Book of Ruth

"The sovereign plan of God is worked out in the book through the faithfulness of its main characters. Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz provide a striking contrast with other characters and events of the judges period. The book’s placement immediately after the Book of Judges in the Christian canon, and the opening words, “In the days when the judges ruled,” highlight the differences between the faithful lives of these simple people compared to the sordid affairs of the characters in Judges. During a period when many people did what was right in their own eyes, there were at least three who did what was right in God’s eyes. It was through their faithfulness to God and to each other that God provided the Messiah for the world." Arnold, B. T., & Beyer, B. E. (2008). Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian survey (Second Edition) (192–193). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.