The Story of Ruth
The story of Ruth is a Biblical account that chronicles the life of a Moabitess woman who eventually became the great-grandmother of King David. It is a tale of God’s covenant faithfulness and human covenant faithfulness in the midst of disaster and hardship, and it also represents an important part of the overall storyline that unifies all of the Bible.
The book of Ruth begins in Judah, where a man named Elimelech had moved with his wife and two sons to escape famine. The famine was caused by drought and crop failure, and it was difficult for people to survive in the area.
In Israel, it was customary for a man to travel to his family’s ancestral home when they were in need of food and protection. Elimelech was from Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah, so he went to his home in Moab. But, unfortunately, his wife and sons died, and now Ruth was left to care for her mother-in-law.
Her decision to leave her home and go with Naomi to Judah, was not easy, but she knew it was the only way for her to have a new family of her own. She knew that she would lose her last connection to her husband and her home, but she also believed that God had chosen her for a special purpose in this moment.
When she arrives in Judah, she meets a man named Boaz who is a kinsman redeemer, a male relative who could take action on behalf of another family member. When he heard of Ruth’s plight, he offered her his hospitality and generosity in return for her help.
God honors Ruth’s devotion and her boldness by allowing her to marry Boaz, who becomes her kinsman-redeemer. It is through her marriage to Boaz that God rewarded her with not only a new husband but also a son (Obed) and a grandson (Jesse), and a great-grandson (David).
Boaz was a man of integrity, a close relative who had the responsibility to protect Ruth’s rights. He took her in, made sure she was safe and well fed, and even went to the extent of sacrificing his own resources to provide for her.
Ruth’s actions show the strength of her love for Naomi and the faith she had in God. She did everything that Naomi asked of her and lived out God’s law in a way that was culturally honorable but not scandalous.
In addition, she made a vow to obey her mother-in-law, and she didn’t back down from her commitment. In the end, she became a faithful and loving wife to Boaz and was able to have children and grandchildren of her own.
We are all called to live lives of character and integrity. If we are not, we will soon find ourselves slipping into the same traps that Ruth faced. We must be careful not to allow our own opinions and biases to cloud our decisions, whether they are small or big. Instead, we must ask God to guide us and to give us wisdom.
