The subtitle of this book is "A Somewhat Different Commentary," so how is it different? Theology without application can be lifeless and boring, and while the comments have been well-researched, contemporary application has been primarily my focus. I hope that with this commentary on the book of Ruth I have written something that can be read for pleasure as well as spiritual growth.
I started writing this commentary during the drought of 2019 that ravaged Australia, prompting me to keep my small farming valley in mind. Whenever possible I have tried to tie the lessons of Ruth back to the issues I see in my own community, one which has foreign farm workers, successful landholders, virtuous men and women, older godly women who no longer work but have influence, the issue of who gets the farm, and what constitutes citizenship.
