As we begin a new year, it’s time to begin a new blog post series! After spending nearly two years writing through 1 and 2 Corinthians, I wanted to jump back into a book in the Old Testament. After some prayer and perusing the various books, the book of Ruth stood out to me. While I’ve studied this book multiple times before, and read through it in Hebrew a few times, I’ve never written blog posts about it.
The book of Ruth is only 4 chapters long. Being primarily narrative, it’s fairly easy to read in Hebrew, but it’s packed with meaning. Even the names of some of the characters have significant meanings to them. The themes of loyalty, redemption, and God’s providence are evident throughout the book.
Before we dig into the text itself starting next week, it’s important to set the stage with the background and historical context.
The story of Ruth unfolds "in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1), a period marked by political instability, moral decline, and spiritual waywardness in Israel’s history. The era of the judges, roughly spanning the 14th to 11th centuries BC, is characterized in the Biblical narrative by a recurring cycle: the Israelites rebel against God, fall into oppression under foreign powers, cry out for deliverance, and are rescued by a judge whom God raises up. (Check out this book for more on the time of the Judges.) Yet, the cycle of disobedience and deliverance repeats, painting a picture of a nation struggling to remain faithful to its covenant with Yahweh.
Against this turbulent backdrop, the book of Ruth presents a contrast—a story of personal faithfulness, familial devotion, and divine providence. While much of the book of Judges highlights the chaos of a nation adrift, Ruth offers a glimpse of ordinary people living out extraordinary faith in their everyday lives.
The central characters in the book of Ruth (Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz) are not kings, prophets, or warriors. Instead, they are everyday individuals navigating loss, uncertainty, and hope.
Naomi is a widow who has lost her husband and two sons. She returns to Bethlehem bitter and empty-handed, yet she becomes a vessel of God’s restoration. Ruth is a Moabite widow and Naomi’s daughter-in-law. She demonstrates steadfast loyalty by choosing to leave her homeland and align herself with Naomi and her God. Boaz is a wealthy and kind landowner who serves as the kinsman-redeemer, a pivotal role that not only brings resolution to Ruth and Naomi’s plight but also foreshadows the ultimate redemption found in Christ.
Geography plays a significant role in the narrative. The story begins in Bethlehem during a time of famine. Naomi’s family migrates to Moab, a neighboring nation historically at odds with Israel. After the deaths of her husband and sons, Naomi hears that the Lord has provided food in Bethlehem and decides to return, accompanied by Ruth. This journey from Moab to Bethlehem is more than a physical relocation; it symbolizes a return to God’s provision and covenant promises.
We don’t know the author of the book of Ruth. Jewish tradition believes it was written by Samuel, but there is no clear evidence for that. There is some similar language and style between Ruth and the book of Judges, but we do not know the author of Judges for certain either.
In our traditional English Bibles, the book of Ruth occurs after Judges and before 1 Samuel. However, in the Hebrew Bible, Ruth occurs between Proverbs and Song of Songs, which is significant. The book of Proverbs ends with the description of the wife of noble character in Proverbs 31. So if you were reading in the Hebrew Bible, immediately after reading all about this noble woman, you’d begin the story of this woman named Ruth, who isn’t even a member of the people of Israel. Ruth demonstrates commitment and faithfulness to Naomi, like the Proverbs 31 woman. In Ruth 3, we see the love story part of the narrative beginning, which feels connected to the Song of Songs, occurring immediately after Ruth in the Hebrew Bible. The love described in Song of Songs seems to spring forth from the love between Ruth and Boaz.
In the Jewish tradition, the book of Ruth is often read during the Jewish festival of Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Torah and the harvest season. For Christians, Ruth is a key part of the lineage of Christ, bridging the Old and New Testaments and showcasing God’s redemptive plan. Our redemption in Jesus came through Ruth's faithfulness and Boaz's faithfulness, but God's faithfulness is even greater than that, working in this narrative and in all the world to accomplish His purposes.
The four chapters of Ruth beautifully lay out the narrative. In Chapter 1, we see both loss and loyalty. Naomi and her family leave Bethlehem due to famine, and tragedy strikes them in Moab. Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi sets the stage for the story that unfolds. In Chapter 2, we see God’s providence. Ruth gleans in the fields of Boaz, who shows kindness and protection to her. This meeting was not a coincidence but clearly orchestrated by God. In Chapter 3, we see Naomi’s plan unfold for Boaz to be their kinsman-redeemer. At the conclusion in Chapter 4, Boaz fulfills that role to redeem Naomi and Ruth, and we see the genealogy that puts Ruth as a direct ancestor of King David, and thus of Jesus.
In a world that often feels as chaotic as the time of the judges, the book of Ruth offers a message of hope, faithfulness, and redemption. It reminds us that God is at work in the ordinary and the extraordinary, weaving our stories into His narrative. As we study Ruth, we are invited to trust in God’s providence, emulate the loyalty and love displayed by its characters, and rejoice in the redemption offered through Christ.
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