This Bible study is based on the story of Ruth found in Scripture, and it is appropriate for teens and adults. In all of my Bible studies, I challenge the student of His Word to dig deeper into the Word, to take it literally, and to apply its lessons to our lives.
During the dark days of the Judges, we find a beautiful little story sandwiched between Judges and I Samuel: the story of Ruth. It is a redemption story of a woman who was caught in the pagan society of the Moabites and who found faith in Yahweh, the God of the Israelites through Elimelech and Naomi. When all the men in the family died, and Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem, Ruth makes the difficult choice to go with her.
When they arrive, Naomi becomes the “ten-day wonder,” but this attention quickly fades, and the two women are left alone, facing loneliness, deprivation, and starvation in the winter months to come. Ruth offers to glean in the fields, and by God’s mercy, she comes to the field of Boaz.
Boaz becomes the “kinsman redeemer” to Naomi and Ruth, and in that role, he provides protection, care, and love to them, and he becomes a type of Christ’s redeeming love for us on the cross.
The story ends with Ruth becoming the mother of Obed who became the grandfather of the great king, David. This far exceeded anything Ruth could have imagined, and provides an example of Eph. 3:20, “Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we can ask or think.”
Ruth’s loyalty, love, and faithfulness to her mother-in-law, Naomi, form the foundation for the story of God’s grace. We can learn lessons for our own lives in the 21st century from this story, and as we apply the Word to our daily walk, we can grow in Him through the study of His Word.
