HOW RUTH THE MOABITESS WAS REDEEMED - By J. C. O;Hair

Most Christians remember the famous words of Ruth and the question, her mother-in-law, Naomi, asked of her. Ruth said to Naomi, “. . . Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge: thy people shall be my people and thy God my God: Where thou diest I will die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.” (Ruth 1:16 and 17).

Then Naomi’s question when she and Ruth had come into Israel’s country, “Where hast thou gleaned today?”

We read in Ruth 1:1 to 5 that Elimelech, with Naomi his wife, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, in the time of famine in Israel’s land, went into the land of Moab. There Naomi’s husband died. There the two sons were married to two women of Moab. Then plenty of trouble came to Naomi. Elimelech had died. Then Mahlon and Chileon died. Would we have had one of the greatest stories of all times, if they had not died in the land of Moab when they did?

“Naomi” means “pleasant.” No one could bring cruel judgment against that mother-in-law. How gracious and loving she was to Ruth, in spite of her own troubles which caused her to speak of herself as “Mara” (bitter). (Ruth 1:20).

This story was in the day of the Judges. (Ruth 1:1). So “Ruth”, in the Bible, follows “Judges.” In Judges 3:28, God declared that the Moabites were Israel’s enemies. In Deuteronomy 23:3 and Nehemiah 13:1 we read that a Moabite must not enter the congregation of the Lord.

In this connection let us think of Ephesians 2:12 and 13 where we learn how the alienated Gentile strangers were afar off and then, by grace, brought so nigh to God that they were no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow-citizens in the Household of God. (Ephesians 2:19). They became heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. This was by the work of Israel’s great Redeemer Kinsman (Hebrews 2:11 - Hebrews 2:16 and 17).

“Moab” has the meaning of “from her father.” Lot was the father of Moab and also the father of Moab’s mother. Moab is mentioned more than 160 times in the Old Testament Scriptures, with no good word to his credit. He is mentioned in the forty-eighth chapter of Jeremiah 34 times. Note Numbers 21:29 - Jeremiah 48:4 - II Kings 23:13: “Woe unto Moab! thou art undone.” “Moab is destroyed.” “The abomination of the Moabites.”

Consider all of this and then turn to Matthew 1:3 to 6 and see that Ruth, the Moabitess, was the mother of Obed, who was the grandfather of King David, from whom Christ came. Tamar, Rahab and Bathsheba are also brought, by grace, into the royal family into which Christ was born. (Matthew 1:3 to 6).

Naomi would have given another son to Ruth; but she had none. But she took Ruth back to Israel’s land and there Naomi helped her to get acquainted with Boaz, who was a rich kinsman. Ruth worked in the fields and Naomi told her how to win the favor of Boaz. Ruth replied, “All that thou sayest unto me, I will do.”, (Read Ruth 3:3 to 6). And she did.

Then the rich kinsman became Ruth’s redeemer for Elimelech’s sake. Elimelech means, “the God of the King.”

The redemption story by the redeemer taking off his shoe, as a witness, is told in Ruth 4:6 to 8. This was God’s plan in Deuteronomy 25:5 to 10. Then the rich kinsman redeemer said, “Ruth have I purchased to be my wife.” (Ruth 4:10). Then “Obed,” their son, was born. Their house was established in Bethlehem. Read in Ruth 4:14; what was said unto Naomi.

We know of a real Kinsman Redeemer Who was born in Obed’s house in Bethlehem. He was rich, and for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich.

And the alienated, condemned Gentiles, by God’s grace, have been married to Christ. His riches are our riches.

How God Saves Men
Believing Christ DIED, that’s HISTORY.
Believing Christ DIED for YOU SINS and Rose again that’s SALVATION.
Read Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10 and 1. Corinthians 15:1-4

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