As we come to this passage today, will you bow your head with me and quiet your heart as we slow and savor the Word of God in the midst of this busy season?
“Lord, we bring to you our nothing, our weariness, our busyness. Quiet our hearts as we come before Your Word today, that we might hear from You. Amen.”
Let’s dig in:
“And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.” (Ruth 4:12)
What is this verse saying? What is important about Tamar and thereby Ruth? And what do they have in common?
Tamar was a bit of an unsavory character, with lying and pretending to be a prostitute as part of her resume. And while Ruth was an upstanding woman, she was nonetheless a despised foreigner, an outsider among God’s chosen.
Matthew tells us about Jesus’ ancestry in his Gospel. The angel told Joseph, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
Jesus came to rescue sinners, people like his own ancestors, people like Tamar and Ruth, people like you and me.
Ruth is a lovely character. We love to hear the story of her faithfulness to her mother-in-law Naomi {Ruth 1:14-18}, how she chose to stick by her side no matter what. Ruth is held up to us as a symbol of a faithful woman, one to be emulated and her characteristics sought after.
Ruth’s love and faithfulness to Naomi is beautiful. She left her home, her people, and risked her reputation in order to remain faithful. But this isn’t only a story of Ruth’s faithfulness, it is a story of God’s faithfulness. It is a story of God’s covenant faithfulness (hesed) to Naomi and Ruth, to Israel, and ultimately His faithfulness to us, His people.
The love of Jesus is far greater than the love of Ruth for Naomi. He left his place in heaven, not just the security of the homeland of Moab. He didn’t merely risk his reputation for us, he became a man of no reputation, despised and rejected by men.
God in His love and sovereignty, gave Ruth the redeemer she needed, and at the same time, prepared the way for the ultimate Redeemer! “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may His name become famous in Israel.“ Ruth 4:14
What He began with Tamar, and then Ruth, he completed in Jesus. That His name might become famous.
Take a moment today and sing the song, O Come All Ye Faithful, and as you do, remember that it is because of HIS faithfulness that we can be counted with Ruth as faithful.
O Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ the Lord!! He is forever faithful!
Adoring Him,
Oh LOVE being reminded of Jesus’s love and faithfulness to us! Thank you so much Joy for your post today! What a wonderful reminder during a busy week!:)
I love that Tamar’s story changed from being a shamed woman to being the mother of Perez and that Ruth’s story changed from being a foreigner to being a woman who might be blessed and be a blessing to Boaz. Our faith and obedience to God pays off. I also love how God’s plans can be inter-generational. We can be a part of a generational curse or a generational blessing all based on our choice to have faith and obey. I want to be a part of an inter-generational blessing. Tamar and Ruth were a part of the ultimate inter-generational blessing, being in the genealogy of the Messiah! Praise God. God uses the willing. Send me, Lord.
Praising Him with you Monica!!!
Blessings, Marlene {LGG Encourager}
This and today’s verses speak volumes to me.
Ruth was a Moabite. Moabites descended from Lot’s eldest daughter. They worshipped Chumosh, a counterpart of Molech who required child sacrifices. The Israelites copied this but did it as ‘extraordinary offerings’ to the one true God in addition to the temple offerings.
Ruth repented (turned around-Naomi’s God became her God) from the most grievous sins against God and was counted into Christ’s lineage.
No matter how big or how bad you think your sin is, God is faithful to forgive and use you for mighty things.
He is faithful indeed and His grace is matchless! Thanks for sharing with us today Jennifer!
Blessings, Marlene {LGG Encourager}
I am so grateful that salvation isn’t just for the Jews or just for men or just for some some select group. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
YES!! He is for everyone! Thank you for that sweet and awesome reminder, Jnel!
Blessings, Marlene {LGG Encourager}
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