In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land.
Ruth 1:1
The book of Ruth is one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. It is a story about ordinary people, and it is a story about our extraordinary God. When you bring ordinary people and our extraordinary God together, what you get is a story of redemption.
Many of the stories in the Bible are about unusual people who do remarkable things: Abraham offering his son on an altar, Moses leading God’s people out of Egypt, David slaying Goliath. These stories may leave us wondering, “When would I ever do anything remotely like that”? But everyone can relate to the story of the lives, loves, and losses of an ordinary family.
The days when the judges ruled were terrible times. God’s people turned to idols and were oppressed by their enemies. When this happened, God’s people cried out to Him. That’s always the first instinct of those who believe. We may forget the Lord when things are going well, but when trouble comes, we ask God to help.
In response, God raised up judges, who drove out the enemies. Peace was restored as long as the judge lived, but when the judge died, God’s people turned to idols, and enemies invaded the land again. God’s people were lurching from one crisis to another for 400 years.
This story speaks to our times. Most of the judges were desperately flawed leaders. None of them made a lasting impact for good, and people felt that life in the Promised Land should be better than this.
Have you noticed an instinct in yourself to forget the Lord in good times but cry out to Him when trouble comes?
