Ruth 1:1-13
“Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.” (Ruth 1:1-3)
While we are never told exactly when the story of Ruth occurred, Matthew 1:5-6 places her about half way between Joshua’s time and David’s, meaning she was probably a contemporary of Gideon. We also know that the Mindianite invasion of Israel had resulted extreme seven year famine, further supporting this as the proper time frame. Judges 6:2-5 describes the situation.
“And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. Jud 6:6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.”
In an effort to avoid starvation, Elimelech moved his family East across the Jordan and south to the land of Moab, hoping to escape the Middianites, leaving behind land that his family had held for over two hundred years. Elimelech died shortly after they moved to Moab leaving Naomi and her two sons in Moab.
“And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. ” (Ruth 1:4-7)
After a time, Elimelech’s sons married Moabite wives, and established a life there. After about ten years, both of the boys died with no children. Learning that Israel was free from the Middianites and prospering under Gideon’s leadership. Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem where she would have contact with relatives and friends. In Moab, all she had was two daughters in law who needed to get on with their own lives.
“And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.” (Ruth 1:8-13)
When Naomi broached the subject of returning to Bethlehem to her Daughters in law, and suggested they return to their homes and get on with their lives both were upset that she would be left alone and offered to go with her. Knowing how hard it was to give up family ties and establish new relationships in another country, Naomi insisted they should stay in their own land. Since they were both young, they would not be strongly drawn to her friends, and they had the opportunity to remarry and have families of the own in Moab. At her age, there was no possibility that she would have other sons for them to marry, so they had no obligation to stay with her, and even if she could, it would be too long in the future to expect them to wait. She was just sorry they had to suffer because God was mad at her.
Many times people, even sincere Christians, have that same attitude that God doesn’t like them and is being mean when things go wrong. Sometimes they are like the teenager who is angry that his parents will not overlook his disobedience. Hebrews 12:6-10 advises, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” Rather than being an indication that God doesn’t like them, the problems are a display of his love.
Other times the problems simply show that we are no different than other Christians. John 16:33 warns, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” In ii Timothy 3:12, Paul warned, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
I Peter 4:12-16 instructs, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
We ought not resent the problems, instead rejoicing in them as a sign that we are experiencing a little of what Christ suffered, and that we will be rewarded accordingly. Only if the problems are the result of sin on our part do we need to be concerned.
“Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.” (Ruth 1:1-3)
While we are never told exactly when the story of Ruth occurred, Matthew 1:5-6 places her about half way between Joshua’s time and David’s, meaning she was probably a contemporary of Gideon. We also know that the Mindianite invasion of Israel had resulted extreme seven year famine, further supporting this as the proper time frame. Judges 6:2-5 describes the situation.
“And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it. Jud 6:6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.”
In an effort to avoid starvation, Elimelech moved his family East across the Jordan and south to the land of Moab, hoping to escape the Middianites, leaving behind land that his family had held for over two hundred years. Elimelech died shortly after they moved to Moab leaving Naomi and her two sons in Moab.
“And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.
Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. ” (Ruth 1:4-7)
After a time, Elimelech’s sons married Moabite wives, and established a life there. After about ten years, both of the boys died with no children. Learning that Israel was free from the Middianites and prospering under Gideon’s leadership. Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem where she would have contact with relatives and friends. In Moab, all she had was two daughters in law who needed to get on with their own lives.
“And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.” (Ruth 1:8-13)
When Naomi broached the subject of returning to Bethlehem to her Daughters in law, and suggested they return to their homes and get on with their lives both were upset that she would be left alone and offered to go with her. Knowing how hard it was to give up family ties and establish new relationships in another country, Naomi insisted they should stay in their own land. Since they were both young, they would not be strongly drawn to her friends, and they had the opportunity to remarry and have families of the own in Moab. At her age, there was no possibility that she would have other sons for them to marry, so they had no obligation to stay with her, and even if she could, it would be too long in the future to expect them to wait. She was just sorry they had to suffer because God was mad at her.
Many times people, even sincere Christians, have that same attitude that God doesn’t like them and is being mean when things go wrong. Sometimes they are like the teenager who is angry that his parents will not overlook his disobedience. Hebrews 12:6-10 advises, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” Rather than being an indication that God doesn’t like them, the problems are a display of his love.
Other times the problems simply show that we are no different than other Christians. John 16:33 warns, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” In ii Timothy 3:12, Paul warned, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
I Peter 4:12-16 instructs, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
We ought not resent the problems, instead rejoicing in them as a sign that we are experiencing a little of what Christ suffered, and that we will be rewarded accordingly. Only if the problems are the result of sin on our part do we need to be concerned.
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