Gtcotr/ss081824
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Today we will take a behind the scenes look at a woman in the Bible named Ruth and draw two conclusions that will serve us in life.
Matthew 1 NKJV
1 ¶ The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.
4 Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.
5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
6 and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by (Bathsheba) her who had been the wife of Uriah.
The portion of the genealogy we just read covers more than a 1000-year period. You must admit, this was a very beautifully detailed and flawlessly executed plan of God to bring Messiah to a lost and dying world. Only our amazing, wonderful, awesome, magnificent, all-knowing, all-seeing and all-powerful God could orchestrate and accomplish something like this.
Ruth was a God chosen great grandmother of Jesus. She was destined to be the wife of a man named Boaz who was a wealthy older Jew from the tribe of Judah living in the town of Bethlehem over 1100 years before Christ. Boaz and Ruth had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David, the King. (Ruth 4:22)
Ruth was a woman of destiny. She was from the country of Moab, which was located east of Israel, across the Dead Sea. She was born and raised in a completely different country, culture, custom and even in a different generation than Boaz. The book of Ruth details the account of how God brought these two people together to accomplish His plan and to bring about the birth of Jesus according to every prophecy written beforehand.
A survey of the grandmothers and grandfathers of Jesus reveals God’s plan to include every people group, all nations, kindreds, tribes, and tongues in the lineage of Messiah. Ham, Shem, and Japheth, (the sons of Noah from whom all the earth is currently populated), can all be found in Christ.
No one singular people group can lay exclusive claim to Jesus. And, no one is left out. We have all sinned and God has included us all in the Promise of salvation.
Ruth was destined to marry a man she had no chance of ever meeting. She was a vital link in the plan of God but the odds of these two people having a son were astronomical. Put yourself in their shoes … no chance at all. Thankfully, God never leaves His plan to chance. He always provides a path for His purpose to unfold. We make plans but the Lord directs steps.
At times, our journey to God’s destiny for our lives leads through difficult moments. Yet, The journey is our friend. Although difficult at times and often unappreciated, it is the journey that prepares us to embrace our destiny at just the right time. No story tells it better than the story of Ruth.
Allow me to share her account in brief. And I encourage you to read the whole book of Ruth this week. It will take only about 20 to 30 minutes. If you are not a reader, put your Bible app on audio and listen to the whole story. (The story of Ruth in brief …)
God expected Ruth to be committed and submitted to her first husband for the decade they were married before he died. There is no doubt she was working hard and believing in the future they were building, doing her best, never realizing she was being provided for, protected, prepared, positioned, and promoted to be the woman Boaz would respect and accept to be his wife and the mother of the son of his old age. This is the woman God chose to be the Moabite grandmother of His only begotten Son, Jesus.
Ruth teaches us to be faithful in our journey - Ruth was … It was in her nature. We can see this exemplified in Ruth’s vow to her mother-in-law in:
Ruth 1 NKJV
16 But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or toturn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.
17 Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”
Ruth was committed and behaved virtuously in every moment she faced. Whether she was married to a worrisome, weak and fearful failure, or when she became a widowed migrant worker, or the wife of one of the wealthiest members of the royal family of Judea… It was her nature to be kind and hardworking, committed and loyal. No wonder God planned a future for Ruth that only He could orchestrate. You are in His plan as well!
Two things we learn from Ruth today:
