Can you inform me through the "Question Corner" who wrote the book of Ruth?
B.
We do not know, nor do we know that it is known by any one. It is a little story of rare beauty, the chief aim of which is to give the ancestry of David and of our Lord. It may have been written by Samuel; and so the "Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia" states, "The true date and authorship of the book are alike unknown, tho the current of authority is in favor of Samuel as the writer." Among the early Jewish writings it was added to the book of Judges.
The first two days of our readings close the stirring account of the reformation under Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, on the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity. The last chapter is the story of the earnest work of the ardent reformer Nehemiah to bring the Jews back to a strict observance of the law and of the Sabbath.
We then begin the reading of a book of marvelous interest, that of Isaiah, who prophesied between the years 760 and 698 B.C. He began his prophecies as a young man, in the reign of Uzziah, and continued them through the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Crucial times in Judah were they, and typical of the great days to come. Isaiah is called the "Gospel prophet." No other prophet of the Old Testament speaks so much of the last days, the sufferings and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the kingdom of glory which lies on before. His name means "Jehovah is salvation." Tradition tells us that his prophesying extended into the reign of Manasseh, and that he was martyred by that wicked king. The book naturally divides into two parts, chapters 1-39 and 40-66. The first part contains the following in general: the introductory discourse; second, four prophecies, chapters 2-12; third, a series of burdens on Babylon, Philistia, Moab, etc., chapters 13-23; fourth, other various prophecies, especially looking forward to the last days and the judgments of God upon the earth, 24-35; fifth, historical sketch and included messages, 36-39.
Particularly note that the lessons for this week do not point out a time of peace in the last days. They declare to us that the people shall say that peace is coming, but that this message is a false message.
Our Sabbath readings are Psalms 48-50, the first prophetic of the glory of Christ's kingdom, the second on the necessity of trust in God, the third on the second coming of Christ and the preparation for that event.
