Redemption & Fulfillment

This, then, is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David. (Ruth 4:18-22)

This little tagged on genealogy that ends the book of Ruth is interesting. It’s interesting because the final two lines of it are repeated from yesterday’s text-one wonders why it needed to be said twice. It’s also interesting because Matthew copies it nearly word-for-word in the genealogy that opens his gospel, save for his additions of the names of women, like Ruth. Matthew also tantalizingly tells us that Boaz’s own mother was Rahab, the prostitute who saved the spies in Jericoh! Somehow Matthew knows something the book of Ruth didn’t care to tell us. This genealogy is also interesting though, because it is factually incorrect. A quick read of 1 Chronicles 2 will tell you that a few generations have been omitted.
So: why is this list here in this particular form? A few reasons. We already heard of the story of Judah and Tamar when we talked about the blessing given by the people to Ruth & Boaz. “Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah,” they said. Here then is our first name in the genealogy: “Perez.” One gets the sense that the author means to say: the blessing given by the people has been fulfilled. Here is the family of Perez: Ruth and Boaz have found their way into it as those who have bequeathed a great family themselves.
The genealogy is shortened to highlight important people. In this genealogy’s construction, we find there are 10 generations in all. 5 come before the time of Moses, and 5 after. Boaz occupies the important 7th spot in the genealogy, which singles him out as a worthy and noble man-exactly as we’ve found him to be across this story. In the Gospel of Matthew, Ruth will join him there.
The 10th and final place in the list, signaling wholeness or completion, is David’s own spot in the genealogy. King David would be the first King of this family line: a fulfillment both of the blessings and prayers spoken throughout the book of Ruth, but also of Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49:10 that “the scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” Despite the threats of barrenness and famine that dominated this story-the Lord again acted to bring this word of promise and prophecy to pass. Through Ruth and Boaz-a ruler would indeed emerge from Judah-a king after God’s own heart, just like his forebearers.
David of course would not be the last to follow God’s own heart, nor would he be the last fulfillment of these promises. As Matthew reminds us by picking this exact same genealogy up in the opening verses of his gospel: the one to whom the scepter finally belongs is not David, but Jesus, the Christ. In the fullness of time, God will use the overflowing generosity and redemptive work of ancestors like Boaz and Ruth to accomplish his own work of overflowing generosity and redemption in Jesus.
Tomorrow we celebrate this work of God in generous redemption and fulfillment of all his promises and blessings again. Merry Christmas, everyone.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.