Foundations: The Book of Ruth
Through the
love story of Boaz and Ruth, this book gives us a glimpse into God’s plan to
redeem all the peoples of the earth, Jew and Gentile alike. Ruth is one of
those books that show us the brilliance of the Holy Spirit! Though the story
was penned hundreds of years before God incarnate, it pictures for us what is
to happen as a result of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Ruth 4:14 (ESV)
"Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel!"
"Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel!"
The story of Ruth is one of the most beautiful
stories of Scripture: a story of loving-kindness and of hope and joy during a
time of moral and spiritual upheaval. Ruth’s story takes place sometime during
the years of the Judges – a time when the nation was bereft of godly
leadership, where immorality and idolatry reigned and “everyone did what was
right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). It is in this tumultuous and hopeless
time that we find the story of Ruth the Moabite nestled within Bethlehem in
Judah.
Right away, we who read this story thousands of
years after it was written, and thousands of years after the resurrection of
Christ, recognize immediately that Ruth’s tale takes place in the same town
that our Lord was born. This is no coincidence. In fact, in Matthew 1:5, we see
Ruth’s name in the genealogy of Jesus! The Holy Spirit was very intentional
with the details in the book of Ruth. Written after David had become king, one
purpose of the book is to show how God mercifully raised up a man of godly
leadership for Israel through the union of Ruth and Boaz. But in hindsight, we
see the Holy Spirit working on a larger scale. The story of Ruth is ultimately
a story of redemption, pointing us towards not only a godly king on earth, but
an eternal King of kings – a Messiah who will also come from this family line,
and who will save the people from their sins!
The time of the Judges mark over 400 years of
anarchy as a result of sin and rebellion, leaving the people grappling for solidarity,
and the reader gasping for a breath of fresh air. Ruth is just that, though it
is shocking to believe that her story could have taken place in such a time.
(And you are encouraged to go through the Judges edition of Foundations if you have not.) This just
goes to show us the reality of James 4:8, that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. Ruth is a shining
example of one who chooses to walk in the ways of the Lord and receives the
blessing promised to those who do so.
READ Ruth
1-4
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1. What sticks out to you in Ruth’s story? Who do
you admire and why?
2. What does this story tell you about God?
3. What do you think was God’s purpose for writing
this book? What are the themes He is trying to get across to us?
4. Ask the Holy Spirit how He wants you to respond
to what you have read. How can what you have read help you to walk in God’s
ways today.
