What does the Bible say?

Questions to help you grow in your familiarity with the Book of Ruth

The Book of Ruth is an oddity amongst the scriptures and we can wonder why it was included in the
scriptures at all. Traditionally the writing is attributed to the Prophet Samuel. There is no mention of the
spiritual rulers of the day, no mention of Jerusalem or the struggles of Israel as a nation, nothing of the
coming Messiah, no prophetic revelation at all. But God has a purpose for the account. Possibly it’s
included because Ruth was a woman of very noble character yet she came from a pagan nation that was
continually at odds with Israel, see Deut 2:3-4. However, an Israelite could learn much from this “pagan”
woman. Ruth is in the direct lineage of Jesus the Messiah and we see the promise of Isaiah 56:6-7 applied
in her life it seems.
This account takes place during days of the Judges, a 400 year time period when the Israelites were not
ruled by kings; often everyone did what was right in their own eyes, Judges 17:6. They were often
oppressed by the Philistines and the other nations around them but God would periodically raise up
deliverers that He would use to rally the people and drive out their oppressors, for awhile anyway.

As was often the case when Israel was not acting in obedience, there was a famine in the land (Deut
11:13-17) and the Israelites would go to the world rather than returning to the Lord, often Egypt, but in
this case Moab, and this is where the story begins.

Day One
Read Ruth chapter 1
At times when things just aren’t working out they way you’d hope do you find yourself turning to the
world for relief as Elimelech did? To compound the problem the sons born to Elimelech married Moabite
women when they were commanded not to marry foreign women (Ezra 9:12).

1. a. Have you found that you have made similar choices in your own life? Did the Lord intervene
on your behalf?

b. Looking back, what should you have done? See Pro 3:5-7 and James 1:5.

After the death of her sons Naomi and her daughters in Law were in a desperate situation. With no
income and no one to protect them Naomi decided to return to Judah for she had heard the Lord had
blessed the land once again.

2. Her daughters in law were good hearted women, but Ruth even more so, and her sincere love
for her mother in law kept her close. We see Ruth taking a step of faith in verse 16. What was
Ruth’s commitment?

3. How does Ruth’s declaration in verse 16 speak to the witness Naomi presented by her way of
life? See Mt 5:16, Acts 9:36, Phil 2:14-15.
 What does the Bible say? Questions to help you grow in your familiarity with the Book of Ruth

4. Naomi, like Job, had gone through some tough circumstances and reacted in a reasonably
normal fashion. What did she say and who did she blame for her fate in verses 19-21? See Job
27:2 and 30:19-22.

5. What did Job know about times and circumstances that Naomi could have well learned a lesson
from? See Job 19:25-26, Ps 119:75, Rev 3:19, Deut 29:23-29.

6. What else do we learn about the chastening of the Lord in Luke 15:10, 14-18, 21-24, 32?

Day Two
Read Ruth chapter 2

“A kinsman (KJV): This introduces an important word in the book of Ruth - the ancient
Hebrew word goel. To say that Boaz was a goel (a kinsman) was more than saying he was a
relative; it was saying that he was a special family representative. He was a chieftain in the
family.”(BLB)
Again we see the character of Ruth; she looks for a way to provide for her Mother in Law and
herself. Rather than having a pity party she goes to work and seeks the Lord’s blessing in it.

1. a. It appears that Boaz too was well regarded. How is he introduced to this account in verses 3
and 4?

b. How does this speak to the employee employer relationships that may exist today? See Col 4:1
and Luke 6:31.

2. Ruth’s good reputation and hard work were rewarded. How does the Lord bless her labor
through Boaz in verses 5-11?

3. a. Boaz knew who had blessed him abundantly. How do we see Boaz exalting and giving God
the glory in verse 12?
 What does the Bible say? Questions to help you grow in your familiarity with the Book of Ruth

b. As a foreigner, how was Ruth able to receive the blessing of the Lord? See Ps 141:8 and 142:5
4. Ruth found special favor in the eyes of Boaz. What else did he do for her in verses 14-16?

5. Ruth provided for her Mother in Law with what she gleaned and saved for her. What does this
say of the Lord’s blessings to those who seek Him, serve and provide for others, and glorify Him
in their godly character? See Phil 4:19 and Luke 6:38.

Day Three
Read Ruth chapter 3

In this next chapter we see that Naomi seeks to provide for her daughter in law and suggests a plan in
verses 1-4. It doesn’t suggest that Naomi sought the Lord out in this plan, but it is rooted in the provision
of the Lord for young widows.

1. Read Deut 25:5-10 and Mt 22:24. What was Naomi’s plan designed to appeal to and what was
Boaz’s obligation?

The goel - sometimes translated kinsman-redeemer - had a specifically defined role in Israel's family
life.
- The kinsman-redeemer was responsible to buy a fellow Israelite out of slavery (Leviticus 25:48).
- He was responsible to be the "avenger of blood" to make sure the murderer of a family member
answered to the crime (Numbers 35:19).
- He was responsible to buy back family land that had been forfeited (Leviticus 25:25).
- He was responsible to carry on the family name by marrying a childless widow (Deuteronomy 25:5-
10).( Guzik)

2. Ruth faithfully carries out Naomi’s instructions. What was the result? Why was Boaz
particularly pleased with Ruth? See verses 6-10.

“Since Boaz had been there to protect against thieves, it must have given him quite a shock to wake up
and know someone was there. But his shock quickly turned to wondering when he found out the visitor
was a woman.”

This whole arrangement seems odd and restrictive compared to our modern western culture and our way
of developing marriage relationships.
 What does the Bible say? Questions to help you grow in your familiarity with the Book of Ruth

3. a. What do you see as advantages and disadvantages to the way they did things and the way we
do?

b. Which would you prefer and why?

4. The account does not describe what Ruth looked like but one thing that did attract Boaz to Ruth
can be found in verse 11. What does it say about her? Use a concordance and/or bible dictionary
to expand your understanding.

5. What does the Bible have to say about the benefits of a good reputation? See Pro 22:1, Ecc 7:1,
1Pet 2:12 and Acts 10:22.

Day Four
Read Ruth chapter 4

Again, the duty of the goel - the kinsman-redeemer - was to protect the persons, property, and
posterity of the larger family - and all of these duties went together. The duty to preserve the family name
of his brother in Israel was just as important as to keep land allotted to members of the clan within the
clan. We see initially that Boaz mentions the opportunity and responsibility to redeem the land in verses
3-4 of chapter 4.

1. What other part of the deal did Boaz spring on this other closer kinsman redeemer in verse 5,
how did he respond and why?

We see the culmination of Naomi, Ruth’s and Boaz’s desires in verses 9-10 as Boaz is able to redeem
the land and have Ruth as his bride.

2. How was Boaz blessed by the witnesses and the Lord in verses 11-13?
 What does the Bible say? Questions to help you grow in your familiarity with the Book of Ruth

3. What declaration was made concerning Naomi and how was she blessed as she was faithful to
return to the Promised Land in verses 14-16?

The remainder of the chapter is completed by a short genealogy tying Ruth to David and ultimately our
Lord Jesus.

4. Why is it significant that Naomi’s return and this entire story take place around Bethlehem? See
Luke 2:1-5 and Micah 5:2.

Day Five
There is an underlying imagery throughout the book of Ruth that reflects our relationship and the
Lord’s. Boaz is what is referred to as a “type” of the Lord Jesus. This imagery often is used to
demonstrate a similarity of one relationship to another relationship that has similar circumstances to
reveal certain truths.

1. The kinsman-redeemer had to be a family member; how did Jesus add fulfill this requirement?
See Mt 1:24 and John 1:14.

2. The kinsman-redeemer had the duty of buying family members out of slavery; Jesus redeemed
us from slavery to sin and death. How did Jesus accomplish this requirement? See Luke 1:67-69,
1Pet 1:18-19 and Heb 10:12-14.

3. The kinsman-redeemer had the duty of buying back land that had been forfeited; how did Jesus
redeem the earth that mankind "sold" over to Satan. See Mt 4:8-9, Jn 3:16-17, Isa 65:17, 2Pet
3:13 and Rev 21:1.

4. Boaz was not motivated by love for Ruth. How is Jesus’ love for us reveled in scripture? See
Gal 2:20 and Eph 2:4-6.
 What does the Bible say? Questions to help you grow in your familiarity with the Book of Ruth

5. Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, took her as his bride; Jesus has redeemed to Himself in a
like manner. See Ephesians 5:31-32 and Revelation 21:9. What is the church?

“But it all comes back to the idea of Jesus as our kinsman-redeemer; this is why He became a man. God
might have sent an angel to save us, but the angel would not have been our kinsman. Jesus, in His eternal
glory, without the addition of humanity to His divine nature might have saved us, but He would not have
been our kinsman. A great prophet or priest would be our kinsman, but his own sin would have
disqualified him as our redeemer. Only Jesus, the eternal God who added humanity to His eternal deity,
can be both the kinsman and the redeemer for mankind! (BLB-Guzik)
Isaiah 54:4-8 describes the beautiful ministry of the LORD as our goel - our kinsman-redeemer: Do not
fear, for you will not be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame … your [Kinsman] Redeemer is the
Holy One of Israel … For the LORD has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit … with
everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the LORD, your [Kinsman] Redeemer”.