They need new or different husbands to marry and to bear children. For you are the temple of the living God. However, there appears to be far more than meets the eye. No, of course not, my daughters! WebElimelechs Family Goes to Moab. Naomi was now left without a husband, without sons, and without grandchildren. she was the wife of Elimelech and the mother of Mahlon and Chilion 9 May the Lord enable each of you to find security in the home of a new husband! Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly. (8) All of this leads me to conclude that Naomi is not an example of faith, but an excellent example of Israels poor spiritual health. Fifth, what about remembering Gods day and keeping the fourth commandment in Moab? Later, things seemed to look up for the bereaved family. A prominent man named Elimelech went to wait out the lean years in the neighboring land of Moab, with his wife (Naomi) and two sons. Angus Stewart, Pastorates: Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Ballymena, Northern Ireland - 2001. Even if we realize that there are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.. The closing chapters of the Book of Judges contain some of the most gruesome accounts in all of the Bible homosexual Benjamites want to rape a guest in their city; a woman is brutally gang raped by these same men; her husband seems more than willing to sacrifice her to save his life, and then he chops her dead body into twelve pieces which he delivers to every part of Israel. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. It has been supplied by the translators. God loves to show mercy and compassion. Like Moabs mother, the Israelites reasoned that due to their circumstances, an Israelite line might become extinct. 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to dissuade her. Sometimes we have to leave people too. For some who emigrated, it worked out well, but for others it did not. Somehow God wrote His law on Ruths heart, not unlike Tamar and Rahab, her predecessors. Id like to deal with our text by calling your attention to the contrasts the author has highlighted in the first chapter of Ruth. When they turned away from God, He turned away from them. 17Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. 1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The only hope Naomi sees for Orpah and Ruth is the hope of finding a Moabite husband and bearing children. 1 During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. Ruth would have none of this foolish talk, and she made this abundantly clear to her mother-in-law. Arches National Park is famous for its iconic arches. The contrast between Ruth and Naomi. For example, one might wonder, "Who is this guy anyway? Both were traveling with Naomi as she made her way toward Israel. This is the modern understanding of weather. 19 and Micah 5:2. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; In our text, Naomis conversation with her daughters-in-law is couched in language that gives the appearance that she is encouraging them to return to their families and their land because this would be in their best interest. The first concerns our Lord Jesus Christ. This is completely secular thinking. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; 31 Later the older daughter said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is no man anywhere nearby to have sexual relations with us, according to the way of all the world. 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. When they return, Ruth meets Boaz, and he fulfills the role of kinsman redeemer. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' You need JavaScript enabled to view it. There was a famine in the era of the Judges. The two were penniless, and supported themselves by gleaning grain (Leviticus 23:22) in other people's fields. Though a widow, Naomistill had her two sons to provide for and protect her. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. during the time of the judges in Israel. 19So the two of them continued on their journey. document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML = ''; The use of this word highlights for us the problem with trying to justify faithless living because it will only be for a short time. Such people are in misery, and honestly, they make those around them miserable as well. Call me Mara because the Sovereign One has treated me very harshly. Once again I would suggest that Naomis strong urging for Ruth and Orpah to return was as much for her interests as for her daughters-in-law. If you desire to join a community where you can meet others for hope and encouragement on your faith journey, I would love to have you as a fellow traveler. Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. As a relative of Boaz ( ib. I so love the story of Ruth and Naomi, and each time I read it, I learn something new and powerful. Famine in the land of promise can mean only one thing; God is testing with his people. Leaving His land, His people, His office-bearers, His worship and His day is leaving God. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. And there is another difficult part of leaving Moab. You can almost feel the trembling in his voice as he pleads with his wife to pretend to be his sister. Certain decisions have a way of progressing to their natural conclusion. That strongly suggests that she was still a Moabite at heart, still an idolater at heart. To walk in the steps of Abraham, one like Ruth would need to: (1) leave her relatives; (2) leave her homeland; and, (3) trust God to bless her as she sought to bless her mother-in-law. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; The New Covenant promises that God will write the law on the hearts of those He has chosen for salvation, whether Jew or Gentile. Ruth has an uncanny grasp of Israels religion and has chosen to embrace it as her own. People who want to stay in Moab. The context of these texts explains further the wickedness of those times. In her thinking, God had stripped her of all hope by taking her husband and her sons in death, and by preventing their wives from bearing children. Conversely, one who is not a Jew and isnt instructed by the Law may have the law written on his (her) heart, and thus do the things the law requires. This seems to be designed to provoke some questions in the mind of the reader. And all of this resulted in the near annihilation of one of the twelve tribes (Benjamin) and a conspiracy to acquire wives for the remaining Benjamites in a way that was morally unacceptable. For did Elimelech and his family really go up to all of the three pilgrimage feasts each of the ten or so years they spent in Moab (Ruth 1:4)? They emigrated from famine-stricken A Christian wife is having difficulties in her relationship with her husband, and she shares this with a Christian friend. The best thing for Orpah and Ruth to do was to return to their people and their gods, Naomi concluded. His name was Nate Mirza. In Numbers 25 we hear that the Israelites were beginning to fornicate with the Moabite women, and as a result God began to kill the men then with a plague. The scene requires Elimelech to make choices about his family's future. It would seem to be significant that Naomi told Ruth that Orpah had returned to her god. Stay in Bethlehem: risk starving their bodies. If Ruth is right in moving to Israel from Moab, then Elimelechs family were wrong in moving from Israel to Moab. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. May the Lord show you the same kind of devotion that you have shown to your deceased husbands and to me! Many, including me, are troubled by the times in which we live, but this is no excuse for ungodly behavior. 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. There were no men nearby to marry, she reasoned, so there was no conventional way25 for them to bear children and thus to preserve their fathers line. Naomi, so to speak, put all of her eggs into one basket marriage and bearing children. Judah married a Canaanite woman, and two of his sons died because of their sin. The scriptures don't mention Naomi's parents, just the fact that But here is where the similarity ends. It is available on the Internet at: www.netbible.org. What are the duties of a sanitary prefect in a school? We need to bear in mind that what is at stake here is the Messianic line, the line which will ultimately bring forth Messiah. 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. Moab. Naomis people (Israel) would be her people, and Naomis God would be her God. My problem with the text in Romans 2 was that I couldnt think of an example of what Paul was saying. That same word return isused 9 more times in Chapter 1 of Ruth! Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Ruth was the great grandmother of King David. Orpah succumbed to Naomis reasoning and chose to pursue what appeared to be in her best interest. 3Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. What time does normal church end on Sunday? Orpah and Ruth were committed to returning to Israel with their mother-in-law. 54-55). Ruth was born in Moab about B.C. Elimelech had a wife named Naomi and two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. 17 Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. But in Old Testament redemptive narrative, famines often come to the land as God curses his people or tests them regarding their faithfulness. The just God, of course, is right in so doing, for He is judging sin.We also have Ruths beautiful and moving words to Naomi: Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me (16-17). We should note several things about Naomis third attempt to persuade Ruth to join Orpah as she returned to Moab in verse 15. They arrived, in fact, just in time for the barley harvest. We know that this backfired because Balaam could not curse those whom God had blessed.5 When this approach did not work, Balaam counseled Balak how to harm Israel in a very different way by having the Moabite women seduce the Israelite men.6 One might easily infer from this that the Moabites, like the Canaanites, were a sexually immoral people (in a way that tempted the Israelites). var addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = 'laning' + '@'; How much is a biblical shekel of silver worth in us dollars? var addya1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = 'billlangerak' + '@'; Dispensationalism misses this because it denies that Israel is the Old Testament form of Gods church (and the church is the New Testament form of Israel). Would Abraham believe that God would provide for him and protect his wife to whom God had given a promise of future blessings? This also reminds us of the way of God's people in the book of Judges. He is slow to anger, and He does forgive sin. 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 opens with some dramatic flair, which heightens the irony. She makes this insightful observation about Naomis decision to leave Moab: In the same way and for the same reason, you and I need to leave the Moabs of our own making. She had given up all hope. The next day, the other man refused to take Ruth, and she and Boaz were married. They would be (or so it may have seemed to Naomi) a liability to her when she returned. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Many of the commentaries on Ruth argue that the initial setting provides a mere backdrop to the story and nothing more. Is it also a suggestion that the emigration of Elimelech and his family from Bethlehem to Moab is of a piece with the disobedience of that period? It led to a hopeless fatalism: It doesnt really matter what I say or do; God is against me, and there is nothing I can do about it.. He did not seek repentance, nor did he stay to witness the recovery of the land. document.getElementById('cloak4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Are you in a place you dont need to be? Elimelech was Naomi's husband. 2 (Now the mans name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. While they were there, Naomis husband died, and her two sons married women from Moab, one of whom was named Ruth. All rights reserved. Who even remembers her name? When we met, I had no idea who he was, but he introduced himself something like this, Hi, Bob, Im Nate Mirza. And so this older daughter persuaded her younger sister that both of them needed to get their father drunk, and then each should lie with him, so that they might produce offspring for their father. I would be very reluctant to conclude that Ruths husband or his parents taught her the law. We find Ruth contrasted with Orpah, and then with Naomi. He took his family away from the covenant and proved to be an unfaithful husband. There is a vital spiritual lesson to be gleaned from Ruth 1:1-5 (we covered its history in the last issue of the News). It was my friend Dave Austin who reminded me of the danger of pragmatism from this text. Even professing Christians can fall victim to the tyranny of the urgent. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. But according to Rab (B. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. But she concluded that God was using His power against her, rather than for her. After Mahlon died and Ruth had Think of it: Naomi and her husband leave the land where God promised to bless them. If Naomi had other sons, she could give them to these women in Levirate marriage, but she has no other sons. Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, moved to Moab during a famine. Abraham put the seed at risk when he represented his wife Sarah as his sister, and she ended up (temporarily) in Pharaohs29 (and later Abimelechs)30 harem. And when both her sons died without bearing children, her situation seemed impossible. var addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19+'<\/a>'; Classis WestThis email address is being protected from spambots. If you see what happens to Elimelech's sons you will remember Moab's method of destroying Israel. 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. What is wrong with reporter Susan Raff's arm on WFSB news. Surely this poor fellow doesn't understand the covenant". The crises of life are Gods pop quizzes, times when He puts our faith to the test, times when He gives us an opportunity to put our faith on display. Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia, Missions, Sister Churches, Christian Schools. She has no husband to father sons, and she is too old to bear children anyway. Moab was a place of cursing for the people of God. 10 But they said to her, No! 20 It could well be that Orpah had much to say, but the author did not wish to focus on her as she is not the heroine of this story. Naomi adds one final argument in favor of Orpah and Ruth returning home to Moab. We are connected theologically with the last verse of Judges as it unfolds in Ruth, but with curses that will be reversed by a faithful husband rather than a judge. Famine drove them to leave their homeland and travel to Moab to make a new life. But when Ruth refused to return to her people and accompanied her to Bethlehem, Boaz entered the picture, a close relative, a possible redeemer. Obviously, Naomi had changed. Naomi should teach us to be careful about accepting the counsel of those who seem to be well meaning. var addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloak4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140').innerHTML += ''+addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140+'<\/a>'; Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? She has been convinced and turns back to her own country. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; 2 These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods. We, too, live in very pragmatic times, and those who live by principle especially the principles of Gods Word are few and far between. I pray that you, like Ruth, have forsaken all confidence in yourself and have cast yourself upon the one true God for salvation. Ruth, a Moabitess, became Naomi's daughter-in-law. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Ill attempt to support my conclusions as we proceed in our study of this book. Where will he turn to find food for his family? My sense is that most of the residents of Bethlehem stayed in Bethlehem, rather than leaving to sojourn in a foreign country during the days of the famine. Web(3) Naomi selleth . WebThe name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. That is to say, the setting has redemptive or covenantal significance. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. God bless you! They struggled to find employment or they never really settled in their new environment or they experienced tragedy in their families (though few had it as hard as Naomi). After Mahlon died and Ruth had One has to ponder the outcome of her decision. Lenten Focus: Sacrifice As we head into our final, Lenten Focus: Worship This week we have done a de, Lenten Focus: Worship As we focus on worship this, Lenten Focus: Worship We began our Lenten series, Lenten Focus: Service "For even the Son of Man ca, Lenten Focus: Service She who does not serve God, Lenten Focus: Service We began our Lenten series, Lenten Focus: Silence & Solitude This week we hav, Lenten Focus: Silence & Solitude On Monday, I cha. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. where did these children come from? (Isaiah 49:20-21). Paul restates this law in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Systems of Transliteration Citation of Proper Names. Ruths words are her covenant with Naomi, with Israel, and with God, patterned after Gods covenant with Abraham and his descendants: Only death will be able to separate me from you! (Ruth 1:16-17). addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c + 'gmail' + '.' + 'com'; And that this may be the more effectually observed, it is the duty of all believers, according to the Word of God, to separate themselves from all those who do not belong to the church, and to join themselves to this congregation wheresoever God hath established it, even though the magistrates and edicts of princes be against it, yea, though they should suffer death or any other corporal punishment. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. There do not appear to be many generations between Boaz and David, but biblical genealogies dont always include every genealogical link in such cases. No, my daughters, you must not return with me. A pointer to the fact that, in moving from Bethlehem to Moab, Elimelech did not truly take God and His Word into account? They were of the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah.) If God has it in for Naomi, what woman in her right mind would want to be closely associated with her? 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. DO YOU HAVE A MOAB THAT YOU NEED TO LEAVE? daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Learn more about our. Therefore all those who separate themselves from the same, or do not join themselves to it, act contrary to the ordinance of God.Rev. Why do we know this? Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. WebBible: Ruth Flashcards | Quizlet. 12 Go back home, my daughters! Let us reflect on these contrasts for a moment. He keeps loyal love; that is, He is a God who perseveres in His love, and thus He is a covenant-keeping God. If leaving Judah was not bad enough, the place he chose to go was even worse. As I was studying our text for this message, it occurred to me that the text which describes the origin of the Moabites in Genesis 19 is a key to understanding the story of Ruth, and especially Naomis role in this account. In the brief narrative no critical comment Beware of well-meaning advice that is not rooted in Scripture and that is supportive of what you would really like to do, rather than what God commands us to do. var addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'jdengelsma' + '@'; The contrast between Ruth and Orpah. We already noted that irony occurs when something that usually means one thing is deliberately twisted or changed so that it transmutes into the opposite. Ruth is the perfect story of transition. This, of course, is Naomis meaning. 16 But as it is, they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. He lived in Bethlehem during the time of the judges. Keep Shining for Jesus Friend. A godly Israelite would not only trust in the one true God, Yahweh, they would also know that there are no other gods. 3 Sometime later Naomis husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. Lots older daughter neatly avoided the moral implications of what she proposed. In Leviticus 26 we read. moved to Bethlehem with her mother in law, Naomi, she met and Both were related to Naomi in the same way. 21 I left here full, but the Lord has caused me to return empty-handed. If you have time this week, my suggestion is to go to the book of Ruth and read it. The lot of widows was especially hard in those days, but for a widow in a foreign land, like Naomi, it was even more difficult.We are not altogether unfamiliar with stories like this. Because her family died Why did Elimelech and his family go to Moab? This email address is being protected from spambots. Not only were they renowned for their immorality in general, but they had an infamous place in redemptive history. Indeed, the structure of Judges begs us to ask about the future. It is four short chapters and will only take you a few minutes. 3, 4). Yet, you guessed it; Moab is the very place that Elimelech chose as his destination for bread. This is a text that has always puzzled me. Where did Elimelech die? The man whose name means God is my King decided to reject the way of the King, leaving the land of life and blessing for a journey to a land of certain curses. Elimelechs family left the land God gave them in Bethlehem, which land was a sign of the heavenly inheritance.Second, Elimelechs family left Gods people. But about ten years later, 5both Mahlon and Kilion died. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the series, Ruth: A Story of Redemption, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on January 10, 2010. Hebrews 10:25 exhorts us, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another.Sixth, Elimelechs family left God. Ruth focused on Naomi and her need and on Naomis people and their God. Naomi not only disregards the Abrahamic Covenant, she also urges Ruth (and Orpah) to do likewise. Ruth, the eighth book in the Bible, is relatively short, consisting of just four chapters. 12 May the LORD reward your efforts! The only time the land was dry was during times of curse. He is faithful and always right on time! Naomi saw singleness (widowhood for her) and childlessness as a curse, while Paul taught that singleness could facilitate ministry to others and to God (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). 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. food. Following the death of her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Naomi decided to leave Moab, where her family had fled to escape famine. Moses reiterates to the people of God that they must not only remain in the land He gives them, but they must occupy this land in spite of dreadful obstacles. The law was there to remind them that they couldn't join together the clean with the unclean. Neither does she mention the mistreatment they would likely receive because Moab is Israels enemy, but they could probably read between the lines. Jacob & Esau Pharez & Zarah Was it at Naomis initiative that her sons took Moabite women for wives? In moving to Moab, Naomi left the Lord to some extent and for some years. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; In fact, we might even think that Elimelech was being a good provider by looking out for his family. His sons, on the other hand, decide to stay or to dwell in Moab. Not only is Naomi unable to provide these women with husbands (and thus with children), God is also dealing harshly with her. And they will do this because they believe they are doing their friend a favor. In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the There are those who attempt to guild the lily as they read the Book of Ruth, desperately seeking some basis for making a pious Israelite of Naomi. The author uses the literary setting to highlight for us that matters for this man are about to go from bad to worse. This means, says the rabbi, that Elimelech was only on a temporary journey. And one of these two Ruth is a Moabite, not an Israelite. 21I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. As they entered Bethlehem, they became the talk of the town. 10 From what we learn from the Book of Ruth, one does wonder what role Naomi played in this decision. If they were not faithful to this task, they would be tested even more severely and called back to faithfulness. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend (Isaiah 55:8-11). That is ominous. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) There is yet another irony in Elimelech's choice of Moab. She was Naomis other daughter-in-lawthe wife of her other son. That is precisely what Naomi did with Orpah and Ruth. 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. addya1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = addya1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 + 'sbcglobal' + '.' + 'net'; God had given the Israelite a way of understanding the world and life in the land. But the most dramatic new development in Naomis argument is her reference to Orpahs god: 15 So Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. He and his sons die in Moab leaving his wife and eventually his daughter in law, Ruth, to return to Bethlehem.

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