Scene 1: Moab

Intro

One of the greatest short stories in all human history are the four chapter of Ruth.

Nestled in the history of God’s people, Ruth points to Christ’s coming. Boaz points to Christ Himself. Naomi shines the compassion of God.

Within the pages of Ruth is a BIG message within a short story.

For 4 weeks, I want to spend time with you and discover the beauty that is the story of Ruth, how it applies to us as a whole, and to us individually.

There are really 4 scenes, if you will, within Ruth, so today, look with me at Scene 1: Moab.

Tragedy Strikes!

When we open the first page in the book of Ruth, all we read is tragedy after tragedy. One bad thing leads to another and then another. Decisions are made, consequences paid, and people are left in agony!

It really begins as a story of pain and discomfort in a scary, unfamiliar place.

However, before Scene 1 opens up in Moab, we find the characters at home, in Judah, with the people of YHWH.

Ruth 1:1–2 “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.”

At this time, the Judges are ruling the land of Judah. We literally find this story smack in the middle of the book of Judges, not the prettiest time in Israelite history. Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

We are reading right in the midst of Israelite history. Genesis-Esther records the history of Gods people. The Law is found in the first 5 books, and we see the story continue into the promised land in Joshua, Judges continues the story and therein we find ruth.

Then 1 Samuel-Esther continues the history of God’s people in the Old Testament leading to the prophets (which spoke during these books) and the Second Temple era where God was silent which then led to Jesus.

Elimilech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion were in the land God gave His people, but then immediately tragedy strikes!

But, wait… How can a famine strike God’s people?

Leviticus 26:19–20 “And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.”

This famine was likely God’s response to the unfaithfulness of His people.

So, Elimilech ran!

We cannot blame him for caring for His family, he is supposed to do that! 1 Timothy 5:8 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

However, was going to enemy territory the right move? Maybe not.

Ruth 1:3–6 “And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.”

Matthew Henry words it this way: “Note, It is an evidence of a discontented, distrustful, unstable spirit, to be weary of the place in which God hath set us, and to be for leaving it immediately whenever we meet with any uneasiness or inconvenience in it. t is folly to think of escaping that cross which, being laid in our way, we ought to take up. It is our wisdom to make the best of that which is, for it is seldom that changing our place is mending it”

But, why was Moabite chosen, and why was it so bad?

Moabite was flowing with plenty of food and sustenance, so Elimilech knew he could provide for the physical needs of His family. However, Moabite wasn’t flowing because of their faithfulness to God, rather, as one author writes, they recieved their reward in this life, not the next.

But, why was Moabite such a bad choice?

You see, God’s people had a long history with the Moabites, and it wasn’t good.

Genesis 19:30–37 (KJV 1900)

And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

Moab was created our of incest and sin, they were outcasts!

Let’s trace that timeline. Abram was the uncle of Lot. Lot’s son/grandson was Moab. It was not long into the history of God’s people that Moab was an enemy! It was shameful for the people of God to go to Moab! Deuteronomy 23:3 “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever:”

But, as this family settled for a short time in Moab, tragedy struck, and Naomi was left abandoned with two Moabite daughters in law.

The Lord’s Compassion

We shouldn’t be surprised to learn that even though wisdom was lacking in some of this decision making, marriage was made between God’s people and Moabites, and many other sins took place in 10 years, God still showed incredible mercy and compassion.

When you and I find ourselves in the trenches of sin, yet again, don’t we expect God to pull us out and show us compassion? That is what we find in Ruth 1 as well.

Ruth 1:7 “Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.”

Naomi had heard that the famine was over in her land, the land she longed for, and she knew that she, Ruth, and Orpah couldn’t survive as widows, especially in a pagan land!

But, maybe, just maybe they could survive in the land of their people.

We talked Wednesday night about this some, how biblical principles shape great societies, and we see that in Judah with the system God set up for His people to thrive even when tragedy strikes, a theme we will see in the coming weeks!

But, as they set off, Namoi shared her concerns for her daughters in law.

Ruth 1:8–10 “And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.”

You see, Naomi knew the culture and knew that in order for them to survive, they needed husbands, something she could not provide for them. And something unlikely to be found in Judah as they were Moabites.

However, they cried out “let us go with you!”

Ruth 1:11–13 “And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.”

Naomi grieved. Ruth and Orpah grieved. They didn’t want to leave. For years they knew Naomi as a mother and they wanted to stay.

But, Naomi was drive by kindness to take care of them.

We see God a lot in Naomi. The kindness, care, compassion, and concern for the people she loved was evident. She knew YHWH God and emulated Him well.

God cares for us in very similar ways, even when we don’t like what He is telling us, He is always looking out for our best interests!

Naomi was trying to take care of the young girls because she could not offer what the tradition of God’s people demanded.

Deuteronomy 25:5–6 “If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.”

She had no more children. She felt useless. Hopeless.

But, as we will see, God continues to use her in mighty mighty ways!

God, when we feel useless, hopeless, always has a plan for us, always has more for us waiting around the corner. Hold fast church, wait for the Lord.

Even though Naomi had nothing to offer them, something unexpected occured.

Ruth 1:14 “And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.”

Orpah agreed with Ruth, and went back to her gods. But, Ruth clave to her, clung to her, wouldn’t let her go.

The word here for clung is the same Hebrew word found in Genesis 2:24 when it says a man shall leave his parents and cling, cleave, hold fast to his wife.

This doesn’t mean Ruth and Naomi were going to get married, but it does mean that Ruth and Naomi were inseparable for the glory of God!

God was faithful to Naomi through this all. Though she lost nearly everything, she was going home, and she wasn’t going home alone. And (spoiler alert) she was going home with someone who would be in the lineage of her Messiah! The Lord’s compassion goes beyond our circumstances and reaches from generation to generation, fulfilling his plans!

Ruth’s Confession

Before they even make it back to Bethlehem, they are still traveling between hopeless Moab and glorious Judah, hear Ruths words.

Ruth 1:15–18 “And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.”

Oh may we share the same sentiment and passion to follow our God no matter what.

Ruth just told Naomi, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Ruth is beginning to shine Christ just as much as Naomi has this whole time.

Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people are now my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will be buried.

This was a powerful moment in the lives of these two women.

Orpah just said “Naomi, you are right, I am returning to my gods.” But, Ruth, on the spot, confesses YWHW as her God and renounces her evil polytheistic ways.

She goes even further by ending this sentiment with “where you die, there will I be buried.”

But, why is that so important?

You see, Ancient Near Eastern culture said that where you are buried all but determined your eternal outcome.

Ruth had so much faith in Naomi and consequently God that she is devoting not just her life to God, but her eternity.

And Naomi was left… speechless.

This ought to mean so much to you and I as well, for we see a Gentile professing faith in God before the New Covenant. We are seeing the true gospel in Ruth right now, and a divine foreshadowing to many passages in the New Testament including Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

We are all one in Christ Jesus, all who love Jesus and follow him are, like Ruth, children of God and our life, death, and eternity are safe in the hands of an almighty God.

Conclusion

Scene 1 of this great short story is already emulating Christ. From tragedy to return. From rags to restoration. We are seeing God’s glory unfold mightily in the story of Ruth and Naomi.

As we continue on, more and more characters will be introduced who lead us closer and closer to Christ.

However, let me leave you with this today.

I don’t know every detail of your story and your sin, but God does. Just as well as He knew Ruth’s sin, He knows yours. And, just as powerfully as He redeemed Ruth, He can redeem you.

Just like Naomi, your life may feel like tragedy. You may not feel pleasant anymore at this time in your life. You may be in the midst of the worst moments you have ever experienced.

Will you, like Naomi, come to God. Fall at His feet. Worship Him. Cling to Him. Receive His love today.

Maybe this morning you are Ruth. A moabite, someone who doesn’t worship God and God alone. Would you, like Ruth, confess God as your Lord, Jesus as your king and Savior. Would you come turn from your sin and turn to a loving God today?