Ruth - Introduction

Boaz plays a crucial role in the story: he is the kinsman-redeemer of Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 2:20; 3:9).In this role, Boaz is a forerunner of Jesus Christ. Boaz made a personal sacrifice to “redeem” Ruth and Naomi. Jesus also made a personal sacrifice—of His own life—to redeem mankind.²

Finally, there is a hidden figure in the story of Ruth, and that figure is God. It is God who, behind the scenes, brings to pass all the elements of the plot. Indeed—as in every book of the Bible—the central and key player is God Himself. For the Bible, above all else, is the story of God. Through the lives of ordinary people like Ruth and Boaz, God is working out His great purposes for the world and for eternity.