What is the meaning of Ruth 4:15? He will renew your life • “He” points to baby Obed, the kinsman-redeemer’s child now laid in Naomi’s arms (Ruth 4:17). • The Lord uses this newborn to infuse Naomi with fresh hope, echoing Psalm 23:3, “He restores my soul”. • God’s pattern of reviving the weary runs through Scripture—see Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:22-23—and here He does it through family, showing that His restorations are both spiritual and practical. • Naomi’s earlier lament, “Call me Mara” (Ruth 1:20), is replaced by joy, illustrating 2 Corinthians 5:17: new life in her arms means a new outlook in her heart. and sustain you in your old age • Obed will grow up to provide for Naomi just as God promises in Isaiah 46:4, “Even to your old age… I will sustain you”. • The scene honors the biblical value of caring for elders: Psalm 71:9 pleads, “Do not discard me in my old age,” while Proverbs 17:6 reminds us, “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged”. • The women of Bethlehem foresee that Naomi will not face her twilight years alone; God has woven a safety net through covenant family. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you • Ruth’s love has already been proven—“Where you go, I will go” (Ruth 1:16-17). • Her steadfast devotion models John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. • The text highlights the blessing that comes from self-sacrificing loyalty; Ruth’s affection becomes the conduit of God’s kindness to Naomi. and is better to you than seven sons • In Hebrew culture seven sons symbolized the ideal family (1 Samuel 2:5), yet Ruth surpasses that ideal through covenant faithfulness. • The comparison recalls Elkanah’s tender question to Hannah, “Am I not better to you than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8), underscoring that quality of love outweighs quantity of offspring. • Scripture often elevates unexpected heroes—like Ruth the Moabitess—showing that God values character over pedigree (Proverbs 17:17). has given him birth • “The LORD enabled her to conceive” (Ruth 4:13), portraying children as divine gifts (Psalm 127:3). • Obed’s birth fits the pattern of miraculous arrivals—Sarah with Isaac (Genesis 21:1-3), Elizabeth with John (Luke 1:57-58)—all paving the way to the ultimate birth of Christ (Matthew 1:5-6; Galatians 4:4). • Naomi now holds the grandfather of King David, confirming that God’s providence turns private joys into national—and ultimately redemptive—blessings. summary Ruth 4:15 celebrates the Lord’s tangible kindness: He revives Naomi through Obed, guarantees her future care, honors Ruth’s sacrificial love, redefines true family wealth, and advances the lineage that will bring forth the Messiah. The verse assures every believer that God actively restores, sustains, and blesses through relationships rooted in covenant loyalty. |
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