Ruth: A Story of God’s Redeeming LoveSýnishorn

Many delightful stories end with, “And they lived happily ever after.” Not Ruth. This story goes beyond “happily ever after” to the lineage of Christ. The final six verses of Ruth are the most important in the book because they display for us, once again, how God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28) Throughout the book of Ruth, we see how God used the tapestry of human lives to bring about His plans. The closing verses demonstrate that God’s perfect will is achieved despite our less-than-perfect decisions and stumbling through life.

God’s perfect will includes us but does not center on us. In his book Faithful God: An Exposition on the Book of Ruth, Sinclair Ferguson said, “The deeper significance of what God is doing lies well beyond the lifetime of its central characters.” All believers serve a greater purpose than what occurs in their daily lives. This is evidenced by the fact that the book’s three main characters fade into memory in the last six verses, for theirs is not the main story. However, the characters play an integral role in the story of salvation. The loving-kindness displayed by Ruth and Boaz sets into motion the salvation that extends to all the world.

It is clear from these last few verses of Ruth that God’s ultimate reason for everything in this story happened to accomplish one specific purpose: the birth of Jesus Christ. This includes Naomi moving to Moab, Ruth’s initial barrenness, the death of Naomi’s husband and sons, Ruth staying by her side, Ruth gleaning in Boaz’s field, Naomi’s risky scheme (which worked), the other kinsman-redeemer’s refusal, and the birth of Obed to Boaz and Ruth.

Genesis 3:15 is famously known as the protoevangelium because it is the first (proto) proclamation of the gospel (euangelion). God promised to deal a mortal blow to Satan through the offspring of Eve. When God referred to Eve’s offspring, He meant Jesus Christ, His only Son, who dealt the final blow to Satan when He died on the cross. Just three chapters into the Bible, this verse set into motion the story of Jesus, which continues through Ruth and the rest of Scripture. The promise of Genesis 3:15 came to pass because of God’s sovereign providence in one tiny, seemingly insignificant family in Bethlehem.

These genealogies elevate the story of Ruth from a small-town tale to one of national and eternal significance. In the dark days of the judges, the foundation was laid for the line that would produce the Savior, the Messiah, and the Redeemer of a lost and destitute humanity. The seed of the woman would be revealed through Boaz and Ruth, David and Bathsheba, and Joseph and Mary. In Psalm 132:12, God promised one of David’s sons, one even greater than David, would reign forever. Indeed, God worked everything together over hundreds of years for the ultimate good He had in store for those who trust Him.

At the core of the story of Ruth lie four important theological truths:

1. God’s providence is something upon which we can depend. We may not always be able to see or understand God’s actions, but we can rest assured He is in control and will not forsake His children.

2. We are to display lovingkindness to others like God shows it to us.

3. God answers the prayers of His people, and His blessings extend from the limited perspective of our lifetimes to generations to come.

4. We need a Kinsman-Redeemer who loved us so much that He died to restore us to God. No one is outside God’s grace, and the “least of these” – sinners, Gentiles, and social outcasts – are still being redeemed.