Each December the world erupts with joy over a Baby’s birth, even though few know His story and fewer know Him. It takes only days or hours, for that Bethlehem joy to return to the misery of the other 364 days of the year. The joy of even that Baby’s birth doesn’t translate into an eternal hope of a Redeemer.

I. A Baby (13" class="scriptRef">Ruth 4:13). Ruth was married to Mahlon for 10 years without any children, but God gave a son to Ruth by Boaz. The Bible portrays God as the Source of life, thus He is the One who closes the womb (Gen 16:2; 30:18; 30:2; 1 Sam 1:5-6) and causes pregnancy (Gen 21:6; 29:31; 30:18, 20, 22-24; Ps 139:13-16; Jer 1:5; Luke 1:7, 13). A closed womb, barrenness, or infertility is not to be understood as a sign of sin, but that the Lord has not willed for a woman to be pregnant and give birth.
Trying to discern reasons for barrenness or pregnancy is like asking why some are blind and others see, or why some have hair and others are bald. No matter how modern society feels or thinks, children are a gift and blessing from God (Ps 127:3; Prov 17:6) and each life to be cherished. Every baby born is a sign of hope in the world for a tomorrow better than today.

II. A Blessing (Ruth 4:14-23). The women who witnessed Naomi’s bitterness upon her return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1:19-21) now rejoiced that she was a grandmother. They reminded Naomi of Ruth’s love and her love was greater than seven sons. She should never take Ruth’s love for granted.
These same women did something highly unusual: they named Boaz and Ruth’s son. They called him Obed, a shortened form of Obadiah, meaning servant or worshiper. This servant/worshiper was Naomi’s hope and joy in her old age. He restored the years eaten away by death and despair after leaving God’s promised land for seemingly greener pastures. God restored Naomi to even greater glory!
The women also praised God for giving Naomi a goel, a redeemer who would restore her life and nourish her in her old age or literally, gray hair. Her grandson would be known throughout Israel, and redeem her by providing security for her and following generations. This baby grew to become the grandfather of King David (Ruth 4:17) and the ancestor of King Jesus (Matt 1:5-6, 16; Luke 3:23, 31-32).

III. A Hope. God moved Naomi from emptiness and bitterness of heart (Ruth 1:21) to peace, security, and hope for the day and the future. God’s providential work was for good, though the path wasn’t always pleasant or the way happy (Gen 50:20-21; Rom 8:28).
Naomi’s emptiness was filled with the goodness of God in ways she could never dreamed because her view of God’s work was short-sighted. She saw only the trouble of the day rather than God’s providential plan for tomorrow.
God is at work all around us. We look for the dramatic and spectacular, but Ruth reminds us of God’s work in ordinary ways and events, His wonders to perform. Focus on the evils of Judges (or our own day), and we’ll be fearful and pessimistic; but trusting God’s providential ways renews our hope.
The Book of Ruth occurred during the early years of the Judges, but was written in the reign of David. It covers about 12 years of time: Ruth 1:1-5 covers 10 years; Ruth 1:6-4:12 up to 6 months; and Ruth 4:13-17 covers about one year.
In this chronicle Ruth went from Moab to Bethlehem, outsider to accepted, field to home, barren to fruitful, servant to wife. She connects the Old and New Testaments. Her story reminds us that even in the beginning of the dark days of the 350 years of the judges, God was at work redeeming His people and blessing them, eventually bringing to us our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).