July 25, 2023
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Reading along with us in Ruth? Here’s today’s reading:
Ruth 1 (NIV)
Naomi Loses Her Husband and Sons
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there…...Continue Reading
Wow. Naomi indeed was very truthful when she described her life as bitter. I can’t imagine losing my two sons on top of losing my husband in my old age. But little did Naomi know what the future held, that this would lead to the glorious conception of the Messiah. Sometimes, life seems bitter but God always sees the big picture while we don’t always do. Trust God in all circumstances.
Ruth 1 God always has a plan for us and our future as you see in Ruth, she stays with Naomi, she wants to follow her God, but we can’t allow ourselves to become bitter as Naomi did when things go bad in our lives and not the way we want them to, Naomi had suffered a great loss her husband and both sons, but she was forgetting what God had just given her by Ruth staying by her side. We have to keep our faithfulness to God and trust him and the resources he provides for us as his children.
The book of Ruth was during the time of the judges when there was a famine in the land. The book of Ruth is one of five scrolls read for Jewish festivals, and is read at the Feast of Weeks. [ Holman Bible Dictionary ] Elimelech because of a very bad famine decides to bring his family to Moab which was about 30 miles away. Another reference is [ All the Women of the Bible.] Whether Elimelech was in the will of God or out of it only God knows. The author of All the women of the Bible thinks he was out of it and not trusting God. The names of the two sons were Mahlon [ the sickly one, or invalid ] and Chilion [ the pining one, or wasting away.] Probably associated with their natal frailty. Interesting thought that even though they married to Moabite women they may have been prone to get sick. Elimelech did bring his family with him. Whether he was trusting God or not we can only say that he died and then 10 years latter his sons died leaving the three women alone. Now they are in a pagan country and Naomi feels that God has forsaken her. Coming there to Moab with her husband and sons she felt full but now leaving she is sorrowful and bitter. But God despite our wrong choices can bring about His will. In this case it led to a Moabite woman coming to faith in the true and everlasting God. Who was the ancestor of Jesus. She says to Naomi. [thy people shall be my people , and thy God my God.] She was faithful to her mother in law and wanted to worship the only true God. During those years of marriage she must had heard about God and desired to worship Him. Naomi probably had something to do with her teaching along with Orpah. Although it was the men who were taught the scriptures and had to memorize them. But I am very sure that Naomi knew the scriptures. Orpah at first joined Naomi and Ruth but her heart was not with the Lord and she turned back to her people and family in Moab. These two women are great examples of faith in God. Even when Naomi thought that God had forsaken her she still desired to worship God and follow Him. Little did she know that God was working His will in their lives. Sometimes we are like that doubting Him and thinking that He has forgotten us. We know He is the Creator and wants to have that personal relationship with us and we even know that He takes delight in us as His children yet we are so short sighted that we can only see what is happening to us in the moment. May we as His children look through His eyes and see us as He sees us. May the peace of Christ dwell in each one of us daily.
Dennis. You helped give perspective on thoughts I was having on Elimelech and Ruth. Thanks for sharing.
The intersection of the free will of man and the sovereign orchestration of God is a lesson that we learn from Ruth. We do our best to negotiate through life and deal with all the circumstances we face to the best of our ability, but as we live our lives under God’s care and direction, we will see God putting things together because of our choices..or even sometimes in spite of them. We also learn in this chapter the proper role of emotion in our lives. It is hard to imagine suffering what Naomi did in losing her husband and her 2 sons. And sadness and even anger are appropriate responses to that. Our emotions are a gift from God and are intended to be a thermometer to measure how we are internalizing life and what resources and truth from God do we need to rely on depending on the emotions we have. Emotions were never intended, though, to be a thermostat that drive or define what life is….who we are, what others are or what right thought is about circumstances. Faith and God’s truth do that! Naomi is quite noble and selfless in insisting that her daughters in law return to their home. And yet how noble and selfless Ruth is to be dedicated to Naomi and to speak these great words to her to reveal her commitment to her. But Naomi did not need to give into despair and to define her life as God being against her. The very One who she blames for her situation is the One who could be her comfort in it and show by His hand the consolation that He would bring in spite of her tragedy. God in fact is never against us as His people, but is always looking to lead us through the circumstances of life to be a better person, not a bitter one, and to glorify Him in what we do and what we become. He is always present and is always working on our behalf! He does not promise to free us from hardship, but be present with us in it and work things together for our good as we love Him and seek His purpose in it.
Ruth 1
I can’t imagine the pain Naomi felt losing both her husband and two sons! It does seem that she let that hurt pull her from God rather than draw close to Him and receive the comfort only he could bring in that situation.
But Ruth steps almost as a physical example of God’s mercy and comfort. She shows true love and compassion to Naomi and God will use that choice in a powerful way in both their lives.
I can see how Naomi’s response to the tragedies she has endured would lead to anger and bitterness at least initially. I’m overwhelmed by God’s love and compassion even though Naomi is in this bad place. I get what Pastor is saying – She believes God has removed his hand of blessing and she is not moving past it – she has lost hope. But faith should give birth to hope in trying times (though this is pretty bad). The first tangible sign that God had not forsaken her is Ruth desiring to stay with her.
Ruth 1-4
I love the story of Ruth. She showed such love and loyalty to Naomi and God rewarded her. My mother’s name was Ruth, so that’s why this story is special to me. My mother was also a very loving and loyal person. I was so fortunate to have her in my life.
“Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”
Naomi was in mourning for the loss of her family, and she felt that the Lord’s hand had turned against her. In her distress she tells Ruth “Your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her”. To Ruth, her gods were nothing, she knew in her heart that dwelling with the one true God and his people was more important than finding a husband in the land of Moab. She loved her mother-in-law and was determined to follow her. ”Your people will be my people and your God my God.” That resolute statement displayed Ruth’s love, loyalty, and determination, and she was favored by God for it