Therefore, when we read of the times of the Judges and we also see that there is a famine in the land, we are confronted with a setting that is charged with theological/redemptive meaning. 28:23-24).Together these first three factors are, to say the least, suggestive (three deaths, no reference to God in this scene alone in Ruth, and the dark days of the judges); the next two arguments are more explicit and are based on the words of Naomi and Ruth.Naomi states that, in the death of her three menfolk, the hand of the Lord is gone out against me (Ruth 1:13) and the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me (20). For some who emigrated, it worked out well, but for others it did not. These three widows, Naomi, Ruth and Orpah, were in a difficult and sad situation. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Elimelech had a wife named Naomi and two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. The final chapters of the Book of Judges are certainly the worst of times, and yet the Book of Ruth describes the best of times. This suggests to me that godly character is not only evident in the good times, but even more dramatically in the bad times. A sensitive reader would have learned in covenant history that there are certain places one should never go for bread. var addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloak4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140').innerHTML += ''+addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140+'<\/a>'; And he mentions Naomis return out of the country of Moab, to intimate that her poverty constrained her to sell her estate which her husband left her. As they entered Bethlehem, they became the talk of the town. Whether its a place we dont belong or a relationship going in the wrong direction or an activity were ashamed of or a habit thats strangling us, we need to get out of Moab. While they were there, Naomis husband died, and her two sons married women from Moab, one of whom was named Ruth. WebAs a result, the socio-economic fabric of society was falling apart, and a famine gripped the land. WHY DID ELIMELECH GO TO MOAB? Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; How wrong she was! The benchmark by which we need to compare Ruth and Naomi is the Abrahamic Covenant: 1 Now the LORD said to Abram, Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father's household to the land that I will show you. 3Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. But sadly for his sons, then never comes, and they die in Moab. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung tightly to her. Disagreement with his town leaders Famine in his home town Distant relatives invited him Earthquake in his home town Sara Rachel Mara Elizabeth 2: What were the names of Elimelech's two sons? The next day, the other man refused to take Ruth, and she and Boaz were married. Elimelechs family left the land God gave May you grow in giant leaps in Jesus Name. It certainly would be safer for the two women to travel together, but it is Orpah who will travel alone, not Ruth. I so love the story of Ruth and Naomi, and each time I read it, I learn something new and powerful. You can almost feel the trembling in his voice as he pleads with his wife to pretend to be his sister. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them. She had to leave her family, her homeland, and her gods and go to the place of Gods blessing. And they continued to live there about ten years. Thus, the reader of this narrative is forced to see the covenant connection between famine and the passages found in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Thus, we cannot say with certainty that the story of Ruth occurs late in the period of the judges, though this seems likely. Moab. WebElimelech Why did Naomi decide to return from the country of Moab? What route might one take from Bethlehem to Moab? 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. | He left his wife | His sons murdered him | He died | He was killed by the King of Moab |. 1:2 (Now the mans name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. But, like Naomi, God started taking things away from me one by one, so I was left standingat the crossroadsall by myself. This email address is being protected from spambots. Someone reminded me that the Book of Ruth is a lot like the Book of Esther. Do you recall what that method was? They emigrated from famine-stricken The contrast between Ruth and Naomi. 3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name (Genesis 12:1-3, emphasis mine). For example, the opening lines point us back to the book of Judges and one of the recurring themes in that book. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. law. var addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19+'<\/a>'; Classis WestThis email address is being protected from spambots. Elimelech was Naomi's husband. Naomi felt that God was against her, and every indication is that she felt God had dealt with her in a harsh and severe way. In Ruth, this element of the curse of the Moabites is also mentioned. Bearing children was to be done Gods way. Her faith and obedience was known by all. Nobody would yoke a donkey with an ox because one is smaller and it wouldn't work. Ruth becomes a true Israelite in spite of Naomis persistent encouragement to return to her Moabite roots. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. var addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloaka1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68').innerHTML += ''+addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68+'<\/a>'; 54-55). Who would carry on his line? She was willing to sacrifice family ties, marriage, and a family to do so. Their ultimate blessing would have been to leave their land, their people, their false religion, and to identify with the Israelites and with their God. Ruth 1 - Elimelech Moves His Family to Moab - Journaling God and G What is wrong with reporter Susan Raff's arm on WFSB news. They no longer have their old or former husbands because they have died. Her God is all powerful, but not merciful and gracious. Is God judging here? Ruth, the eighth book in the Bible, is relatively short, consisting of just four chapters. Then grief befell them in Moab! var addy6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'spronk' + '@'; Some are so focused on courtship and romance in Ruth that they overlook its instruction on joining, staying in and never leaving Gods church. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; My impression is that Naomi had changed not only in her appearance (she may not have aged well in Moab), but also in spirit. Obviously, Naomi had changed. They left the judges, prophets, priests and Levites whom God had placed in His Old Testament church. 12 The word new is not in the original text. 21I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. But is this really all that the first five verses of Ruth contain? (7) Naomi does appear to have one thing right humanly speaking, Naomis chances of perpetuating her husbands line are between slim and none. We see how heedless it was for Elimelech to seek refuge in this land for the reasons that he did. Was it at Naomis initiative that her sons took Moabite women for wives? For you are the temple of the living God. TheMoabites had been horrible to the Israelites, refusing to give them water or feed them during their exodus from Egypt. In her second effort, Naomi insists that her daughters-in-law must not return with her because it would only cause them to endure some of her affliction (verse 13). (2) There is no indication that other Israelites from Bethlehem (or elsewhere in Israel) accompanied Elimelech and his family to Moab. You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Many are the times when friends counsel others to act in their own best interests, and all too seldom do they point their friends to the difficult principles and commands of Scripture. Ruth: A Loyal Love Story | Keep Believing Ministries In her third attempt, she orders Ruth to follow her sister-in-law back home. Some returned to the land of their birth.Is this what we have here in Ruth 1:1-5? There is nothing random, therefore, about the construction of biblical narratives. I am so grateful for your encouragement! Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Each of you should return to your mothers home! What time does normal church end on Sunday? How could Naomi encourage Ruth (and, by inference, Orpah) to return to their god(s), when doing so would condemn them eternally? His sons, on the other hand, decide to stay or to dwell in Moab. Or, Ruth was Naomi's daughter in 3 When Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor, the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel. has Naomi sold. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), Ruth: A Story of Redemption -- A Study of the Book of Ruth. Naomi Unlike Orpah, who returns to her Moabite family in obedience to Naomis wishes, Ruth insists on traveling to Bethlehem with Naomi. Learn how your comment data is processed. Because Moab was a place known for its refusal to feed Israel bread. There is a difference between fearing God, and being afraid of God; the Godly fear God as a child does his father, the wicked are afraid of God as the prisoner is of a judge. Without a doubt, this is the most amazing and distressing thing Naomi has said so far. Of course, Moab is just such a place. I think I understand generally what Paul is saying here, based upon the promise in Jeremiah: 33 But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land, says the Lord. As well as the five indicators in Ruth 1, we should think about other, relevant, biblical teaching. She would go where Naomi went and live where she lived. Ruth places us in the middle of a scene of covenant testing. This would have been The book also presents a kinsman redeemer (Boaz) who buys back or redeems his deceased relatives wife (Ruth). Her name was Orpah. A man of the tribe of Judah, living in Bethlehemjudah at the time of the Judges (Ruth i. It was a good number of years ago that I sat in on an excellent elective class taught by my friend, Tom Wright. I believe the opening words of A Tale of Two Cities go like this: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . Surely these words aptly describe Ruth in the period of the judges. Elimelech chose to leave the land and to seek food from other fields. When Abraham responded in fear rather than in faith, his choices were so bad that even an Egyptian king rebuked him in Genesis 12:18 saying. var addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloak4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140').innerHTML += ''+addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140+'<\/a>'; But in Old Testament redemptive narrative, famines often come to the land as God curses his people or tests them regarding their faithfulness. Ill attempt to support my conclusions as we proceed in our study of this book. This was the place that was characterized as the place of famine for Israel; Moab was known for withholding bread from Israel. Do you have pictures of Gracie Thompson from the movie Gracie's choice. He sought wives for his sons from the worst place in the world that a faithful Israelite could imagine, from Moab. Judah (through whom the messianic line would be traced) kept his third son from a Levirate marriage with the first sons widow, and then had sex with a woman he thought was a cult prostitute.31 God not only preserved the messianic line, He was faithful to fulfill His (Abrahamic) covenant32 with Abraham. This takes risk, obedience, and movement in a totally different direction. document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML = ''; Ruth emphatically says No to Naomi, but with such wonderful words Naomi can hardly continue to stand in her way. She had had a long stretch of time during which she observed Naomi's righteousness, and she (Ruth) became convinced that she must serve the One God and abandon her former idolatry. It is available on the Internet at: www.netbible.org. Even if I thought that there was hope that I could get married tonight and conceive sons, 13 surely you would not want to wait until they were old enough to marry! According to Jewish doctors, a noble and potent person. 21 I left here full, but the Lord has caused me to return empty-handed. Ruth is very significant as regards church membership, departing from the church and joining the church. The Story of Ruth Ruth's story springs up beautifully in the context of this agonizing cycle of failure, except with Ruth we are pointed to the need for more than a judge; there is a need for a faithful husband. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Web214 views, 46 likes, 14 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Reels from Prayers Move Mountains: Ruth 2:20 "The LORD bless him!" Judging for sin? Warren Wiersbe, one of my favorite Bible teachers, puts it like this: Emilelech walked by sight not by faith and took his whole family right down with him. Today, to depart from a true church, manifesting the three marks of faithful preaching, sacramental administration and discipline (Belgic Confession28-29), involves leaving pastors, through whom Christ teaches us; elders, through whom He rules and supervises us; and deacons, through whom He shows us mercy (Belgic Confession30-31).Fourth, Elimelechs family left Gods worship at the tabernacle, where God had manifested His presence in the Shekinah glory. And both (at least initially) were committed to staying with Naomi, even if that meant immigrating to Israel. I pray that you, like Ruth, have forsaken all confidence in yourself and have cast yourself upon the one true God for salvation. What a delight it becomes to experience the layers of irony unfolding into a beautiful story that breathes with love, life, and hope. Design by Social Village. I hate to say this, but after being involved in ministry for many years, I would have to say that some of the worst counsel I have ever heard has come from well-meaning Christians. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband. Why did Elimelech go to live in Moab with his family? | Bible Trivia More tears are shed. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! We can be sure from this word that Elimelech had every intention of staying in Moab temporarily. I had a decision to make, a choice to pursue, and a new direction to take. addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 + 'prca' + '.' + 'org'; There is yet another irony in Elimelech's choice of Moab. Web(3) Naomi selleth . var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; 1In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. For instance, Samuel opens the story without naming Elimelech. As Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye and turns back toward home, Ruth clings all the more tightly to her mother-in-law. 11 The thought occurred to me that Naomis journey back to her homeland traced the steps of the Israelites when they first entered the Promised Land. Even if we know it is best togo. We need to bear in mind that what is at stake here is the Messianic line, the line which will ultimately bring forth Messiah. Questions and Answers on Megillat Ruth: Chapter Famine drove them to leave their homeland and travel to Moab to make a new life. Perhaps one reason why the author does not make a major point out of the theme of divine judgment is because his purpose is to emphasize divine mercy, not only as God provided food for His people, but also in His providential provision of a family and a posterity for Naomi and Elimelech. She was married first to The more Naomi protests her miserable state, the more we are being prepared for a great work of God. God had just destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their great sin. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Ruth is the perfect story of transition. She does not acknowledge sin on her part (and Elimelechs), and she does not seek to repent. This is entirely consistent with Old Testament history and with the warnings recorded in Leviticus 26:18-20 and Deuteronomy 28:23-24. There the sacrifices were made, bespeaking the full and rich atonement made for our sins on the cross. Others fail to see this teaching on church membership in Ruth because they have not fully grasped the robust biblical and Reformed doctrine of the church, as summarized, for example, inBelgic Confession28: We believe, since this holy congregation is an assembly of those who are saved, and out of it there is no salvation, that no person, of whatsoever state or condition he may be, ought to withdraw himself to live in a separate state from it; but that all men are in duty bound to join and unite themselves with it, maintaining the unity of the church; submitting themselves to the doctrine and discipline thereof; bowing their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ; and as mutual members of the same body, serving to the edification of the brethren, according to the talents God has given them. of the backslider driven by momentary trials from Gods ordinances down to Moab. The book of Ruth opens with an Israelite, Elimelech, leaving Bethlehem with his wife Naomi and two sons, Mahlon, and Chilion. Only death will be able to separate me from you!. The barley harvest will play a significant role in moving this story forward in the next two chapters. Elimelech faces the same kind of choice that Abraham faced. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; WebElimelech Moves His Family to Moab 1 In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. If Naomi had other sons, she could give them to these women in Levirate marriage, but she has no other sons. Here is a story that not only warms our hearts, it encourages our faith by unveiling the providential hand of God in bringing salvation and blessing during one of the darkest periods in history. I love how God works! In Job and in Ruth, this term seems to underscore Gods power, but in the context of suffering and adversity. I remember responding to Nate, Neither do the rest of us. Well, if this is true of us, it is certainly true of the Moabites. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? 20 Yet the children born during your time of bereavement will say within your hearing. His name was Nate Mirza. I can imagine how it alarmed and frightened Naomi when Elimelech died while they were sojourning in Moab. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; The faithful believer was never to be "unequally yoked together". addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c + 'gmail' + '.' + 'com'; What time does normal church end on Sunday? The author has a covenantal perspective as he links us to Judges. Required fields are marked var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; 3:16).Ruth 1 itself indicates the spiritual significance of its first five verses. Therefore all those who separate themselves from the same, or do not join themselves to it, act contrary to the ordinance of God.Rev.