The Book of Ruth: A Study in Adoption
Adoption is a major decision. Understanding the Book of Ruth clarifies the issues.
This is the only book in the Bible that you can say is exclusively heartwarming.
The story of Ruth's decision to accompany her mother-in-law back to Israel is the story of the biblical covenant. It is the story of a shift in allegiance: from the gods of Moab to the God of the Bible.
Back in 1954, the year that rock and roll first made its presence felt on Billboard's hit parade, there was a love ballad by Les Paul and Mary Ford. It was titled Whither thou Goest. It was short -- eight lines, repeated twice. It was a reproduction of the most famous covenantal oath in the Bible, although millions of listeners may not have recognized this. This oath was an affirmation of what the lyrics identified as "love's story long ago." It was, indeed, but not in the way that the song implied. It was the love story between a daughter-in-law, her mother-in-law, and the God of them both.
The story of Ruth is the story of adoption. It is the story of inheritance. The model of inheritance was God's adoption of Israel, as His bride (Ezekiel 16).
In the Bible, marriage is a form of adoption. The husband adopted his bride, who came into his house as his daughter, but also as his bride. This is why Boaz, who married Ruth, called her his daughter.
I explain this here.