The Masterpiece Ruth

One of our pastors told a story about the TV program, “The Love of Painting.” The subject of the show painted a picture and each week would “finish” the portrait or other picture and then add on a couple of “happy trees” that he explained, “Completed the Masterpiece.” I did not watch “The Love of Painting” or whatever the name of the program was, but the story was entrancing. The painter cautioned his watchers about not turning the page or channel until the masterpiece was complete. The final installment of the series on Ruth completed the picture–almost.

This is not my idea, I heard it from Alistair Begg. But it is a marvelous completion to the sermon that we heard. Begg noted that a lot of sermons on Ruth omit the final five verses. Since the point of the book of Ruth is redemption, it is almost ironic that these capstone verses are neglected.

The story of the redemption of a childless widow is intriguing and captivating, particularly when the child turns out to be the grandfather of King David. But there were probably other instances of Levirate marriage in the godly line from Seth down to Joseph. This one is particularly significant because it deals with Perez. As you recall Perez was the offspring of Judah. He held the ignominious distinction of being an illegitimate child. (Genesis 38)

Judah had failed to perform the Levirate function for his third son, after Tamar had the misfortune of having two husbands, his first two sons, die. He literally thought that she must have been the origninal black widow, and gave his youngest son to another woman. So Tamar, a resourceful and insightful young lady schemed to get pregnant by Judah. It was neither honest nor honorable, but, in her reasoning, it was her only option.

Interestingly, Perez, whose name means, “Breach,” was born in the breach position. So he fulfilled his name in a dual manner. He was physically born breach, and he was theologically a “breach” in the godly line. Deuteronomy 23:2 says, “A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” (NKJV)

Since Perez was disqualified from being “in the congregation,” he could not have fathered an ancestor of the Messiah. Satan seemingly had thwarted God’s plan for the Redeemer. I am not sure whether Mahlon or Elimelech  was in the godly line, but a childless Boaz would have interrupted and terminated God’s plan to redeem both Israel and all of mankind.

But, by employing the Levirate marriage process, a Judean mother, from Elimilech’s line was joined with Boaz and Judah’s line. And now we come to verses 18-22.
Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begat Hezron, 19 and Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20 and Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21 and Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 22 and Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Counting from Perez down, we come to Boaz at seven; Obed, eight; Jessie nine; and David, ten. David is the 10th generation and thus eligible to enter the “congregation,” spiritually, and therefore is qualified to be both the king and, more importantly, the progenitor of the future Messiah. The “line” has been redeemed! And Boaz had a critical role in this. That is a story that completes the picture and produces a masterpiece of redemption. Glory! What did he call those, “happy trees?”