Title: Obed is Born
Ruth 4:16-17
And Naomi took the child and bore him, and became his nurturer, and the women of his neighbors gave him a name, and they called him Obed, because Naomi bore a son. He was the father of Jesse, David's father.
Ruth gave birth to a son. Upon hearing the news, neighbors in the neighborhood came to celebrate. Neighbors first praised God, then blessed the child, and then commended Ruth for giving birth to the child. Ruth said that she had a deep affection for her mother-in-law Naomi. And he said that he was more proud than his seven sons.
There is something the local women want to say through these words. If you look at Chapter 1, you will find that saying What did Naomi say when the local women shouted, "Is this really Naomi?"
1:20-21 Naomi said to them, "Do not call me Naomi, but call me Mara, for the Almighty has afflicted me exceedingly. I went out in abundance, and the LORD brought me back empty. The LORD punished me, and the Almighty tormented me. “How can you call me Naomi?”
What the women of the town want to say to Naomi is that Naomi didn't come empty-handed, but that she had brought her wife Ruth, who was more precious than her seven sons. So it's not empty.
4:16, "Naomi took the baby and took him to her bosom and became his nurse."
Perhaps the newborn baby was the most precious and precious gift Ruth could give to her mother-in-law, Naomi. He took that precious gift, the baby, and held it in his arms. I was embraced in a warm embrace like a mother's. In doing so, a mother-son relationship is established between the son of Naomi and Ruth. Although not born of her own, this child is like Naomi's son because it was supposed to be the inheritance of Naomi's husband Elimelech. So Naomi became his nurturer. What is a caregiver?
Esther 2:7, "His uncle's daughter, Hadassah, Esther, had no parents, but was a beautiful and beautiful virgin, and after her parents died, Mordecai raised her as her own daughter."
Esther had no parents. But Mordecai raised Esther like her own daughter. That is the responsibility of the caregiver. Although Naomi did not give birth herself, it became a mother-son relationship. Naomi took the baby and took her as her son, and became his nurturer.
4:17, "And the women of his neighbours gave him a name, and they said that Naomi bore a son, so they called him Obed, and he was the father of Jesse, David's father.
The women in the neighborhood gave him a name. This is a unique case. When a son is born, the parents usually give him a name. But in this case, the women in the neighborhood are naming them. Maybe Naomi did? "What should I name this child?" So the women in the neighborhood gave it a name.
In the Bible, there are cases where relatives and neighbors give names to each other. John the Baptist was born. At that time, his relatives and neighbors tried to name John the Baptist "Zacharias" after his father.
Luke 1:57-59, “When the time for childbirth was fulfilled, Elizabeth gave birth to a son, and when the neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had great mercy on her, they rejoiced together. She said she wanted to be Sarah."
You can see that the neighbors and relatives in the neighborhood proposed that John the Baptist be named Zacharias. In rare cases, neighbors have given names to them.
Also, among the ancestors of Boaz, when Perez was born, the midwife who received the child gave it a name.
Genesis 38:28-39, "At the time of childbirth, his hand came out, and the midwife said, "This is the first one." He took a red sandal and tied it to his hand. Then he pulled his hand back and his brother came out. The midwife said, "Why did you touch and come out?" Nya Hangoro called his name Perez."
"His neighbors gave him a name, and Naomi gave birth to a son!" I am amazed. Naomi was sad that her husband had died, her two sons had also died, and she had no son, but now she has a new son. What an elasticity of joy.
"He called his name Obed."
What does Obed mean? The word obed is derived from the verb "to serve" and is a noun for serve. It means "one who serves." Who do you serve? species. Why did the local women name him Obed? Whom are you serving? You can find it in today's text. Verse 15 says, “I am a restorer of your life and a supporter of your old age.” This child was named Obed, meaning that he will serve you as your restorer and as your caretaker when you grow old.
In the Bible, among the 12 prophets, there is a prophet whose name is derived from Obed. It's Obadiah. “Yah” is Yahweh when it should be misleading. Yahweh is Yahweh. So, "Obadiah" means "servant of the Lord."
In today's text, it means serving as Naomi's servant, restorer of life, and caretaker of old age in a direct meaning, but in a broad sense, it means that he is a servant of the Lord. Look at the verse that follows.
"He was the father of Jesse, David's father."
Broadly speaking, it means becoming a servant to be used in God's work of salvation. Whose father was he? He was the father of Jesse, David's father, so David would be Obed's grandson. You have become a truly precious ancestor.
Think about the life Jesus lived on this earth. Jesus did not come to this earth to be served. He came as a servant to us.
Matthew 20:28, "For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
He worked for the sick and the afflicted. He served even to the point of dying on the cross to atone for our sinners who deserved death. Like Jesus, we should have an attitude of serving others. We must humble ourselves and serve our neighbors with humility like Jesus.
In this way, for the first time since the death of her husband Elimelech, Naomi received great comfort. What did Naomi's husband Elimelech's name mean? Eli means my God and Melech means king. My God is King, which means I am a people ruled by God. That Elimelech died. When Elimelech died, Naomi must have been in pain thinking about why God did not take care of the people who lived under God's control and did not take care of them. So, there is a passage where the Almighty struck me.
But it is not that God never cared for him. Today's text says, "He was the father of Jesse, the father of David." David was the most ideal king of Israel. So, it is reminding us that God does not rule over us, it is not that we are forgotten, but that He is unchangingly governing us with a greater providence, whether in pain or joy.
Sometimes in our lives we pass through the valley of the shadow of death. "Where has God gone?" There are times when we groan in agony, but even then, the Lord does not leave us; He guides us with His rod and His staff. When you go to the Holy Land, a shepherd leads the sheep. There are many high mountains and many deep valleys. However, it leads to green pastures and resting waters, but the road over the mountains is a long way off. In that case, it goes through a deep valley to green pastures and resting waters. Because this road is a shortcut. There are wolves and ferocious beasts in the deep valleys, but they lead you there. To lead them to the shores of resting waters and green pastures. But there is no need to be afraid. Because the Good Shepherd is always by your side.
Someone ascended to heaven. On the sandy beach by the sea, we have fun walking together, talking about the life we have passed with Jesus. However, there was one thing that always puzzled him. I always thought that I was walking with the Lord, but at some point in my life, when I was in a very difficult time, I thought, why am I suffering this pain because the Lord did not help me?
He looked back at the footsteps he had walked. Not surprisingly, there were two footprints on the front and back of the time he suffered the most, but at that time there was only one person's footprints. "That's right. Jesus didn't take care of me at this time." So I asked Jesus. “Jesus, you said you were always with me, so why didn’t you go with me then, and why didn’t you walk with me?” What did Jesus say then? “Son, I never forsook you. At that time, you were so hard on me that I carried you and walked. Look at those footprints. Are they yours or mine?” Upon closer inspection, they were not his own, but Jesus' footprints. The poem is "footprints in the sand".
Jesus never leaves us. He takes care of us whether we are in pain or joy, and He always takes care of us in times of joy and sorrow. Today, holding the hand of the Lord who is with us and walking together, I pray in the name of Jesus that you and I all become victorious and stand strong.