Introduction: The book of Ruth is not only a literary gem (it is a classic example of how a short story should be written), it is also a powerful account of faith and redemption. It is also a love story – not only between a man and a woman, but between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. Most of all, it is the story of the incredible love of God.
I. Descent Into Bitterness (Ruth 1:1-7)
In Ruth chapter 1, verses 13 and 20, Naomi says that she is bitter. She even went so far as to change her name to bitter (Mara means bitter). What cause did she have to become bitter?
1) She and her family were driven from their home in Judah by famine.
2) Her husband died while they were in Moab.
3) Both of her sons also died after marrying Moabite women.
What was the spiritual reality behind these events?
In Deuteronomy, chapter 28, God specifically promised the Israelites that if they were faithful to the Covenant, they would not experience famine. Conversely, if they were unfaithful, famine would be one of the consequences. Since the book of Ruth opens with a famine, we can infer that it took place during one of the many times during the period of the Judges when the Israelites turned away from God. Instead of fleeing God’s discipline, Elimelech and his family should have stayed in Bethlehem and done what they could to turn the people back to God. It’s ironic that the people who did stay prospered, while this family suffered further loss.
Not only did the family flee, the sons entered into forbidden marriages. Deuteronomy 23:3-6 specifically forbade the Israelites from intermarrying with Moabites. The women the sons married were pagans. They may have stopped some of their pagan practices when they entered the family, but it is clear that Orpah never converted, and Ruth did not enter into covenant relationship with God until she and Naomi started the journey to Bethlehem.
In summary, it seems like this family did not have a very high regard for God’s Law. This may be one reason why Naomi’s husband and sons died. They rejected God’s discipline. The same disregard for God’s Law and rejection of discipline turned Naomi bitter.
Tangent: Christians have a similar command regarding marriage to those who aren’t. (See 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 1 Corinthians 7:39) Unfortunately, in spite of the commands, marriage to unbelievers is just as much a snare to Christians as marriage to pagans was to the Israelites. Further, in spite of clear teaching to the contrary, we tolerate and accept divorce and remarriage. What right do we have to complain about things like ‘gay marriage’ when we, ourselves, disregard God’s laws about marriage? Those of us who belong to Christ have an obligation to obey in this, as in all things. A Christian may marry only another Christian. The commands also apply to our children. We must encourage those who are Christians to marry only in the Lord and to stay committed to their marriage partners for life. The converse is also true. If our children are not Christians then we have an obligation to do what we can to prevent them from marrying those who are.
Application: Rejection of discipline leads to Rationalization and justification of further wrong. This, in turn, leads to Denial of responsibility for consequences and, Blame and bitterness towards others.
It’s so easy to get started on the down-hill slide! I can imagine that the reasoning of this family must have gone something like this: 1) There’s a famine in Bethlehem, if we want to eat we’ll have to go somewhere else. 2) Well, we’re in Moab not Israel, who else is there to marry but a Moabitess? I’m sorry that she’s a pagan, but would you please show me someone around here who isn’t? 3) Hey, I’m not to blame for what happened, God’s the one who forced us to move here. 4) Some God He is, He makes us come down here and then kills my family and leaves me saddled with a couple of pagan daughters-in-law.
Lesson: It’s better to repent than to undergo greater discipline. It’s better to starve that to separate ourselves from God’s people. It’s better to remain single than to marry someone outside the Lord.
II. Entering Covenant (Ruth 1:8-18)
When Naomi heard that the famine had ended, she decided to return to Bethlehem. Her daughters-in-law decided to go with her. What did Naomi tell them to do?
She urged them to return to their families. Implied in this is that they would return to their pagan ways and gods. Naomi makes this explicit in Ruth 1:15. Even though Naomi told the women to go back to their pagan gods, she still asks the Lord to show kindness to them (Ruth1:8).
What were the gods of Moab and what were they like?
The principle god of Moab was Chemosh which the Bible describes as detestable, vile (NIV) and an abomination (NASB updated, NKJ) (1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 23:13). They also worshiped the Baal of Peor (Numbers 25:1-3). The worship of these gods involved sexual promiscuity. All worshipers were expected to offer their bodies as part of the worship. Chemosh worship also involved child sacrifice (2 Kings 3:26-27).
We do not know if Orpah and Ruth had been involved in this kind of activity before they married into Naomi’s family. However, we can say that they had been raised to accept such behavior as normal and good.
In view of this, how could Naomi expect God to bless Orpah and Ruth if they went back to their pagan families?
Naomi apparently had a very faulty understanding about God’s expectations. The word which is translated “kindness” is the Hebrew hesed. While this word certainly means ‘kindness’ or, ‘to deal kindly,’ it is also a technical term which is used to describe how people who are in a covenant relationship are to treat one another. Implied in the term is helping the other person to keep the terms of the covenant. But Naomi is implying that it really doesn’t matter how you live. In other words, Naomi is telling the girls it’s okay to worship other gods, be promiscuous and sacrifice your children, God will still bless you!
Lesson: Naomi’s attitude is very similar to what we encounter today. People who are really serious about living for Christ are often considered intolerant bigots. “Quit trying to shove your morality down our throats!” “You worship God in your way and let us worship Him in ours!” But God makes it very clear that we do have to make a choice. We either serve Him or we do not. There is no middle ground. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22 NIV)
It could be argued that since Naomi says in Ruth 1:11 that Orpah is going back to her gods, she and Ruth had left their pagan practices behind when they had become members of Naomi’s family. Even if this is true, it is still a far cry from accepting God. Leaving an old lifestyle does not necessarily imply embracing a new one. Setting some sins aside is not equivalent to entering a covenant relationship with God. A radical commitment to God is necessary. Jesus told a parable about a man who swept his house clean of all evil, but didn’t replace the evil with anything. It just won’t work, long term. (See Matthew 12:43-45, Luke 11:23-26.) A person has to make a conscious choice to do what is right as well as turn away from wrong. Ruth seems to understand this principle far better than Naomi. She understands that she needs to make that full and final commitment before continuing the journey to Bethlehem.
Ruth has reached a crisis of faith. On the one hand, she is being urged to re-commit herself to her pagan past. On the other, she must fully commit herself to God if she is going to move forward. Fortunately, she chooses the path of covenant.
1) She bound herself to Naomi by a covenant oath.
2) As part of the oath, she also bound herself to Naomi’s God. No doubt Ruth still had much to learn about God and the Covenant. Yet she understood something of the One to whom she committed herself. That she understood the seriousness of what she was undertaking is indicated by the fact that this is the only time in the whole story where she uses the name “Yahweh” for God. In all other cases, she uses “Elohim.” By binding herself to Naomi’s God, Ruth also placed herself under God’s protection (see Ruth 2:12). From this point on, though she is from a different ethnic origin, Ruth can be considered a true Israelite.
III. Bitter Reaction (Ruth 1:19-21)
In spite of Ruth’s decision and obvious love for both Naomi and God, Naomi is consumed with bitterness. This affects how she responds to God and everyone around her.
1) Naomi blamed God for the misfortunes she has suffered (Ruth 1:20-21).
Lesson: If we cannot accept responsibility for our own sins and mistakes, then someone else must be at fault. All too often the one we end up blaming is God. We cannot both trust and blame God at the same time. We distance ourselves from the one we’re accusing of injustice.
2) Naomi took out her frustrations on those around her. The women of Bethlehem were exited when she came back to town. Instead of accepting their welcome and joy, she squelched them by telling them to call her Mara.
Lesson: Bitterness will cause us to reject kindness and sympathy. Bitterness and love are incompatible.
3) Naomi treated Ruth badly. She complained that the Lord had brought her back to Bethlehem empty. But was this true? Not at all. Can you imagine what Ruth, who was standing at Naomi’s side, must have felt like when she heard Naomi say, “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty?” Ruth had left everything, her home, her friends, her life, her country, her gods, to come back with this woman, and Naomi treated her like dirt.
Lesson: Bitterness will cause us to disregard and inflict pain on the very people who are closest to us and love us the most.
IV. Returning Home (Ruth 1:22)
One of the themes in the story of Ruth is the concept of return. By the end of chapter one, who is it that has returned?
In a literal sense, only two people have returned. Orpah has returned to her former home and to her gods. Naomi has returned to Bethlehem but is bitter and claims to be empty. But there is another return as well. Though this is obscured by the NIV translation, in Ruth 1:22 the story-teller specifically says that Ruth, though she has never before been in Bethlehem, has also returned. This is reinforced in Ruth 2:6 “...the Moabitess who came back with Naomi.” I am not sure that I understand the full meaning of this. We do, however, live in a fallen world. The intimate fellowship which Adam and Eve enjoyed with God in Eden has been destroyed. May I suggest, that anytime someone joins him or herself to God’s people, in God’s sight it is viewed in terms of a homecoming. In Christ we have a foretaste of a restored relationship which will be completed in the ‘new heaven and earth’ (Revelation 21:1-4). True healing can never take place in the absence of a ‘return’ like Ruth experienced.