It’s fascinating to me that “Ruth” the Moabite is especially noted as being in the genealogy of the Christ, the King. You might remember that she’s an offspring of Lot through his own daughter. After they fled from Sodom they holed up in a cave and Lot’s daughter got him drunk and copulated with him. From her own father she conceived and gave birth to Moab. His name means “From my father.” What a disgrace to live with such a title all your life! Every time the word “Moabite” was used it brought to mind the meaning of the word.

But Ruth’s life changed the meaning of that word forever. Although it’s roots are undeniable, her life was such as to bring honor and respect to the title more than anything else. In the book named after her we read this testimony regarding her life and character from Boaz. He says, “And now, my daughter, do not fear…for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. “

Ruth’s character brought her into the genealogy of Christ. It’s from Boaz, the speaker of those words above, that she conceived and bore a son through whom the Christ would be born. Rick Warren often says, “God cares more about our character than our comfort.” What is character?
As Dwight Moody and G. Campbell Morgan drove along the roads at Northfield, Moody asked his friend to define character. After giving his reply Morgan asked Moody, “Well, what do you think it is?” “Character is what a man is in the dark,” Moody replied.

Chuck
“So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. “ (Matthew 1:17)