"Return to What?" Ruth 1 June 22 2025

Intro and Scripture

Good morning

I want to tell you a story – a story of a successful family who loved the Lord:

I could be mistaken, but if I guessed, I would say the father was a farmer – at any rate, he and his wife had two boys

The name of the town that they lived in actually had a meaning – “House of Bread”

The father's name also had a meaning - his name meant “God is king” - isn’t that nice?

The mother's name meant “pleasant.” Her name is also “sweetness,” or “delightful” - very nice, huh?

They had one son - the meaning of his name: “song”

The other son’s name meant: “complete”

So:

God is king is the dad

The mother is delightful and pleasant

The first son is song

The other son, complete

And they all lived in the house of bread

Once upon a time, a long time ago - many centuries before Christ was born - there lived a wonderful, happy family

They lived in a village called the “House of Bread”

Now, this was back when there was great moral and spiritual chaos throughout the whole kingdom

But the father of the family would proclaim every day that “God is King”

His beautiful wife was so “pleasant,” and one day, the two of them had a perfect little boy

The boy was so wonderful that mom sang a “song” - so that’s what they named him

And when they had their second son, the father turned to his pleasant, delightful wife and said, “Honey, our lives are now 'complete'!”

So they named him complete

And they lived happily ever after

The End

But that’s not the whole story

The family lived in Bethlehem, way yonder before Jesus was born

And Bethlehem does mean “House of Bread”

The father’s name was Elimelech - and his name does mean “God is King”

His wife was Naomi - and her name does mean “pleasant.” Her name is also “sweetness,” or “delightful”

Their sons were Mahlon and Chilion - some scholars suggest, maybe: “song” and “complete”

Actually, scholars classify both of their names as nomen omen, or “ominous name” - which means that the meaning of their names are obscure and uncertain

Their names are more likely: “to be sick,” and “frailty, mortality,” respectively

Which makes sense because they both die in this story

And we have a long way to go before there is any happy ending

This story is out of despair and tragedy - but in the end, it gives us hope

Let me read in the Bible, the dark setting in which this family lived -

Judges 21:25 ESV

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

(Pray...)

The Sojourn

Most of you have figured out that we are talking about the story of Ruth in the Bible

And today, we’re in Chapter One of Ruth

This series on Ruth is called Ruth - Redemption Out of Tragedy

Turn with me to Ruth in your Old Testament

It’s right after Judges, which follows the first Five Books of the Bible

If you’re having a hard time finding it - imagine the Bible spread out on a map of the US

You have the first Five Books of the Bible on the West Coast - Revelation is located where New York is

Ruth is somewhere near Kansas or Nebraska

A small book, squeezed in between Judges and 1 Samuel

Our story does not begin with Ruth

It begins with Elimelech and Naomi and their sons - and the story begins on a sour note

In the very first verse of Ruth, we’re told that there was a famine where they lived, in the land of Judah

So, Elimelech takes his family on a trip - onto the other side of the Dead Sea - into the land of Moab

We’re not told why there was a famine - perhaps it was judgment from the Lord because of the disobedience of his people

At any rate, there is no mention that Elimelech prayed about their situation - or that they trusted in the Lord’s provision

It just says that they all got out of Dodge - and hightailed it to Moab

The Bible says they “went to sojourn in the country of Moab”

I also don’t see the part where God called them to make this sojourn

Sometimes Christians, when faced with a problem in their life - make up their own minds - and without praying about it - merely try to remove themselves from the problem

God may indeed have you distance yourself from a problem in your life - but did you pray about it first?

Naomi Widowed

The Bible then tells us they “remained” in Moab - this was their new home

Way back in Deut, the Lord excluded Moabites from the congregation of Israel

Moabites were enemies of Israel

Judges 3 tells us the Lord used Moab to oppress the Israelites for eighteen years - because Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord

Elimelech left the House of Bread because there was no bread - most likely because God’s discipline had fallen on Israel

So, they sojourned into enemy territory - most likely to escape the discipline of the Lord

And the narrative gets even darker - in verse 3 of Ruth 1, we’re told that somehow Elimelech dies

Now, Naomi is a widow - but she has both her sons

Her sons marry - Moabite women

Orpah and Ruth, who married Mahlon [Ruth 4:10]

So, Naomi is a widow with her sons - and the Bible says they lived there “about ten years”

And how can this story get any sadder?

The sons die

And now Naomi, a widow, is left alone with her two widowed Moabite daughters - in the land of Moab

I believe verses 3-5 really highlight Naomi’s predicament

It begins saying her husband died - and she was “left with her two sons”

And it explains that each of them had taken a wife each for themselves

And they lived there about ten years before the sons died

Then verse 5 says, “the woman was left without her two sons and her husband”

The focus is on Naomi’s loss - it doesn’t mention the loss her daughters endured

Naomi now has nothing

Imagine the feeling of loneliness and of being stranded

Here she is - she’s standing on the edge of nowhere in her life

A nightmare situation for her

A widowed woman back then who is in a strange land without her husband - and now she is without her two sons

In a strange land like this, without the men in her life back in that day - she would have felt vulnerable and unsafe

Not to mention, she was probably in a financial emergency

Her entire life exposed

What a feeling of grief, loneliness, and despair

Ruth’s Loyalty to Naomi

There can be times in the Christian life where we feel a similar sense of grief

Your entire outlook is clouded -

What good could possibly come out of my situation?

I’ve made a mess out of my life and God no longer cares

I tried to lead a good, Jewish live, but now I’m worthless - not even God can use me anymore

Naomi’s life did not turn out like she thought it would

She’s devastated and miserable - and as we’ll see later, she blames God

But then, Naomi hears a rumor that holds a glimmer of hope - God has once again blessed his people

There is now food in the land of Israel

Once again, God demonstrates his grace on his people - but Naomi is blind to this

And she has no idea the wonderful plan God has for her

Have you ever been in such hopelessness and desolation, that it’s impossible to see how God will deliver you?

And then later, you can easily trace the steps of God’s provision for you all along?

From hopelessness - to a glimmer of hope - to blessings - to rejoicing?

If you’re far from the Lord - if you are in a desperate situation, return to him

I’m not saying that God will always deliver you in the way you think you want him to

This is not a prosperity gospel - he won’t give you money because you claim it and you demand it

And he’s not bound to heal you based solely on the amount of your faith

But if you’re in a desperate situation and you turn to him and lean on him - he will deliver you based on his provision

God restores people often in ways they never imagined

If you trust in the Lord and allow him to restore you in such a way that it brings him glory - you will have joy in your life

As long as you return to the Lord and trust him

Naomi is about to be restored in a way in which God receives the glory - and she can’t even imagine how wonderful it will all be

For now, we’re stuck in Chapter One

In verse 6, the Bible says this: “Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab...”

The Hebrew for “return” occurs eleven times in Chapter One

It means to turn back, return, to turn about

English translations may render it as something like “turn back,” or something like that

But the Hebrew word for return occurs in Ruth thirteen times

While it’s a different sense of the Hebrew word for repentance - the idea here is very similar

Naomi has lived far from her people, and far from her God for many years

Her life is in shambles, but there is now hope - God’s grace has made a way for her

Naomi is the female, OT version of the Prodigal Daughter

There is nothing left for her in this far country - and now she is returning to the Lord

When it says “she arose with her daughters-in-law to return...” it suggests a sense of urgency and resolve

So they set out

Naomi’s heads back to Israel - and Orpah and Ruth followed her like little puppies

Naomi tells them, “look ladies - just go back”

Verse 7 -

Ruth 1:7–10 ESV

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. And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”

This gets into a little emotional argument of sorts

In fact, a good deal of the first chapter is the dialog in this little argument

Naomi has made her mind up - she’s going back to Israel to be with her people and her Lord

The famine is over, so she’ll just return back there - empty handed - but she’s returning

And she’s trying to reason with them - almost to say, “My land is a strange land to you - stay where you are.”

Naomi felt she had nothing to give to God - and she certainly felt she had nothing to give to her daughters

But they’ll have none of it

I can imagine these three ladies, out on some road, engaged in a crying little argument with each other

They want to go with her - she’s insisting they stay in their pagan land

Naomi: What? You think I’m going to have more sons for you to marry?

Just go back right now - I’m too old

Look, even if I found a new husband right now and give birth to two more sons - what are you gonna do?

Wait until they’re old enough to marry both of you??

But her daughters-in-law start weeping - can you imagine this scene?

Then the Bible says, “Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.”

Both were heartbroken - Orpah finally turns around and goes back - but Ruth refuses to leave Naomi

And now Naomi pleads with Ruth, out on this crossroads of life

Verse 15 -

Ruth 1:15–18 ESV

And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 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. 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.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.

The title of my sermon is Return to What?

As if Ruth is saying, “I have nothing to return to. My gods are nothing to me.”

This is a part of repentance - when you realize the world holds nothing for you

Repentance means to turn away from the world and turn to God

Do you suppose –

That maybe it's possible – that Ruth could perceive that if she stayed in Moab - she would need to continually appease her pagan gods with sacrifices

And that Naomi's God was accepting Naomi with nothing in her hands as she returned to him?

That maybe Naomi’s God was more loving - and that Naomi's God was the God of the empty-handers?

That Naomi's God was the sinner’s God?

And that Naomi's God showed grace and mercy?

Do you suppose this was attractive to Ruth?

I think there was something profound that happened on that road

I don't think Naomi noticed it

Ruth was also a widow, and also full of despair - I think Ruth saw hope through Naomi's hope of returning to Judah

We’re told nothing more of Orpah - but Ruth was changed by returning with Naomi

And as we will find out at the end of this book, Ruth became grandmother to King David

Ruth is in the genealogy of Jesus! A Moabite is in the genealogy of Jesus!

Have you ever gone through a very tough time in your life -

But you show some faith and ultimately trust the Lord and go back to him?

Don’t you think that others are watching the faith you have, in the God you worship?

Ruth was watching Naomi

Do you ever realize that the trials you endure become a testimony to others about the goodness of God?

Naomi had nothing - she had nowhere to turn - so she returned to the Lord

The Lord was faithful - and was providing for his people

Question: Would you be willing to go through a tough time in life – and feel distant from the Lord – all to lead someone to Christ because in the end, you returned to the Lord?

Most of you know – I used to be the pastor at Set Free Church

We ministered to guys who had been on the streets

Years ago, I was with our guys were driving back from a trip

Richard had been gone from us for 6 mos - he had gone to jail on warrant

6 mos in jail for a false arrest

And he was now back with us - and I was in the van with him as we were on the road

He’s telling us the story of how he was falsely arrested and how he spent the last 6 months in jail for nothing

I said, “Richard, get an attorney!”

“That's okay Pastor Tim – my cell-mate accepted the Lord after sharing Jesus with him for 6 mos”

Don't raise your hands – How many people here would be willing to go to jail for 6 mos in order to see a complete stranger come to Christ?

How many people here would be willing to go through what Naomi went through in order for a Ruth to come to the Lord?

How many Christians would love to see someone come to Christ and say something like:

I will go where you go – I will fellowship with those who fellowship with you – and your Jesus will be my Lord – and I will be raised to eternal life on the last day

Naomi and Ruth Return

Chapter One ends with Naomi and Ruth coming into Bethlehem

Their journey would have been arduous and difficult

It would have taken them days to travel that distance

Verse 19

Ruth 1:19–21 ESV

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?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 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?”

By now, Naomi would have been exhausted and completely drained

Delightful and sweet Naomi is now bitter

She snaps back at the women who call her Naomi - Don’t call me that. Call me Bitter

And she expressed bitterness in two ways

She is certainly her saying she feels bitter

But it's also an indictment to God when she said, "Almighty dealt very bitterly with me."

She even throws in “very bitterly”

Close

There are two messages here in this story - but both messages end in the same way

There is the message of Naomi and the message of Ruth

Look at verse 22 with me

Ruth 1:22 ESV

So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab.

They both returned

They both ended up in Bethlehem - both closer to God

Every Christian - who lives long enough - can relate in some way to Naomi

We all drift away from the Lord to some degree

There’s no trick to this - that if you do a certain thing, then God guarantees you a certain blessing

The problem is - when we get ourselves in a predicament - we want God to rescue us precisely in the manner we want him to

God will deliver us - but we don’t always like how he delivers

The Israelites hated the way God had Moses deliver them - they couldn’t stop complaining

If you’re in a predicament - and you’re far from God, turn to him - return to him

But that means to trust and obey

Start walking in his ways

Obey his commands

Be in his word daily

Pray continually

Seek fellowship

If you allow God to be glorified - you will be blessed

If you have never known the Lord - I pray you can relate to Ruth

Turn to the true God

I love what Paul says in 1 Thess - he’s talking to the new church of converted pagans

And he says this about them, “you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” [1 Thess 1:9]

They didn’t just turn from their idols - they turned to God

Both Naomi and Ruth turned to God - they both returned from Moab

It says this three times in Ru 1

Turn away from where you are and turn to the Lord

(Pray...)

Communion

(Pick one…)

Matthew 26:26–29 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Luke 22:19–20 ESV

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he com