The Book of Ruth is classically described as a love story or a story of redemption. Of course, these descriptions are not wrong, but they are incomplete. The story of Ruth is properly understood as a book of eschatology, or a prophetic picture of God's plan for Israel and the Church. The literal events of the story foreshadow and explain God's redemption of a disobedient Israel and the opportunity for the outside, Gentile world to share in Israel's promises. This course is taught in a unique form, with the primary story of Ruth paralleled with the story of end times.