Ruth #1 - Responding To Famine
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.
3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.
4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years,
5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
This book is going to teach us a lot about what it means to live life and have relationship within a broken and fallen world.
We are not immune to pain. Nor are we immune to making wrong decisions.
The ESV Study Bible Literary Features
The book of Ruth is the classic love story of the Bible.
The ESV Study Bible Literary Features
The story exalts virtuous womanhood and strong manhood
Ruth 1:1 (ESV)
1 “In the days when the judges ruled...”
This is what we call “context”
This true story starts out identifying that these events began during one of the darkest times of Israel.
Turn back a page in your bible.
Judges 21:25 (ESV)
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
This is setting up the theme and mood for the opening part of this story.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
What do you guys think this is hinting is about to happen?
Tragedy
Ruth 1:1 (ESV)
1 “In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land...”
For Israel, God’s treatment of their land was and indicator of their faithfulness to their covenant with Him.
3 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them,
4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
What does it mean if Israel is experiencing a famine?
If God is allowing famine, then it indicates His displeasure with them and their behavior.
An Israelite would have been familiar with these scriptures. The people should know that, for them, famine is a physical manifestation of their spiritual condition!
For Christians, we are given the same promise materially...
We aren’t promised that if we do good or are delighting in God completely we will be rich or successful.
This was a promise for Israel. Not us...
But we experience this in different ways… When we are drifting spiritually we tend to have famines of God’s presence and joy.
Have any of you leaders experienced this?
For the Israelites, this would mean the people need to turn from their idolatry and evil and turn back to pursuing God.
Same for us… These spiritual famines can be indicators of our need to turn our ships around and move back towards God.
Ruth 1:1 (ESV)
1” In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah...”
New character… A man of Bethlehem in Judah… Not only is he an Israelite, but he’s from a very very important tribe of Israel. The tribe that the patriarch Israel indicated would be the kingly tribe.
8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
9 Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Now we are going to see how this, seemingly important man will respond to famine.
Remember, for the Israelites, famine would mean the people need to turn from their idolatry and evil and turn back to pursuing God.
So, based on this fact, what should be the next thing for this man?
A: This dude should be throwing a revival church service!
Let’s see what he does.
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
Okay… Okay… This sort of makes sense right...
If there is a famine in one place… Perhaps another place wont have one… Let’s just go somewhere else...
Does this appear to be a bad thing?
No. But it is...
This man is leaving a town called “house of bread”, along with his ancestral land, familial security, and most importantly, the presence of God found in the Arc of the Covenant.
Remember, the famine is an indicator that God is displeased with Israel. And everyone is doing “what is right in their own eyes.”
Is the problem with the weather or the location of their home?
No, it’s with the people’s hearts.
This man is literally trying to find physical solution to a spiritual problem.
And he chooses to go into exile. Leaving land given to him by God for a rental in a God forsaken land.
Psalm 60:8 (ESV)
8 “Moab is my washbasin...”
Something we need to know about the culture of the Bible is that the people of that time understood that their “god” was territorial.
Moab had their tribal “gods”.
Egypt had their tribal “gods”.
When you went throughout different regions you’d discover that there is a hierarchy among these “gods”. The capitol might have a stronger “god” while the small town over on Caney Fork might have a weaker god.
Each community was supposed to be under the protection of their “god”.
So, if this man is an Israelite living under the protection of Yahweh God, do you think he will find that protection away from where Yahweh said he would be?
No
Here, we have an Israelite, who is supposed to live under the protection of YHWH choosing to leave said protection and forsake his devotion to YHWH just to find the dream life!
And he doesn’t just go by himself.
He takes his whole family with him.
He is supposed to be the protector, provider, and spiritual leader of his home and instead of doing what is best for them all (leading them in repentance and pursuit of YHWH) he decides to skip town with them and live in hotel rooms, taking odd jobs, and looking for other gods to provide.
Warning to you boys who want to be family men, have a wife one day, and enjoy the benefits of a family and marriage: The job of a husband and a father is an incredible privilege and responsibility.
Your teen years need to be spent falling deeper in love with God and growing in holiness as a Christian so you don’t make terrible choices like this guy we are meeting!
Let me speak to the ladies too.
You don’t want to set your eyes out to find the most wealthy guy who has a nice big truck and is out trying to make a name for himself!
If the guys you are interested in now are all about making a name for themselves now in sports, or showing off their big trucks, and always seem to be going on to the next big thing… What do you think they will end up doing when they get married!
Ladies, if you want to get married one day and start a family, your goal as a teenager should be learning to fall in love with Jesus more and more and becoming more discerning about the men who try to woo you!
Ruth 1:2 (ESV)
2 The name of the man was Elimelech..
A bit of Irony. This guy’s name literally means “my God is King”.
And yet he is behaving like the rest of the people alive in the time of the judges… Doing what seems right in his own eyes.
Ruth 1:2 (ESV)
2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi...
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 1
His wife’s name, Naomi, means “pleasant,” which evokes Ps 16:6: “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” In contrast, she and her husband were dissatisfied with the boundary lines assigned them by God.
Ruth 1:2 (ESV)
2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion.”
Mahlon means sickly..
Chilion means dying...
Possibly, their names became the words for sickly and dying because of this story’s popularity and importance.
But, for us it is foreshadowing what was going to happen.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
2 The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.
So, in their abandonment of God, abandoning the land He gave to them, and abandoning their kin… The writer indicates that they “remained there”.
This sojourning became a permanent part of their life.
It is mirroring the desire of the Israelites after Moses rescued them from captivity. They begged him to take them back so that they could have what they used to have while also being slaves of Egypt again.
3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.
And there you have it. Death enters into the picture.
If you were Naomi, Mahlon, or Chilion… what would you want to do next?
You would think at this point, Naomi, Mahlon, and Chilion would have went back to Bethlehem for the protection and safety of their family.
4 These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years,
So, now, these two sons of Elimelech follow in their father’s footsteps and marry against the Law.
3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons,
4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.
But even deeper than their own rebellion, these men are now pulling these two women into their sin and rebellion.
They are currently on a destructive path due to their pride and sin. Now Ruth and Orpah have the potential to be effected.
And they will be...
5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Sick and dying both got sick and died.
Now, Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah are without husbands.
Do you guys think this should have been something Elimelech prepared for?
How could he have prepared for it?
This should have been something Elimelech had prepared for or considered.
But he didn’t!
In that time, the husband was the gateway into provision, land, inheritance, and security.
But, Elimelech and his sons aren’t of Moab.
Where are they from?
So, this family is now in a seemingly hopeless and terrible situation.
Thats the end of the introduction of this book! HOPELESSNESS
But, this story isn’t about hopelessness nor does it end in despair.
It starts in despair and ends in redemption.
But these opening verses teach us important things.
Your choices effect those who are close to you or who will be close to you.
This story is about relationships, marriage, and redemption… Let me be completely transparent with you guys.
Just like Elimelech, the choices you make now will effect your family in the future.
For him, his choices and example effected his sons and their future wives.
For you, your choices as a teenager will effect your future spouse and, possibly even, your children.
Kids in your school are likely having sex.
Their choice to do that will follow them all their lives. If you go that route, and you follow Jesus, you will regret it and potentially sabotage your future marriage
A temporary pleasure is not worth the long lasting regret it brings.
If you give your heart away to someone now, when you arent ready, you’ll likely be emotionally and spiritually scarred by the pains of heart break.
When famine comes, looking for security and help outside of God is going to leave you empty in the long run.
Elimelech and Naomi took their family into the wilderness in order to find success. God wasn’t offering or giving them what they really wanted.
They abandoned God because of this.
This ended up leaving Naomi without a husband, her sons, and the protection of their faith family!
Now is the time for you to begin looking for your security and help from God.
Don’t respond to drought with more rebellion.
RESPOND TO DROUGHT WITH REPENTANCE AND SEEKING GOD!
You don’t need a boy or girl or new gender or new toy to find peace and security. YOU NEED JESUS!
The things you think you might need now are likely not what you really need!
You don’t need to get a girl friend or boyfriend now.
You don’t need to be popular.
You don’t need everyone to laugh at your jokes.
You don’t need the latest toy or fun thing.
You guys will be surprised and shocked as you grow up learning all the things you chased in Moab were just pointless and worthless compared to knowing and chasing God.
I wish I had my teen years back. I chased so much that was worthless. Even now, I sometimes still do.
Lastly, this story and its applications address rebellious decisions… But, this story ends with redemption.
Be Committed Chapter Four: Love Finds a Way (Ruth 4)
The Book of Ruth opens with three funerals but closes with a wedding
If you’ve made terrible choices in the past or are in the midst of a struggle now, there is still hope.
Jesus’ life death and resurrection is our proof that God takes terrible things and creates beauty from them.
But, today, you may need to make some changes!
Grow Group Questions
What are some types of decisions teens are making now that effect those they love or will love in the future?
What is your normal reflex when you feel a spiritual drought?
What are some things that have helped you escape a spiritual drought?
Are there things you are chasing now that you think might not be good for you later?
Would you like to share?
Have you ever pulled someone else into your rebellion?
Have you ever been pulled into someone’s rebellion?
What kind of things happened to you because of this?
What is one thing you could begin doing now that will prepare you to be a good husband or wife later?