Bible Reading Commitment, Encouragement, and Challenge
January 4 – Genesis 3, Joshua 5-6, Ruth 3-4, Matthew 3
Observe with some (Interpretation in Parentheses)
- Focusing on Ruth 3-4
- Ruth, a Moabite, is redeemed by Boaz, who is a kinsmen-redeemer
- In biblical days, if a widow had no children, a male relative was to marry her and have children with her in order to preserve the descent and ancestry of the deceased husband
- Boaz did that for Ruth
- In doing so, we learn many things
- (God loves all nations)
- (God delights in making those who were not His people to be His people)
- (God blesses those who act according to faith in Him)
- Ruth took the step to go back to Israel with Naomi because she wanted Naomi’s God to be her God
- And by the end of the book, not only is Ruth re-married and is blessed with a son
- But, her son is the grandfather of King David
- (God redeems Ruth, a Moabite, and God redeems Ruth into the lineage of the ultimate Redeemer, Jesus Christ)
- (Similarly, in Joshua, God saved Rahab the Prostitute, who also entered the lineage of Jesus)
How Points to Christ
- Jesus Christ is the true kinsmen-redeemer
- Jesus became a man in order to redeem mankind from their sins, making those who were not God’s people into God’s people
Apply
- God loves the nations
- God delights in making people who were not His people into His people
- Please pray that God’s love and delight would be my heart’s love and delight
- Please pray that I would grow in love for the nations, longing for all peoples and nations to believe and love Jesus Christ
- And please pray for boldness and clarity and opportunities to share Christ with others all throughout my life
- And please pray that God would do His gracious work to save many!
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