Ruth
Loyal Stranger Welcomed into God’s Redemption
Name Information
- Meaning: "Friend" or "Companion"
- Language of Origin: Hebrew
- Gender Usage: Feminine
Ruth was a Moabite woman who, through loyalty, humility, and faith, became part of the lineage of King David and ultimately Jesus Christ. After the death of her husband, she chose to stay with her Israelite mother-in-law Naomi, embracing Naomi’s people and God. Her story is one of unexpected grace, sacrificial love, and divine providence.
⏰ Judges
Roles
- Widow
- Foreigner
- Gleaner
- Wife
- Ancestor of Christ
Relationships
- Husband: Mahlon (deceased), then Boaz
- Mother-in-law: Naomi
- Son: Obed (grandfather of David)
Story
During the time of the judges, famine drove Naomi’s family to Moab, where her sons married Moabite women. After Naomi’s husband and both sons died, she urged her daughters-in-law to return to their families.
One daughter-in-law left, but Ruth clung to Naomi, saying, 'Where you go I will go... Your people will be my people, and your God my God.' Ruth left her homeland behind out of love and faith.
Back in Bethlehem, Ruth gleaned in the fields to care for Naomi. She happened to glean in the field of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband.
Boaz protected and blessed Ruth, impressed by her character and kindness. Naomi saw God’s providence and encouraged Ruth to seek Boaz as a 'redeemer.'
In a bold yet respectful act, Ruth asked Boaz to redeem her family line. Boaz responded with integrity, fulfilled the legal obligations, and married her.
God blessed Ruth and Boaz with a son, Obed, who would become the grandfather of King David. Through Ruth, a foreigner, God brought forth the Messiah.
Spiritual Significance
- Ruth was a Moabite — from a nation often hostile to Israel — yet chose to follow Naomi and the God of Israel after being widowed.
- Her loyalty to Naomi and willingness to leave her homeland reflect deep faith and love, captured in her words: 'Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.'
- She worked humbly in the fields to provide for Naomi and caught the attention of Boaz, a noble and kind man who showed her favor.
- Boaz, acting as a 'kinsman-redeemer,' married Ruth to preserve the family line — a powerful symbol of restoration and covenant love.
- Ruth became the great-grandmother of David, placing her in the direct lineage of Jesus Christ despite being a Gentile.
Christ Connection
Ruth points to Jesus as our Redeemer. Boaz rescued Ruth from poverty and isolation; Jesus redeems us from sin and separation.
Ruth was a foreigner brought into God’s covenant family — just as through Christ, people from all nations are welcomed into the family of God.
Ruth’s inclusion in the lineage of Jesus shows that grace overrides background, and that faith, not heritage, defines our place in God’s story.
What We Can Learn
- Faith often means leaving behind comfort and stepping into the unknown, trusting God's providence.
- God welcomes outsiders who turn to Him in faith — and includes them in His redemptive plan.
- Loyalty, kindness, and humility are not small virtues — in God’s hands, they can change history.
- Redemption is not just spiritual — it can restore families, legacies, and futures.
- God works through ordinary people and faithful acts to accomplish extraordinary things.
Memory Verses
But Ruth replied, 'Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.'
— Ruth 1:16
Key Passages
- Ruth 1–4
- Matthew 1:5
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