Ruth

What do you see in this book that tells you about the Original Reader?

      The original readers would have been Israelites probably living during the time of the monarchy. This book was probably written during the time of David and Saul. I'm not too sure what else we can gather from this book about the original readers, except that the original readers would have learned that there were good people in the land. Not everyone had gone astray, and though there was no “ruler” except God, people obeyed Him and live righteously as we see in the life of Boaz and Naomi.

What do you see in this book that tells you about the author?

      I see someone who made it a point to talk about the woman that eventually would be Jesus' ancestor. I'm not sure if that's super significant, but I think it's interesting that the author chose to point out Ruth. Also, Ruth is a Moabite, and that shows us the author wanted people to know that as long as someone had faith in God, they were part of the family. Just by adding this story I think the author gets a lot of teaching out. We aren't positive who the actual author of this book is.

What are the main themes, and repeated ideas in this book, and what is a one sentence summary of the main idea?

      The character of Boaz is a main theme in this book. He was extremely kind to Ruth and even to other poor people. He told his workers to leave some leftovers for the poor to come and gather so they could have food. Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi is huge. Ruth earns her way into the Israelite family by being faithful to Naomi by staying with her and worshiping God. Ruth must have been impressed with the God of Israel and chose to follow Him and also longed to be with Naomi. Ruth is provided for in a time and culture when woman like her often are not taken care of. She lost her husband and had no one to protect her or care for her or provide for her. But God brought Boaz along to care, protect, and provide for her. Boaz is used as God's instrument to care for Ruth and even marries her giving Ruth hope for a good life.

What is the primary reason this book is written?

      Ruth could have been written as an example of how to treat foreigners. God used a Moabite woman in the line of David. Some thought this was a defilement of the line of David, but really God was just showing that anyone can be part of His kingdom and family. It doesn't have to be native Israelites, but it can be anyone who follows God and goes under His covenant. This shows how receptive God is to those who will worship Him. Even now He accepts Gentiles, not just in Paul's time much later on.

Summary: Ruth is about God's care and provision for the forgotten.

What does this book show about the character and nature of God?

      What I saw most about God's character was through the man Boaz. Boaz showed great love through the way he lived. His actions reflected God. He cared for the poor by making sure they were fed. He loved Ruth and obeyed the law by seeking out the family redeemer first.

God shows that He is no respecter of persons in this book. Not of gender or race. He cared for Ruth though she was both a foreigner and a woman. The important thing to God was her heart. She worshiped God and God alone and so she was accepted. God's only qualifications is the posture of the heart.

What does this book show about God's redemptive plan for mankind?

      We only get a small glimpse of what Christ did for us through what Boaz did for Ruth. Ruth was a foreigner with no rights and not deserving of anything. She was a good person, but nothing made her more deserving than any other to be sought out. Yet Boaz saw her in need and helped her. He loved her and went through the right process to then marry her. By marrying her he saved her. She now had someone to provide and protect her, while before she was on her own. This is just a small glimpse of the much much greater sacrifice that Jesus made for us.

Personal Application

      Boaz is an amazing example of how a man should live. He is intentional about giving to the poor from his fields. He tells his workers to leave food for them. He didn't have to do that. He could have easily let the poor fend for themselves or, or kicked them off his land completely. He went out of his way to bless and love on the people. With Naomi's land he is the one who initiates the role of the family redeemer, not the one who was next in line to redeem the land. Boaz is the one who makes things happen and who is glad to marry Ruth while the first in line didn't want to marry Ruth. He was too concerned about himself and his estate. Sometimes in order to show love and to bless people we must be initiatory. Boaz was intentional about loving the poor, by allowing them to gather from his fields behind the harvesters. He is just a good example of a man who isn't sitting around wasting his life, but someone who works hard and cares about others around him. He was quick to help Ruth and to talk to her family redeemer. I just thought he was a good, kind man that did what he could to help and to love. He made it a point to be kind to others.

Point of Passion

      God cares and He sees. Though the world around you might overlook and though the people that are your neighbors might not see. God sees, God cares. He will provide your every need and He will come near to you when you call out to Him. The forgotten fields of the streets of New York City are not forgotten to God. He knows everything that goes on in the dark alleys, in the busy street corners, and in the broken homes. He wants to bring men like Boaz to care, to love and to provide for those who are suffering. He longs to care for those who have no one to care for them.