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The Book of Ruth
“A worthy woman who can find?”
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Book of Ruth in the Old Testament
Law (5)
History (12)
Wisdom (5)
Prophecy (17)
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1&2 Samuel
1&2 Kings
1&2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of
Solomon
Major Prophets
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Minor Prophets
Hosea, Joel,
Amos, Obadiah,
Jonah, Micah,
Nahum,
Habakkuk,
Zephaniah,
Haggai,
Zechariah,
Malachi
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Ruth Among the Twelve
• Joshua = the possession of a nation
• Judges and Ruth = the oppression of a nation
• 1 and 2 Samuel = the stabilization and
expansion of a nation
• 1 and 2 Kings = the glorification and
deterioration of a nation
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Ruth Among the Twelve
• 1 and 2 Chronicles = the preparation and
destruction of the temple
• Ezra = the reconstruction of the temple
• Nehemiah = the reconstruction of the city
• Esther = the protection of the people
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Ruth Among the Twelve
• The story of Ruth is a continuation of the story
of the Judges (Ruth 1:1)
• The story of …
– Decline through idolatry (Judges 17-18)
– Debasement through immorality (Judges 19-21)
– Devotion through fidelity (Ruth 1-4): light in the
midst of darkness; goodness in the midst of
adversity
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Time Period in OT History
Creation
The Flood
Patriarchs
Bondage in Egypt
Wilderness Wanderings
Conquest of Canaan
(1390 – 1090 B.C.) Period of the Judges (Judges – Ruth)
United Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
Captivity and Exile
Return and Restoration
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Book Background
• Title: “Ruth” is title of the book because Ruth’s
worthy character is the focus of the book
(3:11).
• Authorship: Anonymous. Jewish tradition
assigns the book to Samuel, but the author may
have lived after the death of Samuel and during
the reign of David (Ruth 4:17,22; 1 Sam. 25:1)
• Date: The story takes place during the time of
the Judges (Ruth 1:1)
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Book Background
• Audience: Israel in the land of Canaan under a
united monarchy (David) is reminded of how
individual faithfulness can exist in the midst of
national faithlessness (the time of the Judges).
• Time: The story of Ruth covers a period of
about 11 years (1:4; 1:22; 2:23; 4:13-16)
• Location: The book open with Ruth and Naomi
in Moab (Ruth 1). The book closes with Ruth
and Boaz in Bethlehem (Ruth 2-4).
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The Story of Ruth
Bethlehem
Naomi returns to
Bethlehem in Judah
with Ruth (1:6-22)
Naomi travels with
her family to Moab
(1:1-5).
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Keys to the Book
• Key word: “kinsman” (Heb. goel) = one who
redeems (2:1; 3:2,9,12,13; 4:1,3,6,8,14)
• Key theme: devoted love (1:16-17; 2:23; 3:5;
4:15)
• Key character: Ruth, a worthy woman (3:11)
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The Story of Ruth and Jesus Christ
• Boaz, as a kinsman-redeemer, is parallel to the
work of Jesus Christ (3:11-13; 4:9-10; see chart)
• Ruth is a part of the genealogy of Christ
(4:18-22; Mt. 1:3-6)
• Bethlehem-Ephrathah would be a new
beginning for Ruth (4:11) and for Jesus Christ
(Mic. 5:2; Mt. 2:1)
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Jesus Christ Our Kinsman-Redeemer
Kinsman-Redeemer
( Redemption from Adversity )
1. Must redeem those who
are in need (Ruth 4:1-6,15)
2. Must be a blood relative
(Ruth 2:1; Deut. 25:5-10)
3. Must be able to pay the
redemption price (Ruth 2:1)
4. Must be willing to redeem
the lost (3:11-13; 4:7-10)
5. Must be free to redeem
(Ruth 2:1; 4:7-10)
Jesus Christ Our Redeemer
( Redemption from Sin )
Came to redeem mankind
from sin (Mt. 1:21; Lk. 19:10)
Became a man (Jn. 1:14;
Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 2:14-15)
Paid the price of blood
(Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
Was willing to die (Mt. 20:28;
Jn. 10:15; Heb. 10:7,10)
Was free from the guilt of sin
(2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22,24)
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Ruth: A Story of Devoted Love
Ruth 4:15
Reference
Ruth 1
Ruth 2
Ruth 3
Ruth 4
Location
Moab
Field of B.
Thr. Floor
City Gate
Role
Daughter
Gleaner
Petitioner
Mother
Action
Deciding
Serving
Resting
Waiting
Love
Resolve
Response
Request
Reward
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Outline of the Book
• Sacrificial Love Demonstrated (Ruth 1-2)
– Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi (1:1-22)
(Death of a family)
– Ruth’s devotion to care for Naomi (2:1-23)
• Sacrificial Love Rewarded (Ruth 3-4)
– Ruth’s request for redemption by Boaz (3:1-18)
– Ruth’s reward of redemption from Boaz (4:1-22)
(Birth of a family)
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Ruth 1
Lessons for Today
• Like Ruth, we need to be lights shining in the midst of
darkness. Ruth is an example of individual faithfulness
in a time national faithlessness (1:1; Phil. 2:15).
• Bad times can often bring out the best in people
(1:1; Rom. 5:3-4; Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-7).
• When hardships enter our life we must continue to
rely upon the Lord (1:1-5; Phil. 4:19; Heb. 13:5;
1 Pet. 5:7).
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Ruth 1
Lessons for Today
• The Lord deals kindly with his people (1:6-9; Mt. 5:45;
Acts 14:17; Jas. 1:17).
• The one true God needs to be our God (1:16;
Acts 17:23-24; Eph. 4:4-6).
• “Generations gaps” need not occur between the
young and old (1:16-17; 1 Tim. 5:1-2; 1 Pet. 5:5).
• We must remain faithful to the Lord regardless of the
circumstances he gives us (1:19-21; Job 1:20-22;
2:7-10; Heb. 12:7-13).
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Ruth 2
Lessons for Today
• Employers and employees who serve the Lord make
good businesses (2:4; Eph. 6:5-9).
• A good reputation is the best kind of introduction
(2:11; Mt. 5:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:12).
• We learn to show kindness after receiving kindness
(2:18; Mt. 5:7; 6:14).
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Ruth 2
Lessons for Today
• The Lord blesses his people, rewards his people,
protects his people, and shows kindness to his people
(2:4,12,20; Gen. 15:1; Psa. 34:7; Prov. 30:5;
Rom. 8:28).
• Steadfast commitment, faith, love, loyalty, selfsacrifice, and hard work are all qualities that are much
needed today (1:16-18; 2:2,11,23; Mt. 6:33;
1 Cor. 15:58; Gal. 6:9; Rev. 2:10).
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Ruth 3
Lessons for Today
• A good name (reputation) is better than great riches
(3:10-11; Prov. 22:1).
• A worthy woman who can find? Her price is far above
rubies (3:11; Prov. 31:10ff). A woman’s inward
character is more impressive to a godly man than
outward beauty (3:11; 1 Tim. 2:9-10; 1 Pet. 3:1-6).
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Ruth 3
Lessons for Today
• Steadfast commitment, faith, love, loyalty, selfsacrifice, and hard work are all qualities that are much
needed today (3:5,10-11; 4:15; Mt. 6:33; 1 Cor. 15:58;
Gal. 6:9; Rev. 2:10).
• Men of character are much needed today in the world
and in the Lord’s church (3:10-18; 4:9-10; 1 Tim. 2:8;
3:1-13; 4:12; Tit. 1:5-9; 2:2,6-8).
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Ruth 4
Lessons for Today
• We must not be slothful to carry out God’s law and to
do what is right (4:1,9; Rom. 12:11).
• The Lord deals kindly with his people (4:11,14;
Mt. 5:45; Acts 14:17; Jas. 1:17).
• Men and women who seem unimportant by the
world’s standards can play an important role in God’s
plan (4:11-12,18-22; Mt. 1:3-6, 18-25).
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Chemosh – Lord of Moab
Chemosh was the national deity of the Moabites whose name most likely meant
"destroyer," "subduer," or "fish god." While he is most readily associated with the
Moabites, according to Judges 11:24 he seems to have been the national deity of
the Ammonites as well. His presence in the Old Testament world was well known,
as his cult was imported to Jerusalem by King Solomon (1 Kings 11:7). The Hebrew
scorn for his worship was evident in a curse from the scriptures: "the abomination
of Moab." King Josiah destroyed the Israelite branch of the cult (2 Kings 23).
Information on Chemosh is scarce, although archaeology and text can render a
clearer picture of the deity. In 1868, an archaeological find at Dibon provided
scholars with more clues to the nature of Chemosh. The find, known as the
Moabite Stone or Mesha Stele, was a monument bearing an inscription
commemorating the c. 860 B.C. endeavors of King Mesha to overthrow the Israelite
dominion of Moab. The vassalage had existed since the reign of David (2 Samuel
8:2), but the Moabites revolted upon the death of Ahab. Consequently, the
Moabite Stone contains the oldest existing inscription of a Semitic
alphabet. Mesha, by way of textual example, attributes his victory over the
Israelites and their god to Chemosh stating "And Chemosh drove him before my
sight." (2 Kings 3:5) Source: www.ancienthistory.about.com
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The Moabite Stone
The Moabite Stone is a priceless source of information concerning
Chemosh. Within the text the inscriber mentions Chemosh twelve times. He also
names Mesha as the son of Chemosh. Mesha made it clear that he understood
Chemosh's anger and the reason he allowed the Moabites to fall under the rule of
Israel. The high place on which Mesha oriented the stone was dedicated to
Chemosh as well. In summary, Mesha realized that Chemosh waited to restore
Moab in his day, for which Mesha was grateful to Chemosh. Chemosh seems to
have also had a taste for blood. In 2 Kings 3:27 we find that human sacrifice was
part of the rites of Chemosh. This practice, while gruesome, was certainly not
unique to the Moabites, as such rites were commonplace in the various Canaanite
religious cults, including those of the Baals and of Moloch. Mythologists and other
scholars suggest that such activity may be due to the fact the Chemosh and other
Canaanite gods such as the Baals, Moloch, Thammuz, and Baalzebub were all
personifications of the sun, or of the sun's rays. They represented the fierce,
inescapable, and often consuming heat of the summer sun (a necessary but deadly
element in life; analogs may be found in Aztec sun worship). Source:
www.ancienthistory.about.com
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The Moabite Stone
Photo by Chris Reeves * 05.03.10 * The Louvre, Paris
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