A Woman's Historic Choice   

   Long, long ago, a couple and their two sons left their homeland during a famine and settled in another country. The sons married local girls and all was well for about 10 years.

   Then the father died and soon after, both sons also. What were the women to do? 

    The mother heard that food was once again available, and she prepared to walk back home. She told her daughters-in-law to go back to their mother's home, and "May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband." 

    They wept, saying they wanted to go to Bethlehem with her. Naomi made a strong case for them to stay where they were. One finally agreed. The other, named Ruth, wouldn't have it. 

   She replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried."

   Now in Bethlehem, Ruth had to trail behind the harvesters, to "glean" what was overlooked, for her food. (rumor is, there were no restaurants or supermarkets in those days.)

   The story continues with Boaz, a relative of Naomi and a land owner, marrying Ruth who bore a son, named Obed. 

   Boaz became a redeemer in two ways. 1. He married Ruth and preserved the name of her deceased husband...young Obed being considered a son of Naomi's husband. 2. Boaz redeemed (bought) the family land that Naomi had sold and restored it also to her husband's line. 

   Jesus Christ redeems the believer in two ways. 1. Christ purchased us by his own blood and keeps us from perishing. 2. He includes us as redeemed in his eternal inheritance in the new heaven and earth. 

   John 3:16; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Matthew 5:5; Revelation 21:1-7. 

   The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1 is the paternal line of Joseph, legal father of Jesus. The list includes "Boaz, the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of King David." 

   Luke chapter 3 lists the males in Mary's line. Starting with Jesus the genealogy includes King David, Jesse, Obed and Boaz, and continues back to Adam. Jesus therefore did/does have both the legal and biological right to Messiahship.