Sermons By Ed

  Ruth Faithfulness in an Unfaithful World Ed Underwood “Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God.” (Ruth 1:16) Ruth is a vignette of love, devotion and redemption set in the historical context of the darkest period in Israel’s history, the days of the judges. Part of the second major unit within the seventeen Historical Books, the Conquest or Pre-Kingdom Period, it’s a heartwarming story of compassion, devotion, and faithfulness. Ruth is a Moabite widow who leaves her homeland to live with and care for her widowed Jewish mother- in-law, Naomi, in Bethlehem. Ruth not only embraces Naomi’s people but her God. The contrast to Judges underscores the remarkable faithfulness of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth is a woman who lives above the norm of her day. A virtuous woman (3:11), Ruth shows loyal-love to both her mother-in- law Naomi and her near-kinsman Boaz. In a time when all of Israel is forsaking God for idols, Ruth forsakes her idols for the true God: Faithful, righteous, moral, pur