May 29, 2005
Ruth 2:1-20a
In that
reading from Ruth tonight, we actually had quite a big chunk of that
book of
four chapters, which has been described as of the most charming stories
ever
written. Certainly it sits here in the midst of the history books of
the Old
Testament, and it seems something very different. Here we have no talk
of kings
or prophets or wars; nothing of that sort here. Rather a rather
charming story,
yes, and a short love story. And that may well provoke the question;
“What is
this story, this love story, of Ruth doing here. What is it doing here
as part
of Holy Writ? What is this deeply personal story doing here?
But that in
part is the answer. For this very personal story has a key place in
God’s
purposes, and together with its personal touch has much to tell and to
teach
us. It’s central character is Ruth, one of the daughters of
Naomi, a woman who,
though born an Israelite had gone to live in
One of
these is Ruth, the central character of the book and story which bears
her
name. This story shows how God works through people, blesses people and
how
through tem he fulfils his purpose. And in chapter two tonight we read
of how
Ruth met Boaz, the man through whom he would touch Ruth, bless her and
further
his purposes. If we look right to the end of Ruth, in chapter 4 we read
of Boaz
taking Ruth as his wife, of their having a son, Obed, and we read then:
he (Obed)
was the father of
Jesse, the father of David.
David, who was the most glorious of Old Testament kings, a man
described as
being after God’s heart, David who, in many ways prefigured his
later
descendant, the Lord Jesus Christ, or as the hymn writer has it
“great David’s
greater son”. David in his person combined the roles of priest
and king, and
prefiguring the priestly and kingly roles which belonged to Jesus- King
of
Kings and our Great High Priest.
We
see much more prefigured in this story
too. At the start of chapter 2 we read that Naomi had a relative on her
husband’s side from the clan of Elimelech, a
man of standing whose name was Boaz. Now under
We
see much more prefigured in this story
too. At the start of chapter 2 we read that Naomi had a relative on her
husband’s side from the clan of Elimelech, a
man of standing whose name was Boaz. Now under
We see much more prefigured in this story too. At the start of chapter 2 we read that Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side from the clan of Elimelech, a