Not only were they renowned for their immorality in general, but they had an infamous place in redemptive history. This was the place that was characterized as the place of famine for Israel; Moab was known for withholding bread from Israel. That strongly suggests that she was still a Moabite at heart, still an idolater at heart. addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c + 'gmail' + '.' + 'com'; 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). I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. We shall see more about this in chapter 3. But what she fails to see is that God is only increasing her problems to the level of human impossibility, so that He can demonstrate His power and grace through her weakness. The Messianic seed was often put at risk in the Old Testament. These cookies do not store any personal information. May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise! Boaz commanded his field-workers to be considerate toward her. 8 Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, 9 for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans. (Now they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.) For example, one might wonder, "Who is this guy anyway? Following the death of her husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Naomi decided to leave Moab, where her family had fled to escape famine. Wouldnt it be better for the two of them to travel together? Why was Moab the worst place to look for bread? Ruth was a superlative servant of God.Naomi and her family had sojourned in Moab during a famine. 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). Fearing they would be overrun by the Israelites, Balak (king of Moab)4 hired Balaam to curse Israel. This she must do by faith. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), Ruth: A Story of Redemption -- A Study of the Book of Ruth. It is also true (as God Himself says above) that God also punishes the guilty, but that is not the totality of who God is. The reader is required to peel back these layers of irony so as to deepen his appreciation of God's grace and mercy to the needy. But it is not the essence of what our life in Christ is about. As they entered Bethlehem, they became the talk of the town. 3), he was of the family of the Hezronites. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Those who place too much emphasis on marriage and child bearing should listen well to these words of Scripture: 6 He bends down to look at the sky and the earth. This would have been 11 In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. addy6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = addy6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 + 'prca' + '.' + 'org'; document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML = ''; Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Did Billy Graham speak to Marilyn Monroe about Jesus? The best thing for her to do was to return to Bethlehem and live out the rest of her days, dying empty (i.e., childless). Ruth does not cling to Naomi as a kindred spirit, but as a very needy person. What Naomi does mention pertains to marriage and child bearing. 10 From what we learn from the Book of Ruth, one does wonder what role Naomi played in this decision. For instance, Samuel opens the story without naming Elimelech. We, too, live in very pragmatic times, and those who live by principle especially the principles of Gods Word are few and far between. 36 In this way both of Lots daughters became pregnant by their father. How could any faithful Israelite encourage someone to return to their (false) god(s)? How wrong Naomi was. Today, people move all the time for jobs, family, location, schools, etc. In the past, Naomi was always portrayed in a somewhat flattering way. She returned to Moab. He was not a faithful husband. The famine in Ruth 1:1 was itself a judgment of God upon Israel for its sins (Deut. He took his family away from the covenant and proved to be an unfaithful husband. Do you recall what that method was? Famine in the land of promise can mean only one thing; God is testing with his people. Think of it: Naomi and her husband leave the land where God promised to bless them. Rather, he searched for other places of blessing; he left the land of promise. 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. var addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19+'<\/a>'; Classis WestThis email address is being protected from spambots. Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. Who makes the plaid blue coat Jesse stone wears in Sea Change? Ill attempt to support my conclusions as we proceed in our study of this book. Many of the commentaries on Ruth argue that the initial setting provides a mere backdrop to the story and nothing more. So God says in Deuteronomy 4:1. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today (Genesis 19:30-38, emphasis mine). You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Who thinks of Orpah today? Naomi returned to her homeland accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth. 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. What route might one take from Bethlehem to Moab? var addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloaka1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68').innerHTML += ''+addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68+'<\/a>'; Because her family died Why did Elimelech and his family go to Moab? Or, Ruth was Naomi's daughter in Learn more about our. He keeps loyal love; that is, He is a God who perseveres in His love, and thus He is a covenant-keeping God. He can respond out of a sense of fear and desire for food or out of a sense of faith. document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML = ''; Design by Social Village. daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. I would be very reluctant to conclude that Ruths husband or his parents taught her the law. But, given his subsequent actions, we have no problem understanding that his final decision was more closely connected with food than with faith. One has to ponder the outcome of her decision. She has chosen to permanently leave her homeland and family and to embrace Israel, the Israelites, and Israels God as her own, forever. The two sons married: Mahlon was joined to Ruth and Chilion wedded Orpah (4).However, the two marriages remained childless and worse was to follow. Then we find that such ways become comfortable, and so we stand or linger in them. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. The more we read itthe more we learn. Who would want a Moabite wife, especially a widow? That is to say, the setting has redemptive or covenantal significance. If leaving Judah was not bad enough, the place he chose to go was even worse. He lived in Bethlehem during the time of the judges. var addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML += ''+addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c+'<\/a>'; 2014 Protestant Reformed Churches in America. It appears from redemptive history that the Moabites had deliberately schemed to intermarry with the Israelites in order to conquer them. What time does normal church end on Sunday? Im an Assyrian not a Syrian. Follow your sister-in-law back home! 16 But Ruth replied. The more Naomi moans on about how bad things are for her, and how hopeless it would be for Orpah or Ruth to stay with her, the more we see the mighty hand of God working all things for the good of His people, as well as for His glory. After Mahlon died and Ruth had NLT Teen Life Application Study Bible, Softcover, My First Hands-on Bible--soft leather-look, bold blue, NLT Thinline Reference Bible, Filament Enabled Edition--soft leather-look, rustic brown, NLT Spiritual Growth Bible--soft leather-look, cream floral, NLT Large-Print Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition--genuine leather, brown (indexed). The scriptures don't mention Naomi's parents, just the fact that The geological marvels, millennia in the making, drew more than 1. Just as God had told the Israelites to remain in the land, He had also warned them about intermarriage with foreigners who may turn them to false gods. Ruth rejected Naomis appeal to leave her and go back to Moab, choosing instead to believe and behave like a true Israelite. You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The book of Ruth opens with an Israelite, Elimelech, leaving Bethlehem with his wife Naomi and two sons, Mahlon, and Chilion. Hence, should a sensitive reader become surprised to read now that the result of Elimelech's decision is death to his sons? var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Follow your sister-in-law back home! (Ruth 1:15). In the midst of her affliction and hopeless despair, God is at work preparing for the gracious things He is about to reveal to her and to the reader. After Mahlon died and Ruth had How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways! food. Blessings to you and your ministry as well. These are the times of darkness when godliness should shine forth as a brilliant light. Movie directors use this kind of setting to heighten the tension of a story. Some are so focused on courtship and romance in Ruth that they overlook its instruction on joining, staying in and never leaving Gods church. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah went to live as a resident foreigner in the region of Moab, along with his wife and two sons. One can even imagine Elimelech explaining his apparently unfaithful choice to leave the land of God and spend time in Moab, but only until the famine is over. Ruth, the eighth book in the Bible, is relatively short, consisting of just four chapters. 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. 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. In the dark shadows of the days of the judges, we find two individuals whose lives are truly lights in the darkness. May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the LORD God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection! (Ruth 2:10-12, emphasis mine). Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. DO YOU HAVE A MOAB THAT YOU NEED TO LEAVE? They entered the region of Moab and settled there. To an ancient Israelite, the idea of famine in the land should have confronted them with a theological challenge. Rabbi Ginsburg argues that Elimelech is really not the problem; his sons are the problem. In Judges 19-21, we find a similar situation. In Ruth, this element of the curse of the Moabites is also mentioned. 3Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. 2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. Naomi also made it clear that this was because (in her mind) God had dealt harshly with her.16 Naomi measured Gods blessing only in terms of food and of family. As noted in the introduction, biblical narrative has redemptive or covenantal structure. When a famine came to the area around Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab (Moab was the name of Lot's elder daughter's son and the people and land We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Pay attention to do everything I have told you, and do not even mention the names of other gods do not let them be heard on your lips (Exodus 23:13). Naomis people (Israel) would be her people, and Naomis God would be her God. If I have counted correctly, the term is used 48 times in the Old Testament; 9 times in the Pentateuch, 2 times in Ruth, 2 times in the Psalms, 1 time in Isaiah, 2 times in Ezekiel, 1 time in Joel, and 31 times in Job. His sons, on the other hand, decide to stay or to dwell in Moab. God had given the Israelite a way of understanding the world and life in the land. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. married Boaz. Lot and his two daughters are now living in a cave. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. He took his wife and As the story opens, we encounter a man who takes his family to Moab because there is a famine in Bethlehem of Judah. For I am too old to get married again. 56:8)!Naomi had been through a lot in the last few years: famine, emigration, two weddings and three funerals. Ruth and Naomi are very different people. elimelech died, leaving naomi and her daughters-in-law alone. WebWhat happened to Elimelech in Moab? 10 But they said to her, No! In such a declared emergency, she reasoned, they must take extraordinary measures. What a relief it is to leave Judges behind and come to the Book of Ruth! 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)? There is nothing random, therefore, about the construction of biblical narratives. The oldest daughter (who will become the mother of Moab) saw their situation as impossible. Shouldnt Ruth follow her lead? Therefore all those who separate themselves from the same, or do not join themselves to it, act contrary to the ordinance of God.Rev. A few years ago, I found myselfat a crossroadswith a several key friendships in my life. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And in good covenant form, she pronounced a curse upon herself if she did otherwise. It must have been on Naomis watch that these two sons married their Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth. They emigrated from famine-stricken Israel to Moab (1-2). var addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = 'laning' + '@'; But about ten years later, 5both Mahlon and Kilion died. WebElimelech Moves His Family to Moab 1 In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. Samuel uses irony as his most powerful literary tool. 15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, 16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus (Romans 2:12-16, emphasis mine). Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16). We may only intend to walk somewhere for a brief time. Could it be that this is a pointer? But when Ruth refused to return to her people and accompanied her to Bethlehem, Boaz entered the picture, a close relative, a possible redeemer. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' A.Stewart, Pastorates: Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Ballymena, Northern Ireland - 2001. They left the judges, prophets, priests and Levites whom God had placed in His Old Testament church. They would be (or so it may have seemed to Naomi) a liability to her when she returned. 1, iv. The stage is set, and the setting is loaded with redemptive meaning. She decided it was time to get out of Moab. Did Billy Graham speak to Marilyn Monroe about Jesus? Naomis first attempt is described in verses 8-10. Obviously, Naomi had changed. In Judges 3, we read that the Israelites were subject to Eglon, king of Moab, for 18 years.8 Since the Moabites were not Canaanites, marriage to a Moabite was not strictly forbidden.9 Nevertheless, Moabites were not only regarded as aliens or foreigners, but also as second class citizens. Marriage to a Moabite was not something one did to gain status in Israel. 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. addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 + 'prca' + '.' + 'org'; Her God is all powerful, but not merciful and gracious. The Hebrew word for return is shubh (sounds like shove) and in this context it means: turn again, go on, go back, brought back, turn back. This seems to be designed to provoke some questions in the mind of the reader. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (3) One gets the impression that those who remained in Bethlehem fared reasonably well during the famine; certainly better than Naomi and her family did. PRC-Related: RFPA, Standard Bearer, Reformed Witness Hour, Etc. She believes in a God who is all powerful, but who is not merciful and compassionate. If they were not faithful to this task, they would be tested even more severely and called back to faithfulness. And when both her sons died without bearing children, her situation seemed impossible.
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