The book of Ruth begins in Judah, which means, "place of blessing". Judah lies west of Moab just beyond the Jordan River. God had placed a curse on the Moabites for not allowing Israel free passage through Moab on their way to Canaan. During a severe famine a Jewish couple named Elimelech and Naomi took their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, and moved from the place of blessing into the "cursed place". There they found only idolatry and paganism.

After Elimelech’s death in Moab the family structure began to fall apart. Both sons married Moabite girls, Ruth and Orpah. Then both sons died leaving Naomi alone with two Moabite daughters-in-law. Naomi said, "This has been a cursed place for me. I am returning to the place of blessing." Both girls wept and said, "We will surely return with you to your people."

When they got to the Jordan River, Orpah said, "I will go no further." Orpah turned back into the hill country of Moab, back to her accursed race, never to be heard from again. Ruth, however, had learned about the one true, living and loving God … how holy, kind and pure He was. There was no turning back in her. She would not rest until she had joined the fellowship of the redeemed.

Ruth said to Naomi, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me." By turning her back on Moab and her face toward God, Ruth broke the curse that was on her and found herself "under the wings of the Lord, the God of Israel" to Whom she had turned for refuge.

Upon returning to Bethlehem in Judah, Ruth went to "glean among the ears of grain" in the field of Boaz. Boaz was a relative of her deceased husband. Boaz said, "Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; but stay here with my maids. All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me."

When Naomi learned that Ruth had found favor in the sight of Boaz, she said, "Put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor." So leaving her widow’s garments behind, Ruth clothed herself befitting one about to enter into the presence of her redeemer. When Boaz saw her he spread his robe over her signifying that he would be her covering, protector and shelter.

However, the law of Israel stated that the nearest relative to Ruth’s dead husband had "first rights" and there was one man who stood closer in line than Boaz. So Boaz called a meeting of the village elders and with this man present, said, "If you will buy the widow Naomi’s land and redeem her daughter-in-law Ruth, then redeem; but if not, tell me that I may know."

The man replied, "I cannot. You may have my right of redemption." Then he removed his sandal, a sign of confirmation that Boaz could stand in his place. Boaz already had the wealth and the will to redeem, now he had the power and the right. It had all started with a life-changing decision in Moab when Ruth surrendered her heart to God.

Boaz married Ruth and they had a son named Obed. Obed became the father of Jesse and Jesse became the father of David. It was through the line of David that Jesus Christ was born. At one time Ruth was under a curse but when she turned to the Lord, began walking in His ways and serving Him wholeheartedly, He placed her in the ancestral line of Christ Himself.

And that’s how Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David from whom came the Messiah Jesus Christ.