The Family Tree of Grace (Ruth 4:13–17)

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
—Ruth 4:13–17

I love the book of Ruth. This story is awesome in so many different ways, and the conclusion in Ruth 4:13–17 is one of them. It is a powerful story of God’s provision for Naomi. This widow loses her husband and her sons and brings Ruth into her life, whom she does not even necessarily see as the blessing that she is. But God’s design in using Ruth, this Moabite woman, to bring about blessing not just for Naomi and her family, but in a far greater way, is how this book ends.

Consider the fact that Obed was born to Boaz and Ruth, and Obed became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David. The text does not even say this until the end of the book. But then you realize, “Whoa, this is the story not just of God’s provision for Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz; this is God’s provision for his people.” This is the grandfather of King David. This is how King David’s granddad was born.

There is so much we could talk about in this narrative, but I want you to think about the family tree at work here. This is the family tree of King David, which leads to King Jesus, and this entire biblical book named Ruth is about a Moabite woman. The Moabites were a cursed people dating way back. They had seduced Israelite men into sexual immorality, and a curse had been pronounced upon them. Consequently, the Moabites were not ideal people in the eyes of Israel. This is partly why Naomi, when she comes back to Bethlehem with a Moabite daughter-in-law, seems almost ashamed. But God takes this Moabite woman and her faith in Naomi’s God and uses her to bring about the lineage of King David and, ultimately, King Jesus.

You might think, “Well, what in the world is a Moabite woman doing in that family line?” But that is kind of the point. What in the world is your name doing in that family line? Or my name? It comes from Jesus. How are we a part of this family tree? The beauty is that God is bringing the nations into his family. It is not just Israelites; it is the nations.

This is an unexpected, diverse, and, in a sense, universal family tree. It is not universal in the sense that everyone who was ever born is a part of it; the way into this family is through belief in Jesus, trust in Jesus, attachment to Jesus, and affection for Jesus. The great news of the gospel and Jesus’s coming is that salvation is available to anyone, anywhere, in any nation, who trusts in him. There are no limits when it comes to whom Jesus loves and who can be a part of this kingdom.

I think about praying today for the Berbers in Algeria. Among the 2.5 million Berber people in Algeria, there are very few, if any, believers. Yet God wants Berbers from Algeria in his family. As Revelation 5 reminds us, Jesus died to bring Berbers from Algeria into his family. So, be awed by the fact that you and I are part of this family tree. Be awed by all the nations that are part of it. Live your life—in your family and in your church—to be a part of spreading this family tree to the nations.

God, we praise you. We praise you for Ruth the Moabite and for your grace in her life, as well as for the role she played in bringing about King David and, ultimately, King Jesus. We praise you for this family made up of the nations and the unlikeliest of people, and we include ourselves among them.

Thank you for saving us from our sins. Thank you for, in an unlikely way, bringing a sinner like me, and others who are listening to this, into your family so that we might be a part of the family line of Jesus Christ. All glory be to your name, O God, for the privilege of being your sons and daughters.

A Prayer for the Berber People

We pray for the spread of this family tree to all the nations. God, we pray specifically for its spread among the Berbers in Algeria.

Please, O God, bring many Berbers in Algeria to know, trust, believe, and receive your grace in Jesus. We pray for the spread of the gospel to all the nations. We pray that you would use our lives, our families, and our churches toward that end. God, help us to live with urgency for the expansion of this family tree until every nation, tribe, and tongue has heard, received, believed, and become a part of your family. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.