Episode #13: "Bethlehem Road"

HOST: Michael Whitworth

Guest: Dr. Dale Manor, Harding University

Many Christians already know Ruth’s story. It is a short story (just four chapters) that tells of Ruth’s unselfish devotion to her mother-in-law, Naomi. It is a beautiful story with a romantic theme, complete with a knight coming to rescue the damsel in distress. The book of Ruth “runs the full range of human emotions, from the most gut-wrenching kind of grief to the very height of glad-hearted triumph.” It even has a twist in the end that you never see coming—a note about Ruth’s famous great-grandson, David. But the story of Ruth really isn’t about Ruth or Naomi or Boaz or even David. Nor is it a story about pain or suffering or loss. Ruth’s story is about God and his faithfulness to us when we hurt; it’s about what God does when our dreams are shattered; it’s about discovering God’s providence in the midst of our pain, even in the smallest, most insignificant decisions of life.

We don’t know who wrote the book, as it is anonymous. Jewish rabbis in the Talmud claimed Samuel was the author, but this is unlikely, since the prophet died before David achieved enough political and historical notoriety to merit mention at the end of the book. A plausible alternative is the prophet Nathan. If you want to get technical, God authored Ruth because his Spirit inspired its composition (2 Pet 1:21).

Since we don’t know who wrote it, we cannot date the book definitively. A considerable amount of time must have passed between Ruth’s lifetime and the story’s composition, indicated by the explanatory note in 4:7. I believe Ruth was written closer to, but no earlier than, 1000 B.C., when David reigned (cf. 4:17, 22) and friendly relations existed between Israel and Moab (1 Sam 22:3).