Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set (136 page)

R
ead the book of Ruth to get the theological context. Based on your knowledge of Old Testament Scripture, would you make any connections between the geography and the theology of certain nations? In other words, did various religions tend to be localized within certain countries?

Now that you know a little about Moab (Ruth’s home) and Bethlehem (Naomi’s home), what would you expect Naomi to know about God? What about Ruth?

From a theological standpoint, what problems might you expect in Ruth’s and Naomi’s relationship? What differences, if any, do you find?

How would you evaluate the spiritual commitment of Naomi? Of Boaz? Of Ruth?

U
se the technique of comparison to interpret the book of Ruth. See how this portion of Scripture stacks up against others. For example, Ruth is frequently perceived as a “quaint” story of romance. But how many other potential brides can you find who were as aggressive?