Lessons from Ruth: Reaffirming GOD’s MESSIANIC Plan.

During the chaotic events over many years in the of the time of the Judges, one might think that GOD’s plan for our redemption, might have gotten derailed. Israel, through whom the MESSIAH would come, was a mess. They just couldn’t seem to keep their focus GOD. There was this great rise and fall of rebellion and idolatry like mighty waves of some ongoing spiritual oceanic storm. Yet GOD kept stepping in with leaders of HIS choice to rescue Israel from its own dangerous choices, time and again. Once again, we are reminded of all of this in the last verse of Judges, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This seemed to be the theme of Judges showing Israel’s attitude. But GOD’S promises cannot be derailed. Thus, this little book of Ruth. It, in my opinion, began with the echo of what was happening with GOD’S people. There was the famine which echoed the famine of spiritual dedication to the ONE GOD. A little family who felt the need to go live among a people who were, more often than not, enemies of Israel. Which, perhaps, becomes a metaphor for what Israel was doing during their spiritual famine by adopting the lifestyle of their pagan neighbors. There was the great loss of life in this small family bringing a woman into destitution. Much like the destitution by oppression, wars, and loss of life when Israel had to face the consequences of it’s spiritual lows. Then, in the darkness of a woman who felt herself forgotten by GOD, a bright light began to shine from the most unassuming of people, a young Moabite woman. And there we find the glow of MESSIANIC hope shining out of the darkness. There was the hope and renewed promise that darkness and destitution would find its end in the descendant of this young woman, a Friend who would prove that GOD is faithful to HIS WORD. The great light of HIS message is now with us forever, “---And Lo, I AM with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b.
Russell Ashby