Our final glance is to, with our own eyes, read the
Scripture while looking for the hand of God. While this is a nice story, the
implications of its message go far beyond the time in which it was written. Before
you read today’s passages, think about how God Himself displays the themes of
kindness and redemption in Ruth’s story, and think about what the greater
implications of this story could be.
READ: Ruth
1:16-17, 4:13-22; Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 11:11-15; Colossians 1:25-27;
Ephesians 2:11-22
God often reveals Himself through man, so when lovers
of God are kind to others, the act of kindness is a revelation of God’s
character. Our love for others should be a sign that we love God, in fact if we
love one another, people will know that we belong to God (see John 13:35). So
through the kindnesses of those in the story (particularly that of Boaz to Ruth)
we see also the kindness of God. However, this kindness is shown for a greater
purpose.
The story of Ruth is, at its heart, one of
redemption. This is what makes it a truly beautiful story. Right in chapter 1,
God redeemed Ruth. Even if she had lived as a poor widow for the rest of her
life, she would have been eternally redeemed by Yahweh because in verse 16, she
renounced her people and her gods to follow the God of Israel. But God’s redemption
runs much deeper than that. Throughout the Bible, there are various
Christ-figures – characters who give a prophetic picture of Jesus. Boaz is one
such character. As we have already seen, through Boaz’s kindness, Ruth was
redeemed from a life of poverty and destitution to wealth and family heritage.
Ruth is also brought physically into Israel – by marrying Boaz, an Israelite,
she will start a family, and her children will be Jewish by blood. Together
these things give us a prophetic picture
of God’s salvation plan for mankind!
Though God began with one man (Abraham), leading to
one nation (Israel), His plan was always to bless the entire world. Abraham was
told that all the earth would be
blessed through his descendants. The Israelites were given strict separation
laws that identified them as God’s holy and chosen people, set apart for His
will. But there was always space for foreigners to become God’s people, if they were willing to abandon their
ways and follow Yahweh as the one true God. In making her covenant to Naomi,
Ruth was also accepting God’s covenant – a covenant of blessing for those who
obeyed Him – AND illustrating a New Covenant that God would later
foretell through the prophet Jeremiah: “I will be their God and they will be My
people.” (see Jeremiah 31:30-34).
As God grafted Ruth into His family through His
love and the redemption of Boaz, so He would graft in all those who would
accept the gift of redemption through His Son, Jesus. This is where we stand
right now. Ruth’s story gives a taste of the “mystery” that Paul would later
talk about – the mystery of God’s Spirit dwelling within anyone who would put their faith in Jesus – Jew or Gentile, slave
or free. Little did Ruth know when she left her homeland, and pledged her
faithfulness to her mother-in-law, and selflessly married an Israelite
businessman, that she would play a part in ushering her true Saviour into the
world!
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1. What does this story show you about God’s
sovereignty and faithfulness?
2. God is brilliant! If he could orchestrate the
writing of Ruth to point so clearly to Jesus, then He can surely work out the
circumstances of your life for good. What is something that you need to trust
God with today? Ask Him to help you give this over to Him. Thank Him that He is
sovereign and faithful in your life as He was in Ruth’s.
3. Mediate on the sacrifice of Jesus and the Gospel
message. Think about how you came to know the Lord. Thank God for His hand on
your life and for the great amounts of mercy He has shown you. Pray for His
mercy to be extended on others who you know need to return to the Lord.
