In this episode, we will bring Ruth’s story full circle back to Christmas because Ruth’s genealogy leads to Christ. For those of you who have listened to all of season 8, the 4 regular episodes and 4 bonus Advent episodes, it is our prayer that the focus of these episodes on hope, love, faith, and joy has given your season memorable meaning. I know I will never celebrate Christmas again without thinking of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz!
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SUSAN’S SUMMARY
One of my favorite mysteries of the Bible is that you can go round and round in any book of the Bible and always end up talking about one person – Jesus!
John 1:1 says
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In the beginning, the Word, Jesus Christ was with God. Through Him all things were made – that means us. In Him was life and light for all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, even in the dark days of Judges and Ruth! God’s plan was always Jesus, and every word written in the Bible points to him. And the book of Ruth is no exception. So in this episode, we will discuss how Ruth’s genealogy and Old Testament story fit into Jesus’s New Testament birth story in the book of Matthew.
The genealogy in Ruth serves 2 purposes: It is the connection between Ruth and the past beginning in Genesis. And it is the connection between Ruth and the future in the New Testament.
Ruth’s story and her place in the line of Christ is a story woven with so many symbolic threads. Bethlehem, bread, and babies. Genesis, genealogies, Jesus. The mystery of how God weaves the world in from beginning to end is a miracle. Like Ruth, you have been grafted into the genealogy of Jesus. And God’s plan for you was written before the book of Genesis, in the beginning!
Below is the outline of our discussion:
1. RUTH IS A LINK BACK TO THE BEGINNING AND A LINK FORWARD TO JESUS CHRIST’S BEGINNING
2. THE FIRST 14 GENERATIONS FROM ABRAHAM TO DAVID
3. THE SECOND 14 GENERATIONS FROM DAVID TO THE BABYLON EXILE
4. THE THIRD 14 GENERATIONS FROM THE BABYLON EXILE TO JESUS
5. THE GENEALOGY ENDS WITH THE BIRTH OF THE PROMISED SEED AND THE STORY OF THE SAVIOR BEGINS
