ROOTED - Saturday, February 28, 2026

Ruth 4:14-15
14  Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

Reflection: Two Cities: Gibeah and Bethlehem, Part 2
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro
The extent to which the end of the Book of Judges is gruesome and discouraging is the extent to which the Book of Ruth is beautiful and hopeful. 
Ruth lost her husband at the same time as her mother-in-law, Naomi, lost her husband. Naomi, being from Bethlehem, decides to return to her home city of Bethlehem, and asks her two daughters-in-law to go back to their Moabite home. But out of great loyalty and love, Ruth stays with Naomi. There, a relative of Naomi’s husband owned land for gleaning. His name was Boaz… a righteous man from Bethlehem. Ruth, gleaning in his field, came eventually to meet Boaz. Touched by her sacrifice for Naomi, he invites her to glean freely in his field. A romantic story unfolds, as it is discovered that he is Ruth’s “kinsman redeemer” (Leviticus 25… a relative who is obligated to care for the family interest of a widow). Now, this is romantic in a beautiful and honorable way… not in the sappy way we think of romance from Hollywood (LOL). 
The significance of this story cannot be underestimated. 1) Boaz is clearly a picture of Jesus, redeeming the cast down widow and loving his new-found bride! 2) Ruth and Boaz would become great grandparents of King David, and therefore in the lineage of Christ, through Joseph. 3) While Bethlehem has been mentioned a handful of times in the Old Testament (and at the end of Judges), we see this city now in a beautiful light. It is the city from which Boaz, the redeemer, comes. In light of the city of Gibeah (note yesterday’s Rooted), Bethlehem is a good and noble place. It ought not surprise us that it is significant in the entire Bible. Monday we shall discover why I think the contrast between these two cities is important!!!!!!!!

Prayer
Lord, thank you for the story of Ruth and Boaz. May it instruct our imaginations as to what godly relationships are like, and may we be reminded today of your redemptive plan for us.