(REFLECTIONS ON Ruth 4:1-22)

17 The neighbor women gave him a name saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron, 19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab, 20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon, 21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, 22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.

As we conclude the Book of Ruth, we are shown the interaction between Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, and the “closest relative.” The closest relative could not redeem Elimelech’s land because Ruth would jeopardize his own inheritance.

Thus Boaz redeemed and bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon, including marrying Ruth. However, while this seemed like a blessing for Naomi, the widow of Elimelech, and for Ruth, there was something greater going on in this seemingly simple love story.

As we consider Boaz’s genealogy, we see that it begins with Perez and leads to David. Who is Perez? Perez was the son of Judah and Tamar. For details of this unique birth, please read Genesis 38. Boaz is also connected in the other direction to the future King David.

The book of Ruth ends by tracing this genealogy to show that God was working through this simple family of four that left Bethlehem in search of a better life in Moab. Yet through their tragedy, rather than returning empty as Naomi proclaimed, they returned as part of God’s great plan of redemption for Israel in Ruth.

Perez to David shows us God’s plan unfolding through Boaz and Ruth that would ultimately lead to the Messiah coming from the line of David. Perez to David reminds us that our simple story, our simple family, no matter how tragic or broken, can be used for God’s eternal purposes.

Ruth, this foreign widow, perhaps once seen as a burden to Naomi, became the ultimate blessing, not only for Elimelech and Naomi, but for all of Israel. That is how great God is: He can take the littlest of things and turn them into something with seismic and eternal impact.

Let us never look down on ourselves, our family situations, or our backgrounds, because God does not look down on us, but desires to use us for His kingdom purposes.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Ruth 4