How On Earth did a Moabite Descendant Become King of Israel?

Today’s reading is Judges 21; Ruth 1-4.

Deuteronomy 23:3 had said, “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever” (ESV). Yet, not only did Ruth the Moabitess enter the assembly of the LORD, her great-grandson became king (Ruth 4:17-22). How did that happen? Because unlike her in-laws who abandoned Jehovah and His people in search of food (Ruth 1:1), Ruth turned with great commitment to the LORD and His daughter Naomi, saying, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you did I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you” (Ruth 1:16-17, ESV). If such commitment allowed a Moabitess and her descendants into the assembly and onto the throne, what could such commitment to the Lord do for you today?

We’d love to know what you got out of today’s reading or if any other part of the reading struck you. Feel free to let us know in the comments section.

Monday’s reading is 1 Samuel 1-5.