It is so important for us to discern this difference.
Next week we will let that goodness take us into another level of the story of Ruth.
Stay with us.