A Journey to Famine

Introduction

This book opens up by giving a quick synopsis of what took place in the lives of one family from a small community in Israel; a place named Bethlehem.

Key Theme: When faith is tested, every choice reveals what we truly trust.

Introduction

Ruth opens with a brief but powerful account of one family from Bethlehem.

Their story unfolds during a time of national instability and spiritual decline.

What begins as a search for provision becomes a lesson on faith, failure, and consequences.

Famine of Food

Elimelech and his wife, Naomi found themselves in a very difficult circumstance. Times were hard and supplies were low. Elimelech made a decision to move his family. His intention was to take his family to a place where he would be able to better provide for his family. Food was scarce in the land, but another thing was as well; faith.

Key Truth:

Hard circumstances often force decisions that reveal the depth of our faith.

Famine of Faith

Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

Ruth 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled...

Elimelech and Naomi lived in a place that lacked food, but they also lacked faith. They were not the only ones. Israel was filled with people that did not have faith in Jehovah. Many people worshipped false gods and pursued wicked lifestyles.

This man did not have enough faith in Jehovah to stay in his home and trust the Lord. Now, some people might think that Elimelech was being a good husband and father by moving his family from a place of famine to a place where there was work for him and food for his family. The problem is that he chose Moab.

Moab was a place just 50 miles from Bethlehem. It seems like such a small distance to us now, however, that was quite the journey from home in those days. Moab was even further spiritually than it was logistically. The Moabite people were descendents of Lot through an immoral relationship that he had with his oldest daughter. Moab was a wicked people that worshipped Chemosh. They were a wicked pagan people that sacrificed their children to honor him.

This was an abhorrent people that they were not to have dealing with at all. While Moab might have had the food that Elimelech was seeking it definitely had a famine of its own; a famine of faith.

Famine of Blessing

Ruth 1:3–5 “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.”

They went to Moab to avoid death and they died anyway. They did not just die, they died young. The boys married women of Moab and had only lived there 10 years when they died. There was a famine of food, a famine of faith, and also a famine of blessing. They did not get successful and they did not build wealth.

We know this because when Naomi went home she was poor and penniless that led to Ruth gathering from the fields of Boaz, one of their next of kin. Moab did not bring success, money, or advancement in life. It brought the famine of blessings upon their life.

Elimelech left Bethlehem, the land of his inheritance that GOD gave to him for the land of Moab full of a people that hated Jehovah. He did that to give his family a better life, but a life without faith in God is a life that is empty; it is a life full of famine.

Moab did not fail Elimelech because it lacked opportunity. It failed him because it lacked God.

Ruth 1:5 “And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.”

Faith is Tested

Ruth 1:1 “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.”

Elimelech was supposed to be a follower of Jehovah, but when his faith was tested by famine he created a famine within his own family; a famine of faith.

Bethlehem—the house of bread—had no bread. And when famine comes to the place where God promised provision, faith is immediately tested.

When your faith is tested what will be your reaction? When tragedies happen or negative circumstances come upon us it does not matter how much something makes sense from our perspective if it is in violation of Scripture then it is not the will of God.

Has your faith been tested? What did you do?

Every test of faith demands a response. And Elimelech’s response reveals what he truly trusted.

Failure of Faith

Elimelech chose a path God had clearly warned Israel against. The Scripture makes clear that the move to Moab was not what Jehovah wanted and yet, when Elimelech’s faith was tested he chose to go against the Scripture.

Sometimes when we go through difficult circumstances we have a failure of faith. We buckle under the pressure that comes with the testing. Elimelech did just that. He looked around and saw the famine and decided Moab would be better than where God put him. That is a failure of faith.

Elimelech’s problem was not that he wanted to provide—it was that he trusted provision more than the Provider.

When your faith is tested will you have a failure of faith or will you trust the Lord with your life?

Forward by Faith

Elimelech did not go forward through the testing with faith in Jehovah. He went backward in his faith. Bethlehem was in the promised land and Moab was a land that Israel came through in order to get to the Promised Land. So, in that way Elimelech, definitely went back to Moab when his faith was tested.

God wants us to go forward by faith. Though he may send testing our way it is definitely to help us go forward by faith in him. Trust in God and depending upon him through the time of testing is the way to go forward in our faith.

Conclusion

Elimelech could have increased his faith in God and stayed where he belonged rather than taking his family into a famine of faith that would lead to a famine of blessing. The next time your faith is tested will you go forward by faith or will you have a failure of faith?

Elimelech made a choice and when your faith is tested you will have to make a choice; Jehovah or Moab. Do you want to go forward by faith in God or do you want to take your family toward a famine of blessing?

Every famine will ask you the same question: Will you trust where God placed you, or will you run to what looks easier?

Not every journey is forward by faith. Some journeys lead straight into famine.

Jehovah or Moab. Faith or famine.

A Journey to Famine

Ruth 1:1–5

Key Theme: When faith is tested, every choice reveals what we truly trust.

Introduction

Ruth opens with a brief but powerful account of one family from Bethlehem.

Their story unfolds during a time of national instability and spiritual decline.

What begins as a search for provision becomes a lesson on faith, failure, and consequences.

A Famine of Food

Ruth 1:1

Bethlehem — "the house of bread" — had no bread.

Elimelech and Naomi faced real hardship and scarcity.

Elimelech chose to move his family in search of provision.

Key Truth:

Hard circumstances often force decisions that reveal the depth of our faith.

A Famine of Faith

Judges 21:25 | Ruth 1:1

Israel lacked spiritual leadership.

People did what was right in their own eyes.

Faith in Jehovah was scarce throughout the land.

The Choice of Moab

Moab was:

Spiritually corrupt

Descended from immoral origins (Lot)

Dedicated to the false god Chemosh

Though close geographically, Moab was far from God spiritually.

Key Truth:

Moab had food, but it lacked faith.

Provision without God always leads to spiritual famine.

A Famine of Blessing

Ruth 1:3–5

Elimelech died in Moab.

Mahlon and Chilion died young.

Naomi was left without husband or sons.

Observations:

They fled famine to avoid death — yet death followed them.

Moab brought no lasting success, wealth, or blessing.

Naomi returned home poor and empty.

Key Truth:

Moab did not fail because it lacked opportunity.

Moab failed because it lacked God.

IV. Faith Is Tested

Ruth 1:1

God allowed famine in the land of promise.

Testing revealed where Elimelech’s trust truly rested.

Reflection:

When your faith is tested, what is your response?

Obedience to God must outweigh what merely makes sense.

V. Failure of Faith

Elimelech knew God’s warnings yet chose disobedience.

He trusted provision more than the Provider.

Pressure led him to compromise rather than persevere.

Key Truth:

Wanting to provide is not wrong — trusting the wrong source is.

VI. Forward by Faith

Bethlehem was part of God’s promise.

Moab represented a step backward, not forward.

God’s Desire:

That His people move forward by faith, even through testing.

Faith grows when we trust God where He has placed us.

Conclusion

Every famine asks the same question:

Will you trust God, or will you run to what looks easier?

Elimelech chose Moab — and his family entered a famine of blessing.

Faith must be exercised where God places us, not where life seems simpler.

Final Challenge

Jehovah or Moab?

Faith or famine?

Will you go forward by faith, or follow a path that leads to loss?

Not every journey is forward by faith. Some journeys lead straight into famine.