Ruth - Introduction

Ruth - Introduction

After the grimness of Judges we come to the more pleasant and positive waters of Ruth. Things aren’t easy in Ruth, but through quiet faithfulness the Lord’s plans are achieved.The book is set in the time of Judges and one of the things it demonstrates is that even in a time of mayhem it is worth obeying the Lord.

It is a feature of the Bible that women tend to come out of things better than the men. In Judges Deborah is the most positive character, then we have Ruth with both Ruth and Naomi being painted rather well, as does Boaz. In the crucifixion and resurrection accounts it is the women who come out of it better than the men. Boaz is also part of the human lineage of Jesus. It is noteworthy that Ruth is a Moabitess. It is possible that the genealogy at the end is partly there to prove that David is ten generations on from Moab, because of a curse on Moab. However, I have to say I am not convinced by this. One of the features of the Bible is that anyone who shows faith in the Lord is welcomed by Him.

We don’t know who wrote the book, it was certainly not completed until the time of David. Boaz as a “kinsman redeemer” gives us a picture of the redemptive work of Christ. We are redeemed by HIm. Ruth was later seen as the ideal convert, for she broke completely with her past life, devoting herself entirely to the Lord.