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“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 Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.”
Ruth 1:1
The series
From Empty to Full
Intro to Ruth
Ruth 1:1
Author
Unknown author. Possibly Samuel
Estimated Timeline
This book was likely written shortly before or during David’s reign of Israel (1011–971 B.C.) since David is mentioned (4:17, 22) but not Solomon. Some Jewish scholars had originally grouped Ruth together with Judges.
Ruth covers about 11–12 year period, ten years in Moab, several months in Boaz’s field, one day in Bethlehem and one night at the threshing floor; and chapter 4 about one year in Bethlehem.
Location
Bethlehem was the house of bread and would eventually be known as the city of David.
Ruth bridges the gap from the time of the judges to the time of King David.
The period of the Judges was a time of widespread moral decay and unfaithfulness to God by His people.
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.Judges 21:25
The Israelites repeatedly fell into idolatry and disobedience during the time of the Judges, leading to cycles of oppression by foreign nations.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.Judges 2:11-12
52% of verses in Ruth are spoken dialog.
With narratives, we must ask:
1. What does this account tell us about God? 2. What does it tell us about the human condition? 3. What does it tell us of the world? 4. What does it tell us of the people of God and their collective relationship with Him? 5. What does it tell us of the individual believer’s life of faith? 6. How does it speak to the Gospel?
The Book of Ruth is a testimony to the blessing that comes to those who will live in faithful covenant relationship with God and to God’s providential hand upon the house of David.
HESED
Loyal love: It describes a steadfast, faithful love that persists even when undeserved.
Kindness and mercy: It encompasses acts of kindness, compassion, and mercy that go beyond what is expected.
Divine attribute: It is considered one of God’s key characteristics, often translated as “mercy”, “steadfast love” or “lovingkindness”.
Enduring commitment: Hesed implies a long-lasting, unwavering commitment within relationships.
Grace: It can convey the idea of unmerited favor or “grace” - giving something good that is undeserved.
Active love: Hesed is not just a feeling, but involves taking action to help those in need.
Human virtue: While primarily describing God’s love, hesed can also refer to human acts of loyalty and kindness.
Multifaceted: Hesed combines aspects of love, generosity, faithfulness, and kindness into a single concept.
Relational: It typically occurs within the context of established relationships, whether between humans or between God and humans.
Covenant faithfulness: Hesed is often associated with God’s covenant loyalty to His people.
Hesed represents a loyal, merciful love that acts for the good of others and remains faithful even when facing difficulty or unworthiness on the part of the recipient.
Hesed is deeply connected to God’s covenant relationship with Israel.
Hesed describes God’s covenant loyalty and faithfulness to Israel.
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.Exodus 34:6-7
Psalm 136 speaks of God’s hesed in caring for Israel in light of His covenant.
To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:Psalm 136:10-14
The prophets appeal to God’s hesed when calling Israel to return to covenant faithfulness.
And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.Hosea 2:19
Hesed describes the mutual loyalty and faithfulness expected in the covenant relationship. Israel is called to show hesed to God and others as part of keeping the covenant.
The Davidic covenant is described in terms of God’s enduring hesed to David and his line.
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.2 Samuel 7:15-16
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.Psalm 89:28
The understanding of God’s hesed runs throughout the entire Old Testament.
Exodus 34:6-7 - God describes himself as “abounding in hesed (goodness) and truth”
Psalm 136 - Repeats “His hesed (mercy) endures forever” in every verse
Ruth 1:8 - Naomi blesses Ruth and Orpah, saying “May the Lord show hesed (kindness) to you”
Psalm 23:6 - “Surely goodness and hesed (mercy) will follow me all the days of my life”
Lamentations 3:22-23, “It is of the LORD’s hesed (mercies) that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”
Micah 6:8 - “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the LORD require of thee, But to do justly, and to love hesed (mercy), And to walk humbly with thy God?”
Hosea 6:6 - “For I desire hesed (mercy) and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings”
Psalm 103:11 - “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his hesed (mercy) toward those who fear him”
Psalm 33:5 - “The earth is full of the hesed (goodness) of the Lord”
Psalm 36:7 - “How excellent is thy hesed (lovingkindness), O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.”
Hesed is found three times in the book of Ruth.
Twice in God’s relation to an individual.
And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.Ruth 1:8
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.Ruth 2:20
Once in Ruth’s kindness to Boaz.
And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.Ruth 3:10
The selflessness of hesed is on display in the book of Ruth.
No one in the book demands of God that he meet his/her needs, and no one demands specific miraculous divine intervention on his/her own behalf.
True covenant faith is expressed by concern for the welfare of others.
No one in the book prays for a resolution of their own crisis. In each case a person prays that God would bless someone else.
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 Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. Ruth 1:1
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