The Historic Context

The small literary masterpiece of Ruth takes place during the time of the Judges, a dark epoch in Israel’s history, when, “there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes”, Judges 21:25.

The book of Ruth can be placed in the eleventh century before Christ, about 200 years after the first Israelite war against Moab, Judges 3:12-30, and eighty years before the second, 1Samuel 14:47.

It recounts the remarkable story of how God raised up Ruth the Moabitess to become an ancestor of Jesus Christ, Matthew 1:5.

The Author

This short narrative gives us a glimpse of family life in Israel during the time of the Judges. The Talmud attributes Samuel as the author of this book.

The General Theme

In the sombre context of the period of the Judges, this book demonstrates through the romance between Boaz and Ruth, the principle of redemption by the next of kin. This redeemer had to buy back the property of the Israelite who had become poor, Leviticus 25:25-34 and raise up posterity to his close relative, Leviticus 25:35; 47-49, Deuteronomy 25:5-6. The devoted attachment of Ruth to her mother-in-law Naomi, along with her spiritual approach Ruth 1:16, is rewarded by God, Ruth 4:13-22.

The Application

In his role as the next of kin, Boaz prefigures Christ in his work of redemption. Christ came to redeem the world including the gentiles, Ephesians 2:12-13, by his death on the cross 1Peter 1:18-19, Revelation 5:9. 

Ruth, having known despair and death, entered a new life, Ruth chapter 4, 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Chapter Overview

Section 1: Ch 1 Death of a Family and the journey from the land of Moab to Bethlehem – Ruth attaches herself to Naomi
Section 2: Ch 2 A field in Bethlehem – Ruth takes care of Naomi
Section 3: Ch 3 A threshing floor in Bethlehem – Boaz takes care of Ruth
Section 4: Ch 4 Birth of a Family in the city of Bethlehem – Boaz’s marriage to Ruth