Remarkable, four women's names are introduced into the royal lineage of our Lord as given by Matthew. None of them being necessary to establish His true descent from David and Abraham, the Spirit of God must have had a moral reason for inserting them in this way. The reason soon appears when we take into account the fact that the women were all Gentiles, and that three of them were notorious sinners. Thus on the very first page of the New Testament, in the opening verses of that Gospel which is so intensely Jewish in its character, God has stamped the lesson that there is a place in His heart for Gentiles, even the most wicked and undone. What comfort for us all is here!
Ruth was one of the women so strikingly introduced in Matt. 1:3, 63And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; (Matthew 1:3)
6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; (Matthew 1:6). She was a Moabitess, and as such she was absolutely banned from the congregation of Israel by the law received at Sinai. For the reasons given in Deut. 23:2-52A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord. 3An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever: 4Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. 5Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee. (Deuteronomy 23:2‑5), it was decreed that the Moabites "shall net enter into the congregation of Jehovah forever." But grace is able to bring in those whom the law would shut out, else where would we stand, reader and writer alike? In the presence of the law's stern demands, what hope is there for any of us? 'By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight." Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20). But to those who believe in the once-crucified Savior, it is written: "By grace ye are saved through faith." Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8). Like Ruth of old, of nothing can we boast in the way of merit or descent. Our hope is in the grace of God alone.
It was in this way that Ruth came into touch with the people of God. A famine arising in Canaan in the days of the judges, a Bethlehemite named Elimelech emigrated to Moab with his wife, Naomi, and their two sons. This step showed lack of faith in Jehovah, and it yielded the most unhappy results. Elimelech died in exile; and his sons, Mahlon, and Chilion, who soon afterward married Ruth and Orpah, Moabite women, in disobedience to God's Word, in a short time died also. No blessing need ever be expected by those who forsake the right ways of the Lord.
Naomi, thus bereaved of both husband and sons, now decided to return to the land of Israel. Her departure from Moab was a test for her daughters-in-law. In answer to her proposal that they should both go their own way, Orpha went back "unto her people, and unto her gods." However, Ruth slave unto Naomi, saying, "Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." Ruth 1:1616And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (Ruth 1:16).
In this fine confession we have ample evidence of Ruth's true conversion to God. Had Israel been at that time at the height of prosperity, her choice would not have been so significant, for people in all ages have only been too ready to "join" the people of God for the sake of temporal advantage. But Israel had been for some time in adversity. It is conclusive therefore that not worldly gain, but God Himself, attracted Ruth's heart. It mattered not how hoary might be the religion of her nation― the worship of Chemosh and other ancient false gods. She, like the Thessalonians, turned to God from idols. She abandoned all, and took as her deliberate choice the living and true God. Under the wings of the Lord God of Israel was henceforth her refuge. (Ruth 2:1212The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. (Ruth 2:12).)
When the question arose of redeeming her husband's inheritance, his nearest kinsman declared himself unable to help in the matter. Then it was that Boaz stepped into the breach, and took the whole responsibility upon himself. (Ruth 4.)
There is typical instruction in this. He who was powerless to help typifies to us Moses, whose fiery law never yet brought any into blessing, flesh being too incorrigibly evil to be subdued by it. He who did help speaks to us of Christ, upon whom all our salvation depends. In wondrous grace He stooped from Godhead glory to become our kinsman here. He halted not in His downward course until He had put away our sins by the sacrifice of Himself, and broken the power of the enemy forever. In Him, the true Boaz, now risen from the dead, all blessing for our souls is secured for evermore.
Thus it was that Ruth, the Moabitess, came into a place of blessing among the ancient people of God. And, reader, through faith in that same God and the work of His dear Son on Calvary, you too may receive blessing and eternal salvation.