Can God be kind and all-powerful when the world is filled with despair?Ruth: Redeeming the Darkness is an in-depth, gospel-centered Bible study on how Christ redeems even the worst forms of darkness lurking within and around us.Have you ever felt like God has left you? Struggled with feelings of bitterness or doubt? Hopelessness?Ruth’s message is not presented as a five-point sermon but as a … not presented as a five-point sermon but as a spectacular, romantic drama. Its story woos us into relationship with its characters and storyline, yet is also true, living history. This workbook-style Bible study approach tackles important life topics including fractured relationships, all-in Christianity, God`s faithful devotion, and rightly processing bitterness and doubt.
Ruth is unlike any other book of the Bible because words like love story and theatrical are accurate descriptors of its text alongside being historical, and gospel-centered. She’s small enough in her four chapters to rest as a cute hardback on your coffee table, yet profound enough to explode hope and redemption into your darkest pain and everyday frustrations. It is not only magnificent because of its breath-taking storyline between a man and a woman, but because God sovereignly orchestrated and sealed it within the scriptural canon so that we can experience Him as the ultimate lover of our souls. Ultimately, Ruth conveys the love story of Christ coming to redeem His people. Christ is coming for you. The host has ripped your ticket for Ruth’s next performance and you’ll be sitting front row center as His guest of honor. Come expectantly and settle into your seat prayerfully. The orchestra is cued, and the curtain is pulling back for Act 1 …
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I loved working through this study. Andrea does a wonderful job of guiding the participant through Scripture to uncover truths so easily missed.
From the moment I began reading this study, I was hooked. I love the easy way Andrea Thom presents the material. The book of Ruth is one of my favorite books in the Bible, so I was excited to have the opportunity to review this study.
She helps inspire the reader to dig deeper into the Word and connect with God on a personal level. As a wife and mother of 4 children in their 20s down to 16, time is a limited resource in my home, yet I want to connect with my Bible and God. This study provided me with the opportunity to do both without taking my entire day. Obviously, on days I had more time to spare, I could dive deeper into the materials.
I definitely recommend you check out this Bible Study for yourself
The story of Ruth is not new to most of us. This study, however, brought out many things that I had never considered when ready this short book in the Bible. The darkness seems so heavy in the beginning that it is hard to remember that God remains in control, even in the darkest times. I was reminded to be a light in dark places and remember what He has done for me – to have an attitude of gratitude. The kinsman redeemer brings Ruth and Naomi out of the darkness, just as Christ does for us.
This study is written to be taken as a group, something that I’m sure would have brought out even more wonderful nuggets. However, doing it on my own taught me a number of things I had never considered, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
I received this copy from CelebrateLit and all impressions and opinions are my own.
I really enjoy reading bible studies. This one is written so well, I spent hours just on one chapter. I love the questions at the end of every chapter. It helps me to dig deeper in the Word and look at things from a different perspective. I love the way the author uses elegant , descriptive words to entice us to really pay attention to what is being said. For example, “Regardless of why our hardships have come, we can trust God who blesses our obedience and has the power to transform our mistakes into something beautiful.” The author encourages us that even though we may see hard times, God is still right beside us.
The bible story unravels the life of Ruth and Naomi chapter by chapter from the bible. We get to look at them through the eyes of scripture and understand how Naomi was instrumental in Ruth’s life. I can understand why Naomi was so bitter. After all she lost her sons and her husband in a short period of time. I know I have been bitter towards God and couldn’t understand why he had allowed things to happen to me.
I thought I knew the story of Ruth, but after going through this bible story, I learned so much that I feel as if I missed the book of Ruth from my bible. I know one of the most known scriptures about Ruth was when she said, “Where you go I will go.” I suddenly remembered a song that we sing at church that reflects those words. Oh how I rejoiced that I got a revelation about something that I have heard or read so many times before.
I found the study to be well organized and filled with encouragement while retelling the story of Ruth in a way that is easy to understand. I never realized the importance of Boaz and how God ordained the coming together of Boaz and Ruth. It does read like a love story, but more of a love for the One true King. The study is one I think many will benefit from and get new insights to their own struggles.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Ruth: redeeming darkness
When I started the book I thought it was really good but got bored with it part way through. I think it would be more interesting in a group discussion/bible study group. Of course, that is actually what was written for. It does have a lot of bible reading to do along with the book. Definitely a different way to study and learn more about the book of Ruth. Actually at the end of the book it gives ideas on how the the discussion/ meeting would work. I think it may even make a good study for a Sunday school lesson in an adult class.
I received an complementary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
So I’ve been hanging out in the time of the Judges lately. You know, the end of Joshua’s life when the people of Israel are in the Promised Land but they haven’t totally claimed it…all the way through Samuel’s time before King Saul and King David. It seems like a coincidence: I didn’t plan to do these studies in this order. In most cases they were assigned to me. But in the last few months, I went through a study of 1 Samuel (which starts during the time of the Judges), I taught a class on Judges for School of Ministry, I reviewed a biblical fiction book that takes place at the very beginning of the book of Judges before the “time of the Judges” really starts, and I did this Bible study: Ruth: Redeeming the Darkness. If you didn’t know, the Book of Ruth in the Bible also takes place during the time of the Judges.
It was a really neat experience to bring all these different studies together and soak up the historical context, build the bridges to our lives today. But of the books I read or studied, this one wasn’t at the top of my list. I’m glad I read it – I learned a lot, and I also learned a lot about what I like and don’t like in a Bible study guide that is helping me as I write my own book. But there were some stylistic and structural things that weren’t the best fit in my opinion.
What I loved about Ruth: Redeeming the Darkness
I think the author did a great job of setting the stage, reminding us of the setting in Judges and getting us to think about how that relates to our world. Judges says it, Ruth refers to it, this author made sure we got the picture: everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Sounds a LOT like our culture today!) I also thought that looking at Ruth through the lens of a dramatic production was both clever and fitting.
What I didn’t love about Ruth: Redeeming the Darkness
Part of the power of story is that it leaves us room to come to our own conclusions, something that can happen in a personal journaling session or REALLY well if you are doing story with a group like my new Bible study is designed to do. Our temptation as pastors, teachers, and small group leaders can be to deposit the conclusion like cash at the bank. Transactional, one way to look at it. With story, though, we need to leave room for our hearers or readers to question, feel, discover. I felt that sometimes the author gave into that temptation and fed us the conclusions too easily. But this might be a matter of personal preference.
Structurally, it wasn’t really clear what we were supposed to do in a “session” as they are called, or how the study should be used. There are some suggestions at the end of the book, but they still left me a little confused as to how I might do it in a group. On my own, I just plowed through. As Bible students we don’t need to be married to the structure of a Bible study guide, especially studying on our own. But I do think there should be some clear way to go through it so that groups have some organization and individuals have a starting place to create their own plans.
Pet Peeves from a Seminarian
Sometimes the author gave commentary before we read the text. It’s good to read background information before you read the text, so you know which century you step into. But someone’s interpretation should come after you and the Holy Spirit have had a chance to talk about it first. Otherwise, you will read the text through the commentator’s interpretation rather than on its own merit.
The other pet peeve: there was at least one word study that left you hanging if you didn’t use the ESV. What do I mean? The question instructed readers to read the verse and select this particular word, and then the follow-up study was based on that English word.
That English word wasn’t in the first three translations I used. I had no idea what she was talking about.
This is a place where we as writers and teachers need to be aware. First, are we grabbing onto something that maybe only exists in one translation? If so, is it really clear from the original language? Yes? Then include the verse text in your book so that if your reader is using a different translation, they know what you are talking about. If not, don’t make that a focal point of your teaching/writing. I have some great tools to go back and do original language study. But your reader might not have that, so she might just stay confused.
Would I recommend Ruth: Redeeming the Darkness?
This is a hard question. For the reasons above, this study wouldn’t be my first choice for Ruth. But there is potential here, and I do think it is a good option. Also, if you’re really into character studies or theater, this might be a great fit for you.
I received a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.