Ruth 1:1-22

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The LORD grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. 10 And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20 She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

(ESV)

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The story of Ruth happens during the same period as the book of Judges between the time of Joshua and the kings. During that period, God raised up various judges to lead Israel. Ruth probably lived during the time of Gideon. The famine described was likely a result of God’s judgement against Israel’s sin. Israel had not purged the land of the Canaanites as God had commanded and now they found themselves open to the temptation of looking to the idols of Baal and Ashtoreth rather than to God for their agricultural blessing.

Elimelech, a man from Bethlehem decided to take his wife and two sons to Moab. He probably heard there was no famine there and he didn’t expect to stay there long. But the grass certainly wasn’t greener on the other side. Sometimes we might make the decision to move somewhere because life there seems to be better for any number of reasons while missing the fact that God is wanting to bless us where we are if we will just allow Him to work in our lives. While in Moab, Elimelech died and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion married Moabite women. Then both sons also died leaving Naomi his wife alone with her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth.

Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem where she had heard that God had brought rain. She thought it best to leave her daughters-in-law with their own people where they could find husbands and continue their lives. Naomi asked that God would deal with them with kindness, undeserved loyalty and grace, because of their loyalty to their husbands and her family. Naomi wanted her daughters-in-law to remarry because marriage provided a woman with security. They both declined but Naomi insisted pointing out that she was old and unable to provide them with husbands. Even if she could find another husband and conceive sons, was it really practical for them to wait to marry them? Naomi was referring to the Levirate custom where a brother was responsible to marry his brother’s childless widow in order to preserve his name and inheritance (Deut 25:5-10). Orpah did what was expected, she took her mother-in-law’s advice and returned to her home. Ruth did the unexpected and insisted on remaining with Naomi. Ruth’s decision was one that had no prospect of marriage or children. Ruth gave up her own family, national identity and religion to cling to Naomi. She chose the people of Israel (your people) and the God of Israel (your God) instead.

When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, she was welcomed by the women of the town but she expressed her grief by refusing to be called Naomi, which means “sweetness or pleasantness” and chose to be called Mara, which means “bitter.” Naomi acknowledged God as Almighty, she understood God’s sovereign work in her life but she was unable to recognise the good. In her mind, she had been dealt a harsh blow by God and was not able to see any positives. Naomi believed she had returned to Bethlehem empty-handed. She didn’t see any significant worth in Ruth who had returned with her.

When your current situation is dire, it doesn’t mean God is not working in your life. Elimelech left Bethlehem because of the famine and thought he’d find a better life for his family in Moab, but didn’t. Naomi returned to Bethlehem stricken with grief and considered her life empty. She acknowledged God as almighty but thought He was heavy-handed against her. Ruth chose the living God even though it meant she would likely remain widowed and childless. What is motivating your decisions? Do you choose what looks good to you or are you choosing first and foremost to do things God’s way? What needs to change in how you make decisions if you’re going to make God-first choices?


Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Creation: Genesis 1-2