God’s Finishing Touches In Ruth

The Voice of Hope

God's Finishing Touches In Ruth

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Have you ever been in a situation that just makes no sense? It felt like a perfect storm of events that left you wondering, “How did that happen? What is going on?” Life can feel like a bunch of puzzle pieces dumped on the floor, with no clear picture emerging. Hindsight isn’t always 20/20; we don’t always look back and see clearly what God was doing. What do we do when we don’t see what God is up to? What is our response supposed to be?

The story of Ruth, particularly the final verses of chapter 4, offers profound insights into this very question. While we often don’t know the end of our own stories, just like the characters in Ruth didn’t know theirs, we are called to be committed to God. A great takeaway for us is that we should have the goal of worshiping Him and lifting Him up despite our circumstances.

The book of Ruth is a powerful reminder that God is always at work. Even in the worst of times, God is accomplishing His purposes. Ruth shows us God orchestrating relationships and working behind the scenes, bringing everything together in a way that ultimately makes sense.

One of the incredible aspects of Ruth is how it ties into the bigger story of the Bible. Ruth points back to Jesus, especially through the figure of the kinsman redeemer. Boaz serves as the kinsman redeemer in the book of Ruth, and he beautifully points to our ultimate Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus. Studying the Bible, even a short book like Ruth, can be like being an astronaut – the more you delve in, the more it expands and the more you realize is there.

As we look at the final verses of Ruth (chapter 4:13-22), we see God’s “finishing touches”. Here, the story is completed and the pieces all come together and make sense.

There are three specific “final touches” of God highlighted in this passage:

1. God Gave a Child: The first touch is right at the beginning of the passage, where we read that “the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son”. This was incredible, especially given that Ruth had been married for some time without children. This was a positive piece of the puzzle coming together. It was a special time for Ruth and Boaz, a time that amazed even the neighbor ladies.
2. God Gave a Redeemer: The women in the town recognized that something special was happening. They saw this child as a redeemer, telling Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer”. They saw a promise coming true, ensuring the family line and land would not disappear. The child, Obed, is described as a “restorer of life and a nourisher in your old age” for Naomi. Naomi, who had previously described her life as empty and was bitter, now had her life made full and was secure.
3. God Gave a King: The third touch, mentioned twice in the passage, is how God gave a king. The genealogy at the end of the book connects Ruth and Boaz to David. This is a big deal because David was one of the most important men in Israel’s history, their greatest king. The author of Ruth clearly wanted the audience to know this connection. This story took place during possibly the darkest time in Israel’s history, yet we see God orchestrating and working through those dark times to bring about Israel’s greatest king. This is a theme seen throughout scripture – God’s greatest masterpieces often come about in the dark times.

We can also draw takeaways from the main characters themselves:

• Ruth: She chose God and accepted the path He gave her, remaining committed despite major setbacks.
• Naomi: Her life went from empty and bitter to full and secure, finding rest.
• Boaz: He points to our kinsman redeemer, Jesus. Boaz sacrificed his wealth to redeem the land and Naomi’s family line, knowing the child born would carry the name and inheritance of Naomi’s deceased husband’s family (Elimilech). He gave up his firstborn son’s inheritance rights in this unique way, paralleling how God gave up His firstborn son, Jesus, who sacrificed hugely for us.

The genealogy also highlights the importance of ancestry in Jewish culture and ties this story directly into the lineage of Jesus, mentioning mothers like Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth, whose stories are part of Jesus’ story.

The ultimate takeaway from Ruth is that God is able. He is able when life makes sense and when it doesn’t. The God we serve is sovereign and supreme over all circumstances. We don’t know the end of our story, but we can be committed to Him.

Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi were just being faithful to God right where they were, with what they had. And thousands of years later, we are still talking about their story. We can do the same. Let’s be faithful to God in this moment, right where we are at, with what we have. We can trust Him and know that He is working.