Introduction to Ruth
The Book of Ruth stands as a beautiful masterpiece of divine providence, set against the dark and chaotic backdrop of the period of the Judges—a time roughly spanning from 1375 B.C. to 1050 B.C. While the human author is not explicitly named in the text, ancient Jewish tradition often attributes the record to the prophet Samuel, likely written during the early years of King David’s reign to establish the legitimacy of the Davidic line.
The narrative begins during a period of national spiritual decline and famine. Elimelech fled Bethlehem for Moab, but this move led to tragedy. After the death of her husband and sons, Naomi determined to return to the land of Israel. Recognizing the hardship ahead, she pleaded with Ruth to stay in Moab, honestly confessing she had nothing left to offer—no more sons to provide security or a future.
Despite this, Ruth’s faith was unshakable. She clung to Naomi and uttered the famous words:
“Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)
When Ruth and Naomi finally arrived in Bethlehem, they entered a society where their prospects were incredibly bleak. In the culture of that day, a woman’s security, legal standing, and economic survival were almost entirely tied to the men in her family. As two widows—one elderly and the other a foreign immigrant—they were among the most vulnerable members of society, possessing no land of their own and no male protector to advocate for them. Their immediate reality was one of extreme poverty, leaving them with little choice but to rely on the charity of others, such as the law that allowed the poor to glean the leftover grain from the fields.
It was into this state of desperation that the story introduces Boaz, a wealthy and godly relative. His appearance in the narrative is the first glimmer of hope for the two women, as he represented the possibility of a “Kinsman-Redeemer” (the Goel). To understand the significance of his actions, one must look at the specific requirements of this role as established in the Law. A Kinsman-Redeemer was a male relative who had the privilege and responsibility to act on behalf of a family member in need, carrying three primary obligations:
- Redemption of Land: To buy back property that a relative had been forced to sell due to poverty, keeping the inheritance within the family.
- Redemption of Persons: To buy back a family member who had sold themselves into slavery.
- The Levirate Provision: To marry the widow of a deceased relative to provide her with an heir, ensuring the family name and lineage continued.
The narrative reveals that while Boaz was a near kinsman with the financial means and a willing heart, there was another relative who stood even closer in line. At the city gate, Boaz presented the opportunity for redemption to this unnamed man. Initially, the closer relative was interested in purchasing the land to add to his own estate. However, when Boaz clarified that the redemption also required marrying Ruth to raise up an heir for the deceased, the man withdrew. He feared that supporting a second family and eventually passing the land to Ruth’s son would “mar” or jeopardize his own children’s inheritance.
Because the closer relative was unwilling, Boaz was free to step forward. He was not legally forced to act, but he chose to do so out of a deep sense of grace and devotion. While the land technically belonged to Naomi’s family, she was past the age of childbearing and could not provide the necessary heir to carry on the family name. Therefore, the focus of the redemption shifted to Ruth, the widow of Naomi’s son.
By marrying Ruth, Boaz ensured that the firstborn son of their union would legally be considered the heir of the deceased Mahlon. This meant the land Boaz purchased would eventually pass to that son, preserving the family’s name and property in Israel. Boaz’s sacrificial commitment to marry the young Moabite widow—rather than simply providing for Naomi—demonstrated a complete restoration of the family line, a line that would eventually lead to the birth of the Messiah.
Ruth’s story serves as a powerful illustration of how God works through history. It shows that God’s plan of salvation has always been large enough to include those from outside the immediate family of Israel who come to Him by faith. Boaz serves as a “type” or a shadow of Jesus—the One who is our near kinsman, who is able to pay the price we cannot pay, and who redeems us into a new inheritance.
In the Book of Ruth, we see that even in times of national spiritual decline, God is meticulously arranging the lineage of the Savior, ensuring that the promise made in the beginning would be fulfilled in the person of Jesus.