RUTH

Loyalty · Kindness · Providence · Redemption · Lineage

Expanded Museum Poster · Timeline Theme Table

1 · Core Story & Meaning

Ruth unfolds during the dark era of Judges but shines with remarkable light. It tells the story of Ruth the Moabite, Naomi the widow, and Boaz the redeemer. Through ordinary acts of loyalty and kindness, God quietly writes a lineage that will lead to King David—and far beyond.

Core Sentence · Ruth in One Line

In the days of Judges, God works through loyal love and quiet faithfulness to restore a broken family and lay the foundation for the line of David.

Naomi ├─ loses husband & sons ├─ returns bitter & empty Ruth ├─ clings to Naomi ├─ seeks refuge under God └─ acts with courage & loyalty Boaz ├─ protects, provides, redeems └─ honors God's law & kindness God └─ weaves redemption toward David

Emotionally: Ruth is tenderness breaking through bleakness—a story of hope, risk, and restoration in the midst of sorrow.

Four Major Movements

How the book actually flows:

1. TRAGEDY & RETURN (1) Famine, loss, loyalty pledge 2. FIELD & FAVOR (2) Ruth meets Boaz; protection & kindness 3. THRESHING FLOOR (3) Bold request; Boaz’s integrity 4. REDEMPTION & LINEAGE (4) Legal redemption, marriage, David’s line

Ruth is a narrative gem: compact, symbolic, and deeply human—every scene moves from emptiness toward fullness.

2 · Key Scenes & Emotional Gestures

These four moments define the emotional and theological heart of Ruth.

Scene · “Your People Will Be My People” (Ruth 1)

The loyalty that redefines identity.

Ruth ├─ refuses to leave Naomi └─ pledges new identity: "Your God my God"

Emotionally: risk, devotion, and re-rooting a life in covenant hope.

Scene · Boaz Notices Ruth (Ruth 2)

Kindness in a harsh era.

Boaz ├─ protects Ruth ├─ instructs harvesters └─ blesses her refuge in God Ruth └─ gathers with humility & courage

Emotionally: safety, dignity restored, a spark of hope in the fields.

Scene · Threshing Floor (Ruth 3)

A bold appeal met with integrity.

Ruth └─ proposes symbolic marriage claim Boaz ├─ blesses her loyalty └─ promises legal redemption

Emotionally: vulnerability, trust, and surprising nobility.

Scene · Legal Redemption (Ruth 4)

A home rebuilt and a future born.

Boaz ├─ redeems land & family line └─ marries Ruth Community └─ blesses union & lineage

Emotionally: restoration, belonging, and a joy that echoes forward to David.

3 · Timeline of Themes by Story Order

Rows walk through the four chapters; columns trace our core themes.

Story Order	Section Block	Creation	Fall	Covenant	Promise	Faithfulness	Exile
1 · Ruth 1	Famine · Loss · Loyalty Pledge		death, emptiness	Ruth joins Israel		God not finished	leaving Moab, rootlessness
2 · Ruth 2	Fields of Boaz · Protection & Kindness	provision through land		laws of gleaning honored	hope rekindles	Boaz reflects God’s care
3 · Ruth 3	Threshing Floor · Redeemer Appeal		vulnerability	kinsman-redeemer law	future hinted	Boaz promises action
4 · Ruth 4	Redemption · Marriage · Lineage	new family formed		covenant faithfulness	David’s line emerges	God restores fullness

Ruth is the quiet hinge between Judges and Kings—a whisper of redemption in a noisy age.