Finding Purpose, Hope and Joy Through Jesus’ BirthSýnishorn

Day 10 – Ruth’s Hope

One of the most famous love stories in the Bible is also a special link that impacts world history. The story reminds us that God often works through tragic situations to change the lives of many others.

Ruth was a Moabite widow who found herself living in Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi. Living in a humble situation, Ruth gleaned the fields to harvest grain for their meals. That is where she met Boaz, the landowner where she was harvesting. He was aware of Ruth and Naomi’s situation and took extra care to leave plenty of grain for her to gather. Through a series of divinely appointed circumstances, Boaz takes Ruth as his wife.

According to Jewish Law, the kinsman redeemer or “go el” designates one who delivers, rescues or redeems. In this story, Boaz was the kinsman redeemer for Ruth. He delivered her.

Ruth later had a son named Obed, who would become the grandfather of King David and later an ancestor in the line of the Messiah. In the Christmas story we read, “Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David” (Matthew 1:5-6).

Long before that night when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was a young widow roaming the fields for grain. Her circumstances may have felt overwhelming. Little did she know God would rearrange her troubles into a relationship that would be integral to the coming of the Messiah. Jesus would come from her DNA.

Naomi’s hope was strong in spite of her circumstances. This Christmas, when your circumstances look bleak or you’re feeling down, remember Ruth. God took a tragedy-filled story, turned it into one of the greatest love stories, and best of all, used her in the lineage of our Savior.