The Birth of Obed
Over the past four weeks, we’ve been journeying through the book of Ruth, a tale of heartbreak and love. We have also been wrestling with the tension of the overarching theme of Ruth compared to its contemporaries in Ezra and Nehemiah. Well, this week as we come to our finale, we are going to tie up all of the loose ends and paint a picture for us going forward. But I believe it’s helpful to reflect upon the lessons we’ve learned so far. First, we look at Naomi’s return to Bethlehem after her husband and sons have passed away. No longer wanting to be known as “Pleasant,” she insists that her former friends call her Mara, or “Bitter.” Given all of the pain and suffering she has endured, she assumes that her story has come to a bitter end. Secondly, Naomi and Ruth are eking out an existence in Bethlehem where Ruth is going to the fields and gleaning from the edges. It is here that she encounters a man named Boaz, who begins to bestow upon her water, food, and beneficial gathering conditions. Upon sharing this news with Naomi, we learn that Boaz is the kinsman-redeemer of their family. There is hope at the end of the tunnel and a chance at salvation from their condition. It is in these lessons that we turn to Jesus. We know that our story is not finished here, even when life is bitter and difficult like Naomi’s because we have found salvation through Christ. My prayer is that we can hold on to that truth as we use the story of Ruth to launch us with renewed love and faithfulness this week.
–Caleb McCaughan, Ruth, A Biblical Drama, part 4: The Birth of Obed
- The story of Ruth contains the lowest of lows, such as Naomi losing her husband and sons, to the highest of highs, such as the birth of Obed. Where are you at in life on this scale?
- What is the significance of Ruth, a Moabite, being included in the genealogy of Jesus?
- How can we use the story of Ruth to embolden our own faith journey?
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