“Return to Bethlehem”
By Pastor Rich Paradis
Ruth 1:6-22
With
the disastrous events in Moab recently in the rear view mirror, there are
decisions that need to be made. Should these newly-widowed women stay in Moab
and try to make a go of it? Should they go somewhere and get a fresh start?
Should they return to Bethlehem? There is often a multitude of decisions that
must be made right on the heels of loss and in the midst of grief, and that’s
where these women find themselves. Let’s see what decisions they make and why
they make them as we move forward in the story.
I.
The
Decisions Made By Naomi Ruth 1:6-9, 11-13, 15, 18, 20-21
a.
In
light of the recent death of both Naomi’s husband and her two sons, they have
an important decision that must be made. That decision is where these women
will live the rest of their lives. It would appear that there are few choices
for Naomi to make as far as what to do going forward. She is not going to be
able to stay in the land of Moab. The choice of Elimelech to come here in the
first place was full of potential issues, but with his death and the death of
his sons staying was out of the question.
b.
The
current paragraph that begins with Verse
6 gives us the answer to where she is going to go from here. Naomi is going
to return to Bethlehem. Apparently, both Orpah and Ruth did not question their
own duties to accompany their mother-in-law, though it meant that they were
leaving their own homeland, extended families, etc.
c.
But
why is Naomi leaving Moab and heading back to Bethlehem? There seems to be only
one reason given at this point: it is because of the fact that Lord has ended
the famine in the land back home. How she has heard in the land of Moab that
the Lord has evidently “visited” His people and cured the famine is unknown,
but this is the news. And for the very same reason that Elimelech moved his
family to Moab (food and physical well-being), we now see Naomi returning to
Bethlehem.
d.
Very
quickly into Verse 7 we have the
beginnings of the journey of 50 miles, we have the travelers (Naomi, Orpah and
Ruth), and we have their desired destination (Bethlehem of Judah).
e.
The
first recorded conversation of the journey begins in Verses 8-9. There is a lot of speculation for the reasons behind
the conversation that begins here. There is clearly an affection that Naomi has
for her two daughters-in-law that is demonstrated. This is clear from the fact
that Naomi desires both the kindness of the Lord and the comfort of their
mothers for each of the young women. But here are a few thoughts that are worth
noting here that would possibly indicate some of Naomi’s thoughts at this
point:
i. The fact of the
matter was that the land of Moab was full of idol and pagan worship. If Naomi
really loved these young women, why didn’t she insist on them returning to a
place where there was a much greater chance for the blessings of God than where
she insists that they return?
1.
Is
it the difficulty of the journey and the fact that she is reminded of her own
trek into a foreign land and its difficulties?
2.
Is
it the fact that they were young and there would be little if no chance of a
man marrying a Moabite woman in and around Bethlehem?
3.
Is
it her own pride in that returning to Bethlehem with two Moabite women would be
proof positive of the marriages of her two sons in violation of God’s
prohibition against it?
4.
Is
it that she is mad at God for visiting all of this on her and her heart
condition drives her words?
f.
Whatever
is going on, we have Naomi continuing her insistence that they return home even
after kisses, tears, and their initial refusal. Verse 11-13 offers a very strange, but logical, conversation that
will conclude with an important insight into Naomi’s thoughts at this point.
g.
Naomi
shares some interesting reasons for the two women’s return to their home in
Moab. The very tone of these comments offers insight into Naomi’s heart
condition at this point:
i. She asks them if
they think she is pregnant and that these twins will be the replacement
husbands for Orpah and Ruth.
ii. She tells them
that she is too old to have a husband.
iii. She tells them
that even if she did have hope and a husband and were to become pregnant
tonight with twins it would too long for them to wait, unmarried, for these
sons to become their husbands.
iv. She tells them
that even with the difficulty before them, their situations are better off than
her own in that the Lord is against her.
h.
After
more tears and kisses, and a decision by Orpah to return Naomi continues in Verse 15 to try and persuade Ruth of
the best decision on her part.
i.
As
we move forward, Verse 18 reports
that Ruth is not going to return to her people which causes Naomi to eventually
give up trying to convince her. Whether it is the curse of death that Ruth
pronounces on herself if it doesn’t happen this way, or just the determined
commitment that Ruth displays, we don’t know.
j.
Finally,
we have in Verses 20-21 Naomi
offering to the women of Bethlehem her feelings on all that has occurred and
the reasons for those events. God, the Almighty, has it in for her! He has
visited trouble on her. She has no right to continue being called by her given
name Naomi, which means “pleasant”. She is not pleasant, she is BITTER! Why? Because she left Bethlehem with her husband
and two sons full (interesting in that a famine was going on and they were
hungry) and now the Lord has returned her empty! The Lord has afflicted her and
even witnessed against her in the heavens. She is miserable and bitter. Her name
Naomi is nothing to her but a reminder of her previous life. What is going on
now hardly deserves a name like “pleasant”, does it?
k.
So
what are some of the decisions being made by Naomi at this point in the story?
i. She is going to
return to Bethlehem.
ii. She is
encouraging her two daughters-in-law to return to Moab.
iii. She is convinced
that God is against her.
iv. She is wallowing
in the events that have occurred in her life recently.
II.
The
Decisions Made By Orpah and Naomi Ruth 1:10, 14, 16-17
a.
After
the initial conversation from Naomi about the two young women returning to
their homeland of Moab, Verse 10
gives us the account of the women’s first decision. That decision was that they
would not return to Moab, but stay and accompany Naomi in her return to
Bethlehem.
b.
After
more “reasoning” from Naomi, we have a split decision from the young women. We
have Chilion’s wife, Orpah, deciding that for whatever reason Naomi is
insisting on her return to Moab that it is probably the best idea available at the
moment. Verse 14 offers nothing more
than the decision itself and the sign of that decision; a kiss for Naomi. Verse
4 and 14 offer the only mention of Orpah in the entirety of Scripture.
c.
But
as Verse 14 continues to unfold, we
have the decision of Mahlon’s wife also recorded. Ruth decides that she will
stay with Naomi. What follows in Verses
16-17 is one of the most beautiful confessions of faith and loyalty that is
contained in all of the Bible. Ruth’s life and her priorities are going to be
shared here. How a woman in a pagan land could have been influenced to this
kind of confession and faith is interesting to consider. Most assuredly at a
better time, Naomi herself had an effect on her in regard to faith and
following. Note the things that Ruth says to her mother-in-law, concluding with
a curse on herself if it doesn’t happen this way:
i. “Where you go, I
will go” – Even if it is to a land that she has never been nor does it hold the
horizontal benefits of home.
ii. “Where you
lodge, I will lodge” – Not only will she go with Naomi, she will also stay with
her.
iii. “Your people, my
people” – Even though she had never met them.
iv. “Your God, my
God” – A confession of her own faith that had once been demonstrated in the
life of Naomi.
v. “Where you die,
I will die and be buried” – This decision is for the rest of her life.
d.
So
what are the decisions that Orpah and Ruth have made thus far in the story?
i. They begin with
a commitment to follow Naomi to Bethlehem.
ii. Orpah decides to
return home.
iii. Ruth decides to
continue on to Bethlehem, demonstrating both faith in Naomi and in God.
III.
A
Time Mark To Assist Us Ruth 1:22
a.
After
a brief summary of the events of the journey and return to Bethlehem, we are
told that they returned at the beginning of barley season. This will give us a
pathway into chapter 2. We will move our attentions from the country of Moab to
the fields around Bethlehem, the town where Ruth and Naomi now reside. But
there is another person of note that resides in “the house of bread”. His name
is Boaz.
IV.
An
Application For All Of Us
a.
The
choices that we make in this world have consequences.
b.
We
misunderstand God’s plan when we interpret God’s love for us by our
circumstances.
c.
When
we demand resolution of all problems in our way, we forget that this world is
not the arena for final justice.
d.
Even
when we feel abandoned by God, His attention is never off of us.
e.
Remember:
i. God has been
faithful in the past; He will supply your needs in the present and into the
future.
ii. Allow others to
minister to you when you are hurting.
iii. Do the right
thing even when it hurts.
iv. Trust the Lord
with your difficulties and problems.
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