The story of Ruth has always been one of my favorite Bible stories, too. I love that she is the celebrated hero: In Ruth 4:15, the women say to Naomi that Ruth "has proved better to you than seven sons," and I love that! Ruth has such a crazy-strong devotion to her mother-in-law (more important than her devotion to God, which seems to be just an aspect of being devoted to Naomi) and I wonder what made this relationship so important to the purpose of this story. To encourage women to be more devoted to their in-laws? That's unlikely because Orpah isn't criticized for going back to "to her people and her god" (Ruth 1:15).
I also noted a lot of the simplistic style in 1 Samuel that Kathryn saw in Ruth. Some of the stories are so silly - Eli thinking Hannah was drunk when she was praying; Samuel repeatedly thinking Eli was calling him when it was the Lord, Eli's sons referred to as "scoundrels;" and, what has to be one of the most bizarre stories in the entire Bible, the golden tumours and rats [what??]!
The story of Eli's sons was similar to that of Pharaoh to me: "They would not listen, however, to their father's rebuke, for the Lord meant to bring about their death" (1 Samuel 2:25). Just as He hardened Pharaoh's heart, He kept them from listening to their father's counsel? This has bothered me for years because it just doesn't mesh with most Christian theology of a God who loves and wants to save all of humanity. (Paul brings up the Pharaoh issue in Romans 9:14-23).
1 Samuel has so many cool things in it. My biggest question, though, is why did the Lord appoint them a king, knowing it was not the best thing for them? If they're His chosen people, shouldn't He want to "save" them?
