Reading
SAA Notes
This chapter reveals the path that pride and arrogance lead us on, and the woe that they bring. The final verse brings just a ray of hope and light. God’s grace is the ray of light. Moab’s redemption is beyond Moab’s power to achieve – they are destroyed. It is not beyond God’s! Hallelujah!
SJA Notes
Here we read a terrible judgement upon the people of Moab.
The Moabites had their origins through Lot (as did the Ammonites), after he and his daughters fled Sodum. We read in Deuteronomy 23 that “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD.”
The Moabites were long a thorn in the side of Israel. They were the ones who hired Balaam to curse Israel as they sought the promised land from Egypt.
So there were fractures here relationally. They were a people who had rejected God.
And yet – Ruth was a Moabite. And through her comes David, and David’s greater Son.
As we see in the final verses of this passage, as we see with Ruth, as we see consistently throughout God’s word, His message – God works good through brokenness and even through His judgement.
This passage is a stark judgement on Moab. But it is not one without hope.
So too for us, we must never forget the JUDGEMENT that our Jesus suffered in our place, so that we could have a real and present HOPE.
* Father God,
Thank You for Your mercies that come to us, even in the midst of judgement.
Thank You for Jesus, the Christ, Messiah, Promised One, great David’s greater Son.
Thank You for Your JUST and HOLY character Lord, that we can trust in You.
Amen.