The author of the book of Ruth:
It came in the ‘Telmud’ that the prophet Samuel is the author of this book, which includes the story of a Moabite girl who got married to an Israeli, and was so attached to his God, that when her husband died she insisted on returning together with her mother‐ in‐law to Judah to live in Bethlehem, to worship, and to spend the rest of her life under the wings of the living God.
We know that ‘Moab’ means (from the father); as he came the fruit of a sinful relationship between ‘Lot’ – while drunk – and his older daughter (Genesis 19: 37). According to St. Jerome, therefore, the word ‘Moab’ refers to the devil, and to those who are away from, and do not think in God their heavenly Father. The Moabites bore a great animosity against Israel. But in the midst of this dark portrait, there was the Moabite ‘Ruth, who, by faith, could set forth from the bondage of the pagan worship to return to her living God.
+ According to some scholars, the book of Ruth was written in the days of the latter kings, probably after the captivity; even though its language reveals that it was written before the captivity.
+ The old custom in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging; in which, man would take off his sandal and give it to the other, as a sign of confirmation, has, for a long time ceased to exist (4: 7), But, according to ‘Raven’, explaining that custom was necessary, on account of that, forsaking it for fifty years would be long enough to forget all about it by the current generation.
+ The story of ‘Ruth’ most probably happened in the era of the judges; the famine mentioned here happened in the days of ‘Gideon’ (Judges 6: 1‐6, 11); and according to the historian ‘Josephus’, Ruth lived in the days of ‘Eli’ the priest.
+ According to some, this story was written to make the friendship between David and the king of Moab (1 Samuel 22: 3‐4) stronger, to show that David’s grandmother was a Moabite.
The importance and features of the book of Ruth:
+ In the minds of the Jews, this book was bound to the feast of the harvest (the Pentecost); and was read during that feast; on account of that Ruth was shown gleaning heads of grain after the reapers to sustain her and her mother‐in‐law.
It was truly the book of the harvest; for in it was proclaimed the entrance of the Gentiles into faith in the person of ‘Ruth’, who, seeking the fallen heads of grain, was found worthy to bear among her descendants the Lord Christ “the true Head of Grain of life”; and to provide, not only her mother‐in‐law but every soul, with the secret of the true satisfaction.
According to St. Ephraim the Syrian, praising the infant of the manger, said: [For the sake of her love for You, she (Ruth) went gleaning and gathering the fallen heads of grain; and as a full reward for her humility, she became the mother of kings; and instead of the heads of grain, she got the ‘Head of life’ to come out of her].
+ Owing to the exalted rank reached by ‘Ruth’, this is the only book named after a Gentile woman in the Holy Book. Even though the prophetess Deborah played a role by which she surpassed men, namely, overcoming king Sisera; and even though queen Esther who was married to a Gentile king saved the lives of her people; and so did Judith with a similar role; and even though Tamar sacrificed her honor, and risked her life to have a heir of her dead husband; Yet it was ‘Ruth’, a Gentile, who took by force a great portion for herself in the people of God, by having among her descendants the Savior Messiah, something strongly desired by all believing women in Israel; and by being counted, as well, a symbol of the church of the Gentiles, the bride of Christ who came from Moab to Bethlehem.
+ The genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1: 5) included her name, and revealed to us that her blood – a Gentile – ran in the veins of the Savior of the world.
+ During the era of judges the Jews have generally perverted to paganism with great persistence; but this book proclaims that God still had remnants even among the Gentiles who held fast to faith in Him, without any wish for earthly reward nor for an evil carnal desire.
+ This book presented to us the “secret of true satisfaction” for the human soul through her unity with her Groom – the true Boaz ‐‐. The words (a relative, a close relative) were repeated, being the book of the genealogy of the Lord Christ to humanity as a whole, Jews and Gentiles.
+ This book came to bind between the exalted life of faith, proclaimed in Ruth, and the gentle social behavior, shown in the superb spiritual ways of address between individuals, as that of Naomi to her daughter‐in‐law, of Ruth to Boaz, and of Boaz to the reapers in his field .
+ This book included certain traditions and customs of the Jews.
+ This book revealed the living ecclesiastical way of behavior of the members of the church. Ruth – a Gentile widow who had no possessions nor talents, except for love, could reach an exalted level, ahead of many of her contemporaries. She presented to us a living example of the active worker in the church; if honored, it would not be for his priesthood rank itself, nor for his kind of talent, but rather for his life of faith in the Lord. In this concern, Ruth was crowned with an honor that went beyond that of king Saul, who was counted as the Lord’s anointed, but behaved unfaithfully.
I wish, in our work in the vineyard of the Lord, we would not seek priestly ranks, titles, or positions; but seek the hidden love which justifies us in the eyes of the true Boaz.
The divisions of the book of Ruth:
We can divide the book into two main divisions:
The first division: The world and the void Chapter 1
The second division: Christ and satisfaction Chapters 2 to 4
1. Ruth in Boaz’ field
2. Ruth in Boaz’ threshold floor
3. Ruth and the heavenly wedding