When We Choose the World
Notes
Transcript
Elimelech's Tragic Choice
“In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe
famine came upon the land. 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. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife
was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion.
They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of
Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled
there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with
her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women.
One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a
woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both
Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without
her two sons or her husband.” Ruth 1:1-5
Introduction:
I. Ruth is a book that takes place in a dark period in
Israel's history.
A. The period of the judges. – “In the days when
the judges ruled in Israel”
B. Every man did what was right in his own eyes.
(Judges 17:6)
C. Why didn't they ask their
friends for help?
1. Maybe they couldn't help.
2. Or maybe they had no real friends.
- it's impossible to have true friends when
everyone only looks out for number one.
D. In any case, they had none. This is where our
story opens.
Lesson:
I. What was Elimelech's tragic choice? (v1-5)
A. His name means "God is king.”
1. But he doesn’t live like God is king.
a. He doesn’t turn to God.
i. He doesn’t repent.
ii. He doesn’t cry out for help.
b. His choice does not reflect his name
sake.
B. What did he do?
1. He left Bethlehem, "the house of bread.”
2. He left Judah, "praise.”
3. He went into the wilderness of Moab.
a. What made Him think it would be better
there?
i. It was a barren wilderness.
ii. God had to give Israel bread from
Heaven and water from a rock.
b. In all likelihood, he wasn’t taking this
into account. He just moved.
i. It was common practice to relocate in
time of a famine.
ii. Two problems with this common
practice for him.
- He was disobeying God’s
command. – “When the LORD
your God brings you into the land
you are about to enter and occupy,
he will clear away many nations
ahead of you: the Hittites,
Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites,
Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.”
(Deuteronomy 7:1)
- He was moving in amongst a
pagan people. – “When the LORD
your God hands these nations over
to you and you conquer them, you
must completely destroy them.
Make no treaties with them and
show them no mercy. You must not
intermarry with them. Do not let
your daughters and sons marry
their sons and daughters, for they
will lead your children away from
me to worship other gods. Then the
anger of the LORD will burn against
you, and he will quickly destroy
you.” (Deuteronomy 7:2-4)
4. He left God's provision and moved back
to the wilderness that God had delivered
Israel from.
II. What were the results of this choice?
A. He never returned to the land of promise. –
“they settled there. Then Elimelech died..”
1. God's judgment?
a. We’re not told point blank, but Naomi
seemed to believe that their choice in
moving to Moab was the reason her life
turned out like it did. - “Don’t call me
Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me
Mara, for the Almighty has made life very
bitter for me. I went away full, but the
LORD has brought me home empty. Why
call me Naomi when the LORD has
caused me to suffer and the Almighty has
sent such tragedy upon me?” (v20-21)
2. All too often this same sort of thing happens
today.
a. We think things look better outside the
church.
i. The end result is that we leave to “take
a break.”
ii. Sadly, most never come back.
b. We think that just this once we’ll use
ungodly methods to accomplish what we
want, and it becomes a patter.
B. His family bore the brunt of the
consequences for the choice he made.
a. He left his wife and sons in the worst
possible situation someone could be in.
i. To be a widow or an orphan at this
point in history was the absolute
worst position someone could find
themselves in.
- had they been in Israel, there
would have been provisions in the
law for them to be taken care of.
- The practice of the kinsman
Redeemer.
- Israel was commanded not to
harm widows and orphans. –
“You must not exploit a widow or
an orphan. If you exploit them in
any way and they cry out to me,
then I will certainly hear their cry.
My anger will blaze against you,
and I will kill you with the sword.
Then your wives will be widows
and your children fatherless.”
(Exodus 22:22-24)
- If this didn’t happen society was
supposed to take care of them. –
“When you are harvesting your
crops and forget to bring in a
bundle of grain from your field,
don’t go back to get it. Leave it
for the foreigners, orphans, and
widows. Then the LORD your
God will bless you in all you do.
When you beat the olives from
your olive trees, don’t go over the
boughs twice. Leave the
remaining olives for the
foreigners, orphans, and widows.
When you gather the grapes in
your vineyard, don’t glean the
vines after they are picked. Leave
the remaining grapes for the
foreigners, orphans, and widows.
Remember that you were slaves in
the land of Egypt. That is why I am
giving you this command.”
(Deuteronomy 24:19-22)
- Counties like Moab had no such law.
- Widows and orphans were
voiceless.
- Widows and orphans were not
provided for.
b. His children were radically influenced by
the life that he lived. – “The two sons
married Moabite women. One married a
woman named Orpah, and the other a
woman named Ruth.”
i. His sons, when they came of age,
chose to stay and intermarry.
ii. Some would say, “But Ben, everything
turned out okay. Ruth is a beautiful
story.”
- First of all, the ends do not justify the
means.
- Just because God can turn a situation
around and use it for good does not
make a bad choice okay. – “Well then,
should we keep on sinning so that
God can show us more and more of
his wonderful grace? Of course not!
Since we have died to sin, how can
we continue to live in it? Or have you
forgotten that when we were joined
with Christ Jesus in baptism, we
joined him in his death?” (Romans
6:1-3)
iii. We also see that like Elimelech, his
sons die and leave their families in dire
straits. – “But about ten years later,
both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left
Naomi alone, without her two sons or
her husband.”
- The number one influencer on
children is their parents.
- We pick up their hobbies and their
mannerisms, but most of all, we pick
up their morals.
- As adults, we need to be careful
where we lead our kids.
Conclusion:
I. Three lessons we learn from the story of
Elimelech.
A. It’s always better to dwell in God’s house and
trust Him.
B. Sin will take you further than you want to go,
leave you longer than you want to stay and
cost you far more then you ever want to pay.
C. The choices we make have consequences for
others.
II. If you have fallen unto this trap, there is
redemption and a happy ending. – “But if we
confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
wickedness.” (1 John 1:9)