Ruth: Interlude of Love
Ruth 1-4

Heart of the Passage: Ruth 1, 4

Duty makes us do things, but love makes us do things beautifully.

Overview

The book of Ruth provides a beautiful “interlude of love” in the period of the judges in Israel — an era marked by immorality, idolatry, and war. This heartwarming account of devotion and faithfulness tells the story of Ruth, a Moabite widow who leaves her homeland to live with her widowed Jewish mother-in-law in Bethlehem. God honors her commitment by guiding her to the field of Boaz (a near kinsman), where she gathers grain and eventually finds a husband! The book closes with a brief genealogy in which Boaz's name is prominent as the great-grandfather of King David, and an ancestor of Jesus.

Ruth and Naomi

• Ruth's Resolve: “I Will Go” (Ruth 1)
• Ruth's Response: “Let Me Glean” (Ruth 2)

Ruth and Boaz

• Ruth's Request: “Redeem Me” (Ruth 3)
• Ruth's Reward: “A Son... Obed” (Ruth 4)

Your Daily Walk

Love is a many-splendored thing.

Love makes the world go around.

Love... (How many more ways can you think of to complete the sentence?)

Love is difficult to define because it is a quality of life more readily demonstrated than described. Ruth demonstrated the true character of love when she willingly and steadfastly pledged her allegiance and devotion to Naomi. Clearly, by traveling to a foreign country she had more to lose than gain. She was still young and easily could have remarried someone of her own nationality. But her primary concern was not for her own well-being, but rather for the well-being of Naomi. Ruth exemplifies sacrificial love — the kind that Christ portrayed when He “[gave] his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

How can you give of yourself sacrificially to someone around you — your spouse, roommate, employer, neighbor, or friend? Jot down a name in the margin, a specific act of selfless love you can do for that person, and the date when you will do it. Don't let your love be “Ruthless,” or it will soon become useless (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Insight: Ruth and Esther — Alike and Yet So Different

Ruth and Esther are the only two books in the Bible named after women. Ruth, a Gentile, lived among Hebrews and married a Hebrew. Esther, a Hebrew, lived among Gentiles and married a Gentile. However, both women were greatly used by God to bring glory to Him.