The Book Of Ruth

This is Part 7 in a 9-Part Series on Immigration

Whether you have ever attended church or not, you have probably heard of Moses. And yet there is no "Book of Moses" in the Bible. Most people are probably familiar with David (as in "David and Goliath"), but there is no "Book of David" in the Bible. Many Christians are familiar with the apostle, Paul. But there is no "Book of Paul" in the Bible.

There are 66 Books in the Bible, and most are named for the author, the intended audience, or to describe a period of time in history that they cover. Only 3 Books in the Bible are named after the main character and were written because of the faithfulness and character that person possessed: Ruth, Esther, and Job.

Most people have at least heard of Job (his story is where we get the expression, "he/she has the patience of Job!"; you can click here to read about him in "The Sermon Never Preached"). And Esther was a Queen; it would stand to reason that she led a life worthy of note. But not only was Ruth a woman, she was also a "foreigner" ... an immigrant. Yet sadly, most people have probably never even heard of her.

The events in the Book of Ruth took place and were written about at a time when men were in power and control; in fact most women could not read or write. We don't know for sure who the author of Ruth is, but someone (most likely a man) thought her story was important enough to write about it. Given the circumstances, it stands to reason that this Book would have focused on, and been named after, Boaz. In fact, when reading the Book of Ruth, it sometimes seems as if Boaz is the main character. We could easily romanticize it into a story about the "knight in shining armor": the "hero coming to the rescue" to "save the damsel in distress". Or I could easily envision Christians using it as a perfect illustration of the concept of "Blessed to Be a Blessing".

But it's not called the Book of Boaz; it's called the Book of Ruth. And that got me wondering: Why? Why is it called the Book of Ruth? Why is she considered the main character?

The Book of Ruth is a "love story" for sure, but it's all about "The Golden Rule": Loving God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and loving other people as you love yourself. Many people talk about it - or even preach it - but few are able to actually do it. And fewer still will do it even when it comes at great personal expense or self-sacrifice.

For example, take Orpah, Naomi's other daughter-in-law. She clearly loved Naomi, and she wanted to stay with Naomi. But when she realized that doing so would jeopardize her chances of ever remarrying, she tearfully left Naomi and Ruth and went back to Moab to her old gods and her old way of life.

Or consider Naomi. She loved Ruth and Orpah so much that she was clearly concerned for their safety and well-being, and - when push came to shove - she would frequently put it ahead of her own. One example that we have a tendency to forget is that, if Naomi only cared about herself, she probably would have immediately approached the man who was first in line to be their kinsman redeemer as soon as they had returned to Bethlehem, but she didn't. She seemed prepared to face life as a widow with Ruth. In fact, it is clear when she tells Orpah and Ruth to go back to Moab that she has completely given up on any idea of possibly being able to redeem her property. It was only after months of getting to know Boaz and his character that she determined that Boaz would be a good man for Ruth, regardless of whether or not he agreed to be her kinsman redeemer. But while Naomi clearly loved God and loved other people, she had a tendency to focus her time and her attention on her own situation before pausing to consider the implications her decisions might have on other people.

Or consider the only other male figure in the story; the kinsman redeemer who was first in the line of succession (ahead of Boaz) to have the responsibility to redeem Naomi and Ruth. He jumped at the chance to buy the property that belonged to Naomi, but when he realized how much it would cost him personally to honor God and honor the two women in order to buy it, he quickly gave up his rights to it (and his responsibility for it).

Or consider all of the other men who are implied in the story, but never mentioned by name. They were supposed to be honoring God and loving other people by welcoming and including immigrants, and by providing for them and caring for them by leaving a portion of their crops for them. But Scripture eludes to the fact that the majority were not doing so - that Ruth would struggle to provide for herself and Naomi, and would even be harassed by most of the men if she were to work in other fields; she only found safety and security in Boaz' field.

If all of the Old Testament laws can be summarized with "Love God and love other people as you love yourself", both Ruth and Boaz had done that. They both stood out from the rest because, unlike the others, they weren't just "talking the talk", they were "walking the walk".

Ruth could have easily put herself first, but she stayed loyal and devoted to her God, her mother-in-law, her late husband, and her late husband's family. At that time in history (and frequently still today), marriage equaled security - protection and provision. If she were only looking out for herself, she could have easily married someone else. When Boaz says, "you could have gone with someone younger, whether rich or poor" (Ruth 3:10), he is acknowledging that, by herself, Ruth had options. Plenty of them. But Ruth was determined to do the right thing; she was determined to protect and provide for her mother-in-law even at her own expense - even if that meant never remarrying and working hard, being harassed, and accepting hand-outs as a widow and a foreigner for the rest of her life. And when Ruth did remarry, she didn't settle for a marriage that would just provide safety and security for her; she put it all on the line by requesting a marriage that would provide safety and security for her mother-in-law as well.

Many Christians like to joke about single women "finding their Boaz", but maybe we should be focusing more on trying to live like Ruth. One of the things I like about this story is that Boaz was Boaz, with or without Ruth. And Ruth was Ruth, with or without Boaz. And I think it's very intriguing that she was the one who proposed marriage! ... That seems like borderline "feminism" for roughly 1050 BC/BCE!

Both Boaz and Ruth demonstrated wholehearted love for God and love for other people throughout the story, so again, given the time period and the culture, it begs the question, why is this called the Book of Ruth and not the Book of Boaz?

While there are many similarities in character between Ruth and Boaz, there are some significant differences in their circumstances.

Boaz had several significant reasons to be so kind and generous. For one thing, he was raised in the faith and the law instructed him to. For another thing, Naomi and Ruth's husbands had been his blood relatives, so he wanted to honor his family, but especially his male relatives who had passed away. But the most significant difference is that while Boaz demonstrated character, integrity and generosity, and he protected and provided, he did so from a place of power, wealth, and status. He was giving from the excess of what he already had, and doing so was certainly not going to leave him destitute or put him in great personal danger.

Ruth, on the other hand, was under no obligation to do the things she did; she had nothing to gain and everything to lose. She repeatedly took some huge risks in order to honor God by honoring her mother-in-law and her late husband and his family. Traditionally, men had the responsibility for protecting and providing, but in this case, Ruth - a woman and an immigrant - had protected and provided for Naomi. In fact, after Obed was born and Naomi was thrilled to finally be a grandmother and have a family to carry on her lineage, the women in town say to her:

"Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family. May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!" - Ruth 4:14-15

Like Boaz, Ruth was a woman of immense character, integrity, and generosity, but she had converted to the faith. And, like Boaz, she provided and protected, but she did so from a place of vulnerability and need - even when it meant putting her own safety and security on the line.

In the New Testament, Jesus observes a woman bringing an offering to the temple, and Luke records His reaction in a story that has come to be known as "The Widow's Mite":

"While Jesus was in the Temple, He watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. (i.e. - a "mite")

'I tell you the Truth,' Jesus said, 'this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.'" - Luke 21:1-4

... Ruth brought her "widow's mite" - she gave everything she had - and she laid it at the feet of Jesus, and He was more pleased with that than any offering Boaz could possibly bring.

There are some people we have a tendency to forget - especially immigrant women. But as much as we might have a tendency to forget them, God never forgets them. Even roughly 3000 years ago, God made sure women - even immigrant women - were included, remembered, and celebrated! And not only were they included, remembered, and celebrated, but they were some of the most important characters in His Story - even, at times, the main character!

So this Author - very fittingly - called it the Book of Ruth.

© I Lift My Voice, 2025

Click Here to Read Part 8 in This 9-Part Series on Immigration