The Bible is replete with stories of men and women who were immigrants, like Abraham, Moses, Daniel, and Esther, to name a few. Their experience of living in foreign cultures and lands not only intersected with their personal spiritual formation but also played an important role in the meta narrative of the Bible. One of the goals of this podcast is to highlight biblical immigrant characters so that we recognize how migration intersects with Scripture and draw important truths from their stories not only to strengthen our faith but also to adopt a right perspective on migration and migrants.

In this episode I explore the story of Ruth with author and speaker, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, whose latest Bible study is titled, Redeemer: God’s Lovingkindness in the Book of Ruth. Ruth, a Moabite widow, became an immigrant when she moved with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, to Bethlehem. She’s an important biblical character not only because she’s included in the genealogy of Jesus but because her story points to God’s power and purpose through redemption.

Takeaways Both Ruth and Naomi were widows familiar with grief and loss. God redeemed their lives, turning their pain into joy. He can do the same for anyone who’s mourning the loss of someone or something significant. Boaz, the son of Rahab who was also a foreigner, showed extraordinary kindness and generosity toward Ruth. He acted as her kinsman-redeemer, pointing us to Jesus who came to restore and redeem us by sacrificing Himself on the cross. God’s providence is one of the key themes in the book of Ruth. In our lives too, God orchestrates circumstances and appointments in order to accomplish His plan for our lives.

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