B. She was Naomis other daughter-in-lawthe wife of her other son. He says this because the Hebrew that Samuel uses to describe Elimelech's action is the word for "sojourning!" And he mentions Naomis return out of the country of Moab, to intimate that her poverty constrained her to sell her estate which her husband left her. Moab was a pagan land that worshipped many false gods and practiced human sacrifices. The Cross And Separation From The World (1 Peter 4:1-6), 7. Isnt it so cool how the Bible is like that? Ruth's story springs up beautifully in the context of this agonizing cycle of failure, except with Ruth we are pointed to the need for more than a judge; there is a need for a faithful husband. Today, to depart from a true church, manifesting the three marks of faithful preaching, sacramental administration and discipline (Belgic Confession28-29), involves leaving pastors, through whom Christ teaches us; elders, through whom He rules and supervises us; and deacons, through whom He shows us mercy (Belgic Confession30-31).Fourth, Elimelechs family left Gods worship at the tabernacle, where God had manifested His presence in the Shekinah glory. There was a famine in the era of the Judges. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. moved to Bethlehem with her mother in law, Naomi, she met and Later, things seemed to look up for the bereaved family. Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. Then we find that such ways become comfortable, and so we stand or linger in them. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 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, he and his wife and his two sons. The very first Psalm teaches us this in vivid images of walking, standing and sitting. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! We should note several things about Naomis third attempt to persuade Ruth to join Orpah as she returned to Moab in verse 15. 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. They arrived, in fact, just in time for the barley harvest. On account of famine Elimelech and his family left Bethlehem-Judah for the land of Moab. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. Not only were they renowned for their immorality in general, but they had an infamous place in redemptive history. Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father. 35 So they made their father drunk that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. Why do you call me Naomi, seeing that the Lord has opposed me, and the Sovereign One has caused me to suffer? 22 So Naomi returned, accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, who came back with her from the region of Moab. Dispensationalism misses this because it denies that Israel is the Old Testament form of Gods church (and the church is the New Testament form of Israel). He deliberately sought blessings outside of the land and thus outside of the covenant. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Boaz informed her that there was another relative who, according to custom, had prerogative to redeem Elimelech's field and marry her. Ruth is very significant as regards church membership, departing from the church and joining the church. Even if I thought that there was hope that I could get married tonight and conceive sons, 13 surely you would not want to wait until they were old enough to marry! These three widows, Naomi, Ruth and Orpah, were in a difficult and sad situation. 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. In Numbers 25:1-3 we read. PRC-Related: RFPA, Standard Bearer, Reformed Witness Hour, Etc. Im thankful that it encouraged you, Bill. His faithfulness to His people and to His covenant is at a time when His people are not faithful to Him and when they are living in disregard for His law. Elimelechs family left the land God gave WebYet, you guessed it; Moab is the very place that Elimelech chose as his destination for bread. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. One has to ponder the outcome of her decision. It appears from redemptive history that the Moabites had deliberately schemed to intermarry with the Israelites in order to conquer them. The only hope Naomi sees for Orpah and Ruth is the hope of finding a Moabite husband and bearing children. Oh My! He is faithful and always right on time! Other translations have another another husband. Pat. One would have to begin by saying that these two women have a fair bit in common. Because of a famine, they relocated to Moab, a neighboring country where there was food. Ruth was the great grandmother of King David. var addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19+'<\/a>'; Classis WestThis email address is being protected from spambots. 4 So her sons married Moabite women. What a mighty, magnificent, merciful, awesome God we serve! 16 The expression, the Sovereign One (rendered the Almighty by most translations) is the term Shaddai. He can respond out of a sense of fear and desire for food or out of a sense of faith. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. A very happy ending!Considering the book theologically, Ruth is significant for four main reasons that have been widely recognized by Gods people. Just being Jewish and knowing the Law of Moses isnt enough; one must also live by the law. 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. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today (Genesis 19:30-38, emphasis mine). Naomi was preoccupied with the here and now, rather than trusting in Gods covenant promises by faith. There were no men nearby to marry, she reasoned, so there was no conventional way25 for them to bear children and thus to preserve their fathers line. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Take note of the fact that Ruths covenant is not a short-term commitment; it is a lifetime commitment. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Why did Elimelech take his family to Moab?, Why was it wrong for Elimelech to take One may rightly ask why we would criticize this poor fellow for trying to get his family some food. var addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloaka1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68').innerHTML += ''+addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68+'<\/a>'; Even if we realize that there are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.. Ruth was born in Moab about B.C. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The Moabites had resorted to more than one way to curse and to destroy the Israelites. There is no reason for you to return to Judah with me! 3Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. Not even death would separate them. Ill attempt to support my conclusions as we proceed in our study of this book. WebSee Page 1. He did not seek repentance, nor did he stay to witness the recovery of the land. Just as God had told the Israelites to remain in the land, He had also warned them about intermarriage with foreigners who may turn them to false gods. So God says in Deuteronomy 4:1. 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? 12 May the LORD reward your efforts! We, too, live in very pragmatic times, and those who live by principle especially the principles of Gods Word are few and far between. God had just destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their great sin. The genealogy provided in chapter 4 would incline us to believe that the events of Ruth took place later rather than sooner in the period of the judges, because Ruth is the great grandmother of David.17 But other than this, there do not appear to be any direct links to events or persons in the Book of Judges. What begins as a tragedy of death and sorrow ends in the birth of new life and the resurrection of hope for the family of David. Judah married a Canaanite woman, and two of his sons died because of their sin. In Job and in Ruth, this term seems to underscore Gods power, but in the context of suffering and adversity. But when Ruth refused to return to her people and accompanied her to Bethlehem, Boaz entered the picture, a close relative, a possible redeemer. Her husband and sons are gone, so the choice is now hers. His intent was that once his sons would gain their consent, he would go back with his family to Bethlehem and have them converted. Were Orpah and Ruth Israelites? addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 + 'prca' + '.' + 'org'; They entered the region of Moab and settled there. He came alongside Eve as her friend, as someone who was doing her a favor. In short, Naomi is a picture of Israels spiritual condition at this point in their history. 28:23-24).Together these first three factors are, to say the least, suggestive (three deaths, no reference to God in this scene alone in Ruth, and the dark days of the judges); the next two arguments are more explicit and are based on the words of Naomi and Ruth.Naomi states that, in the death of her three menfolk, the hand of the Lord is gone out against me (Ruth 1:13) and the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me (20). The inference is clear: to remain with Naomi has no promise of blessing and every reason to expect that they will share in her divinely-imposed affliction. To an ancient Israelite, the idea of famine in the land should have confronted them with a theological challenge. Named after a female character, Ruth could be described as a romantic book, for it begins with several tragedies and it contains a courtship (of a sort) which issues in a marriage (between Ruth and Boaz) and the birth of their son (Obed). Both were traveling with Naomi as she made her way toward Israel. Bethlehem forsaken for Moab. All three women had to make a choice. Having started off on a rather negative note, let me hasten to say that the Book of Ruth is a breath of fresh air for those of us who have just come from the Book of Judges. If you need my help and encouragement along the way, you know I am here for you! When Naomi returns to Bethlehem, she finds most of the residents of the city still living there, and judging by what we are told about Boaz, they appear to have done fairly well. This seems to be designed to provoke some questions in the mind of the reader. Only death will be able to separate me from you!. If so, perhaps the minister can moralize a little on the problems and dangers of emigration. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces (Exodus 23:24). Neither does she mention the mistreatment they would likely receive because Moab is Israels enemy, but they could probably read between the lines. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. What is wrong with reporter Susan Raff's arm on WFSB news? This is the origin of the Moabites and the Ammonites. helen phillips obituary; demarini nautalai 2022; can vanishing twin be misdiagnosed at 7 weeks; coates 11kw pool heater. And so they, like Lots daughters (the oldest one in particular), devised a scheme whereby the line would be preserved, albeit apart from faith and obedience to Gods Word. However, even if the date does not match exactly with the conclusion of Judges, the author is definitely pointing us back to Judges and to something that occurred in that time. Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. The first chapter of Ruth is very important because our appraisal of Ruth, Naomi, and (soon) Boaz in the first chapters of Ruth will greatly shape our understanding of the rest of the book. This, of course, is Naomis meaning. Naomi, that is come again out of the land of Moab, selleth a parcel of land; meaning, that she was determined upon it, and was about to do it, and would do it quickly, and he had it in commission to propose it to a purchaser: which was our brother Elimelech's; not in a strict sense, but being akin to the kinsman and himself, and having been a neighbour of them all, and an inhabitant of the place, he is called their brother; though some Jewish writers (f) say, that he was in a strict sense a brother of Boaz and this kinsman, and that Tob, Elimelech, and Boaz, were brethren, and so Tob was reckoned the nearest kinsman, and had the first right to redeem, because he was the elder brother but this does not seem likely; See Gill on Ruth 3:13. Keep Shining for Jesus Friend. Surely it fell short of what Ruths experience will be. 14 Again they wept loudly. Naomis second effort13 will be less subtle and more pointed and forceful. 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. Another label for pragmatism is doing what seems right in our own eyes. That was the spirit of the age during the days of the judges. In Numbers 25 we hear that the Israelites were beginning to fornicate with the Moabite women, and as a result God began to kill the men then with a plague. Boaz commanded his field-workers to be considerate toward her. He took his family away from the covenant and proved to be an unfaithful husband. WebA. WHY DID ELIMELECH GO TO MOAB? If our text tells us anything about God, it is that His ways are not our ways. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer[b] and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?. Elimelech was a faithless husband who led his family into the yawning jaws of death. WebScarcity of food compelled him to emigrate with his family to Moab, where he died, and where one of his sons married Ruth ( ib. In an effort to escape the famine, a man named Elimelech took his family to Moab, where he intended for his family to sojourn until the famine ended.10 How could he have imagined how long his family would stay? 1:2 (Now the mans name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. Moab was a place of cursing for the people of God. He keeps loyal love; that is, He is a God who perseveres in His love, and thus He is a covenant-keeping God. 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. We know about people emigrating, often because of economic reasons, like famine or unemployment, and out of a desire for a more prosperous life in another land. She has been convinced and turns back to her own country. Orpah and Ruth were committed to returning to Israel with their mother-in-law. Send me a private message so I can pray and come alongside you as you turn in a new direction. Design by Social Village. I think the message is pretty loud and clear: Liz Curtis Higgs wrote a book, THE GIRLS STILL GOT IT, about the story of Ruth. Leaving the people of God is leaving the God of His people. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. 20 It could well be that Orpah had much to say, but the author did not wish to focus on her as she is not the heroine of this story.