Ruth and Esther

A Pair of Parentheticals

Neither directly in the history; but both critical to the history

Ruth

In the period of the Judges, possibly during the time of Gideon? 12th cent. BC

Read Judg. 21 25

Judges 21:25 ESV

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Author unknown, could have been written from time of David’s reign (1010 BC) to between 7 & 600 BC; could have been Samuel; could have been Nathan

Most conservative scholarship puts it during the time of David or Solomon

Possible motivation for writing: to present the legitimacy of David as a legitimate king

The Bible Knowledge Commentary Historical and Literary Features

The Book of Ruth gleams like a beautiful pearl against a jet-black background

Dark days for Israel, famine in the land; probably brought about by disobedience

A man took his family to Moab—not a good move—to find food

He died, his now married sons died; one of their widows returned to Bethlehem with Naomi

Theology

The names of God used often, LORD, Yahweh; God, Elohim; Almighty, Shaddai;

God’s character, His provision for His people: 1:6: His activity, 2:20; His answering prayer, 4:11-12; His kindness flows throughout the book

The line of Judah, to David, to the Kingdom of Jesus, son of David, Son of Man, Son of God

Esther

A tough one...

NO overt mention of God, or His workings, or even that the Jews are His people, no mention of prayer, though fasting is mentioned—that likely would have included prayer

This in contrast to Ezra and Nehemiah

No non-Biblical confirmation of the account

No mention in the NT, nor remnant in the Dead Sea Scrolls

The circumstance surrounding Esther’s ascension to the Queen role is horrid, lurid, deplorable

Fits nicely into the known history of Xerxes’ temper, drinking parties, and the culture of the concubines

Lived in disobedience—still in Persia, willing to defile herself with the King and his luxuries

Timing

Placed between events of Ezra 6 & 7; during a 10 year period 483-473

During the period after the return of Exiles—under kings of Persia from 539-331 BC; most captives stayed behind, per prophecy of Isaiah in 48:20, or of Jeremiah in 50:8 or 51:6

King is Xerxes or Ahasuerus (r. 485-465 BC)

Writer, Reader and Reason

Possibly a returned exile; probably a Jew with inside information on how the Persian Empire worked; certainly an eyewitness to the events

The discouraged Jews trying to rebuild a nation

For the sake of encouragement

They had not been following the Law and the nation was a mess

However, it shows that God was always working on their behalf

The only direct theology to be drawn from the book

Esther was in her position for “such a time as this”

Establishes the origin of the holiday Purim

Overall Lesson

Seemingly insignificant people are often placed in critical places at critical times

A Moabite falls into the lineage of Jesus

A disobedient Jew saves her entire race—thus ensuring the birth of our Savior