In search of hope…

The very first time the word “hope” appears in the Scripture is within the first chapter of the book of Ruth (Ruth 1:12). The main character in this story is Na’omi. Her story started out as one of devastation and despair. The first 5 verses of Ruth encapsulate the myriad tragedies that befell this widow, whose story somewhat reminds us of the travails of Job. Job had lost almost everything yet kept the hope and was restored even beyond his former state. The same rings true for Na’omi, who had lost all hope because of the tragedies in her life: a severe famine in her native land of Beyth-lechem (meaning ‘house of bread’) in the tribal lands of Yahudah, the death of her husband Elimeleḵ and her two sons: Maḥlon and Kilyon, and poverty due to the dire conditions that befell her.

Thankfully, the story didn’t end there! What unfolds in the remaining portions of this four-chapter masterpiece is a profound lesson on why we need to search for and hang on to hope, especially in times of hardship.

The timing of Na’omi’s return to her homeland, after having been in Moab, where she and her family had sought refuge during the famine, was not an accident. It was the barley harvest; the Father had healed the land from famine. It was the month of Abib – the month of new beginnings! This is exactly where things begin to turn around for Na’omi.

Na’omi had two daughters-in-law, who were widowed when Na’omi lost her two sons. As Na’omi was heading back from Moab to Beyth-lechem in Yahudah, she urged them to go back to their homeland, Orpah did but Ruth refused. Instead, she clung in love to Na’omi. It was evident that despite Na’omi’s anguish, there was something enduring and special that radiated from her core because of who she served: The Most High 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. Ruth stood firm when everything in her world was falling apart. She had lost her husband, and now she was being driven away from the only true love she had left. She was so impelled by the enduring love that Na’omi demonstrated that she refused to let go of this life with her.

The story gradually shifts to a compelling love story, in which Ruth, through the providence of the Father, remarries a man named Bo‛az. Bo‛az took note of this virtuous woman, of whom he had heard commendable things. He allowed her to glean barley from his fields, and he noticed that Ruth carried herself with dignity—not flirting with the young men in the fields. He showed favor to her and ensured that Ruth and Na’omi were well fed. Being closely related to Na’omi’s husband, Bo‛az was well positioned to be the kinsman redeemer who later married Ruth, with whom he had a son named Oḇěḏ. Oḇěḏ was the father of Yishai, who was the father of King Daud, with whom the Father made a covenant for an eternal reign of kings. The best part of the story was yet to come!!!

Thirty (30) generations after Bo‛az came the true kinsman Redeemer: 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 Messiah. MattitYahu (Matthew) details the genealogy of the Messiah, starting with Abraham, showing that the Messiah’s ancestry ran through the line of kings through Ruth’s great-grandson, Daud.

This story reinforces the need for us to hang on to hope, because in spite of it all, YAH has an awesome plan in motion that will exceed our wildest imagination!

‘𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.’

𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good to hope and wait quietly for the deliverance of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.
(Lamentations 3:24-26)