The Book of Ruth is extrememly different than the Book of Judges. There is not more blood and guts; instead there is love, romance and a picture of the faithfulness and love of the Lord. In chapter 1, the story begins with a famine and this Israelite family moves to Moab for food but in the meantime while in Moab the father of the family dies along with the two grown sons leaving three widows. Naomi, the mother of the family, encourages her daughter-in-laws to stay behind in Moab and one does but the other reveals a deep love and commitment for Naomi. So deep of a love that when Naomi sees it that she simply says nothing but allows her to come with her. Ruth has entered the scene of this grand story. This commitment to Naomi had to have been a great encouragement as Naomi goes back to Bethlehem she is not traveling alone but has someone who is bearing the burden of life with her.
In Chapter 2, there are to "chance happenings" that happen within the first five verses: first, Ruth goes out to get grain for her and Naomi and she happens to come across the field of Boaz, a strapping - good looking fella who is related to her in such a way that he would be a possible legal Kinsman redeemer, or in other words a future mate and second Boaz "happened" to see Ruth and she evidently thought she was a knock out. Boaz saw not simply her outward beauty but her inward beauty as he understood the way that she had treated her mother-in-law Naomi and he made sure that he took "extra" care of her in the field.
In Ruth 3-4, we see that Naomi turns into eharmony as she tells Ruth where to go in order to come into contact with Boaz and she gives specific direction in how to reveal her interets in Boaz. Boaz communicated his interest in Ruth and the need in going after a kinsman redeemer that is closer in relation to Ruth than what he is to make sure that he could redeem, marry, Ruth without being against the law. Boaz goes to the kinsman redeemer that is closer than he but the kinsman redeemer finds out that the price is too high to pay. Boaz thereby is able to pay the price for Ruth and they end the story getting married with God blessing them with children. I notice that the book starts with famine and death but it ends with a marriage and the blessing of children
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