Ruth: A Book About Redemption

On Wednesdays, in 2024, on this blog I will be posting a series of surveys of O.T. books and answers to questions about the O.T.  

The Title and Purpose of the Book of Ruth

This is the only book in the O.T. named after an ancestor of Jesus and the only book in the O.T. named after a non-Jewish person. The simple purpose: to illustrate the redemptive act of God towards mankind.

The Author and Date of Writing of the Book of Ruth

There are no overwhelming arguments for an author for this book, although most suggest that the Book of Ruth was written by Samuel since he writes many of these historical books.

Historically, the story of Ruth takes place during the reign of the judge Jair – in between Gideon and Samson in the 11^th-10^th century B.C. It’s a story that covers a period of twelve years. 

Surveying the Book of Ruth

Ruth’s Sorrow (Ruth 1)

The story opens with reference to a family of 4: Elimelech (the father), Naomi (the mother), and Mahlon and Chilion (their two sons). Due to a famine in the land, Elimelech chose to leave his home and pursue “a better life” in enemy territory – Moab. Not too long after they arrive, Elimelech dies – maybe due to God’s displeasure with the move. And soon after, the two sons marry Moabite women – Orpah and Ruth.

The journey to Moab had not been favorable for the family of Elimelech. He died; his sons marry, but they die; there are no children to carry on this name. Naomi is left to care for herself with only the assistance of her two Moabite daughters-in-law.

Naomi didn’t want to remain in Moab, so she packed up her bags and left the land, along with Ruth and Orpah. At this time, Ruth and Orpah felt a part of this family and wanted to accompany her. Ruth eventually left Moab with Naomi.

The journey from Moab to Bethlehem was a difficult 50-mile journey through the Wilderness around the northern or southern tips of the Dead Sea.

Ruth’s Service (Ruth 2)

Ruth and Naomi needed food. And with no male living in their home, someone had to provide for their two-woman home. This need would naturally fall upon Ruth. Ruth went to gather in the field that she would later learn would belong to Boaz. During the time, Ruth is gleaning stalks and gathering food, Boaz is making his way to his own field, and he learns about this pleasant woman who has providentially been led to his field to glean.

Boaz investigated his fields and saw Ruth! Boaz wanted to know what family she was from. But she didn’t. She was there working in the field of Boaz and Boaz wanted to meet her. Boaz tells her to not go looking for another field to glean in and to stay close to the other servants. What Ruth didn’t understand wasn’t just why Boaz was being favorable towards Ruth, but he was showing this compassion and mercy to a Moabite woman – not a Jewish woman. Even though Ruth has pledged herself to Yahweh and Judah, she knew her roots and where she came from. Thus, she is acknowledging the grace of Boaz. Boaz knew of her gracious service to Naomi and he wanted to reward her for it.

Boaz asks her to share a meal with him. Now in N.T. times, Jews refused to eat with Gentiles (Acts 10) but apparently, they didn’t feel as rigid about it during these days. Here Boaz doesn’t think twice about inviting her to eat from his provisions.  He gives her the ability to rest in his shelter. He gives her ample provisions of food. He keeps her free from public embarrassment or shame. He tells his workers to purposefully drop grain so that she could pick it up. He tells his workers and servants to allow her to do all of this with no confrontation. Boaz obviously had a special interest in her.

Ruth’s Surrender (Ruth 3)

We see a change of heart in Naomi as her bitterness is gone and she tries to be kind, helpful and encouraging. Ruth and Boaz liked what they saw in each other. Naomi tells Ruth to take a bath, put on some perfume and nice clothes, and go to find Boaz.

Ruth arrived at his tent and waits for him to return there to sleep. Then she enters his tent, uncovers his feet and then lies at the foot of his bed. This is a subtle marriage proposal. Everything went as planned. Ruth leaves her home in Bethlehem and hikes to the tent in the field of Boaz. She waits for him to finish his meal after a long hard day’s work. She then enters the tent quietly, uncovers his feet and then lies down. Boaz – in the middle of the night – was stirring in his bed and saw this mysterious figure at his feet.

Ruth says to him, “Boaz, you are the one who can redeem our inheritance and our family name from being lost. I want you to fill that role for me. I want to be your wife.” Boaz was flattered that Ruth favored him He wants to grant her request with one exception – the law of the kinsman redeemer.

Ruth’s Satisfaction (Ruth 4)

Boaz goes to the gate of the city and waits for this closer relative, but this relative didn’t want to marry Ruth. He doesn’t want the deal and he wants Boaz to take over the responsibility. To him as he looked at this transaction with a “profit and loss” mind, he saw it as loss. So, he refused. 

Boaz steps in to claim Ruth as his own. Boaz promised to lovingly care for Ruth as his wife, Naomi as his mother-in-law, and also honor Ruth’s deceased husband Mahlon and Mahlon’s deceased father Elimelech. The nobility of Boaz once again shines forth; he has been a blessing to everyone in the book from his emptiness to Ruth. Naomi, and their deceased husbands. Boaz has taken upon himself great expense and responsibility and proves to be a man ‘worthy’ of respect, trust, and imitation for every man.

This Book ends uniquely. It ends not with Ruth and Boaz riding off into the sunset or the Judean hills. It ends with a geneaology showing Ruth ‘s connection to David and by extension to Jesus Christ Himself. About 1,000 years later Matthew would record a genealogy of Jesus Christ that would include Boaz as well – thus making all of this official. Ruth – a Moabite – was a descendant of Jesus.

Final Thoughts on the Book of Ruth

The story begins with Ruth as an outsider and stranger to the covenant community and ends with her joining the members of that community. She ends up being redeemed by her kinsman redeemer who paid the price for her. The story of Ruth is a story depicting redemption.

Ruth would be bought with a price. If you are searching for a reason to get up every morning with the desire to please God with every thought and word and deed, this must be your reason. If you are desperate for help and strength to love and serve others, pray faithfully, fight the good fight for the faith, be forgiving, study God’s Word faithfully, stand for truth, proclaim Christ to unbelievers, endure hardship, and rejoice always, here is the strength you need: you were bought with a price. And it was a steep price that cost Jesus His life.  Because perhaps the only redemptive reality more powerful than the fact that you were bought is the height of the price that was paid.