RUTH

Ruth 1-4The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,Isaac the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,Perez the father of Hezron,Hezron the father of Ram,4 Ram the father of Amminadab,Amminadab the father of Nahshon,Nahshon the father of Salmon,5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,Obed the father of Jesse,6 and Jesse the father of King David.The story of Ruth, found in the Book of Ruth in the Bible, is about a Moabite woman who, through her faithfulness and loyalty, is redeemed and honored by God.Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, an Israelite woman. After Naomi’s husband and two sons died, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem from Moab, urging her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab. However, Ruth refused to leave Naomi, saying, "Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16). This act of devotion demonstrated Ruth's strong faith in God, even as a foreigner.Once in Bethlehem, Ruth provided for herself and Naomi by gleaning in the fields. She happened to work in the fields of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband. Boaz noticed Ruth’s kindness to Naomi and treated her with favor. Following Naomi’s advice, Ruth approached Boaz as a kinsman-redeemer—an Israelite practice allowing a close relative to marry a widow to protect her family’s lineage. Boaz, moved by Ruth’s loyalty and virtue, agreed to marry her.God honored Ruth’s faith by allowing her to become the great-grandmother of King David, placing her in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). Despite being a Moabite, Ruth’s devotion to God and her love for Naomi led to her redemption, and she was woven into the very lineage of Israel’s greatest king and the Messiah. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alexia.substack.com/subscribe