There is a lot of information in these few short verses. We have been introduced to Ruth, but her character has yet to unfold. What we do have is a backdrop to Ruth’s story. The setting is before kings reigned, sometime during the time of the Judges. Ruth is a Moabite woman who married Mahlon, a man from Bethlehem. Mahlon had moved to and settled in Moab, an area about 40 miles from his home, to escape the famine in his land. Ruth’s husband has now died, and she finds herself a widow.
Ruth’s world has turned upside down. All of her plans have come to a screeching halt. Now what? What will she do now? Have you ever been at a crossroads like this? How did you respond? Continue reading “Ruth 1:1-5 – Plans Change”
