Ruth: Under the Wings of God

by John Piper

Life was bleak for Naomi. Her husband was dead, as were her sons. She found herself in a foreign land with only one friend-her daughter-in-law Ruth. But as she returned to her hometown of Bethlehem, a ray of divine hope broke through the dark clouds of providence. It was the barley harvest, and she wasn't alone.

This cycle of poems by John Piper tells the story of God's care for Naomi and the love affair between Ruth and Boaz through the eyes of their son, an aged Obed, as he narrates the account to his eight-year-old grandson David, the future king of Israel. Through this creative work, readers will walk with Boaz from promise to fulfillment, with Ruth from widowhood to motherhood, and with Naomi from death to life.  

Genres: Poetry, Christian, Nonfiction, Theology, Christianity

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as senior pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and studied at Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary (B.D.), and the University of Munich (D.theol.). For six years, he taught Biblical Studies at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 1980 accepted the call to serve as pastor at Bethlehem.

John is the author of more than 50 books and more than 30 years of his preaching and teaching is available free at desiringGod.org. John and his wife, Noel, have four sons, one daughter, and twelve grandchildren.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetry is not typically my "thing," but I enjoyed this little book. I think it was because I knew what the author was talking about!

[Logan Prettyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great interpretive and poetic read of Ruth. Of course, it adds more than is in Scripture, but in so doing, Piper creates a beautiful picture of the bitter providence of God. One of the few books that has made me cry.

[Flynn Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful poetic rendering of the story of Ruth. Piper takes a lot of liberties here, but one is able to get a better grasp of the surrounding theological and cultural themes in the book than what would be normally available.

[Amy]

Find a man who talks about you the way Boaz talks about Ruth

[Gary Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing and pleasant surprise. This book is beautiful. It will only take you about an hour to read and it is a great way to spend an hour. The art is very good, so if you are reading it on a digital reader, be sure it is color. I am so glad to have discovered this treasure and am looking forward to reading it again.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Piper takes one of the most beautiful works of religious writing and expands it into an 80 page poem. Two problems w/this, Ruth in the Bible is only four pages of concise writing, expanding it to 80 pages is unnecessary and Piper isn't Calvin Miller.

[Micah Felton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty fun little poetry book inspired by the book of Ruth in the Bible. Piper makes some good interpretive points that make more sense the more familiar with the book of Ruth you are.

[Maui Rochell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find Ruth beautiful in so many ways and from the inside and out. This potrayal of her story through a poetry adds more beauty in it. What a great read.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying poetic rendition of the story of Ruth.

[Irina Storozuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

En este libro, John Piper nos presenta reflexiones acerca del libro de Rut. Comienza con una introducción en la que presenta los puntos principales del libro. Luego hay un capítulo por cada capítulo de Rut y en la conclusión retoma los puntos del inicio de una forma un poco más práctica.

La lectura se me hizo bastante ligera para ser Piper. La mayoría de los temas fueron cosas que ya leí en otros libros en mayor profundidad. Algunos comentarios fueron interesantes, en algunas interpretaciones no estuve muy de acuerdo y tampoco fue (como pensaba yo) un estudio sobre el libro.

Igualmente creo que vale la pena para poder meditar acerca de cómo los planes de Dios son siempre más grandes que los nuestros, no importa lo que nos toque atravesar.

[Nissi Cortés · Rating 5 out of 5]

"¿Puedo confiar y amar al Dios que me ha enfrentado a tan dolorosa experiencia? Esa es la pregunta que el libro de Rut intenta contestar... El libro de Rut tiene como objetivo mostrar que toda la historia, incluso los momentos más sombríos, sirven para magnificar la gloria de la gracia de Dios."
-John Piper.

Me encantó este libro, me parece muy buena la profundización que hace John Piper en cada capítulo, acompañándonos en el estudio de este libro para poder ver la soberanía y amor de Dios y sobre todo ver a Cristo 🙏

[Coalición por el Evangelio]

En su libro “Bajo las alas de Dios”, John Piper busca llevar al lector a experimentar la historia del libro de Rut para que este no sea un mero ejercicio de lectura. Si crees que un relato tan antiguo no tiene relevancia y utilidad en nuestros días, esta obra te llevará a cambiar de opinión.

Lee la reseña completa en nuestra página web.

[James Horgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful retelling of the story of Ruth in long metre, as told to David by his grandfather, Obed, and great grandfather, Boaz. Very suitable for reading aloud on a Sunday afternoon to older children and adults taking about 40 minutes to read.

Piper focusses particularly on Boaz's willingness to marry and protect an outcast Moabitess who had come to love the God of Israel, despite the shame this would bring him.

Hardback and illustrated with atmospheric sepia pictures.

[Alison Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very poetic account of the life and hardship of Ruth, in the Bible and how her life held such a HUGE impact on generations to come.

I am not generally one that is into poetry, but Piper was able to keep everything accurate and easy to follow.

[Sury L.L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me gusta lo que hace John Piper explicando a detalle lo importante que es el libro de Ruth para conorender la redención, además de que es un libro que podemos pasar desapercibido sirve como comentario para un estudio de mujeres o dentro de la iglesia.

[Lori Mcmurphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful!

So sweet and beautiful. How creative and unique. Such a creative way to tell the story of Ruth. This was well worth my time.

[Karla Fernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro poético, lleno de enseñanza, esperanza y confianza en la soberanía de Dios. ¡Muy recomendable!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dios me recordó que siempre está y estará para mí... Sólo debo no olvidar verlo.

[Justin F Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful - Piper at his finest.

[Linnea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple poetry to illustrate the faith of Ruth, and Boaz, as told in poems to a young David

[Estefania Prado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encanto profundizar en el libro de Rut

[Ruthanne Bowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting interpretation.

[Siket Terefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pastor John is the man who makes you love poetry and, at the same time, helps you see the Bible from an angle you’ve never seen before. This is an amazing perspective on the life of Ruth.”

[Amor Victorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very touching!

[Julio Padilla Mozo · Rating 5 out of 5]

El libro de Rut es un libro "Teológicamente romántico y románticamente teológico". He disfrutado leerlo en la Biblia y también ahora, bajo la pluma de John Piper. He podido abrir los ojos (del corazón) a temas relevantes (como son los atributos de Dios). La soberanía del Señor está presente desde una hambruna en un pueblo pequeño, como lo era Belén de Judá, hasta un matrimonio entre dos personas de raza diferente.

Puedes sentir palpitar la Soberanía del Señor en cada rincón del libro. Y John Piper, quien es un eterno enamorado de Dios, sabe como explicártelo sin aburrirte.

Temas desde la amargura, la fe, la raza, el riesgo, la infertilidad y el matrimonio, se engloban bajo las "alas de Dios". Dios no ha dejado de estar presente en el libro de Rut, menos en las palabras explicativas (y sencillas) de John Piper.

"Bajo las Alas de Dios" es un libro que te mostrará lo que significa confiar en el Señor, a pesar de los malos momentos. Un libro y un autor que buscan glorificar el nombre de Dios. Este libro (en el que está incluído completamente el libro de Rut) tiene el poder (Dios es el Todopoderoso) para seducirte a confiar en Él a pesar que las circunstancias no sean las mejores, te desafiará a luchar por la pureza y te retará amar, con ese amor que sentía Rut por Noemí, y Booz por Rut.

Permite a Dios utilizar este libro para que te enseñe más de Su Soberanía.
Permite que Dios te cuide y te guarde, "bajo sus alas".

[Naísia Xavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple poetry, surprisingly simple, when you find out that, yes, short, rhyming verses are enough to convey the narrative, comprehending character building, some imagination and theological/prophetical clarity alongside the Bible's storyline for the book of Ruth. Ah, and humor.

The flaws in metrics made me not give it five stars but, trust me, the whole thing makes this shortcoming pretty irrelevant.

This is totally worth the time you're going to take, albeit it's going to be short. And the drawings might be a plus. I think the best ones are those when David, Obed and Boaz are together. I did not quite like the other the drawings, but they're not "not okay".

Enjoy it. It's a Piper thing, after all :P

___
PS: It's not like I went for this book with any "John Milton" kind of expectations, not in the slightest. Otherwise, it wouldn't have worked for me... So, be warned. I love highbrow, but this is not it.

[Susanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The day would come when tortoise faith would catch the bounding hare of pain and match his power, not his pace, and win."

"So waiting is a holy work of faith in God. Nor does there lurk beneath the timing of his ways some secret malice that displays itself in holding back the flow of future grace. God does not go from here to there by shortest routes; he makes a place for faith and doubts. Nor does he hasten on his way, but comes when it is best, today, or maybe twenty years from now, or more."

[Eve Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Piper has an exceptional gift in retelling Bible stories with a twist, and on top of that, through poems that cut through the heart. The book of Ruth will always be meaningful to me. So rereading the story brought back all the memories and got me too sentimental.

Again, I found myself lost in a rhyme
So beautiful. And as my eyes
Pored over the final lines,
I couldn't help myself but cry.

Haha, the aftereffect of reading such an engrossing poetry! Two thumbs up!

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved the book of Ruth and poetry, so when I found this book, the story of Ruth told through poems, I couldn't resist. The poetry was not daunting or confusing, it was more like a rhyme, which was nice. It was fun to think about Obed telling David about his great grandma! What a unique viewpoint! The story of Ruth and Boaz's faith is such a great testimony to us all! I was sad to see the book come to a close! Ruth: Under the Wings of God was definitely worth reading!

[Claudia Valdivieso · Rating 5 out of 5]

«El hijo de Rut, hijo de David, hijo de Dios está debajo y encima de todo. No hay aliento de vida, no hay felicidad final, no hay libro terminado sin Él. Gracias Señor Jesucristo, por derramar tu sangre para que este pecador pueda ser tan bendecido»