This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing 
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s 
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Ruth makes us hope for a king who 
can bring fullness out of emptiness.

Before Ruth’s story begins, we’re told 
Israel is in the time of the judges.

It’s perhaps the darkest of Israel’s eras, marked by its
cruelty toward women and profound lack of godly leadership.

Ruth and Naomi, the main characters, stand out as
faithful women among a generation of faithless men.

But like the rest of Israel, their 
lives are full of tragedy and death.

Israel is in the middle of a famine.

Naomi’s husband and
her two sons are dead.

Naomi doesn’t even live in Israel anymore; she’s 
marooned in Moab, an old enemy nation of Israel.

Her only companions are her sons’ 
infertile widows, Ruth and Orpah.

Naomi’s situation seems hopeless.

In this culture, the only hope for three widowed
women is to either have a son or to marry a rich man.

Neither option seems possible for
foreign, infertile, and aged women.

Naomi realizes her only hope is to move from 
Moab and return to her hometown of Bethlehem.

Naomi discourages Ruth
and Orpah from joining her.

As Moabite women, they are almost
guaranteed a life as a disliked minority in Israel.

So Orpah returns home, but 
Ruth shows loyalty to Naomi.

Instead of leaving, Ruth declares that Naomi’s 
God is her God, and Naomi’s people are her people.

She would rather die than leave Naomi.

So, they leave together.

Naomi and Ruth, barren and 
hungry, arrive in Bethlehem.

But as a hint to what God is about to do for them 
and for Israel, the barley harvest has just begun.

Soon their emptiness will be 
filled, and a king will be born.

[music]

Early in Israel’s history, the 
founding mothers of Israel—

Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel—
were all unable to have children.

But God miraculously opened their wombs 
and provided a new leader for his people.

We expect that story to be repeated here, but unlike
those stories, there’s no man to help provide the child.

Ruth is alone, an infertile 
and foreign daughter-in-law.

Ruth’s willingness to sacrifice her 
own life to serve her mother-in-law  

will be how God provides Israel a new 
king, and we’ll talk about that in Ruth 4.

But Ruth’s role in Israel’s redemption also foreshadows  
another woman’s role in our redemption.

Like Ruth, Mary is a virgin and should 
not have been able to have a child.

But Mary’s willingness to serve
the Lord means that through her,

a King will be born who will bless
the world through his Kingdom.

Jesus is the son of Ruth and Mary’s faithfulness.
Jesus will even be born in Noami’s hometown of Bethlehem!

He is the true King, not
just in Israel, but the world.

He was born to fill our emptiness 
through his reign as the King.

If you’re barren like Ruth,
if you’re widowed like Naomi,

if you’re leaderless like Israel,
if you’re hungry, if you’re poor,  

or if it seems scientifically impossible for 
you to be filled, the book of Ruth is for you.

A child has been born
and his name is Jesus.

If, like Ruth, you loyally pledge yourself to 
King Jesus, everything you need will be provided.

May the Holy Spirit open your 
eyes to see the God who is King.

And may you see Jesus as a loyal 
friend who will fill your emptiness.