Part 3: Three Widows in Moab
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
As we looked at last week, Naomi had moved to Moab with her husband, Elimelech, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. They left Bethlehem in a time of famine. But Elimelech had brought his family down to Moab, a pagan, idolatrous land. It proved to be a very costly move. Elimelech died in Moab. His widow, Naomi continued to live there for some time. Her sons both married Moabite women, in direct violation of God’s express command. God had commanded them in:
And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Mahlon and Chilion both died childless. Naomi was left in Moab, a widow with two daughter-in-laws, three widows in one household, poor, destitute, and alone.
This is where we pick up tonight, in verse 6 of Ruth chapter 1...
Naomi was a woman who believed God and, after a time of great trial, returned to the people of God and the place of blessing.
It must have been bitter sweet news when she heard that the famine had lifted in the land of her heritage and her childhood. The newness of Moab had worn off many days ago; she was surrounded by death, despair and deep awareness of the sin of drifting from the will of God. The news that Naomi had just heard was good news—bad news, good in that the famine had lifted, bad because it was a bit late considering her losses in the land of Moab.
Orpah was very much impressed with Naomi and started with her back to Bethlehem; but at last returned to her people and her gods. Orpah represents those who profess faith in Christ, but do not really have it.
Ruth was chosen of God, the object of special grace. Her decision to return to Bethlehem with Naomi was more than an act of love to Naomi. It was an act of faith in Naomi’s God, the Lord God of Israel. Ruth is set before us here as a picture of a true believer. True faith endures trials and temptations and perseveres unto the end. True faith cannot be destroyed.
These three women, Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth are examples of what we should and what we should not be and do.
I want you consider a few things before moving on...
Ruth: Flaming Hearts in Fields of Hope: An Alliterated Expository Study in the Book of Ruth "Desperation in Facing their Funerals"
• Consider where they left—Father's House
• Consider where they landed—Foreign Country
• Consider what they lost—Fortune/Funerals
• Consider where they looked—Back to the Father's house
• Consider what they learned—Dangerous to leave
Naomi in the place of defeat (v. 8-13)
Naomi in the place of defeat (v. 8-13)
Naomi is a picture of the child of God who’s grown cold and backslidden on the Lord!
The cause of her defeat can be traced back to what we preached on last week…It’s all found in verses 1-5…Sin’s price is always expensive!
Good understanding giveth favour:
But the way of transgressors is hard.
No good will every result in the child of God returning to the world!
The broken and bitter woman was ready to leave and get back to her former dwelling place. I wonder if Naomi contemplated that there is no place like home, home is where the heart is and that is where she intended to go. The movement in her feet may have seemed swifter and lighter as she eagerly prepared to head back to her homeland.
I want to point out some things concerning her defeat though...
When you listen to Naomi’s words here, you can tell she is completely defeated:
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.
She has nothing; no income, no place to live. She’s got nothing left but the Lord! She doesn’t realize it, but He’s always more than enough!
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.
The future is not looking good for her…she’s got no husband, won’t have any more sons, let me sum it up this way, she has nothing to look forward to in her life but grief and pain over the price being paid for sin! I want you to notice something though…Naomi is more concerned with the material than she is with the spiritual; that was what landed them here in the first place wasn’t it? Elimelech doing what was right in his own eyes instead of having faith in God? Sin always warps our system of priorities and our concept of right and wrong!
Now, here’s where it gets really bad…Naomi, in her defeated and backslidden state actually encourages Ruth and Orpah to return to their pagan gods and wicked lifestyles! She tells them they are better off in Moab!
Look again at verse 8 and 9:
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.
The Lord isn’t going to grant that they find rest in Moab! It’s His washpot!
Naomi is proof of the truth that a sad and sin sick believer is a poor witness for the Gospel!
No child of God should ever be guilty of hindering others from coming to Jesus Christ! We should be bringing them in, not driving them away!
Orpah in the place of departure (v. 14-15)
Orpah in the place of departure (v. 14-15)
Orpah is a picture of a lost person who looks into the things of God and turns back to a life of sin without believing or embracing them.
Orpah is encouraged to go back home due to Naomi having no other children that could take the place of her deceased husband. In first looking we see Orpah weeping loudly and publicly expressing her desire to follow Naomi on her journey to Bethlehem back in verses 9-10.
The truth of the matter is that ones crying inches them no closer to salvation, it takes much more than weeping and wailing...
She Returned To Her Relatives—Often family ties and affections are a hindrance to some people’s receiving the Lord.
She Returned To Her Religion—Evidently, even after all she had heard and seen of the God of Israel, her gods were still the object of her love and devotion.
She Returned To Her Reality—Orpah would have never been happy in Israel. She was still tied completely to Moab in her heart!
Sadly, Orpah walks away and is never heard from ever again. Her eternal destiny isn’t hard for us to figure out!
The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the nations that forget God.
Ruth in the place of decision (v. 15-18)
Ruth in the place of decision (v. 15-18)
One of the girls has turned back and walked away from her opportunity for salvation, but not so with the other; she lovingly clings to Naomi. Ruth has had an inward stirring concerning the place that Naomi was heading towards.
Ruth is a picture of that lost sinner who looks into the things of God and believes them by faith! She’s really got it! She enters the family of God and makes a total commitment to follow!
The beautiful girl from Moab displays much grit and gratitude in clinging deliberately to Naomi. It is noticeable when we someone that refuses to walk away or refuses to take the easy road. Ruth has an inner nudge that prompts her towards the little town of Bethlehem; this was the town of her deceased husband. The conclusion in her heart was that she would wholeheartedly abandon Moab for all that the God of Israel had to afford her; this would be done by faith.
Verse 14 says that Ruth “clave” to Naomi...The actual word clave means "to cleave, to adhere, as if with glue, or to be glued". This allows us to see the sincerity of her refusal to turn back to the people and the gods of Moab. The word clave also has the meaning of cooking, as in mixing two ingredients together and they become inseparable or as one. It was with hands of faith that she latched onto her mom-in-law, a faith that was strong and sure. The former life that she had experienced in Moab was to be abandoned and her new life was bright. Let us look at the sincere loyalty of this woman - notice these phrases in verses 16-17:
• Intreat me not to leave thee
• Or to turn 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
Ruth makes a total commitment that goes all the way to death…There would be no looking back - what was there to look back on anyway? Death, Defeat, Darkness, and Doom! - By the way, Genuine Christianity is a total commitment!
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Are you like Naomi, a person who knows the Lord but needs to return to the place of blessing?
Could you be an Orpah, you have looked into the things of the Lord and have decided not to follow Him, but have chosen your life and your sin over the will of God?
Or, would you be like Ruth, you have made your decision to follow the Lord, come what may, until He takes you home? Which of these women best represents the life you are living right now?
If you are saved and away from the Lord, I invite you to come home.
If you are lost and are thinking about a life of faith, I invite you to receive Jesus today.
If you are saved, I invite you to come before Him to thank Him for His grace.