Welcome to our online Bible study of the books of Ruth and Esther. I hope you all are as excited as I am about studying about these two Godly women. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read the instructions for the study on the Jan. 10 blog post. As mentioned in the post, we will have three assignments per week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
This week’s assignments will focus on background information for the book of Ruth.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. If you haven’t already, read through the book of Ruth.
Notice how the narrative begins: “In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land” (1:1). What do we know about the time of the judges and famine?
2. READ Judges 2:8-23 and 21:25. While reading these passages take note of what life was like for the Israelites during the time of the judges. What were God’s instructions regarding relations with foreign (Canaanite) nations? Did the Israelites follow His instructions? What were the consequences?
3. READ Deut. 28: 15-19, 23-24, 45-48. These verses show us how God used famine as a punishment for Israel’s unfaithfulness to Him. Do you think this could be the cause for the famine mentioned at the beginning of the Ruth narrative?
