Thanks for sharing and God bless your ministry. Rather it points to the common problem of the progression of sins. Web214 views, 46 likes, 14 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Reels from Prayers Move Mountains: Ruth 2:20 "The LORD bless him!" Lots daughters, the Israelites (on behalf of the Benjamites), and Naomi are inclined to resort to a pragmatic solution, rather than one that is faith-based and rooted in principle. WebAnd the name of the man (was) Elimelech. We shall see more about this in chapter 3. 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. They were of the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah.) . Judah married a Canaanite woman, and two of his sons died because of their sin. 12 May the LORD reward your efforts! 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. If you need my help and encouragement along the way, you know I am here for you! Its tough to do. she was the wife of Elimelech and the mother of Mahlon and Chilion WHY DID ELIMELECH GO TO MOAB? 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. If our text tells us anything about God, it is that His ways are not our ways. The danger of practicing pragmatism above principle. What is this you have done to me? Elimelechs family left the land God gave 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. Orpah chose differently than Ruth and Naomi. If Ruth is right in moving to Israel from Moab, then Elimelechs family were wrong in moving from Israel to Moab. Instead, call me Mara,[a] for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. The contrast between Ruth and Orpah. This email address is being protected from spambots. Ruth would have none of this foolish talk, and she made this abundantly clear to her mother-in-law. They insisted on going on to Israel with Naomi. Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, moved to Moab during a famine. What a difference it makes to believe in a God who is in absolute control and who is also merciful and gracious, causing all things to work together for our good and for His glory, if we believe in Him. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Would Abraham believe that God would provide for him and protect his wife to whom God had given a promise of future blessings? For whatever the reason in God's sovereign purposes, famines provide the context for the test of faithfulness. In her third attempt, she orders Ruth to follow her sister-in-law back home. This man, who is yet unnamed, left the land of promise. document.getElementById('cloaka1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68').innerHTML = ''; Rabbi Ginsburg argues that Elimelech is really not the problem; his sons are the problem. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. 2The mans name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. It must have been on Naomis watch that these two sons married their Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth. These choices are also related to the covenant and to the unfolding theme of our story. A few years ago, I found myselfat a crossroadswith a several key friendships in my life. 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). Thank you, sister friend! Who would carry on his line? In fact, we might even think that Elimelech was being a good provider by looking out for his family. married Boaz. I remember responding to Nate, Neither do the rest of us. Well, if this is true of us, it is certainly true of the Moabites. 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. With more than 2,000 such formations documented within its borders, Arches boasts the "densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world" and the "most famous natural stone arch in the world," according to the park. She urged her daughters-in-law to return to their mothers home, with the expectation that the LORD would bless them with security in a marriage to a new12 Moabite husband. var addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloak4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140').innerHTML += ''+addy_text4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140+'<\/a>'; The word of God required him to hold fast to the promises and thus to seek the restoration of the land. Naomis second effort13 will be less subtle and more pointed and forceful. But it is not the essence of what our life in Christ is about. Why was Moab the worst place to look for bread? The first concerns our Lord Jesus Christ. Learn more about our. She had heard that the famine was over and was hoping to make a new start. Famine in the Old Testament is a call to repentance and to covenant renewal. 1: Why did Elimelech go to live in Moab with his family? For the connection between Ephrath and Bethlehem, see Gen. xxxv. And she was honored to be a part of the messianic line.34. 17 Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. No, my daughters, you must not return with me. Ruth, a Moabitess, became Naomi's daughter-in-law. Ruth provides us with a vital part of our Saviours genealogy, for she was the great-grandmother of King David from whom came the Messiah, according to His human nature. She has been convinced and turns back to her own country. The ultimate test is the Word of God and Naomis counsel, while it sometimes used Gods name, did not conform to Gods Word. var addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML += ''+addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c+'<\/a>'; 2014 Protestant Reformed Churches in America. 3:16).Ruth 1 itself indicates the spiritual significance of its first five verses. Webwhy did ruth and orpah make a different decision +27(0)11 048 1418 / (0)11 656 2000; subaru sambar parts canada; arkansas game wardens by county. Samuel uses irony as his most powerful literary tool. moved to Bethlehem with her mother in law, Naomi, she met and For the Lord is afflicting me!. What route might one take from Bethlehem to Moab? 4The two sons married Moabite women. Somehow God wrote His law on Ruths heart, not unlike Tamar and Rahab, her predecessors. 15 So Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. 4 So her sons married Moabite women. Stay in Bethlehem: risk starving their bodies. And one of these two Ruth is a Moabite, not an Israelite. Moab was a place of cursing for the people of God. The author uses the literary setting to highlight for us that matters for this man are about to go from bad to worse. Famine drove them to leave their homeland and travel to Moab to make a new life. Is it really Naomi? the women asked. This means that we can find redemptive theology or theological concepts not only taught explicitly, but also reinforced as the theology is embedded in the very structure of the text. Ruth places us in the middle of a scene of covenant testing. There was no famine there Why did First, departing from Israel for Moab is to leave Gods land, the land He gave His people, the land in which Jehovah dwelt. In the book of Ruth 1:1 we are told that there was famine in the What is wrong with reporter Susan Raff's arm on WFSB news? (Ruth 1:1-22)2. Judging for sin? 1:2 (Now the mans name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25), Ruth: A Story of Redemption -- A Study of the Book of Ruth. Moabs hostility and opposition to Israel continued on into the period of the Judges. It had been at least ten years since Naomi and her family had left them. I had a decision to make, a choice to pursue, and a new direction to take. Even if we realize that there are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.. If they were not faithful to this task, they would be tested even more severely and called back to faithfulness. 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. Here is a story that not only warms our hearts, it encourages our faith by unveiling the providential hand of God in bringing salvation and blessing during one of the darkest periods in history. (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. They entered the region of Moab and settled there. There is no doubt that this is a great honor and privilege for a woman. The famine in Ruth 1:1 was itself a judgment of God upon Israel for its sins (Deut. during the time of the judges in Israel. 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. The contrast between Ruth and Naomi. 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. WebWhich was our brother Elimelechs He calls him their brother, because he was near of kin to them. We, too, live in very pragmatic times, and those who live by principle especially the principles of Gods Word are few and far between. 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, 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. Ill attempt to support my conclusions as we proceed in our study of this book. He sought wives for his sons from the worst place in the world that a faithful Israelite could imagine, from Moab. The same is true for Naomi. Today, people move all the time for jobs, family, location, schools, etc. There was a shortage of bread in Bethlehem, which towns name means house of bread. So what did Elimelech and his family do? Or, Ruth was Naomi's daughter in Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. This means that irony becomes the most important device for deepening our meditation on Ruth's story. That is precisely what Naomi did with Orpah and Ruth. Ruth was born in Moab about B.C. First, departing from Israel for Moab is to leave Gods land, the land He gave His people, the land in which Jehovah dwelt. Remember this, if ever you are tempted to leave the church, which is where the Lord dwells (I Tim. 10No, they said. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! 21I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. The land of Moab had been a consistent place of curse for the people of God. It is four short chapters and will only take you a few minutes. Naomi was now left without a husband, without sons, and without grandchildren. Disagreement with his town leaders Famine in his home town Distant relatives invited him Earthquake in his home town Sara Rachel Mara Elizabeth 2: What were the names of Elimelech's two sons? Ruth, the eighth book in the Bible, is relatively short, consisting of just four chapters. To her, Gods blessings should appear now, in the form of bread, an eligible bachelor (marriage), and babies. This takes risk, obedience, and movement in a totally different direction. The two women, now forever bound together by Ruths covenant, continued on their way until they reached Bethlehem. Later, things seemed to look up for the bereaved family. Can this be Naomi? they asked (verse 19). Ruth was the great grandmother of King David. Someone reminded me that the Book of Ruth is a lot like the Book of Esther. WebWhy did Elimelech go to Moab? WebAs a result, the socio-economic fabric of society was falling apart, and a famine gripped the land. There the sacrifices were made, bespeaking the full and rich atonement made for our sins on the cross. the portion of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech. In this emergency, she was proposing an unconventional solution to their problem. Ruth becomes a true Israelite in spite of Naomis persistent encouragement to return to her Moabite roots. The Messianic seed was often put at risk in the Old Testament. She was married first to - Quora Answer (1 of 4): Because there was a famine in Israel, so he went to another country presumably God loves to show mercy and compassion. document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML = ''; Ruth is never dealt with as a second-class believer. She had left her country and lost her husband and both her sons. Not only were they renowned for their immorality in general, but they had an infamous place in redemptive history. Moab was a land of rich soil and adequate rainfall so this man traveled to a place where his crops wouldnt fail. Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia, Missions, Sister Churches, Christian Schools. The final chapters of the Book of Judges are certainly the worst of times, and yet the Book of Ruth describes the best of times. This suggests to me that godly character is not only evident in the good times, but even more dramatically in the bad times. This faithless man journeys to the worst possible place one can imagine as it relates to the hope for bread, to the land of Moab. (7) Naomi does appear to have one thing right humanly speaking, Naomis chances of perpetuating her husbands line are between slim and none. 32 Come, lets make our father drunk with wine so we can have sexual relations with him and preserve our family line through our father. 33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, and the older daughter came and had sexual relations with her father. Depending on where they settled, the trip would have been about one hundred miles and would have taken about a week. Why did Elimelech live with his family in Moab? Ruth is very significant as regards church membership, departing from the church and joining the church. It is a beautiful story of redemption and restoration. She was Naomis other daughter-in-lawthe wife of her other son. This news prompted her to return to her people and to her land. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? How do you know when to leave and when to stay? document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML = ''; Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. that Elimelech was one of the chiefs of Israel, andthat his premature death was his punishment for having left the Holy Land and having settled in the land of Moab. WebScarcity of food compelled him to emigrate with his family to Moab, where he died, and where one of his sons married Ruth ( ib. People who have chosen different paths. On account of famine Elimelech and his family left Bethlehem-Judah for the land of Moab. 2 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. First, she insisted that Naomi must cease urging her to turn back. Orpah succumbed to Naomis reasoning and chose to pursue what appeared to be in her best interest. Look with me at these words from Genesis 19, taking up just after the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lots escape, along with his daughters: 30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. I also think it is something for us to seriously ponder. Bearing children was to be done Gods way. (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. The law had made this clear to God's people using the illustration of yoking of a donkey with an ox. Then we find that such ways become comfortable, and so we stand or linger in them. 1, iv. 1, iv. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Naomi doesnt mention that these women would likely not find an Israelite husband. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. In the book of Ruth 1:1 we are told that there was famine in the A famine plagued Israel in the days of the judges. 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. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. It was a bad start, and sadly things didnt get any better over time. Elimelech exhibits an almost crazy decision when he left Bethlehem, the house of bread, and sought bread from Moab. 54-55). Yet we are about to learn that the man who acts contrary to faithful service actually has a name that means God is King; he acts in complete opposition to his name. As the story of Esther unfolds, it looks as though every Jew is doomed to annihilation, but for the providence of God, whereby Gods enemies are destroyed and His people are spared. helen phillips obituary; demarini nautalai 2022; can vanishing twin be misdiagnosed at 7 weeks; coates 11kw pool heater. Where will he turn to find food for his family? where did these children come from? (Isaiah 49:20-21). This is the first Bible study on Ruth 1:1-6. Second, Naomis words are even more forceful here,14 issuing Ruth a command to leave her. And yet as the story of Ruth unfolded this time, it suddenly became obvious to me that Naomi was no role model. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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). James illustrates the progression in the following way: Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Continue Learning about Religious Studies. I want you to think about Moab. But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. They did not seem to live by it, so why would they consider it important to teach it to a Moabite? Amen (Romans 11:33-36). The barley harvest will play a significant role in moving this story forward in the next two chapters. But in Old Testament redemptive narrative, famines often come to the land as God curses his people or tests them regarding their faithfulness. At the very times when outward appearances look to us as though God is against us, God is at work behind the scenes for us. There is no reason for you to return to Judah with me! Is Brooke shields related to willow shields? 17 See Ruth 4:17, 21-22. 19So the two of them continued on their journey. 3), he was Shouldnt Ruth follow her lead? The Moabites were known for their evil and for their false worship. ii. Sin has a way of making progress in our lives even if we start in rather small ways. This little family of four basically had two choices when they found themselvesat the crossroads: There they made a new home and seemedto do well (the Bible does not give us many details)until Elimelechdied. var addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19+'<\/a>'; Classis WestThis email address is being protected from spambots. 6 So she decided to return home from the region of Moab, accompanied by her daughters-in-law, because while she was living in Moab she had heard that the Lord had shown concern for his people, reversing the famine by providing abundant crops. Naomi, so to speak, put all of her eggs into one basket marriage and bearing children. Who thinks of Orpah today? If leaving Judah was not bad enough, the place he chose to go was even worse. If the reader knows redemptive history, then there isn't a place on earth worse than Moab for an Israelite to turn for bread. Samuel's use of setting is powerful as he highlights the inevitable problems that Elimelech will have. 17Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Oh My! Naomi did not doubt the existence of God nor did she doubt His power. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer[b] and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?. Thus, when Elimelech began to purse daughters for his sons, ironically, he went to a place cursed for this very action. Psalm 1:1-2. Ruth opens with some dramatic flair, which heightens the irony. I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. He did not seek repentance, nor did he stay to witness the recovery of the land. Warren Wiersbe, one of my favorite Bible teachers, puts it like this: Emilelech walked by sight not by faith and took his whole family right down with him. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. He took his wife and daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. In the dark shadows of the days of the judges, we find two individuals whose lives are truly lights in the darkness. At this point in time, one would not think that Naomi would be at the top of the list in the hall of faith: 13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. The translation project originally started as an attempt to provide an electronic version of a modern translation for electronic distribution over the Internet and on CD (compact disk). It would seem to be significant that Naomi told Ruth that Orpah had returned to her god. Not even death would separate them. 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. For instance, Samuel opens the story without naming Elimelech. I will be their God and they will be my people (Jeremiah 31:33). For I am too old to get married again. There is so much more to this story than merely the people in it this story is the story of the gospel. About four years ago I was fasting on a 21 days with the church and the Lord said get out of Moab' I had no earthly clue what that meant until the end of July and reading your message is a confirmationI thank GOD for his perfect timing because I had struggled trying to find out what exactly God was trying to get across. Elimelech is confronted with more than merely the problem of feeding his family; he has a covenantal choice set before him. 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. Each of you should return to your mothers home! 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. As well as the five indicators in Ruth 1, we should think about other, relevant, biblical teaching. They were of the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah.) However, as they lived in the land and were not faithful, then God would bring famine. Ruth's story has exactly this kind of setting as it regards the covenant. (Ruth 1:1+2). 15 The translations differ here. It is no wonder that Naomi speaks to her daughters-in-law about husbands, marriage, and children, because this is what is on her mind. elimelech died, leaving naomi and her daughters-in-law alone. 1In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. What will he do? 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 Hebrew term Elohim is plural, but some render it god here, and others gods. Chemosh appears to be the primary Moabite god, but there may well have been others. Elimelech's actions are an apt illustration of this principle. Naomi told her friend not to call her Naomi (which means pleasant) any longer, but rather to call her Mara (which means bitter). Thus, the use of the word lagur can be explained as related to geirut conversion. Ruths spiritual journey is similar to that of Abraham. In the brief narrative no critical comment Did Billy Graham speak to Marilyn Monroe about Jesus? I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' Thanks so much for meeting me here AT THE CROSSROADS. Word had reached Naomi in Moab that God had visited His people by ending the famine and providing abundant crops back in Israel. It was my friend Dave Austin who reminded me of the danger of pragmatism from this text. Naomi was preoccupied with the here and now, rather than trusting in Gods covenant promises by faith.
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