Bible Study Institute

1
Bible Study Institute

• Presents

2
QuikStudy

• The Book of Ruth

3
The BIG Picture

• Author?
• Unknown, though some suggest Samuel.
• Audience?
• Uncertain
• Others?
• Ruth, Naiomi, Boaz
• When written?
• Sometime after the period of the Judges
  (1375-1050 BC)

4
The BIG Picture

• When it happens?
• A dark time in Israels history, when people
  lived to please themselves, not God (Jdg 176)
• Where it takes place?
• Moab and Bethlehem
• The Writers Purpose?
• To show how three people remained strong in
  character and true to God, even when the society
  around them was collapsing

5
Outline of Ruth

• Ruth remains loyal to Naiomi (11-22)
• Ruth gleans in Boaz field (21-23)
• Ruth follows Naiomis plan (31-18)
• Ruth and Boaz are Married (41-22)

6
Targeting Passages

• Once you have the Big Picture of the book, its
  time to target passages in the book for closer
  study
• Targeting is the skill of zooming in for
  close-upswithout losing the context
• To target a passage for closer study
• Tie together the different key wordsaction or
  highly descriptive wordsin the main headings of
  the book outline, and
• Follow the Rule of Context

7
Outline of Ruth

• Ruth remains loyal to Naiomi (11-22)
• Ruth gleans in Boaz field (21-23)
• Ruth follows Naiomis plan (31-18)
• Ruth and Boaz are Married (41-22)

8
Context

• Everything in a Bible book is connected
• What comes before and after a passage works
  together to form the setting or context that
  shapes its meaning
• Disconnect a passage from what comes before and
  after it, and
• You will take it out of context
• You can make it say whatever you want

9
Rule of Context

• To focus on a passage as you should, apply the
  Rule of Context

The Rule of Context Everything leads up to and
prepares the way for what comes after it

• To stay in touch with what comes before and after
  a passage as you zoom in for a closer look
• Then you wont have to worry about being out of
  context ever again

10
Rule of Context

• To apply the Rule of Context as you target a
  passage for deeper study
• First, show how the book leads up to and prepares
  the way for the passage
• Then, show how the passage leads up to and
  prepares the way for what comes after it
• Use words that express the idea of getting the
  reader ready for what comes next, like

11
Rule of Context

• After the writer says... he goes on to say
  (whats next)...
• The writer braces us for (whats next) by first
  saying...
• The writer tells us..., to build up to (whats
  next)
• The writer equips us for (whats next) by telling
  us...
• The writer establishes (whats next) by starting
  with...
• The writer gears up for (whats next) by
  explaining...
• The writer gets us ready for (whats next) by
  informing us...
• The writer launches into (whats next) after he
  says...
• The writer opens the door for (whats next)
  with...
• The writer says...to pave the way for (whats
  next)

12
Rule of Context

• The writer lays the foundation for (whats next)
  by saying...
• The writer prepares us for (whats next) by
  describing...
• The writer primes us for (whats next) by
  advising us...
• The writer rigs us for (whats next) by beginning
  with...
• The writer develops an...to set up (whats next)
• The writer sets the stage for (whats next), by
  proposing...

13
Target the Passage

• Ruth remains loyal to Naiomi (11-22)
• Based on the circumstances behind the book
• Leads into Ruth gleans in Boaz fields (21-23)
• Ruth remains loyal to Naiomi (11-22) sets the
  stage for Ruth gleans in Boaz fields (21-23)
• Ruth gleans in Boaz fields (21-23)
• Leads into Ruth follows Naiomis plan (31-18)
• Ruth gleans in Boaz fields (21-23) lays the
  foundation for Ruth follows Naiomis plan (31-18)

14
Target the Passage

• Ruth follows Naiomis plan (31-18)
• Leads into Ruth and Boaz are married (41-21)
• Ruth follows Naiomis plan (31-18) primes us for
  Ruth and Boaz are married (41-21)
• Ruth and Boaz are married (41-22)
• Ruth and Boaz are married (41-21) climaxes the
  book

15
Introductions to Passages

• Main Introduction has general info for book
• Introductions to passages
• Fill in details about the passage missing from
  the Main Introduction
• Shorter than Main Introduction to the book
• In Main Introduction that summarizes its parts
• In Book Outline that summarizes its parts
• In the Running Outline embedded in the text
• In Running Commentary, at beginning of each
  passage

16
A Snapshot of 11-22

• Who wrote or speaks in it?
• The narrator
• Who does he talk to?
• (Moabites, Israelites, people everywhere)
• Who or what is he talking about?
• Recently widowed, Ruth begged to stay with Naiomi
  where ever she went, even though it meant leaving
  her homeland and traveled with her to Bethlehem
• Anything special said about them?
• Ruth was drawn to Naiomi and her God
• Naiomi loved and cared for Ruth

17
A Snapshot of 11-22

• Where it takes place?
• Moab, Bethlehem
• When it happens?
• During the time of the judgesa period of
  disobedience, idolatry, and violence
• What is its purpose?
• To show that God used Naiomi to bring Ruth to Him

18
A Snapshot of 21-23

• Who wrote or speaks in it?
• The narrator
• Who does he talk to?
• (Moabites, Israelites, people everywhere)
• Who or what is he talking about?
• How God led the young Moabite widow to a man
  named Boaz

19
A Snapshot of 21-23

• Anything special said about them?
• Ruth was a Moabitess
• Boaz was a descendant of Rahab, a former
  prostitute from Jericho
• Where it takes place?
• Bethlehem
• When it happens?
• During the time of the Judges, months and years
  after Ruth and Naiomi settled in Bethlehem
• What is its purpose?
• To show the impact of Naiomis life on Boaz

20
A Snapshot of 31-18

• Who wrote or speaks in it?
• The narrator
• Who does he talk to?
• (Moabites, Israelites, people everywhere)
• Who or what is he talking about?
• How Ruth put her trust in God and risked her
  honor at the threshing floor

21
A Snapshot of 31-18

• Anything special said about them?
• Ruth put her trust in God
• Where it takes place?
• Bethlehem
• When it happens?
• During the time of the Judges, months and years
  after Ruth and Naiomi settled in Bethlehem
• What is its purpose?
• To paint a picture of how hopeless people,
  rebellious aliens with no part in Gods kingdom,
  come to Christ

22
A Snapshot of 41-22

• Who wrote or speaks in it?
• The narrator
• Who does he talk to?
• (Moabites, Israelites, people everywhere)
• Who or what is he talking about?
• How Boaz redeemed Ruth
• Anything special said about them?
• Ruth became the great-grandma of David and an
  ancestor of the Messiah
• Ruth and Boaz offspring continued the family
  line thru which Messiah came into the world

23
A Snapshot of 41-22

• God saves us, forgives us, rebuilds our lives,
  and gives us blessings that will last though
  eternity
• Where it takes place?
• Bethlehem
• When it happens?
• During the time of the Judges, months and years
  after Ruth and Naiomi settled in Bethlehem
• What is its purpose?
• To paint a picture of how Christ redeems us

24
Color-Tag the Text

• As you read the text
• Apply the Rule of Repetition

The Rule of Repetition Writers usually repeat
what is most important to them

• Look for the same, similar, or parallel terms
• Circle or highlight anything that the book of
  Ruth mentions more than once in the text
• Assign a different color to each set of terms