Ruth 1-4

Ruth is a noble woman of the Moabite nation. She converts from her nationality and the worship of Moab’s god to become a citizen of Israel who worships the LORD. In the book that bears her name, chapter 1, verse 16, she says, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Then she does what she has said.

Moab has a checkered history. The Bible tells us the man who founded this people is none other than Moab, son of Lot by way of his incestuous liaison with his daughter (Genesis 19:37). Students of the Bible may remember Lot as Abram’s nephew, the nephew who migrated together with Abram and Sarai.

It was Balak, king of Moab, who tried to entice Balaam the prophet to curse the migrant Israelis, during their journey from Egypt to Canaan. (See the Bible’s book of Numbers, chapters 22-24.) Furthermore, Moab is specifically cursed at Numbers 21:29 for yielding to the nation of Ammon and for worship of the Ammonite god, Chemosh.

Given Moab’s history, it is interesting that Ruth, the Moabite woman, is listed as one of the ancestors of Israel’s greatest king, King David (Ruth 4:13-17).

So if your history is a bit checkered (And whose isn’t?), remember that great things can come from you!