The Message of Ruth: The Wings of Refuge

The Bible Speaks Today: Old Testament

by David John Atkinson

The book of Ruth is a tale of charm and delight. Goethe called it "the loveliest complete work on a small scale, handed down to us as an ethical treatise and an idyll." Another writes, "No poet in the world has written a more beautiful short story."

The book tells about very ordinary people facing very ordinary events. We meet Naomi, who underwent hardship in famine and bereavement but eventually won peace and security. We meet Ruth, a young foreign woman from Moab who attached herself to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and to Naomi's God. And we meet Boaz, who by marrying Ruth fitted into God's purpose's for history. Both King David and Jesus are numbered among their descendants.

Theologically the story of Ruth is a story about God's providence. This David Atkinson demonstrates clearly in his passage-by-passage exposition.

Genres: Reference, Biblical Studies, Christian, Theology, Old Testament

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1974

About the author

The Rt Rev. David John Atkinson is the former Bishop of Thetford. He was born on 5 September 1943 and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and King's College London. After a short career as a chemistry teacher he was ordained in 1973. His career began with a curacy at St Peter Halliwell Bolton, after which he was Chaplain (and a Fellow) of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, then a Canon Residentiary at Southwark Cathedral and finally (before his elevation to the Episcopate) Archdeacon of Lewisham. In 2009 he became an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Southwark. Bishop David is married with two children and six grandchildren. He retired on 16 September 2009.

Reviews

[Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd give it 2.5 stars, if I could. Atkinson is stronger on application than he is on interpretation. For example, he sees Naomi as a woman of firm faith, despite her circumstances, in the good providence of God. But although Naomi certainly does ascribe full sovereignty to God, you can hardly say she evidences a firm faith in the first half of the book!

As I said, his application of the text is better, though not always well-connected to the text. For example, the conception of Obed in chapter 4 occasions a two-and-a-half-page discussion of life beginning at conception and the sinfulness of abortion. I agree with his views there, but I don't exactly think the author of Ruth meant anything about Obed's fetal personhood.

I'm not sure if there's a better devotional commentary on Ruth out there at the moment. I hope there is.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent exposition of Ruth. It is not a commentary, so there is treatment of the original languages only with respect to key terminology. But Atkinson understands the heart of the book and lays it out clearly through his sequential exposition. It is particularly helpful that he points out that in a number of places, the book leaves things unexplained, and if we try to come up with full explanations we not only attempt what cannot be done, we tend to lose the message in the process. "In short, it is in the ordinariness of the lives of ordinary people that God is working his purpose out." (p. 126).

[Bob Wolniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

The introduction is a tour de force on the theology of God's Providence and is worth the price of the book by itself. The ending is an equally strong theology of marriage, sexuality and the ethical issues surrounding of pregnancy, the unborn and children. In between is a brief, but profound and passionate treatment of the beloved story of Ruth.

[Jonathan Ginn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Accessible overview of the book of Ruth. I thought Atkinson's treatment of Ruth 1-2 was better than his treatment of Ruth 3-4. His excursus on the purpose and function of levirate marriage and the go'el was helpful as well.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's OK. Just an average devotional type commentary on this book. If you want to wrestle with the variety of issues this story raises then I'd look elsewhere.

[Ethan Doucet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth is so beautiful. Learning of God’s providence teaches me to see my own life and past in a new light. What a beautiful story of King David’s grandparents!!

[hendersweet]

This was one of 5 commentaries I used for the book of Ruth. This is the only one I read cover to cover, so it gets to count toward my yearly book count 😏

[An Te · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a informative exposition of the Book of Ruth, the Moabitess. The books strengths lie in untangling the context in which Ruth, Noami and Boaz, the main people in this account, is set against with the Judges, the concept of kinsman-redeemer (levir-goel), faith in the ordinary, the significance and worth of marriage, God's providence and faithfulness ultimately coming forth 15 generations later in Jesus Christ.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its okay. Some good insights