The Genealogy of David
December 13, 2019
Commentary
Ruth and Boaz were married and lived happily there in Bethlehem. Naomi was happy too, for Ruth and Boaz were good to her. In their home was born a baby boy who was named Obed (v. 13). And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, Who has not left you this day without a close kinsman, and may his name be famous in Israel (v. 14). They went on to say, He will make you happy and take care of you in your old age, because he is the son of your daughter-in-law. And she loves you more than seven sons of your own would love you (v. 15). Naomi helped Ruth to care for him (v. 16). He would become the father to Jesse and the grandfather of David. So, Ruth was the great-grandmother of David. God was good to them! In verses 17-22 we read the genealogy account.
Isn’t this book interesting! It begins with a funeral and ends with a wedding. It opens with famine and closes with fullness! Ruth’s love for her mother-in-law and her willingness to obey the Word of God brought to her joy and blessing. The decision she made in Chapter 1 determined her future. It is important to make right decisions. Had she gone in her heathen way of life, she would not have been heard of anymore. Naomi’s going away to the heathen land cost her, her husband and her sons. No matter how difficult the circumstances may be, the only place for God’s people is in the will of God. When we seek satisfaction from the world, we pay a terrible price. However, God will forgive the backslider and restore him to favor. Naomi would never regain the lost time out of God’s will, but she did regain her joy and testimony.
Application
The big question is, am I listening and getting my direction completely from God and not the things of this world (I John 2:15,16)? If I don’t get my direction from Him there will be a price to pay.
Ruth 4:13– 22 (NET)
13 So Boaz married Ruth and slept with her. The Lord enabled her to conceive and she gave birth to a son. 14 The village women said to Naomi, “May the Lord be praised because he has not left you without a guardian today! May he become famous in Israel! 15 He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She is better to you than seven sons!” 16 Naomi took the child and placed him on her lap; she became his caregiver. 17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. Now he became the father of Jesse—David’s father.
18 These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 19 Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, 20 Amminadab was the father of Nachshon, Nachshon was the father of Salmah, 21 Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed, 22 Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.
Illustration: Cheaper to bury in the Holy Land
A man went on vacation to the Holy Land with his wife and her mother. While in Israel, the mother-in-law died from a heart attack. The couple went to a local undertaker, who explained that they could either ship the body home which would cost more than $1500, or they could bury her right there in the Holy Land for only $150. The man said, “We’ll ship her home. “Surprised, the undertaker responded, “Are you sure? That’s an awfully big expense, and we can do a very nice burial here. “The man said, “Look, 2000 years ago they buried a guy here and three days later He rose from the dead. I just can’t take that chance.” (Source Unknown).