Here are four poignant quotes about the relevance of the eighth book of the Bible, the Book of Ruth.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks “The Book of Ruth is the supreme example in Tanakh of hesed—loving-kindness—shown not by miracles or power, but by ordinary people in everyday life.”
Martin Luther “This is a lovely and comforting book, for it teaches that God works through the simplest and most ordinary events to bring about His greatest purposes.”
Augustine of Hippo “In Ruth we see the Gentile brought into the people of God, prefiguring the calling of the nations through Christ.”
John Piper “The Book of Ruth shows us how God is always doing ten thousand things in our lives, and we may be aware of only three of them.”
How does God carry out His big plan? He does it through people.
Which people?
First, His chosen people—Israel—as we see in the Old Testament.
Then, the promised Seed from Genesis 3:15—Jesus Christ—revealed in the New Testament Gospels.
And now, in our time, it’s you and me—the Church—as we read in the rest of the New Testament.
Israel
From the Old Testament up until the birth of Jesus, Israel played a special role in God’s plan. But God’s plan was never just about one nation—it was always about rescuing the whole world (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 49:6).
Genesis 12:1-5 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Israel was like a delivery vehicle God drove through history to bring the Messiah, Jesus, into the world as Savior.
Along the way, Abraham got on board by trusting God’s promise, even when it didn’t make sense.
Moses rode along by leading Israel out of slavery, showing God’s power and faithfulness.
King David became a passenger too, pointing ahead to the true King who would come from his family line. All of them played their part as God moved His plan forward.
But what we really want to get to is how those guys and gals in the Old Testament discovered their own purpose and best lives by plugging into God’s bigger plan, so that we can learn how to do the same in our own lives.
Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on events from the Middle East and around the world of interest to people of faith and brings that content to our readers. Here’s the latest.
New U.S.-Proposed Demilitarized Zone on Israel-Syria Border
Jan 6 2026 The U.S. put forward a proposal during Paris-hosted negotiations that would establish a demilitarized economic zone on the Israel-Syria border. The plan aims to reduce military tensions, involve joint security coordination, and potentially lead to partial Israeli troop withdrawals — a rare move in decades of conflict along that frontier. Axios
Israel Launches Airstrikes Against Hezbollah & Hamas in Lebanon
Jan 5 2026 The Israeli military carried out strikes targeting Hezbollah and Hamas “military infrastructure” in southern and eastern Lebanon. These actions mark a clear escalation in near-daily operations along the northern border, despite a ceasefire that ended the 2023–24 Israel-Hezbollah war. Civilians were evacuated from targeted villages beforehand, but the strikes have drawn international concern over stability in the region. Reuters
Wider Israeli Airstrikes in Lebanon Ahead of Disarmament Talks
Jan 5 2026 In addition to the above, additional airstrikes hit areas including Sidon, described by Israel as weapons storage sites used by militant groups. These strikes come just before crucial Lebanese government efforts to disarm Hezbollah — highlighting ongoing tensions between military pressure and political negotiation. AP News
U.S. & Allied Operations Kill or Capture IS Fighters in Syria
Late Dec 2025 The U.S. Central Command said about 25 Islamic State fighters were killed or captured in Syria during coordinated operations after an ambush that killed U.S. forces. These missions involved airstrikes and coordination with Syrian and regional partners — underscoring continued counter-ISIS activity even amid broader regional tensions. AP News
Thomas Cole – The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds
While reading the account of the angel announcing the birth of Jesus in Luke chapter 2, one of my grandchildren asked a great question: “Why did God choose shepherds to hear about it first?”
Here are three well-known commentary perspectives.
God reveals Himself to the lowly, not the powerful
Leon Morris (Tyndale New Testament Commentary – Luke) Morris notes that shepherds were among the humblest workers in Jewish society. Their selection fits Luke’s repeated theme that God exalts the lowly and bypasses the proud (Luke 1:52). By announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds rather than kings or priests, God shows that the gospel begins with grace, not status.
Shepherds highlight the theme of Jesus as the true Shepherd
Darrell L. Bock (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament – Luke) Bock points out the strong shepherd imagery throughout Scripture and Luke’s Gospel. The angelic announcement to shepherds subtly introduces Jesus’ future role as the one who will shepherd God’s people (cf. Micah 5:2–4). The messianic identity of Jesus is foreshadowed by the audience chosen to hear the news.
Shepherds serve as credible witnesses to God’s work
Joel B. Green (NICNT – The Gospel of Luke) Green emphasizes that shepherds, though socially insignificant, become the first human witnesses to the Messiah’s birth. Luke consistently shows God using unexpected people to bear witness. Their testimony demonstrates that divine revelation creates trustworthy witnesses, not social rank.
Two boys showed up for the soapbox derby with the same goal: win the race. Tim slapped his car together the night before. Boards didn’t quite line up, the wheels wobbled, and the steering was more hope than design. He figured speed would take care of itself once he got rolling.
When Wells showed up he was ready. He had a plan. He measured twice, tightened every bolt, tested the wheels, and adjusted the steering until it tracked straight. When the race started, Tim flew fast—for about five seconds—before drifting off course. Wells rolled steady, straight, and true all the way to the finish.
The Plan Begins
A goal is where you want to go. A plan is how you actually get there.
After Adam and Eve messed up, God didn’t just give up on His original plan to have a family to share His awesome creation with forever.
Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of God’s rescue plan.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Right after Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, everything seemed broken—the relationship between people and God was damaged.
In Genesis 3:15, God promised that one day a descendant of the woman would defeat the one that hates God and deceived Adam and Eve, even though that serpent would strike back. This verse shows the starting point of God’s plan to overcome evil and restore what was lost. Long before Jesus was born, God was pointing forward to His plan to save and heal the world through a promised Savior.
The Bible is the story of how that grand plan is unfolding in history, how different people plugged into it, and what your part in it is.
As we walk together down this road called “Your Life And What Comes After” we’ve seen a lot of interesting scenery. Now we’re moving on to the next part of the journey with some new sights to see.
Where We’ve Been
So far we’ve talked about some pretty questions, right?
Why did God create the universe and people?
Why is there something instead of nothing?
How do you find your own purpose within God’s grand plan and purpose?
Here’s a brief recap of some of the main things we’ve talked about so far:
We are God’s family, and we are the reason He created this beautiful blue gem called Earth and the universe that surrounds it. His love and attention are centered on us, and our eternal destiny with Him is His grand plan—and our purpose.
If you believe your life is the result of chance alone, with no purpose, and that you are only slightly luckier and a little smarter than a chimpanzee, then you will begin to see others that way too. Don’t sell yourself or others short.
But if you come to know and believe that you are the magnificent handiwork of God—fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), created intentionally and for a purpose—then you will live differently. You will love boldly. You will stand firmly. And you will shine like the stars forever, just as Scripture promises.
Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Where We’re Going
So how does God actually carry out His plan and purpose for creation? That’s where we’re headed next. Heads up—we’re going to have to open the Bible to get there.
Because Scripture is where God reveals His plan—and shows us how He’s been carrying it out all along. And once you see it, you won’t look at your life the same way again.
Callum had grown up with the huge Christmas tree, tall enough to brush the ceiling and packed with ornaments he knew by heart. On Christmas Eve, he scanned the branches—and felt it instantly. Something was wrong. Between the silver bells and red ribbon, a space sat empty. The old brass lantern was missing.
He searched everywhere—under the couch, behind the curtains, in coat pockets. Finally, in the kitchen, he spotted a dull glint in the corner. The lantern lay there, dusty but safe. Callum carried it back and hung it where it belonged. The tree felt whole again.
Did the brass lantern ornament not matter much just because there were lot’s of other ornaments on the tree? No. To Callum they all mattered and each one was special.
You Are a Miracle
So if Callum knew each ornament and was aware of the place each one held on the tree, how much more does God know you personally and the place you hold in His creation and in His plan?
In this verse, Jesus points to sparrows—cheap, common birds, barely worth a coin—and says not one of them falls to the ground without the Father’s notice. Then He looks even closer: ‘the very hairs of your head are numbered.’
Matthew 10:29-30 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Your life is not a loose thread in the universe or a meaningless life among billions of others. You are seen, valued, and cared for by God Himself.
God knows about and pays attention to falling sparrows, and He numbers the hairs on our heads—easy to count in my case, since there are very few left.
You matter—more than you can see, and more than you can measure. You have a purpose and a life that only you can live, one whose full impact may reach farther than you ever see.
…We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. Marianne Williamson
Life is a miracle. You are a miracle. Tell yourself those two things every day and your life will become a brilliant light that can’t be dimmed.
Prince Philip’s character in Netflix’s The Crown (Season 3, Episode 7, “Moondust”) said this about his disappointment in what they found when American astronauts landed on the moon in 1968:
“The loneliness and emptiness and anticlimax of going all that way to the moon and finding nothing but haunting desolation, ghostly silence, gloom. That is what faithlessness is. As opposed to finding wonder, ecstasy, the miracle of divine creation, God’s design and purpose.”
Are We Alone?
The universe contains trillions of galaxies, each with billions of stars—more than we could count in a thousand lifetimes. Worlds beyond worlds are scattered across an ocean of space so vast it makes Earth seem like a speck of dust.
You’d think someone else would be out there by now. But so far, the cosmos has been… quiet.
No alien signals. No visitors. No confirmed microbes on Mars or the moons of Jupiter. Just an overwhelming stillness.
So no, I don’t believe in little green men or flying saucers zipping around our skies. I believe we are the only beings God created in His image—and that He made the Earth and the universe for us to share eternal life with Him.
God’s Focus Is On Us. On You.
What if life on this planet is incredibly special and rare—not because the universe is empty, but because we are the characters in God’s story?
What if Earth is not one of many planets where living, thinking beings exist, but the only place in His vast creation where God chose to create His family?
A vast universe does not make us insignificant. It makes God’s focus on us even more astonishing.
And that makes you a very, very special and important person in the universe. More on that coming up.
Here are four interesting and insightful quotes about the seventh book of the Bible, Judges.
G. Campbell Morgan
“The book of Judges reveals the awful peril of forgetting God and the inevitable chaos that follows when there is no recognized authority under Him.”
Judges 21:25 (KJV):
“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Barry G. Webb
“Judges is not a book of heroes so much as a book of failure—failure of leadership, failure of faith, and failure of the people to live as God’s covenant community.”
Judges 2:10–11 (KJV):
“And there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim.”
Daniel I. Block
“The judges were not saviors in the full sense but instruments of divine mercy, raised up in a time of moral and spiritual collapse.”
Judges 2:16 (KJV):
“Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.”
Tremper Longman III
“The repeated refrain, ‘Everyone did what was right in his own eyes,’ is not a celebration of freedom but a diagnosis of Israel’s sickness.”
Judges 17:6 (KJV):
“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
