Ruth

Ruth is situated in the Old Testament between the books of Judges and 1 Samuel, though the story takes place during the time of the Judges--a time of cyclical apostasy for the children of Israel.  Bruce Satterfield pointed out that, "By placing the story of Ruth before the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings, the reader is given a foreshadow of Israel's scattering and gathering. Further, a testimony of the redemptive role of Jesus Christ is given in a remarkable way. When understood this way, the Book of Ruth becomes more than lovely story. Indeed, it capsulizes the message of the scriptures!" (Satterfield, 2010.)

Proceeding with the assumption that everything the Lord has preserved for us in the scriptures has been done for a reason and that the "types and shadows" are everywhere present to testify of Him, Ruth's story is very instructive.

The image that is most readily apparent to me in the story of Ruth is her eventual role of bride to the rescuing Boaz, bringing to mind the Savior's parables of brides and the Bridegroom.  In this sense, with Boaz becoming a type of the Savior, recognizing Ruth's faithfulness and extending himself to rescue her, Ruth can become any one of us in our quest for truth, or a type of various sized contemporary or historical groups.  By taking that perspective, starting at the marriage of Ruth and Boaz and moving backward from that point, her experience--as a type--may shed light on our approach as individuals or as a Church to the eventual union with the Savior.

Brother Satterfield, in the above-cited article, makes the argument that the story typifies Israel's scattering and gathering and I believe that he is right.  But I also think there are some types of our own experiences, again, as individuals and as a Church.  But, of course, in the broader view of gathering Israel, this perspective still fits.

As we go to the beginning of the story, keeping the end in mind, we see Ruth as the converted daughter-in-law of Naomi.  We are left only to speculate on the character and qualities of Ruth's husband--Naomi's son-- that Ruth was so completely converted that she cleaved to Naomi in their family crisis.  She remained united to her husband's mother and her new faith even while the Israelites as a nation were fractured and failing in their faith.  She was clearly a successfully grafted branch of a "wild olive tree." (Jacob 5:1-10.)  In fact, she was so successfully grafted in that she became a mother of the "stem of Jesse"(D&C 113:1-4)--a mother of a lineage of kings, including the Savior, Himself.

When Naomi, Ruth and Orpah all lose their husbands and Naomi decides to return to her home, Ruth insists on going along, while Orpah is easily persuaded to stay in Moab (remember the building and the mocking crowd in Lehi's dream).  Ruth declares insistently to Naomi:

"... Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

"Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me."  (Ruth 1:16-17.) 

This "adopted" daughter travels with Naomi to  Bethlehem.  She "gleans" a subsistence living from the fields of Boaz and her character and faith catch the attention of Boaz.  His kindness provides extra food for her and protection through his servants and eventually lead her first to lie at his feet and then to enjoy a position beneath his protecting robes, much like a chicken beneath the wings of the mother hen (Matthew 23:37).  He reasons with his "brother" for her hand and her inheritance and secures her and provides her an opportunity to move from near destitution to become a mother of royalty.

Reference:

Satterfield, B. (2002). "all the city . . . doth know that thou art a virtuous woman": the book of ruth. Retrieved from http://www.ldsmag.com/gospeldoctrine/ot/020521ot20.html