ruth chapter 2: a blessed redeemer
We ended chapter 1 by viewing the sweet and bitter providence of God and how it was manifested in the lives of Ruth and Naomi in particular. They both suffered pain and death…by the hand of God mind you. However, God did not leave the grief stricken widows void of hope. Despite Naomi’s cry at the end of the chapter, “The LORD has brought be back empty,” we see that the LORD had not brought her back empty at all. For the chapter ends, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.” So, with a barley harvest ahead and Ruth by her side, we find that Naomi had not come back “empty,” but rather abounding in promise and hope. Here, then, we move to chapter 2.
The rest of this study can be read here.
