Ruth 1:14 But Ruth Clung To Her!

 ”Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.“ ‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. They lifted up their voices and wept again: Both Orpah and Ruth felt deeply; both loved Naomi; both were anxious about the future. But a choice had to be made, and Orpah chose to stay in Moab, while Ruth clung to Naomi.

b. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her: There comes a place in our following after God where it comes down to doing. Ruth and Orpah both felt the same feelings, but Ruth diddifferently than Orpah.

i. Some are content with feeling Christian feelings - with feeling a love for God, with feeling a love for His Word, with feeling a love for His people. But what will you do? We are glad that God didn’t just feel His love for us; instead, For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son. (John 3:16) (Guzik)

Sometimes we read something into the Bible that isn’t described or have a tendency to cherry 🍒 pick verses without context due to our human nature. The last part of this verse stands out to me with the description, let’s read it again!

“and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.“

But Ruth Clung To Her!

Have you ever had a child cling to you imploring you not to go? I envision several emotions with this description, love, fear, sadness, endearment….

Brethren, what type of feelings do you have for your brothers and sisters in Christ?

Are you sad with them when they experience sorrow?

Are you happy with them when they experience gladness?

Will we cling to Jesus when we meet Him face to face?

Blessings 

Ruth 1:10-13 If we will return to Him in Repentance!

”And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”“ ‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ 

 a. Are there still sons in my womb: According to the laws of ancient Israel, if a young woman was left widowed, without having had a son, then one of her deceased husband’s brothers was responsible for being a “surrogate father” and providing her with a son. Naomi here says that she has no other sons to give either Orpah or Ruth. 

 b. The hand of the LORD has gone out against me: This obviously weighed heavily on Naomi’s heart and mind. She felt that the calamity which came upon her family came because they were disobedient, probably in leaving the Promised Land of Israel and marrying their sons to Moabite women. 

i. Perhaps Naomi felt a particular guilt; perhaps she was the one who pushed to move out of Israel, and who pushed to marry off the sons. 

 c. The hand of the LORD has gone out against me: Despite this feeling, Naomi is going back to the land of Israel - and going back to her God. Though she felt that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me, she did not grow bitter against God. She returned to Him in repentance, knowing that the answer is drawing closer to Him, not going further from Him. What Naomi could not see is that the hand of the LORD would go out for her shortly! There is never reason for us to despair if we believe the hand of the LORD has gone out against me. If we will return to Him, His hand will go out for us again! Naomi had no idea - not the slightest - of how greatly God was going to bless her in a short time. (Guzik) 

 If we will return to Him in Repentance! We have a loving God who sent His Son to take away our sins. All you have to do is repent, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and believe that Jesus died, rose again for you! 

 I am reminded of this repentance and belief! 

 ”One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!” But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”“ ‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭39‬-‭43‬ ‭BSB‬‬ 

 Notice the order, repentance and belief. 

 Do you need to return to Him in repentance? Blessings

Ruth 1:8-9 Lifted Up!

 ”And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each to her mother’s house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.“

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Go, return each to her mother’s house: By all common sense, this was the wise thing to do. Orpah and Ruth had stronger family ties in Moab than they did with Naomi, so it made sense for them to stay in Moab instead of going to a new land - Israel - with Naomi.

b. The LORD deal kindly with you... The LORD grant that you may find rest: With these words Naomi freely blessed them. She prayed that they would remarry (each in the house of her husband).

i. Deal kindly is the ancient Hebrew word hesed. “Hesed encompasses deeds of mercy performed by a more powerful party for the benefit of the weaker one.” (Huey)

ii. In Ruth 1:9, Naomi described marriage as a place of rest: The LORD grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband. God intends that each marriage be a place and source, of rest, peace, and refreshment in life.

c. She kissed them... they lifted up their voices and wept: This emotion shown is evidence of the real relationship of love between Naomi and her daughters-in-law. (Guzik)

Lifted Up!

Don’t miss this short emotional statement! “They lifted up their voices and wept.” 

TO THE LORD! 

Are you in pain, suffering, had a loss, in despair? Lift up your voice to the Lord and weep 😭 for He will put your tears in a bottle and save them! 

Find comfort with Jesus because He knows your pain and suffering. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

God of All Comfort

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Do you seek God in your affliction?

Blessings 

Ruth 1:6-7 Come Back To The Lord!

 ”When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had attended to His people by providing them with food, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to leave the land of Moab. Accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road leading back to the land of Judah.“

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭BSB‬‬

a. She had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people: From distant Moab, Naomi heard that God was doing good things back in Israel. She wanted to be part of the good things that God was doing.

i. Our life with God should make others want to come back to the LORD just by looking at our life. Our walk with the LORD should be something that makes others say, “I want some of that also!”

b. She went out from the place where she was: This set Naomi apart from many other people. Many hear of the good things God is doing in the lives of others, and only wish they could have some of it - instead of actually setting out to receive it. Naomi could have stayed in Moab all of her life wishing things were different, but she did something to receive what God had to give her. (Guzik)

Come back to the Lord

Is our lifestyle a reflection of Jesus so others want to come back to the Lord? I will admit to you that I’m a sinner, I’m not perfect and I won’t be until I see Jesus face to face! I’ve been studying the Bible from cover to cover for years and I believe my understanding of it is good, but I’m no scholar.

I’ve noticed a lot of Christian people dealing with anger issues and it basically comes down to, what’s your god? What are you setting as a higher priority than Jesus? It could be caused from a past trauma or abuse, but the trigger needs to be addressed. 

Child of God, are you reacting in anger? 

Comparing God’s righteous anger as an example for yours isn’t biblical. 

Recently my wife and I started leading a Life Recovery Group using the Life Recovery Bible and General Workbook. This would be a good study for anyone dealing with anger, allowing you to peel back the layers in self examination to discover the trigger that sets off your anger issues.

It would also help you to come back to the Lord.

Blessings 

Ruth 1:2-5 Desperate Situation

 ”The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion—Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to the country of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth. And they dwelt there about ten years. Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died; so the woman survived her two sons and her husband.“ ‭‭

Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died: When Elimelech and his family came to Moab, they did not find life easier. Elimelech soon died, and his wife Naomi was left to care for their two boys, Mahlon and Chilion.

i. It is hard to say that this was the direct hand of God’s judgment against them. It is sometimes difficult to discern why tragic things happen. What is certain is that the change of scenery didn’t make things better.

ii. We sometimes think we can move away from our problems, but find we just bring them with us. No matter where you go, you bring yourself with you - so the same problems can continue in a different place.

b. Now they took wives of the women of Moab: Mahlon and Chilion grew, and took wives among the Moabite women, named Orpah and Ruth. Again, this was not in obedience to God; God commanded the Israelites to not marry among the pagan nations surrounding them.

c. Both Mahlon and Chilion died: As time went on (about ten years) Naomi’s sons died. So now there were three childless widows - Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth.

i. To be a childless widow was to be among the lowest, most disadvantaged classes in the ancient world. There was no one to support you, and you had to live on the generosity of strangers. Naomi had no family in Moab, and no one else to help her. It was a desperate situation. (Guzik)

Desperate Situation 

Life is hard especially when the economy is bad and inflation is high. Our church does a food truck once a month when they purchase a semi trailer of food, unload, box and hand out to the community in their vehicles. The lines of vehicles are getting longer as they wind through our parking lot and out to the highway! We’ve had very little snow this year with abnormally high temperatures due to an El Niño weather pattern so businesses are complaining due to loss of income from winter sports and tourists. But I look at it as a Godsend to the poor who are in a desperate situation as they will have lower heating bills.

If you are in a desperate situation, get on your knees and lift it up to the Lord.

”“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.“ ‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

”Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.“ ‭‭

I John‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Do you have confidence in Him?

Blessings 

Ruth 1:1 It Came To Pass

 ”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 Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.“ ‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. In the days when the Judges ruled: This account begins in the closing days of the Judges, a 400-year period of general anarchy and oppression when the Israelites were not ruled by kings, but by periodic deliverers whom God raised up when the nation sought Him again.

i. Notable among the Judges were Gideon, Samson, and Deborah. Each of these were raised up by God, not to rule as kings, but to lead Israel during a specific challenge, and then to go back to obscurity.

ii. The days when the Judges ruled were actually dark days for Israel; the period was characterized by the phrase everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, and 21:25).

b. A certain man of Bethlehem: In these days, a man from Bethlehem left the land of Israel to sojourn in the country of Moab, because of famine. Bethlehem was a rich agricultural area (the city name means “House of Bread”), but times were tough, so he went to the pagan land of Moab.

i. To do so, he had to hike through the desolate Jericho pass, through the Judean wilderness near the Dead Sea, going across the Jordan River, into the land of Moab. This was a definite departure from the Promised Land of Israel, and a return towards the wilderness from which God had delivered Israel hundreds of years before. These were clearly steps in the wrong direction.

c. A famine in the land: God specifically promised there would always be plenty in the land if Israel was obedient. Therefore, a famine in the land meant that Israel, as a nation, was not obedient unto the LORD (Deuteronomy 11:13-17).

d. Went to sojourn: This means to leave with the intention to return. The next verse tells us the name of the man was Elimelech and his intention of a short visit turned into ten, tragedy-filled years - and Elimelech never returned to Israel. The name Elimelech means “God is king” - but he didn’t really live as if God was his king. (Guzik)

As we can see from Guzik’s commentary there’s a lot to take in and absorb from this single verse.  The book of Ruth is a twofold love story of loyalty and redemption in the Old Testament. It’s about a Moabite woman named Ruth who came to love and trust the one true God. It begins with a tragedy but because she stood by and supported her mother-in-law Naomi, the Lord blessed her another husband. 

God selected Ruth to be a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ.

If Elimelech lived as if God was his king, would he have left the promised land?

Is Jesus your king?

Blessings 

Judges 21:25 Sad

 ”In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭21‬:‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. There was no king in Israel: This kind of moral, political, social, and spiritual chaos could only happen where there was no recognized king over Israel - and where people forgot about God as their King.

b. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes: Generally, the 400-year period of the Judges was marked by this radical individualism. They rejected the standard of God’s word and accepted the individual standard of what was right in their own eyes. (Guzik)

 

“It is impossible to read this appendix to the Book of Judges, and especially the closing part of it, without being impressed with how sad is the condition of any people who act without some definitely fixed principle. Passion moves to purpose only as it is governed by principle.” (Morgan)

Sad

It is not hard to read these comments and apply them to what is happening in our country today, but as a Christian we need to keep focused on the prize and in the meantime pray for a revival.

Please pray for those who don’t know Christ as their Savior and pray for our country.

Blessings 

https://www.gotquestions.org/what-was-right-in-their-own-eyes.html