Even though its small, this remarkable book contains many principles with profound impact to our lives today. The second in the living room series, this 6week study delves into the virtuous character of ruth, her unique relationship with her motherinlaw naomi, and her blossoming love with boaz. The book of ruth also functions liturgically, as it is read during the jewish holiday of shavuot. Some are named after the people who wrote them matthew, mark, luke, and john.
The book of ruth is one of the most moving accounts in the bible, a story of love and loyalty that is a stark contrast to todays cynical, throwaway society. The book of ruth is such a touching love story and such a charming tale of emptiness to abundance that we can easily think there is nothing more to it. The book of ruth is the eighth book of the jewish scriptures and the christian bible. In fact, the hebrew word for thischesedappears multiple times throughout the story. To start off, i would suggest that you sit down and read through this beautiful book. The theme of ruth is the lords provident protection of the faithful 2. It celebrates the loyalty and reward of a young moabite widow ruth who chooses to follow her israelite motherinlaw naomi back to bethlehem after naomi was bereaved of her own husband and two sons. The book of ruth is the narrative of a love story, yet also has some important genealogy. Ruth shows how gods people can experience his sovereignty, wisdom, and covenant kindness. Some titles come from the first line of the story like genesis and revelation. The book of ruth is a love story, but it is far more than a romance. This short book, only four chapters, shows how god uses unexpected people in amazing ways. Connecting jesus to the house of david and ultimately to ruth gave the nazarene the imprimatur of a messiah among early converts to christianity. The book of ruth is an important historical work in hebrew scripture, our old testament of the bible, as it traces the lineage of king david and ultimately that of the messiah, jesus christ.
The book of ruth begins by highlighting the judges theme of israel needing a king and exploring the misery and emptiness a singular family might experience during these dark times ruth 1. This word is used elsewhere in the bible to describe gods loyalty and faithfulness to israel source, p. The family history of elimelech and the role of the moabite ruth in it are examined first as a selfcontained narrative and then in the context of israels. At the beginning of the book, readers are introduced to naomi. The sovereignty of god is manifest in the story of ruth as how god in times of decline of his people preserved a seed in one of his servants that led to. In addition to the primary theme of redemption that we find in ruth, we see several recurring. The final words of the book link ruth with her greatgrandson, david ruth. She had married the son of an israelite family while they were living in moab, but at some point her fatherinlaw, her husband, and her husbands only brother died.
This chapter explores plot and theme in the book of ruth as an example of narrative analysis. Book of ruth, old testament book belonging to the third section of the biblical canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. Obviously, the author was familiar with israels greatest king. The book of ruth, which appears in the third section of the hebrew bible, ktuvim, writings, is a beautiful folktale written in four short chapters. Theme ruth shows how gods people can experience his sovereignty, wisdom, and covenant kindness. Ruth was of the women of moab but was genetically linked to israel through lot, the nephew of abraham ruth 1. Ruth shows how gods people can experience his sovereignty, wisdom. The theme of family continuity becomes the theme of national continuity. Plot and theme in the book of ruth oxford scholarship. Summary of the book of ruth the story of the bible. Introduction to the book of ruth in the bible learn religions. Ruth was a moabite woman, whose sense of piety and devotion to her motherinlaw naomi led to her marriage to the prominent boaz of bethlehem in judah.
The story of naomis family and the way it endured is a universal theme. One of the most inspiring messages of the book of ruth is that a person who displays selfless compassion will be rewarded in the end. Picking up in the days when the judges ruled, the book of ruth tells the story of naomi, the moabite widow ruth, and the farmer boaz. Like 1sa 12, it gives a series of intimate glimpses into the private lives of the members of an israelite family. David was israels greatest hero, a messiah godsent leader in his own right. Bob is a pastorteacher and elder at community bible chapel in richardson, texas, and has contributed many of his bible study series for use by the foundation. In the hebrew bible, ruth stands with the song of solomon, lamentations, ecclesiastes, and esther. Ruth was a moabitess and was the great grandmother of david the ancestor of christ. So a man from bethlehem in judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of moab. Book of ruth bible study chapter 2 growing in grace.
No matter your age or season of life, there is wisdom to learn from the lessons that unfold as we walk along with naomi, ruth, and boaz. Ruth, naomi and boaz all occupy the stage in turn, and gods. The book of ruth reflects a time of peace between israel and moab contrast jdg 3. Because of a famine in israel, a hebrew family moved to moab. The author was anonymous but some believe it was perhaps written by samuel the prophet. Thus she is an ancestor in the messianic line that leads to jesus. The book of ruth is a beautifullycrafted look at how gods good purpose interplays with human decision. Because of the faithfulness of a destitute young widow, the lord brought them out of deep tragedy and sorrow to joy, prosperity, and honor. Ruth 1, new international version niv the bible app. Even ruth, a foreigner from the despised moabites, could move gods plan towards fulfillment. Heres four themes to keep in mind as you read the book. Ruth shows kindness to her motherinlaw, naomi, by leaving her homeland to care for her 1. The book touchingly portrays his care for a widow and her gentile daughterinlaw.
These often come in hard circumstances and are expressed through the kindness of others. Obedience brings ruth into the privileged lineage of christ. Almost without peer in scripture, this story views god through the eyes of a woman. Ruth is, however, mainly about god and his activity and purpose. The book of ruth follows the book of judges in our bibles because its setting was in that time period. The book is identified as a short story with a dilemma facing the family of elimelech from the town of bethlehem and the tribe of judah. Ruth bible story summary what christians want to know. Ruth portrays a marriage between ruth, the young moabite woman after whom the book is named. The book of ruth is one of the bibles shortest books, telling its story in just four chapters.
T he book of ruth contains an interesting story about a moabite woman who was redeemed into a hebrew family. Themes in the book of ruth by chloe jorgensen on prezi. Bible survey ruth hebrew name ruut friend greek name oiktos greek form of the hebrew author samuel according to tradition. Weve selected to include four of the most important ones to stresses the importance of the book for younger christian. Bobdeffinbaugh graduated from dallas theological seminary with his th. Far from being peripheral to the main narrative sequence of the bible, ruth dramatizes its principal theme. In ruth we see the attitude and character of one in whom god is pleased. A major theme of the book of ruth is that of the kinsmanredeemer. Book of ruth overview insight for living ministries. The book of ruth is one of only two books of the bible to be named after women the other is esther. For christians, the book of ruth is an early echo of the divinity of jesus.
Sadness themes in ruth the book of ruth in the bible explores numerous themes that is worth to study as young christian to study the spirit of jesus. Theme verse of ruth then the women said to naomi, blessed is the lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in israel. Introduction having dedicated herself to the god of israel, ruth, in chapter 2, begins to grow in her relationship and dedication to boaz. The book of ruth demonstrates the providence of god at work in the life of an individual. The book of ruth has always been one of my favorite books of the bible. The book of ruth is regarded as one of the most beautifully written stories in the bible. The significance and application of the book of ruth. The book may have been written by samuel and was probably penned during the time of david.
The book of ruth first fits into the overall message of the bible starting with the promise of the seed in gen 3. Books in the bible get their names all different ways. Book of ruth overview and introduction author, story. The book of ruth is named for the moabite woman who commits herself to the israelite people by an oath to her motherinlaw naomi and becomes the greatgrandmother of david by marriage to boaz of bethlehem. Ruths devotion to naomi and boaz devotion to ruth provide two. Its an intimate family tale of misfortune, crafty use of kinship ties, and ultimately, loyalty. It is unlikely that it was written before the time of david cp. Here we see gods grace adopting the gentiles into the family of christ. The timeline of this book is intertwined during the period of the judges. In ruth, its the characters who act with chesed towards each other. It reads more like a short story and the insight in it runs deep. Its main character is a moabite woman named ruth, the daughterinlaw of a jewish widow named naomi. Intro to ruth biblica the international bible society. This was a country not far from israel on the east side of the dead sea.
The book of ruth is a hebrew short story, told with consummate skill. The book of ruth describes two legal practices combined into one. Ruth 1 new international version niv naomi loses her husband and sons. The book of leviticus comes to life here, with its injunctions to leave part of the harvest for the needy, and with all of its concern and compassion for the underprivileged within the society. In the rebellious period of israels history of judges, there is a flicker of light in the form of the beautiful story of ruth.
Its a tale of love, loss, faithfulness, and redemption. Faithfulness is one of the key themes of this book. The book of ruth is the bridge between the era of israel as family or tribe and israel as nation. Ruths greatgrandson turned out to be david of the bible, perhaps the greatest king god anointed to lead his people. Among historical narratives in scripture it is unexcelled in its compactness, vividness, warmth, beauty and dramatic effectivenessan exquisitely wrought jewel of hebrew narrative art. The book of ruth is dated almost to the period of the judges and is a story of romance, redemption, and loyalty.