ORPAH'S CHOICE (Ruth 1:1-14)
INTRODUCTION:
As promised last week we begin the book of Ruth this morning and it will be like a breath of fresh air after the last five chapters of Judges, not just the last chapters but the spiritual darkness that hovers over the whole book because of people of Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord and doing whatever seemed right in their own eyes. Our time spent in the book of Judges, 38 weeks to be exact, would cause us to believe that all Israel had become morally corrupt and lawless in their quest to do whatever was right in their own eyes, and not only that but that a true knowledge of the LORD had utterly perished out of the land. We could almost say that things in Israel had gone from bad to worse until the situation in Israel was beyond remedy. But what was generally true for the majority of Israel, was not true for all of Israel. There was still within the population of Israel some who had not gone the way of the majority, but who still revered and followed the LORD and sought to be true to their covenant calling. We find in this little book a connecting link between the old dreadful order of things in the days when the judges ruled, and a new order by which God purposed to supersede it. The book of Judges ends by telling that there was no king in Israel, the book of Ruth ends with the significant name of David, from a state of lawlessness, corruption and decay of authority, to the birth of the man who was to be God’s chosen king, the man after God’s own heart, who was to save the people of Israel from their enemies, who was to rule over Israel in the fear of God, and was to prepare for the building of the house of God, the temple, in Jerusalem. We will see that the book of Ruth was written and placed where we find it in our Bibles for the express purpose of showing us that even while sin and corruption were abounding and spreading seemingly without restraint or hindrance, the LORD, the God of Israel, was working, and His working was not seen by man, but He was working in order to bring about in due time His own remedy to the situation in Israel that seemed beyond remedy and it is only God’s remedy that will bring about the needed change in Israel. Let’s pray and then dive into this book.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to the book of Ruth. This morning we will begin to look at chapter one. I would recommend that you take the time this week to read through this book a couple of times. It is only four chapters, and you can probably read the whole book in less than half an hour. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
Ruth 1:1-14,
“Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons. 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, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited His people in giving them food. So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me. May the Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.’ Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, ‘No, but we will surely return with you to your people.’ But Naomi said, ‘Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons, would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the Lord has gone forth against me.’ And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.” (Ruth 1:1–14, NASB95)[1]
MOAB (Ruth 1:1-5)
The book of Ruth begins by informing us that the history surrounding the people in this book took place when the judges governed the people of Israel. We are not told what judge was ruling when the events of this book took place, but counting back from David it is believed to have taken place between the judges Gideon and Jair. The account recorded for us begins in Bethlehem in Judah and we are told that at that time there was a famine in the land. Nowhere in Judges do we read about a famine in Israel but in the time leading up to Gideon the Midianites were oppressing the people of Israel and we read in Judges 6:1-6, “Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them. So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable; and they came into the land to devastate it. So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord.” (Judges 6:1–6, NASB95)[2] If this is when the history of Ruth takes place then the famine in the land was due to the raiding Midianites who would come into the land year after year to devastate it. The LORD had warned Israel that if they turned away from Him to follow other gods that one way that they would be disciplined would be by famine. Whether this famine was caused by Midian, or it was a famine due to the lack of rain, it was devastating and it was from God, it was one of the consequences because of the bad spiritual condition of the people of Israel, but it was sent with a view to blessing in the end. God does not punish men simply for the judgement of their sins, but for their recovery through repentance and turning back to the LORD. God’s discipline of His people is so that they feel their own weakness and helplessness which can then cause them to humble themselves before the Lord and to seek for His mercy. This famine was so severe that it affected Bethlehem, and set in motion a whole train of events which outwardly seemed quite ordinary in character, but in reality, these events would bring about a new order in Israel, the results of which have not yet reached an end.
The author has given us a time period and a place and the circumstances surrounding this place and now he narrows this history down to one family that is living in Bethlehem. We are told that certain man of Bethlehem, a man from the tribe of Judah, left Bethlehem and went to stay in the land of Moab to escape the famine that was in the land of Israel. This man was doing what was right in his own eyes and he made a serious mistake in leaving his inheritance which God had given him, to instead seek to escape from the hand of the LORD and from the discipline He had poured out on the house of Israel. Far better for this man would have been to humble himself before the LORD, fall upon God’s mercy and learn the purpose for the LORD’s discipline. The author goes on to identify the man and his family that he took with him down into Moab. The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife was Naomi, and their two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. Elimelech means “God is my king” so in contrast to the end of Judges which stated that there was no king in Israel, we have the leading character in this book who had the name that named who was the true king of Israel and this name meant that he believed that God was his king. To what extent his personal life corresponded to his name, we are not informed. Naomi means “pleasantness” and Mahlon means “sick” and Chilion means “consumption” or “pining.” The foolishness of taking his family out of the land of promise and into Moab was quickly brought to light as Elimelech was cut off by death, and the family was without a head.
Did the family learn from Elimelech’s death, not at all because the next thing that we read is that the two sons took wives from among the daughters of Moab. This was forbidden in the Law of Moses, which clearly stated Israel was not to marrying foreign women, the reason was to keep Israel pure and to avoid being drawn by their wives into worshiping the gods of their wives. The sons of Elimelech sought to build up their father’s house by marrying daughters of Moab in total defiance to the word of the LORD. Their attempt to build up their father’s house so they would not be totally cut off from Israel failed as both Mahlon and Chilion died having produced no children. Only Naomi was left, having lost her husband and both sons, and the house of Elimelech was completely blotted out, unless God intervened in some mighty way. For an Israelite, for Naomi this was an unspeakable calamity to have no inheritance, no one to keep the name of the family alive.
It is often when things are at their very worst that God comes in and shows Himself to be, as Romans 4:17 describes Him, … even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.” (Romans 4:17b, NASB95)[3] With the death of Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion the house of Elimelech did not exist. Yet from out of this extinct house except for three widows, God would call into being not only a king for the people of Israel, but a Savior and Ruler for the whole world.
As we think about the far-reaching and world-wide effects that come about from the events which begin with God’s mercy being poured out on the dead house of Elimelech, we must look on with awe and wonder as we consider the way in which God, working in the background quietly intervened to restore the destitute remnant of this family, and doing so in preparation of making this family the instrument of His eternal purpose, and His channel of blessing to the whole world.
THE GOOD NEWS (Ruth 1:6-7)
As we come to verse six, we have three destitute widows with no apparent hope as they look into the future. The remarkable thing about these verses is that within them we find the turning point in the history of this family. In these two verses we begin to see the precise point in which things changed for the better and continued to improve until a state of blessing was reached that was beyond all the power of two of these widows to ask or imagine. That point was that Naomi had heard in the country of Moab what the LORD had done in Israel.
This is a wonderful illustration of the Gospel, the good news which tells of what the Lord has done for those who deserve only His condemnation and wrath. Within these verses we also find a wonderful illustration of the effect of the Gospel on all who hear it with the “hearing of faith.”
It was a very simple gospel, or good news, which reached Naomi in Moab, and it was a message that was easy to understand. This is true of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well, it is simple, simple enough that even a child can understand it. We who are heralds of the Good News of Jesus Christ must be careful not make it complicated by using lots of words. The effect of the Gospel does not depend on the eloquence of the preacher or his ability to explain it with the enticing words of man’s wisdom, its effect depends only on the good news as it is simply explained in God’s Word. When we resort to the wisdom of words, the messenger of the Gospel instead of furthering the work of the Gospel, may instead hinder it by making the cross of Christ of no effect.
What Naomi heard in the land of Moab, and what reached her heart and became the turning point in her life was simply “that the LORD had visited His people in giving them food,” or more literally bread. Bread is a common figure for life; and as such it reminds us of Him who declared, “I am the Bread of life…” Jesus declared to the Jews, speaking of Himself, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32–33, NASB95)[4]
This destitute widow heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people in giving them bread. The eternal life that is shared by all who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s free gift. No one is good enough to deserve it and no one is rich enough to buy it. The only ones who receive it and possess it are those who take it as a gift of God’s grace. This gift of God’s grace is given freely that the result might be to the praise of the glory of His grace. The grace which saves sinners is without limits, it is the gift of God purchased through the giving of His only begotten Son, who died for sinners. This is God’s “Unspeakable Gift” that when received results in eternal blessings to all who believe the Gospel.
The natural man whose heart is corrupted by sin is reluctant to admit his hopelessness as a guilty sinner and his utter helplessness to do anything for his own salvation, within the human heart there is also an aversion to being saved by grace alone. Man wants (when he becomes concerned at all about his own salvation), he wants to have to do something for that salvation, to receive it by being good enough, by doing what is right, by fulfilling some “religious duties,” or by being kind and showing charity to the poor, or being as good as his neighbor. But he does not want to come on the grounds that he is guilty of sin and hopelessly lost. Yet these are the only grounds upon which God’s salvation is offered to us. The Devil, the great deceiver of man and who knows the deceitfulness of the human heart, has filled the world with systems of religion that offer guilty and dying sinners the illusion of a possible salvation on the grounds, completely or in part, of their own good works. And men, women and children are deceived by Satan’s deceptions by the millions to their own eternal destruction, despite the fact that God has plainly said in His Word, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9, NASB95)[5]
The words, “…the LORD had visited His people,” (Ruth 1:6b, NASB95)[6] remind me of the prophecy of the old priest Zacharias after the birth of his son, John the Baptist, he spoke of the imminent coming of Jesus Christ as Savior, he said in Luke 1:78-79, “Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”” (Luke 1:78–79, NASB95)[7] The “way of peace,” which Zacharias prophesied was soon to be opened by Christ’s death on the cross, and that promised “Sunrise” that was to burst upon the world was His resurrection from the dead. The apostle John later wrote in his first epistle in 1 John 2:8, “On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.” (1 John 2:8, NASB95)[8]
Naomi’s faith in the word that reached her in the country of Moab was quickly shown in her works. And here we can clearly distinguish between works done to secure favor from God (works of the law) and works which result from believing what God has said (works of faith). James said that faith that does not result in works is dead, in other words, it is not faith at all. The effect that this good news had upon Naomi was that “…she departed from the place where she was.” (Ruth 1:7a, NASB95)[9] This is the way God would have every sinner act upon hearing the Gospel of His grace—the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. His desire is that we repent and believe the message by putting our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
FAITH TESTED (Ruth 1:8-14)
Naomi departed with so much energy of faith that she carried along with her, her two daughters-in-law. But one cannot go far on the faith of another unless that faith has its proper influence. A man cannot go to heaven nor receive forgiveness because he had believing parents. Salvation is strictly an individual matter. Each person stands condemned for his own sins and each one must place his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for his own salvation. A mere profession of Christianity, especially if accompanied by works and attention to religious observances may deceive men. But God knows the heart; and frequently He brings in a test to show whether the profession is true or not.
Both Orpah and Ruth accompanied Naomi when she departed to return to the land of Judah. And by all appearances as they set out both daughters-in-law were sincere and settled to make this great change of circumstances, leaving behind their native country. But what a difference there was in the heart. Orpah illustrates the sad case of many who have a certain interest in spiritual things, and who respond in a certain measure to their attractive power. For many show at least for a time interest in spiritual or eternal things and while they do they have the benefit of fellowship with those who are true disciples journeying towards a better country, a heavenly one. These, however, when tested draw back, as in the parable of the seeds, those grown on rocky ground or among the weeds do not continue to grow when tested. When the way is put plainly before them and they must count the cost, they show that they belong to the world, and not to Christ.
Those who truly believe the Gospel of God, with its exceeding great and precious promises, walk by faith and accept as true what is written in God’s Word. It is faith alone that has made them strangers and pilgrims on earth, and faith alone, and not compulsion, which keeps their feet in the path that leads through and out of this evil world. Hebrews 11:15 says of these, “And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.” (Hebrews 11:15, NASB95)[10] To both Ruth and Orpah the same opportunity to return to that country where all their family, friends, interests, and associations were, where they understood the culture and the people. And when this was put before them, the difference between them was made clear. Orpah was mindful of her country, her mind was full of the things of the land of Moab. Judah did not appeal to her, and because she did not have faith in God’s Word, she turned back to her people and her gods.
These two women, the daughters-in-law of Naomi, outwardly, in regard to their conduct and also in regard to the character and disposition of each did not make one superior over the other. When Naomi reminded them of their distressing circumstances, they both lifted up their voices and wept. Naomi testified that both, Orpah and Ruth had dealt kindly with their dead husbands and with herself. And when Naomi continued with persistence to put the facts plainly before them that there were no more and would not be more sons who could fulfill the duty of marrying the widow of a brother and producing offspring for him, they both lifted up their voices and wept again. Then we read that Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and verse 15 tells us that she returned to her people and her gods.
God’s Word is clear that a lovely disposition, a tender affectionate heart, faithfulness in fulfilling one’s obligations, and in general a good person, though as excellent as those things are in themselves, they will not take you to heaven. Faith is what makes the difference between the saved and the lost. Those who on hearing the Good News and believe and act upon it, and if they truly believe they will act upon it are accepted by God without regard at all to their disposition or their previous manner of life, but those who reject the Gospel, refusing its promises, are rejected and condemned already. Jesus spoke of these two clearly in John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18, NASB95)[11]
CONCLUSION:
Naomi was fair and truthful with her daughters-in-law, showing them that she could not offer them anything that the natural heart would desire, and particularly she could offer them no hope regarding the matter of husbands, which would have been important to these young widows. In the same way, the Word of God does not promise worldly advantages to the one who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. On the contrary, it clearly states that in this world they who follow Christ will have tribulation and that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Even with that clearly stated, the life of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only life that is worth living in this world. So, Orpah returned to her people and to her gods, and she is not mentioned again in this book. What a tragedy. The question must be asked, how many friendly, good-natured, tender-hearted and affection “Orpahs” are there among our friends, our family members, and our acquaintances? This morning I challenge you to look at your own heart, you have heard the Gospel message if you have attended this church for any length of time, have you believed it and acted on it by faith? Or do you believe that you are good enough to get to heaven on your own? Or do you believe you will get to heaven because your family believed or always went to church? If you believe one of these things, you will be sorely disappointed on judgment day when the Lord Jesus says that He never knew you. If you have never believed and acted on the Gospel, I encourage you to do so today. Agree with God that you are a sinner, helpless to do anything to save yourself, believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross in your place, paying the penalty required for you sin, that he was buried and on the third day rose from the dead proving that sin, Satan, and death had been conquered forever. When you do this, you will be justified before God, and have eternal life.
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.