Naomis people (Israel) would be her people, and Naomis God would be her God. Look with me at these words from Genesis 19, taking up just after the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lots escape, along with his daughters: 30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. And so they, like Lots daughters (the oldest one in particular), devised a scheme whereby the line would be preserved, albeit apart from faith and obedience to Gods Word. Questions and Answers on Megillat Ruth: Chapter B. Lot and his two daughters are now living in a cave. Rev. As you will recall, Mrs. In an effort to escape the famine, a man named Elimelech took his family to Moab, where he intended for his family to sojourn until the famine ended.10 How could he have imagined how long his family would stay? 37 The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. Elimelech was a faithless husband who led his family into the yawning jaws of death. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. There is so much more to this story than merely the people in it this story is the story of the gospel. Is God judging here? Mahlon, the older son, died. Like Moabs mother, the Israelites reasoned that due to their circumstances, an Israelite line might become extinct. she was the wife of Elimelech and the mother of Mahlon and Chilion He is faithful and always right on time! For example, one might wonder, "Who is this guy anyway? Abraham put the seed at risk when he represented his wife Sarah as his sister, and she ended up (temporarily) in Pharaohs29 (and later Abimelechs)30 harem. 3), he was of the family of the Hezronites. The wonder is that God remained faithful to those who so easily abandoned Him. I am so grateful for your encouragement! Ruth Chapter 1 He took his wife and "Then," he might say, "we will return to the land of promise." No wonder they didnt have a great reputation. You can easily imagine the many tears she shed, tears which were all stored in Gods bottle (Ps. A man of the tribe of Judah, living in Bethlehemjudah at the time of the Judges (Ruth i. And so this older daughter persuaded her younger sister that both of them needed to get their father drunk, and then each should lie with him, so that they might produce offspring for their father. Keep Shining for Jesus Friend. However, for an Israelite family to abandon their clan and leave the land of Gods blessing and provision was a grave sin. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We cry out in frustration and desperation, "Who will free the people of God from this vicious cycle of failure and death? But leaving is hard sometimes, isnt it? In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the i. Rabbi Ginsburg argues that Elimelech is really not the problem; his sons are the problem. land of Israel, which included Bethlehem where Elimelech and Naomi The incarnate Son of God redeems His elect people through His cross for He is our blood relative who makes us flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone spiritually. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.'. What a marvelous woman of faith Ruth was. during the time of the judges in Israel. The Moabites were known for their evil and for their false worship. In fact, my study for this sermon has caused me to think of Naomi in even less flattering terms. She was not a Jew, and she had not been raised by parents who taught her the law. Can I still give birth to other sons who could grow up to be your husbands? Ruth opens with a startling statement of famine. Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father. 35 So they made their father drunk that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. Therefore all those who separate themselves from the same, or do not join themselves to it, act contrary to the ordinance of God.Rev. And there is another difficult part of leaving Moab. And they continued to live there about ten years. This forces our first character, Elimelech into a very important choice. They lived in the town of Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah in the land of Israel, in the days of the judges (1), that is, after the deaths of the elders who outlived Joshua and before the reign of King Saul.But famine struck the promised land, including Judah and Bethlehem (1). NLT Teen Life Application Study Bible, Softcover, My First Hands-on Bible--soft leather-look, bold blue, NLT Thinline Reference Bible, Filament Enabled Edition--soft leather-look, rustic brown, NLT Spiritual Growth Bible--soft leather-look, cream floral, NLT Large-Print Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition--genuine leather, brown (indexed). Ruth places us in the middle of a scene of covenant testing. The author has a covenantal perspective as he links us to Judges. Famine should have provoked the faithful person to inquire, "How could there be famine in the land that was supposed to be flowing with milk and honey?" 3 Sometime later Naomis husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. 12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. This email address is being protected from spambots. In Numbers 25:1-3 we read. And what communion has light with darkness? 9May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage. Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept. Start for FREE. Start your free trial today! She went on to become so righteous that God made her the ancestress of King David. Hence, we can connect a theme in Judges with the events unfolding in our story here in Ruth. I think the message is pretty loud and clear: Liz Curtis Higgs wrote a book, THE GIRLS STILL GOT IT, about the story of Ruth. Thus, we know that in these kinds of redemptive narratives famines are not random. Fearing they would be overrun by the Israelites, Balak (king of Moab)4 hired Balaam to curse Israel. Rather, the portion of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech. food. Here is a story that not only warms our hearts, it encourages our faith by unveiling the providential hand of God in bringing salvation and blessing during one of the darkest periods in history. All scripture [including the first five verses of Ruth] is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in0 righteousness (II Tim. WebAccording to the Bible, why did Elimelech go to live in Moab with his family? My passion is helping women connect Faith + Life in authentic and meaningful ways. This email address is being protected from spambots. The Messianic seed was often put at risk in the Old Testament. 1. Return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1) | Bible.org 15Look, Naomi said to her, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole village was excited about their arrival. She was married first to Jacob & Esau Pharez & Zarah It reminds me of a horror movie in which the setting lets everyone know that something terrible is inevitable. 3), he was Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you. For the children of the desolate one are more numerous. This was the place that was characterized as the place of famine for Israel; Moab was known for withholding bread from Israel. No, my daughters, you must not return with me. Naomi tended to focus only on herself, on her lack of sons to give in marriage, and on her lack of a child to carry on the family line. WebElimelech, one of the notables of Judah, came to Moab, where he hoped to find food and an easier life. Nobody would yoke a donkey with an ox because one is smaller and it wouldn't work. But is this really all that the first five verses of Ruth contain? Lots older daughter neatly avoided the moral implications of what she proposed. There was no famine there Why did 15 So Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. var addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML += ''+addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c+'<\/a>'; 2014 Protestant Reformed Churches in America. This means, says the rabbi, that Elimelech was only on a temporary journey. WebBible: Ruth Flashcards | Quizlet. Such is not the case, my friend, and seeing her as some kind of heroine will distort our understanding of the message of this wonderful book. 1:2 (Now the mans name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. He promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Naomi doesnt mention that these women would likely not find an Israelite husband. RecentlyI spoke on MEETING AT THE CROSSROADS and used the story of Ruth and Naomi to talk about what it takes to connect withothers and walk in the right direction. However, there appears to be far more than meets the eye. It is not Naomis belief in the sovereignty of God that troubles me as much as how she applies it. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to If so, perhaps the minister can moralize a little on the problems and dangers of emigration. People who want to stay in Moab. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Will he respond with repentance and humility or will he seek blessings outside the land? His occupation is not known; the Bible never says. Hi, I'm Carla! Elimelechs family left the land God gave 15 In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Would Abraham believe that God would provide for him and protect his wife to whom God had given a promise of future blessings? WebWhich was our brother Elimelechs He calls him their brother, because he was near of kin to them. Learn more about our. For instance, Samuel opens the story without naming Elimelech.
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