Four Questions from the Book of Ruth: Discovering Faith in Times of Famine
The book of Ruth begins in a difficult place. It opens with a simple but powerful statement:
“In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land.” (Ruth 1:1)
A famine forced a family from Bethlehem—Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons—to leave their home and travel to Moab in search of survival. But what follows is not just a story about hardship. It is a story about faith, relationships, redemption, and God’s quiet work even in the most painful seasons of life.
As we reflect on the opening chapters of Ruth, four important questions emerge. These questions help us see the deeper spiritual lessons within the story.
1. How Many Famines Are There in the Bible?
The phrase “there was a famine in the land” appears several times throughout Scripture. Each instance teaches us something about how God works in difficult seasons.
For example:
- In Genesis 12, a famine occurs while Abram is traveling through the land God promised him.
- In Genesis 26, another famine strikes during the time of Isaac, but God instructs Isaac to stay where he is rather than move.
- In Genesis 41, Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream and prepares Egypt for seven years of famine.
- In 2 Samuel 21, a famine occurs during the reign of King David.
- In 2 Kings 4, a famine affects the prophets during the ministry of Elisha.
And then we see famine again in Ruth 1.
These moments remind us that famine is not just a physical crisis—it is often a spiritual crossroads. Sometimes people move during famine, as Abram did. Sometimes they stay, as Isaac did. In every case, God is present and working.
Interestingly, the famine in Ruth occurs in Bethlehem, a name that means “House of Bread.”
There is a certain irony there: famine in the House of Bread.
Yet by the end of the chapter, when Naomi returns home, the barley harvest is beginning. What once lacked bread is now producing it again.
God had already begun restoring the land.
2. What Motivated Ruth?
One of the most moving moments in Scripture occurs when Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to return to their families in Moab. Naomi believes her future is empty. She has lost her husband and her sons.
Orpah eventually turns back.
But Ruth refuses.
Instead, she makes this powerful declaration:
“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)
This is not merely a promise of companionship. It is a declaration of faith.
Ruth is leaving behind:
- Her homeland
- Her family
- Her culture
- Her gods
And she is choosing the God of Israel.
What motivated her to make such a life-changing decision?
Scripture does not explicitly say. But we can imagine that during the years Ruth spent with Naomi’s family, she saw something different.
Perhaps she saw Naomi’s faith.
Perhaps she heard stories about the Lord.
Perhaps she witnessed how Naomi’s family trusted God.
Often we do not realize how our faith influences others. The way we live, speak, and endure hardship can plant seeds in someone else’s heart.
Ruth may have come to believe that Naomi’s God was the true God—and she wanted that God in her life.
3. What Is God Teaching Us About Relationships with People from Other Nations?
The story of Ruth also teaches us something remarkable about God’s kingdom.
Ruth is a Moabite, a people group often at odds with Israel. Naomi’s family had entered foreign territory when they moved there.
Yet God uses this relationship between people from different nations to accomplish something extraordinary.
Later in the story, Ruth meets and marries Boaz, a man from Bethlehem. Boaz himself comes from an unexpected family background. His mother was Rahab, the woman from Jericho who helped the Israelite spies.
Together, Ruth and Boaz become part of the lineage that eventually leads to King David—and ultimately to Jesus Christ.
This means the family line of Jesus includes people from different nations and backgrounds.
God’s plan has always been larger than any single group of people. He works through relationships that cross boundaries of culture, nationality, and history.
The story reminds us that God often brings people together rather than keeping them apart.
4. How Does Famine Affect the Actions and Beliefs of People?
When Naomi returns to Bethlehem, she speaks words filled with grief:
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” (Ruth 1:20)
Naomi feels empty.
She left with a family and returns without her husband or sons. From her perspective, life has turned against her.
Yet the reader can see something Naomi cannot yet see.
She has not returned empty.
Ruth is standing beside her.
And the barley harvest has begun.
God is already working to restore what Naomi believes is lost.
Famine and hardship can shape our faith in different ways. Sometimes they leave us feeling bitter or abandoned. But the story of Ruth reminds us that God often begins His work of restoration in the very moments when hope seems gone.
Staying in the Lord’s Field
Later in the story, Boaz becomes what Scripture calls a guardian-redeemer—someone who protects and provides for Ruth and Naomi.
Boaz encourages Ruth to stay in his fields to gather grain. Naomi agrees, saying that in another field she might be harmed.
There is a spiritual lesson in that moment.
Just as Ruth found safety and provision in Boaz’s field, we find protection and life when we remain close to God.
The central truth of this story can be summed up this way:
Staying in the Lord’s field allows us to grow deeper in faith and wider in ministry.
When we remain rooted in God’s presence—among His people and guided by His Word—we grow stronger in faith and more capable of serving others.
From Famine to Harvest
The book of Ruth begins with famine, loss, and uncertainty.
But it moves toward redemption, provision, and new life.
Naomi believed her story ended in bitterness. Instead, God was preparing a future filled with hope.
Sometimes the seasons that feel like famine are the very seasons where God is preparing the harvest.
And when we remain faithful—when we stay in the Lord’s field—we discover that God is still at work, even in the hardest chapters of our lives.
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Sermon video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOUIFlcTYvY
[Blog post created by Sunday Message Repurposing Assistant from original sermon content preached by Rev. Kent F. Jackson on March 15, 2026.]
Sermon Series NOTE: The Story by Max Lucado ch. 9 “Faith of a Foreign Woman”
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