The book Ruth is like the Huckleberry Finn of the Bible. Huck can be read and enjoyed by fourth graders, middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students. But it's also the subject of deep discussions in university halls and by literary critics. Each group of readers gains a deeper appreciation of the book as they mature. They begin to see the deeper themes and symbolism wrapped in a seemingly simple story.
That's the way it is with Ruth.
With just four short chapters, it's easy to give it a cursory read, and come away satisfied by a story of God's provision in hard times. My Sunday school boys appreciated the story of the "hot foreign chick" loyally returning to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, leaving behind a life of idol worship.
This summer I read, The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules by Carolyn Custis James, and it gave me a greater appreciation for the depth of the story. (I recommend it.) The greatest challenge readers face when studying the book Ruth is understanding the ancient Near Eastern customs described. However, if history is not your thing, here are a few ideas on how to approach this little book.
Choose an individual – Naomi, Ruth or Boaz – and follow the story from his or her perspective.
Some questions to consider:
- How does God care for His people?
- How does God make a place for outsiders/ foreigners? For widows? How then should we as believers care for them?
- What is redemption and how does Boaz portray Christ's redemption?
- What types of love are manifested?
- BONUS: How is Ruth a Proverbs 31 wife?
How about you? What have you learned from the book of Ruth?
Paula Wiseman says
Thanks for your comment and you’ll have to come back and share your insights 🙂
Theaterchik says
Huh. Ruth as the Huck Finn of the Bible–that’s a really neat comparison. I never thought about it that way. I read it recently and I guess I didn’t go into it with the mindset of finding a new angle. But what you have here really makes me think about it all. God DID provide for Ruth and Naomi in the foreign land, but that’s probably because God “provides for the pilgrims” (that sounds Psalm-ish, am I getting warmer?).
Looking at Ruth with Proverbs 31 in mind sounds like a great idea. I may have to try that!
Excellent post!