5 Minute Read + Scripture readings

(If you want to listen to an audio version of today’s blog post, simply go to https://anchor.fm/mattellis1997, or search for “Reflections on Truth” by Matt Ellis wherever you download your favorite podcasts.)

Today’s Bible Reading:

Ruth 3-4
Acts 28
Jeremiah 38
Psalms 11-12

Today’s Bible Verse(s):

Ruth 4:18–22 (CSB): “Now these are the family records of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.”

Reflections on Today’s Bible Verse(s):

I bet you’re scratching your head right about now. I bet you’re wondering why in the world I would select 5 verses filled with nothing but names. After all, chronologies are what makes going through certain Old Testament books so difficult.

Yet, we need to remember that every verse of Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

So, when we look at those names, we must immediately assume that they are intended to tell us something. But, we need to do a little bit of digging to discover what their significance is.

First of all, the book of Ruth took place during the time of the judges.

Ruth 1:1 (CSB): “During the time of the judges, there was a famine in the land…”

If you’ve been following the Bible reading plan that I’ve been sharing on my blog each day, you would have recently read through the book of Judges. It’s a book that recounts how people act when they do what’s right in their own eyes. It’s what a society might look like apart from God’s presence.

But, if the book of Judges is like a desert, the book of Ruth is like a flower in that desert. The book of Ruth is a love story that took place during the time of the Israelite judges. It tells us of how tragedy struck a family and a woman lost her husband and her only two sons. Yet, her daughter-in-law was committed to staying with her and helping her. And as the story unfolds and comes to its climactic end, Naomi, who experienced such loss and bitterness in the first chapter is smiling and holding her precious grandbaby in her arms in the final chapter.

And then, we have those final five verses that I have chosen with all of those names.

Ruth 4:18–22 (CSB): “Now these are the family records of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.”

When we look at that genealogy, we realize that Ruth, the loyal daughter-in-law from Moab, was the great-grandmother of Israel’s larger-than-life King David. That is the King David of who was a man after God’s own heart (see 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22).

And, when we look at the genealogy in Matthew 1, we see Ruth’s name in verse 5. But, in Matthew 1, we realize that she wasn’t simply the ancestor of King David – she was also the ancestor of Jesus, the Son of God!

Friend, the powerful lesson that I take away from this is that no matter how chaotic life gets, no matter how our culture may come to look like the godless time of the judges, God is quite capable of creating a story in your life as beautiful as the story of Ruth. While the world around you might get crazy, God may choose to reward your faithfulness to Him by blessing you and your descendants who come after you.

So, don’t keep your eyes on the storm around you. Keep your eyes on Jesus and follow Him. Obey Him. Let Him be free to bless you in however He chooses. You may not see all that God does for you and to you and through you in this life. But, you’ll hear the rest of the story in Heaven. And you’ll be glad that you resolutely lived for Him in this life.

* * * * * * * * * *

Lord Jesus, it’s getting a big crazy in the world around me. But, help me to focus on You and Your Word. Help me to resolve to follow You and obey You with all my heart. And thank you in advance for however You choose to bless me and my descendants because of my desire to submit to Your leadership over my life. But, even if you didn’t bless me, Lord, You are worth every bit of my faithfulness to You because of what you did for me on the cross and in my heart. Thank you, Jesus! Amen.

Advertisement