The book of Ruth is actually set during the fairly dark days of the book of Judges (Ruth 1:1; possibly written by Samuel). There are so many things that happened in Israel during this time that appears to make us think that Israel didn’t deserve any grace from God at all, at least as a nation. However, there were individual Jews who loved and worshiped God and who also lived morally upright lives, doing their best to remain obedient to God in those dark times. This allowed them to continue in fellowship with God (which should be the daily goal of every Christian). But by far, it seems that a general spiritual malaise covered the Land of Israel.

This is not unlike today, in my opinion. There is a growing darkness coming to the fore throughout the world today. It is so because of the push of satanic forces through individuals and groups of people who are thoroughly opposed to God. These blasphemers are solely motivated by the evil enveloping them, having given themselves over to it. Consequently, as Paul notes in Romans 1, they will naturally go from bad to worse. Anyone associated with them will be dragged in the same downward direction in which they are descending. Ultimately, this is the result of people and nations attempting to rise against God, wanting nothing to do with Him, not even wanting to think of Him any longer (Psalm 2). It is clear that God eventually throws them over to their desires, giving them what they seek.