Ruth 4:18–22

This family table comes with no comment, yet it matters. It is plain proof that David descended from the tribe of Judah. The right to rule and to give law in Israel belonged to that tribe, according to the inspired promise and prophecy that Jacob gave on his deathbed (Gen. 49). This short list of names is enough on its own to overturn every rival claim to the throne, whether from the tribe of Ephraim or from the tribe of Benjamin.

This period (Ruth 4:18-22) covers the rise of the nation. It runs from the misery of slavery in Egypt to the glory and riches of world fame in Canaan, with David on the throne.

Isn't it remarkable that this record begins with Pharez? … Who was Pharez? Genesis 38 gives the answer. Why not begin with his father, Judah? His was the greatest of the tribes of Israel. But the promised blessing had to come through Pharez, the son of Tamar. God led His line of promise through the lowly things of the world, and took up those that people would reject. This was to magnify His grace and exalt His name… So it comes about that, if the beginning is Pharez, the end is David.

Pharez means a "breaking through," and Zerah means a "rising up." God brings in this generation to show that He had another order of manhood in view, a line that would reach its high point in the Beloved, in David (Ruth 4:18-22). His name, as you know, means Beloved. Despite all man's breakdown, despite all man's failure, despite all man's sin, God reaches this wonderful point; He brings in David, a man after His own heart.

The list contains ten generations, and they fall into two groups of five. The first five names — Pherez to Nahshon — belong mainly to Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness. The second five — Salmon to David — belong to Israel in the land, up to the time when God's chosen king took the throne… God had decreed that the line of descent from Pherez would end with the Messiah, and so He watched over it without a break. Elimelech's name does not appear in the list, but Boaz does, the son of Salmon. This choice shows the religious importance of Ruth's marriage and of the redemption of the inheritance — an importance the happy couple themselves probably never knew about.

The Book closes with a short family line of ten names, ending with David the King. In the opening chapter of the New Testament these same ten names hold an honoured place in the family line of the King of kings. There is one difference: the Spirit of God has added four women to these names — one of them Ruth the Moabite. It is striking that each of these women brings with her a story of failure and shame. That only makes plain that "where sin increased, grace abounded all the more."

Here light breaks in at once. The Seed of Abraham is the One in whom all families of the earth are to be blessed — Gentile as well as Jew — and these three names are Gentile names. How pointless, then, to try to deny the Gentiles their part in Christ!

The list contains ten generations, and you can divide them into two groups of five. The first five names — Perez to Nahshon — belong mainly to Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness. The second five — Salmon to David — belong to Israel in the land, up to the time when God set up the kingdom under His chosen king. The family table shows the distinct royal line promised to the nation. ... God had decreed that the line of descent from Perez would end with the Messiah, so He kept watch over it without a break.

Elimelech's name does not appear in the list, but Boaz does, the son of Salmon. This choice shows the religious importance of Ruth's marriage and of the redemption of the inheritance — an importance the happy couple themselves were perhaps completely unaware of.

This family table comes with no comment, yet it matters. It is plain proof that David descended from the tribe of Judah. The sceptre and the lawgiver in Israel belonged to that tribe, just as Jacob promised and prophesied by inspiration on his deathbed (Gen. 49). This short list of names is evidence enough on its own to overturn every rival claim to royalty by the tribe of Ephraim or the tribe of Benjamin.

Although Jerahmeel was Hezron's eldest son (v. 9), he is put in last place here again (v. 25)... The features of the natural man pass on just as surely as the features of a man of faith like Caleb; only in the man of faith they pass on by grace. David's line does not descend from Jerahmeel, but from Ram, his younger brother (vv. 9-16).

Hezron was the firstborn of Perez. Ram is sometimes called Aram (Matt. 1:3). Amminadab was the father of Elisheba. She became the wife of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Aaron was the first of Israel's high priests, an office handed down in his family (Ex. 6:23). Nahshon (Naason) was Aaron's brother-in-law (Ex. 6:23), and prince or head of the tribe of Judah (Num. 1:7; Num. 2:3; 1 Chron. 2:10).

Nahshon means "a diviner." Some diviners were inspired by Satan, but others were inspired by God, and God is meant here. Judah's name means "praise," and God gives the true worshipper grace to discern all things, even the future, as he takes in the word of God... Amminadab, the father of Nahshon, means "the people of the liberal giver." God is indeed the Liberal Giver.

Why not begin with Perez's father, Judah? Judah's was the greatest of the tribes of Israel. But the promised blessing had to come through Perez, the son of Tamar. God led His line of promise through the lowly things of the world, and took up those whom man would reject. He did this to magnify His grace and exalt His name. How unlike man! With man, the greater the goal in front of him, the better the means he uses.

Salmon (Salma), son of Nahshon, married Rahab the prostitute, and was the father of Boaz (Matt. 1:5). Salmon was probably one of the two men Joshua sent secretly to Jericho and the area around it, the two who stayed in Rahab's house (Joshua 2).

The names in it are not always those of the eldest son in the family. David himself, for example, was the seventh son of Jesse. The line of descent from Perez was decreed to end with the Messiah, so Jehovah watched over it all the way. Elimelech's name does not appear in the list, but Boaz's does, the son of Salmon. This choice shows the religious value of Ruth's marriage and of the buying back of the inheritance — and perhaps the happy couple themselves never knew it.

Obed means servant. He was the son of wealthy Boaz, and by his name at least — and perhaps also by an obedient and devoted life — he bore a quiet witness. He witnessed to his coming grandson David, who "served the purpose of God in his own generation" (Acts 13:36). He witnessed further, to David's Son and David's Lord, Whose service to God nothing can match… But what a shining honour for the son of a Moabite woman, to be linked with Jehovah's Anointed in His family line!

They all belonged to God. They were all connected with God's people. How right it was that this little boy, with this name, should picture the spirit of worship and praise — the response to God for the mercy that brought such a recovery.

Ruth was a loving woman, and yet to a Jew she came from a source that was especially hateful. She was a Moabite woman, and so the law barred her from entering the assembly of the Lord down to the tenth generation… This gave an even deeper testimony that grace would go out and bless the very worst of the Gentiles. Whether the Jews like it or not, God has brought Rahab, the once immoral Gentile, and Ruth, the gentle daughter of Moab, not only into the nation, but into the direct line the Messiah would come from.

This line comes in to show that God had another kind of manhood in view, a line that would reach its high point in the Beloved, in David. His name, as you know, means Beloved. Despite all man's breakdown, despite all man's failure, despite all man's sin, God reaches this wonderful point: He brings in David, a man after His own heart.

In David of Bethlehem the throne was established, and in David's Son it will stand for ever… for out of Bethlehem-Ephrathah has come Ruth's descendant, according to the flesh, Who will be Ruler of His people Israel.

The beautiful little book of Ruth shows that God has endless resources of grace. They are available even to someone like Ruth the Moabite, who had no claim at all on His blessing for His people (Nehemiah 13:1). Notice the last word of the book — DAVID. The name "David" will appear in the Scriptures some hundreds of times, but this is its first appearance, and it points to God's resource — His beloved! God reaches His end in Christ — "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." That blessed One holds everything connected with His eternal glory, and He meets every need of men — David's Son and David's Lord.

This table of lineage, given without comment, is important. It forms plain proof that David descended from the tribe of Judah. On his deathbed Jacob promised and prophesied by inspiration that the sceptre and the lawgiver in Israel would belong to that tribe (Gen. 49). This short list of names is enough on its own to overturn every rival claim by Ephraim or Benjamin to the throne. So it connects the Book of Ruth with the histories that follow in the Books of Samuel: king Saul of Gibeah in Benjamin, and king David of Bethlehem in Judah.

The names given are not always those of the eldest in the family. David himself, for instance, was the seventh son of Jesse (1 Chron. 2:15). God had decreed that the line of descent from Pherez would end with the Messiah, so Jehovah watched over it all the way. Elimelech's name does not appear in the list, but Boaz the son of Salmon does. This choice shows the religious value of Ruth's marriage and the redemption of the inheritance — a value the happy couple themselves perhaps knew nothing about.

Could anyone think Rahab came into the line at some distant time? No: "and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth." Ruth, loving as she was, came from a source a Jew found especially offensive. She was a Moabite, forbidden by the law to enter the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation. People loathed even the Edomite or the Egyptian less than this, and their children could enter in the third generation (Deut. 23:3-8). So here was a still deeper testimony that grace would go out and bless the very worst of the Gentiles.

The Book closes with a short genealogy of ten names ending with David the King. In the opening chapter of the New Testament these ten names have an honoured place in the genealogy of the King of kings. But there is one difference. The Spirit of God has added four women to these names — one of them Ruth the Moabite. With each of these women there is a story of failure and shame. That only makes it clear that "where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." So historically the Book of Ruth is the record of the grace of God. Thirteen centuries before the King came, that grace was securing the line by which He was to come.

The further evil spreads, the more the history of grace grows. It moves on unstoppably until it reaches its appointed purpose. Grace begins in the heart of God and centres in the person of the Lord Jesus. This is why the Book of Ruth ends with the prophetic mention of Him who is the Root and Offspring of David, the glorious Redeemer promised to Israel.