The Truth About Ruth - Part 1:journey To Destiny! Series

The story of Ruth is well known by most Christians.

It's a tale of crisis, suffering and sorrow.

It's a tale of love, devotion and submission.

It's a tale of loyalty, service and favor

It's a tale of intrigue, plotting and scheming.

It's a tale of hope, promise and redemption!

it’s the record of a bad beginning with a good ending!

The book of Ruth...To Moab and back. Read Ruth Ch 1-4

Chapter one: Ruth's Resolution in her decision (Leaning of Love)

Chapter two: Ruth's Resourcefulness in her duties (Labor of Love)

Chapter three: Ruth's Reception in her devotion (Lesson of Love)

Chapter four: Ruth's Reward in her destiny(Logic of Love)

It's the only book in the Bible that pivots around a Gentile Widow.

In its four short chapters, taking place during the time of the judges, it is like a beautiful sparkling gem in middle of an era of darkness, sin and suffering. We are privileged to look at this short powerful drama and realize its far reaching consequences and the pivotal place it occupies in the advent of Messiah.

The story begins with the grim setting in the days that the judges ruled and ends with the name of David the ancestor of Messiah our Savior and Kinsman Redeemer!

It begins with stark famine, sorrow and barrenness and ends with joy, laughter and fruitfulness.

It begins with forced poverty and ends with inherited riches.

It begins with death and ends with birth.

It begins with tragedy and ends with triumph.

It begins with the lack of bread in the Bethlehem (the House of Bread) and ends with the unfailing promise of the Bread of Life!

Naomi's outlook on life was grim and bitter.

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. Ruth 1:20 KJV

She moved from being Naomi (pleasant) to Mara (bitter). She saw no hope in the foreseeable future. However God was going to use the unassuming Moabite stranger who doggedly tagged along with her to a foreign land, to create spectacular history. We never know what God is going to use or do next in His master plan but when He is done we are amazed and delighted at His wisdom and goodness!

All we may see is the stark grimness of the present and near foreseeable future. God alone has the future wrapped up and He reveals it to whoever He will.

Naomi blamed God for all her misfortunes to the present.

Her testimony was ...that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. Ruth 1:13 KJV

However God was using all the misadventures of Naomi to weave a historical, prophetic tapestry of extraordinary Messianic beauty. Surely we most often only see the underside of tangled thread and knotted ugliness until God in His grace allows us a glimpse of the beauty he has wrought.

Hard times can make pleasantness become bitter especially when we fail to see the hand of God.

Naomi's planned and executed move to Moab resulted in tragedy to her family but God used it to bring goodness and mercy to the whole world.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 KJV

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV

So how insignificant do you think your life to be?

Did Naomi know she was to become the ancestor of our Messiah? Not in her wildest dreams...well maybe it was her hopeful thought at the beginning which was the dream and hope of every Jewish girl.

Naomi however lost that hope with the death of her sons and husband. All seemed physically impossible now...but who's looking at the physical?

A lesson from father Abraham is echoing here!

Naomi did not take into account the quiet, devoted foreigner by her side.

Do not ever think anything or anyone is too insignificant for God to use! For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 KJV

God used Aaron’s rod, David’s sling, the jawbone of an ass, a little boy’s lunch and some jars of plain water. God can use you even though you may feel insignificant, useless, overlooked and under achieving! He just requires you surrender into His hands and He will shape your life like the potter shapes the formless clay into objects of beauty and usefulness.