Canvas 12
(Ruth 4: 18-22).
Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
CURIOUS CONCLUSION
The Word of God is full of the unexpected, and here at the conclusion of the book we have a short genealogy linking Pharez the son of Judah with David. We are aware that David certainly had connections with Moab, for during a time of danger he entrusted his parents to the care of the King of Moab (1 Samuel 22:3) I have no problem accepting these verse as original, and with others feel it emphasises the main point and purpose of the book.
THE GENERATION NAMES
It is an historical genealogy and certain names are missing from it, however it agrees with the fuller information given in 1 Chronicles 2:4-15
PURPOSE IN HISTORY
Throughout the book, which is written in such an open and simple style, there runs the note of reality that God is supreme. It is much more than a memory of interesting domestic episodes. He watches over people like Naomi and Ruth and Boaz and directs their paths. God never forgets His saving purposes. The child of the marriage of Boaz and Ruth was to lead in due course to the great king David, a man after God's own heart, the man in whom God's purpose was so signally worked out. These train of events in Moab and Bethlehem played their part in leading up the birth of David.
SON OF DAVID
Born again Christians of every persuasion will think of the genealogy at the beginning of Matthew's Gospel. We realise that God's hand is over the whole of history. He works out His purpose; generation after generation and our present generation is no exception. We only have one brief lifetime so we see very little of what happens. This concluding genealogy is striking way of bringing before us the continuity of God's plan and purpose through the ages. The unfolding purpose of history is not just chance and evolution and guesswork. History unfolds according to drawing board and planning office of the Almighty. There is plan, design and purpose in it all. There was 'there and then' in Ruth and 'here and now' in our lives and the supreme purpose is the purpose of God.
END NOTES
Material gleaned from Tyndale O.T. Commentaries. Ruth by Leon Morris. Colours of the Trinity. Christian's Unite Search the Bible Site. John Wesley. Matthew Henry. J.B.F. Commentary. Geneva Study Bible. Librinox Scholars Library. K.J. Bible. The Amplified Bible. Acknowledgement is gladly made to all sources in preparing these brief studies. RUTH the Full Reward.
