Ruth: The Genealogy

Ruth – The Genealogy

Ruth 4:18-22

Ruth 4:18–22 ESV

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

1. Introduction – At first glance – there isn’t much to this passage. It’s a list names.

a. The Bible is full of these genealogies – Genesis has quite a few.

i. If you have ever read through 1 Chronicles you know that the first 9 chapters of that book are genealogies.

1. There are 2 genealogies of Jesus recorded for us in the NT. One in Matthew and one in Luke – they work in opposite order of each other.

2. Matthew’s genealogy starts with Abraham and works its way down the line to Jesus.

a. Luke’s on the other hand, starts with Jesus and works it way back through history all the way to Adam.

ii. And obviously, there’s a short genealogy at the end of Ruth – recapping the 10 generations from Perez to David.

b. Yes, I’ll admit, genealogies are just a bunch of hard to pronounce names…but once we figure out why genealogies are included in the biblical text, once we figure out what purpose they serve, I believe we’ll see genealogies in a whole new light.

2. Ruth’s Genealogy – So we’ll being this morning by asking this question, “Why is this genealogy here?”

a. The story is complete – we’ve moved from emptiness to fullness…from famine to feast.

i. We’ve seen the complete restoration of our main characters – so why is this here?

1. Well – once again, I’ll you of one of the major themes of this book.

a. God demonstrated that Naomi’s initial assessment of him was wrong.

i. God was not out to get her or out to make her life miserable.

1. Even though she did in fact return to Bethlehem without food or sons…YHWH’s ultimate purpose was to show his grace through is miraculous provision.

2. Naomi was provided for through God’s grace and the faithful actions of his people.

a. This is what the book of Ruth teaches – with or without the genealogy tacked on to the end. The story is complete…we all have warm fuzzies from what we saw last week…so why are these verses here?

b. Well, the genealogy at the end of this book should cause us to recognize that this story has more to say.

i. The inclusion of these verses tells us that the story is much bigger than Naomi’s plight or Ruth’s loyalty or Boaz’s generosity.

1. The story moves beyond the individual characters and shows us something bigger…

a. How God uses the faithfulness of godly people in everyday settings to build his kingdom.

c. In ancient Israel writings, genealogies were used as an efficient and economical way to retell history.

i. It was a way of connecting what was happening in the not-so-distant past with what happened long ago.

1. The genealogy in Ruth spanned 10 generations. 10 generations linking David with Perez, the most prominent clan in the tribe of Judah.

a. The genealogy – linking David – the archetypal king of Israel…its best king…this genealogy links David with the godly events and actions of his ancestors.

i. And this idea of linking David with his godly ancestors serves multiple purposes.

ii. The first and obvious thing it does is connections David with his past.

1. He was who he was because of his upbringing. He was who he was because of the actions of his parents, his grandparents, and his great grandparents.

a. And what this reminds us of today is our interconnectedness with past generations.

iii. From a purely human level or on a genetic level – we are all products of our history.

1. We looked the way we look because of the gene pool we were born in to.

a. We act the way we act because of mannerism we’ve picked up along the way.

i. We talk the way we talk because of the words and phrase we’ve heard our whole lives.

1. We are connected to our past purely based on our genes and upbringing.

d. But from a religious point of view – genealogies help us put our faith into a historical context.

i. Reading a genealogy helps us remember that the covenant family of God spans centuries – millennia even.

1. Genealogies are an economical way of writing history…it can link events that happened hundreds of years or even thousands of years apart.

a. Genealogies link the events of Abraham with that of Isaac and Jacob, with Moses and Joshua, and Samson, Ruth and Boaz, David and Solomon…and on down the line of history.

i. A Genealogy can link the events of the OT with the death and resurrection of Jesus.

ii. If we still used genealogies, it can bring us further down through history to the apostle Paul, to the early church fathers, to the Reformers, to the Puritans, and all the way down through history to the great things God is doing through his people today.

1. From a religious point of view, genealogies can help us connect our faith to its historical roots. This isn’t a made up or new thing that we’ve invested our lives it. It runs throughout history…it is deep and it is well ground.

e. Genealogies reminds us of the interconnectedness of the family of God. You see, a lot of time we have an overly individualistic faith…my personal walk with Jesus…

i. But seeing a genealogy reminds us our or links with believers in the past. It reminds us of our links with each other…because the family tree of God extends beyond the names written in the Bible…

1. The family tree of God consists of all believers for all time who have placed their faith in the saving death of Jesus.

a. Understanding and recognizing the historicity of our faith will help us better understand what we do in church and why we do it.

i. Why do we sing? Because God’s people have always been a singing people.

1. Why do we pray or have preaching from the Bible? Because God’s people have always prayed and we really on the revelation of God given through his written word.

ii. Think about the Lord’s Supper…doesn’t it blow your mind to think that we are participating in a meal that Jesus himself instituted?

a. The same meal that Jesus passed out…is the same thing we do each month together??? It’s crazy to think about.

i. Or think of baptism…when we are baptized, we are doing something that Jesus himself did.

1. Looking at past events…looking and studying genealogies connects us with the historic roots of our faith.

f. Through every generation – God has always had a faithful remnant of his people…and that is still being carried on today. The same God who called Abraham, who called Ruth…is the same God that calls us today.

i. But what this genealogy in Ruth does specifically….is it links God’s redemptive work in this story, with the rest of his redemptive work recorded in other books.

1. This genealogy places the story of Boaz and Ruth within the larger context of God’s big story.

a. It links Ruth with Abraham, with the exodus, with the conquest of the Promised land.

i. Ruth’s story – Boaz’s generosity, Naomi’s change of character…is not some isolated story or biblical fairy tale…but it is a story about redemption.

1. How God uses the events of his peoples’ lives to further his redemptive plan.

2. And Ruth’s story is recorded for us is not an isolated story or a romance book…it is a story that furthers God’s plan on earth.

3. The Future – And that brings us to another aspect of genealogies we have to explore.

a. Yes, genealogies point us to the past…connect present events with past ones.

i. However…genealogies can also point forward. Specifically, this genealogy at the end of Ruth points us to the fact that the hesed shown by Naomi, Ruth and Boaz, had an impact that rippled through the family line for generations to come.

1. So, what this genealogy shows us is that the actions of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz had long lasting consequences.

a. The hesed that they showed had repercussions…not only for their family, but for the entire nation of Israel. There were ramifications far beyond their lifetimes.

b. Because of the loving actions of some this story wasn’t the end of the family line…but it marked a turning point in the history of this family.

i. Did the players know this at the time? Absolutely not – they were simply being faithful to God in the place he called them to be.

1. There’s a lesson in there for us to learn. We don’t know the ramifications of the long-term consequences of our actions.

a. Boaz and Ruth didn’t know that their great grandson would one day be king of Israel…or that one day the Messiah would come from their family.

2. Boaz didn’t let Ruth glean in his field because he knew that one day he was gong to marry her and their family line would one be royalty.

a. No – Boaz was simply being faithful to God in the place God called him.

ii. The lesson for us is this – we don’t or can’t possibly know the far-reaching effects of our faithfulness.

1. Also, there should be no ulterior motives for our actions. We are to be faithful to God in what he has called us to do.

a. To do justice, to love mercy and walk humbly with God.

i. We are to clothe the naked, feed the hungry and visit the imprisoned.

1. We are to be Christ’s witnesses everywhere we go on this earth.

b. And we do so…not so we’ll get a hearty pat on the back or so one day our descendants will be crowned king.

i. We do so, simply because God has called us to do these things in loving submission to his will.

2. We do them, not to earn God’s favour or grace or our own salvation…we do so because our love for God is to be practically expressed in loving actions towards others.

c. We can leave the consequences up to God – maybe he will use our actions to change the trajectory of our family.

i. Maybe our actions will change the trajectory of another family.

1. Maybe as you think back over your life – you can see how someone else’s actions changed your life.

a. Maybe it was a word spoken to you…a deed done for you…maybe someone boldly shared their faith with you or invited you to church…and that changed your life.

ii. Maybe you provided a meal or clothing or money to someone and that action made a positive impact in their life.

1. We can never know the far-reaching impact of our faithfulness.

a. But this genealogy should instill in us hope.

i. When we live a life of hesed God will use that life to have an impact that goes far beyond our lifetimes.

1. When we love God, when we serve and love others in this community, when we love our neighbours…God, through his sovereignty and providential care will multiply the effects of our faithfulness.

b. And because he is a faithful God – keeping hesed to those who love him…this is not a vain expectation.

4. Jesus – However, the genealogical significance of this family doesn’t stop with David…because if we turn to Matthew 1 – we see that same names appear in Jesus’ genealogy.

a. So not only did Ruth and Boaz’s faithfulness impact their family and the whole nation of Israel…their faithfulness impacted the entire trajectory of the world.

i. Because it was into this family line that Jesus, the Saviour of the world, was born into.

1. Think about it…when we started this study 12 weeks ago, this family was in danger of dying out.

a. This family, from the tribe of Judah, from the clan of Perez…this family was in danger of losing its place in Israel.

i. But God moved and work and through the ordinary lives and some extraordinary generosity…God preserved this line.

1. A line that would be royalty…a line that would produce the long-awaited Messiah.

b. Matthew 1 is full of a bunch of names – usually we skip that part and start in 1:18 when the angel visits Joseph. We love that scene…we read it every year at Christmas.

i. But Jesus’ connection to his past, to his ancestors is really important. And here’s what we need to know.

1. Jesus, while sinless and perfect and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…we have to know that Jesus’ ancestors weren’t perfect.

a. Jesus’ genealogy reads like a who’s who of sinners. And Jesus’ genealogy is different from others in the Bible in that there are some women named in it. 5 to be exact…and those women all have something dubious about them.

ii. It starts with Tamar – who disguised herself as a prostitute in order to seduce her father in law and secure an heir for her husband.

1. It mentions Rahab, who didn’t simply disguise herself as a prostitute…she actually was on.

a. Ruth is mentioned next…while she is righteous and worthy…she was also a Moabite.

i. Next, Jesus’ genealogy mentions the wife of Uriah…her name was Bathsheba….and she committed adultery with David.

2. And finally there is Mary…and while Mary was obedient and faithful to God…she put her reputation on the line by becoming pregnant before marriage.

5. Michael, why pick on the women? Well, let’s look at the men then, shall we. The men, weren’t much better.

a. Judah’s name is mentioned…and not only did he sell his brother into slavery, keep his youngest son away from Tamar…he also slept with his daughter in law…thinking she was prostitute…which doesn’t make it any better.

i. Obviously David is mentioned in this genealogy – and while he was a godly man…he was a man nonetheless. He saw Bathsheba while she was bathing, when he should have been at war.

1. Not only did he lust after her, but fetched her and had her brought to his bedroom.

a. And then he killed Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah.

i. There is also a man named Manasseh mentioned. He was a king, a descendant of David. He was a wicked and evil man.

1. He was perhaps the mot idolatrous king in Judah’s history.

b. It was his actions and his unfaithfulness, his idolatry that guaranteed that one day Judah would be taken into captivity.

i. And in 587, that’s exactly what happened.

b. So, why mention all of this? Well, it all makes sense when we consider what the angel said to Joseph in the very next scene.

i. Remember genealogies connected past events with present ones…the angel told Joseph what his soon to be born son was going to do. We read it every year…name him Jesus…for he will do what?

1. For he will save his people from their sin.

a. Why was the perfect lamb of God born to such a soiled line? Why? Because he came to save sinners – he came to save people like his own ancestors…people like me…people like you.

c. And notice this – when Jesus came to save sinners – he didn’t come completely separated from them – he came born among them.

i. He didn’t come with a protective haz-mat suit on – geared up so he wouldn’t have any close personal contact with the sinners…

1. And during his life and ministry – Jesus hung around people of ill-repute.

a. According to Matthew 11:19 – Jesus was known as a friend of sinners.

i. And that is how he saved them. Not by standing at a safe distance or standing aloof to their light and situation.

ii. No – he couldn’t possibly save anyone that way. Jesus came alongside sinners – he identified with them…

1. And in the ultimate act of love, land down his life for them for the forgiveness of their sins.

d. And for us today, there are a couple important lessons to learn from this.

i. First, know that no matter where you come from or what you’ve done – there is room at the cross for you.

1. Jesus didn’t come to save a certain kind of sinner – but all of them…and nothing is too big for Jesus’ blood to wash away.

a. Not your actions, your words, your thoughts or even your family of origin.

i. Jesus came to save people from their sin…that includes you.

e. And the second lesson to learn is this – Jesus was known as a friend of sinners…are you? Is this church?

i. Can people like Ruth find welcome in this place? In your home?

1. Perhaps the biggest compliment we can receive is being known as a friend of sinners…or maybe being known as the church where all the sinners go.

a. If that happens…we’ll be doing something right.

ii. There’s a challenge in here for us---something to think about during our discernment process.

1. Is this a place where the lost, the last and the least find welcome?

a. Can the last, the least and the lost come here without being looked down on or judged?

i. Can people with a notorious reputation come here without fear of judgment?

1. Or are we only good at welcoming people who look like us, talk like us, smell like us and have some semblance of a religious upbringing?

2. I’m not really looking for answers – simply posing the question for each of you individually to ponder…and for the collective to ponder as well.

f. We started with a genealogy this morning, but by looking at the far-reaching impact of that genealogy, we ended up at the cross…and we ending up challenging each one here to day to act in a loving way towards those we meet in society.

i. We may never know the impact of our actions – but when we act faithfully towards God, we can be assured that he will be faithful to us.

1. And he will multiply the results of our faithfulness far beyond even our wildest dreams.