The book of Ruth tells how a Moabite woman, a foreigner in Israel, became a part of the community of Israel, and a key person in the unfolding purpose of God. The story of Ruth shows that God’s desire is to include all nations in his purpose.

Tradition holds that Samuel wrote the book. The story occurred sometime when ‘judges ruled’ (1:1). If we see 1 Samuel as marking a new era in Israel, the book of Ruth is, therefore, appropriately placed between the books of Judges and 1 Samuel. Different scholars divide the book in a variety of ways. One way is to have three main sections:

• Tragedy (1:1-10)
• Tenacity (1:11-2:23)
• Triumph (3–4).

Tragedy

The story opens with Naomi’s family moving from Bethlehem to Moab. A famine in Bethlehem had caused Naomi, her husband and two sons to relocate. Both sons married Moabite women. Soon tragedy struck: Naomi’s husband and her two sons died within ten years. She remained with her two daughters-in-law and figured she was too old to produce husbands for them. She, therefore, pleaded with them to go their way and get on with life. Such was Naomi’s pain that when she returned to Bethlehem she changed her name to ‘Mara’ (bitter). She considered this was appropriate given her affliction (1:20).

Tenacity

Although Orpah, one of Naomi’s daughters-in-law, went her way, Ruth determined to stay with Naomi despite her mother-in-law’s attempts to persuade her otherwise. Ruth revealed that her commitment had gone far deeper than being married to Naomi’s son. Ruth had come to believe in the God of Israel and saw herself as part of the people of this God. She could therefore not see any other way of life apart from being in the community of the people that belong to God (1:16-18). She knew her life, and her death had to be with those that worshipped this God.

Her commitment to stay with her mother-in-law had its trying times. She worked hard, trailing behind the harvesters of the fields in Bethlehem, to glean leftover grain. Some of her days ended in the evening (2:17). Ruth found favour in Boaz’s eyes and he allowed her to glean in his fields; he told his harvesters to deliberately leave some of the grain for her to pick. Ruth’s tenacity, holding on to her declared new community of the people of God in the face of need, causes her and Naomi experience the favour of Boaz. This signalled the beginning of a relationship that would alter Ruth’s life and impact the life of the nation for generations to come.

Triumph

The tragic circumstances are overcome by Ruth’s tenacity. She held on to what she believed until God brought restoration to her. Her restoration is twofold. Firstly, she gets a husband. With advice from her mother-in-law, Ruth goes to Boaz’s threshing floor and identifies Boaz as her kinsman-redeemer. Boaz, who had already noted her beauty and heart of service, ‘did not rest until he had settled’ the matter that day. Boaz ensures the nearest kinsman-redeemer has an opportunity before he redeems Naomi’s field and marries Ruth.

Secondly, Ruth is elevated to be part of the royal line as her son Obed was the grandfather to David the king. Being included in the royal line includes her among the ancestors of Jesus Christ recorded in the first chapter of Matthew.

Application

The story of Ruth reminds us of several things about God and his purpose. Firstly, God is a God of restoration. Restoration has been the purpose of God as all the prophets testify (Acts 3:21). This story also shows that to restore is far more than putting back to an original condition. It is making things better than they were at the beginning.

Secondly, anyone is eligible to be used by God in fulfilling his purpose. A Gentile was considered outside of the purpose of God in Judaism. A Gentile woman even less important. Ruth transcends both and shows that lowly placement in society does not matter when it comes to being used by God in fulfilling his purpose.

Thirdly, the story also shows that the inclusion of Gentiles was always part of God’s purpose, even in the Old Testament. Our inclusion in Christ is not simply a New Testament idea but has its roots in the OT. Just as Boaz is the kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, Christ is our kinsman-redeemer who becomes ‘one of us’ and then buys us back and includes us in the purposes of God.

Fourthly, although bad things do happen to good people, faith in a good God and a total commitment to him and his people is to be the chosen response at all times. God rewards every act of faith.