by Susan Barnes | 24 Aug 2022 | Communion Talks
“Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders.” Ephesians 2:11 Ruth was an outsider because she was born a Moabite. The Moabites hadn’t helped the Israelites during their years wandering in the desert (Deuteronomy 23:3-6) so God told the Israelites to have...
by Susan Barnes | 19 May 2022 | Book Reviews
Unceasing kindness : a Biblical theology of Ruth wasn’t what I was expecting. I love the story of Ruth and was hoping for more insights into the story. However, the authors, Peter Lau and Gregory Goswell, have taken a wider perspective and looked at the book in the...
by Susan Barnes | 14 Sep 2021 | Women in the Bible
This article first appeared on Christian Today Once upon a time, a beautiful young woman falls on hard times as a result of a tragic death in her family. She is forced into manual labour. Then a complete reversal occurs. She fortuitously meets a wealthy,...
by Susan Barnes | 15 Jan 2019 | Women in the Bible
Ruth does a similar thing to Tamar. Following Jewish custom Ruth went to Boaz, a relative of her dead husband at night and lay at his feet to signal she was available for marriage. She risked her reputation in doing this, but she did it, like Tamar, in order to...
by Susan Barnes | 10 Feb 2008 | Devotions OT
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Ruth 4:13 It was a good thing the Pharisees weren’t around in Ruth’s day. They would be telling Boaz, he was wrong to marry Ruth because she was a Moabite (Deuteronomy 23:3-6) despite the fact she had made a strong commitment...
by Susan Barnes | 3 Feb 2008 | Devotions OT
“Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.” Ruth 3:9. Ruth was an outsider. She came from Moab and was a foreigner in Israel. (For a long time Moabites were excluded from the congregation of God’s people, Deuteronomy 23:3.). However,...
