Ruth in 2min

Connecting Ruth to the Big Picture of the Bible

To understand the book of Ruth in 2 minutes, let's place it within the big picture of the Bible. The Bible reveals God's plan to rescue humanity through Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, we see why this rescue is necessary because that's where the problem arises, the separation between God and man. And in the historical books, we see that this separation from God leads to destruction.

The Key Ideas of Ruth

The book of Ruth takes place at the beginning of the historical books. It shows that God also invites outsiders and that he carries out his rescue plan even in suffering. The book of Ruth opens with a famine which causes a Jewish family to leave their homeland. Unfortunately, their hardships don't end there. The father and his two sons die. Naomi, the mother, is left behind with her two daughters-in-law. Everything seems lost.

Yet, God has not forgotten them. He begins to act through their misery, hidden, but with a clear goal. Naomi sets out to return to her homeland, Israel. Ruth, her daughter-in-law, chooses to go with her. She leaves her old life behind and stays faithful to Naomi. Even though, as a widow and foreigner, she has no real guarantee of a secure future. Yet, this is where new life starts. Like a tiny seed sprouting in dry ground.

Once in Israel, Ruth gathers grain in the fields to provide for herself and Naomi, and she ends up in the field of Boaz, a wealthy man who turns out to be a relative of Naomi. Boaz acts according to the old law and takes Ruth under his protection. He takes care of her and eventually marries her. In this way, he shows something greater, a strong, gracious savior who intervenes at the right time.

Summary + Application to Christ

This makes him a picture of Jesus Christ, the true savior. But the story doesn't end here. Boaz and Ruth have a son, Oed, the grandfather of King David and the ancestor of the promised king, Jesus Christ. And so Ruth, a foreigner, becomes part of Jesus's family tree. So the book of Ruth shows that God also invites outsiders and that he carries out his rescue plan even in suffering.

Action Steps

Go ahead, take a look at the book of Ruth and discover how the Savior God can turn hardship into hope.