Book of Ruth Beginning

Ruth 1:1 "Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."

The Book of Ruth is a love story but more. We know from past studies that Boaz, the soon to be husband of Ruth was the great-grandson of Rahab, the harlot who saved the two spies.

Satan knows there is a plan to redeem mankind because it was promised by God. Israel is to be the instrument used to produce this salvation. I believe that this man went down to Moab to protect the bloodline of the Messiah from the efforts of the evil one to destory it.

We know from our study of Judges that this period was a bloody time in Israel. Scholars say that Ruth falls in the first part of Judges.

The immediate reason for the family's departure was the famine in the area where they lived. It was probably a man made famine since the invaders came in when the crops were young and trampled them with their camels.

Judges 6:5 "For they came up with their cattle and their tents and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number and they entered into the land to destroy it."

So, under these conditions Elimelech took Naomi to Moab. Moab was the son of Lot. Moab was across the river Jordan, east of Canaan.

Bethlehem-judah - house of bread and praise
Elimelech - my God is king
Naomi - Pleasant
Mahlon - sick
Chilion - Pining
Oprah - Hind or Fawn
Ruth - Friendship or Beauty

v3-5 "And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

So we will say that the book of Ruth covers about ten years in Moab plus those spent when Naomi returned to Canaan. The year is 1322 BC.

Proverbs 1:24 "Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;"

keywords: Bible study, Old Testament, Ruth, Naomi, Israel, Moab, Boaz "Whether thou goest, I will Go",Milton Southerland