We are now looking at the top ten characters in the Old Testament. The “top ten” has been modified to include 5 men and 5 women and not include any that then been looked at recently. At number 2 is Ruth.
It has been described as one of the most attractive tales in literature. It is found in the book of Ruth. Once again it takes only a few minutes to read the four chapters.
Ruth a summary
The Book of Ruth relates that Ruth and Orpah, two women of Moab, had married two sons of Elimelech and Naomi, Judeans who had settled in Moab to escape a famine in Judah. The husbands of all three women die; Naomi plans to return to her native Bethlehem and urges her daughters-in-law to return to their families. Orpah does so, but Ruth refuses to leave Naomi, declaring, “Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die—there will I be buried.” Ruth accompanies Naomi to Bethlehem and later marries Boaz, a distant relative of her late father-in-law. She is a symbol of abiding loyalty and devotion.
Ruth shows how God is at work in the day to day activities of average people. All the characters face life’s normal challenges (death, moving, lack of financial resources, family responsibilities, etc.) and find God is weaving a story of redemption out of all the details.
Ruth was from Moab, an outsider but she became the grandmother of King David.
Boaz is a man of character, principle, and responsibility, he cares for the poor and the mistreated.
Naomi has had many troubles but God looks out for her.