Ruth: Building on the Firm Foundation

Naomi was one of those people who just didn’t “get it” in the early pages of the book of Ruth. The more I look into Ruth, the more I find themes which are very relevant to life in our twenty-first century. Have you ever found yourself in a seemingly hopeless situation? How do you cope when life seems to be falling apart? Is there no one in your life who really understands, or who even seems to care? Have you lost sight of the providence of God? Do you sometimes feel empty and alone, or are you surrounded by people who feel empty and wish you knew how to help them? Does it appear that there is very little genuine kindness left in this world? This study is intended to look behind the scenes of what is stated in the book of Ruth and to examine some of the hurts, disappointments, choices, and outcomes of those choices of three main characters. A series of storms in Naomi’s life seemed for a time to cause her to slip and slide from her foundation of faith and trust in the Almighty. We will peer into possible causes of Naomi’s loss of focus on Almighty God as she weathered these storms. At the same time, we will observe the impact on Ruth of her first-hand observations of faith on trial in Naomi’s life. This study may appear at times to be no more than another commentary on the book, because I have chosen to include some geography, history, and culture of that period. The study will also examine biblical meanings and usages of a few terms and phrases to help us better understand that time period, and hopefully better understand the “whys” of certain actions. However, the desire is to provide more than a commentary. “Ruth: Choosing the Firm Foundation, is profound and outstanding. I have benefitted from its insights as I face the struggles that are common to all of us. I have no doubt that you, dear reader, will be blessed, encouraged, and strengthened for your journey as well.” — Gracia Burnham *Previously published as Ruth: Choosing the Firm Foundation.