why did elimelech and his family go to moab
why did elimelech and his family go to moab
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Why do we know this? 3), he was of the family of the Hezronites. I am always seeking fellow travelers on the journey, so I hope you stay awhile, check out my free resources, and find encouragement for your soul. 2On one level the rabbi is exactly correct. What time does normal church end on Sunday? DO YOU HAVE A MOAB THAT YOU NEED TO LEAVE? The stage is set, and the setting is loaded with redemptive meaning. That is precisely what Naomi did with Orpah and Ruth. Reformed Witness Hour Newsletter - January 2023, The Punishment of Rebellious Children (2). Elimelech responds with fear and flight. 22So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. In Numbers 25:1-3 we read. There is really no evidence of faith (on Naomis part), either. We see how heedless it was for Elimelech to seek refuge in this land for the reasons that he did. Blessings to you and your ministry as well. And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which. Naomi also made it clear that this was because (in her mind) God had dealt harshly with her.16 Naomi measured Gods blessing only in terms of food and of family. 3, 4). He is faithful and always right on time! If her daughters-in-law could snag a good (Moabite) husband, bear some children, and have a bountiful harvest they were indeed blessed, at least as Naomi viewed it. 1When Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab. of Orpah in the Book of Ruth. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Arches National Park is famous for its iconic arches. She gave them very pragmatic counsel, based upon what could be seen, rather than on Gods Word and the principle of faith. He deliberately sought blessings outside of the land and thus outside of the covenant. One manifestation of Gods mercy, expressed through His sovereignty, is His providential working at times when there appears to be no hope. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. And when both her sons died without bearing children, her situation seemed impossible. They no longer have their old or former husbands because they have died. To walk in the steps of Abraham, one like Ruth would need to: (1) leave her relatives; (2) leave her homeland; and, (3) trust God to bless her as she sought to bless her mother-in-law. What is this you have done to me? This would have been And what communion has light with darkness? Naomi told her friend not to call her Naomi (which means pleasant) any longer, but rather to call her Mara (which means bitter). Other than weeping, Orpah remains silent;20 Ruths words and actions are what the author has chosen to report. Chilion, the only remaining son, also expired (5).Of the four who had left Bethlehem, only Naomi remained. For the children of the desolate one are more numerous. It is a beautiful story of redemption and restoration. Ruth 1:2b. We cry out in frustration and desperation, "Who will free the people of God from this vicious cycle of failure and death? He can respond out of a sense of fear and desire for food or out of a sense of faith. It was completed by more than twenty biblical scholars who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. var addy4e942a4423f495800f38cd74f5bbd140 = 'laning' + '@'; We certainly are reminded of the sovereignty of God by our text, but unfortunately most of the emphasis on Gods sovereignty in chapter 1 comes from Naomi, and she is not seeing things as she should. The story of Ruth and Boaz (yes, and even Naomi) should encourage us to live godly lives in dark days, days of unbelief, disobedience, and disregard for the Word of God. Thanks for sharing and God bless your ministry. Then the progression of sin is complete. WebWhat happened to Elimelech in Moab? When we read the Bible, we should expect to be taught the way of the covenant. Naomis hope was in the physical rather than in the spiritual, in the present rather than in eternity. The contrast between Naomi and Ruth is very clear when the two womens words and actions are viewed from the vantage point of the Abrahamic Covenant. They would be a reminder that Elimelech and Naomi had left Bethlehem when the going got tough. First, departing from Israel for Moab is to leave Gods land, the land He gave His people, the land in which Jehovah dwelt. His faithfulness to His people and to His covenant is at a time when His people are not faithful to Him and when they are living in disregard for His law. In the midst of her affliction and hopeless despair, God is at work preparing for the gracious things He is about to reveal to her and to the reader. Without a doubt, this is the most amazing and distressing thing Naomi has said so far. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. But, given his subsequent actions, we have no problem understanding that his final decision was more closely connected with food than with faith. R. Simon b. Yoai contends (ib.) Many years later, the Israelites were camped on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho, poised to enter the Promised Land. If God has it in for Naomi, what woman in her right mind would want to be closely associated with her? For did Elimelech and his family really go up to all of the three pilgrimage feasts each of the ten or so years they spent in Moab (Ruth 1:4)? A famine plagued Israel in the days of the judges. 1In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. The more we read itthe more we learn. She was willing to sacrifice family ties, marriage, and a family to do so. That is to say, the setting has redemptive or covenantal significance. Ruth's story has exactly this kind of setting as it regards the covenant. She has chosen to permanently leave her homeland and family and to embrace Israel, the Israelites, and Israels God as her own, forever. Is it really Naomi? the women asked. To him be glory forever! It led to a hopeless fatalism: It doesnt really matter what I say or do; God is against me, and there is nothing I can do about it.. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. As they continue their journey toward Bethlehem, Naomi makes a three-fold attempt to persuade Orpah and Ruth to return to their homes, rather than to accompany her all the way back to Israel. (7) Naomi does appear to have one thing right humanly speaking, Naomis chances of perpetuating her husbands line are between slim and none. (Ruth 1:1+2). 6 So she decided to return home from the region of Moab, accompanied by her daughters-in-law, because while she was living in Moab she had heard that the Lord had shown concern for his people, reversing the famine by providing abundant crops. Shouldnt Ruth follow her lead? law. He intended to leave the Promised Land briefly in a time of famine, but his sons decided to live in the foreign land. Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia, Missions, Sister Churches, Christian Schools. var addya1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = 'billlangerak' + '@'; Naomi did not doubt the existence of God nor did she doubt His power. Some are so focused on courtship and romance in Ruth that they overlook its instruction on joining, staying in and never leaving Gods church. var addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML += ''+addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c+'<\/a>'; 2014 Protestant Reformed Churches in America. This means that irony becomes the most important device for deepening our meditation on Ruth's story. 1100. Not only is Naomi unable to provide these women with husbands (and thus with children), God is also dealing harshly with her. The benchmark by which we need to compare Ruth and Naomi is the Abrahamic Covenant: 1 Now the LORD said to Abram, Go out from your country, your relatives, and your father's household to the land that I will show you. What is wrong with reporter Susan Raff's arm on WFSB news? If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Elimelech was a faithless husband who led his family into the yawning jaws of death. When a famine came to the area around Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab (Moab was the name of Lot's elder His intent was that once his sons would gain their consent, he would go back with his family to Bethlehem and have them converted. In Job and in Ruth, this term seems to underscore Gods power, but in the context of suffering and adversity. Thus, the reader of this narrative is forced to see the covenant connection between famine and the passages found in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's: And he said to the kinsman, Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, has resolved to sell the portion of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. In addition, anyone who wants to share the Bible with others can print unlimited copies and give them away free to others. Orpah and Ruth were committed to returning to Israel with their mother-in-law. 1 Copyright 2010 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. This is the first Bible study on Ruth 1:1-6. Ruth 1:1-5. This is completely secular thinking. God loves to show mercy and compassion. He promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Moses reiterates to the people of God that they must not only remain in the land He gives them, but they must occupy this land in spite of dreadful obstacles. var addy6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'spronk' + '@'; Rather, the portion of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech. Remember this, if ever you are tempted to leave the church, which is where the Lord dwells (I Tim. Leaving His land, His people, His office-bearers, His worship and His day is leaving God. But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. during the time of the judges in Israel. Ruth was born in Moab about B.C. He lived in Bethlehem during the time of the judges. 1100. When famines strike the land, they are not the result of a bare meteorological phenomenon. Is Brooke shields related to willow shields? This email address is being protected from spambots. and lifts up the needy from the garbage pile, 9 He makes the barren woman of the family. Is Brooke shields related to willow shields? Ruth places us in the middle of a scene of covenant testing. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Ruths words are beautiful, and thus it is no wonder that some have chosen to employ them for their marriage vows. There were no men nearby to marry, she reasoned, so there was no conventional way25 for them to bear children and thus to preserve their fathers line. 14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. It certainly would be safer for the two women to travel together, but it is Orpah who will travel alone, not Ruth. To an ancient Israelite, the idea of famine in the land should have confronted them with a theological challenge. 11 In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. She was full when she had a husband and two sons; now she was empty, for all she had was Ruth. var addya1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = 'billlangerak' + '@'; Elimelech was of the tribe of Judah. Thus, the use of the word lagur can be explained as related to geirut conversion. Certain decisions have a way of progressing to their natural conclusion. var addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML += ''+addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c+'<\/a>'; 2014 Protestant Reformed Churches in America. She would have been very much at home in our Postmodern world. If you desire to join a community where you can meet others for hope and encouragement on your faith journey, I would love to have you as a fellow traveler. In her second effort, Naomi insists that her daughters-in-law must not return with her because it would only cause them to endure some of her affliction (verse 13). 1, iv. How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways! They arrived, in fact, just in time for the barley harvest. What a relief it is to leave Judges behind and come to the Book of Ruth! As they entered Bethlehem, they became the talk of the town. Naomi thought of Gods blessings in terms of having food and a family. How wrong Naomi was. May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the LORD God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection! (Ruth 2:10-12, emphasis mine). It is four short chapters and will only take you a few minutes. 2 Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, so that you will exemplify divine blessing. 1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, This is a text that has always puzzled me. Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord himself has raised his fist against me., 14And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. Naomis people (Israel) would be her people, and Naomis God would be her God. Start your free trial today! You need JavaScript enabled to view it. At this point in time, one would not think that Naomi would be at the top of the list in the hall of faith: 13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. In our text (as in Judges and everywhere else in Scripture), man looks bad, very bad, and God looks good, very good. More tears are shed. It must have been on Naomis watch that these two sons married their Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth. 5 Then Naomis two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. For the connection between Ephrath and Bethlehem, see Gen. xxxv. And then, within 10 years, both Naomis sons died. People who are not traveling in the same direction. Lot fled with his daughters and was living in a cave. From these events, we can easily see that the Moabites were no friend to Israel. But the most dramatic new development in Naomis argument is her reference to Orpahs god: 15 So Naomi said, Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. Those who place too much emphasis on marriage and child bearing should listen well to these words of Scripture: 6 He bends down to look at the sky and the earth. There is nothing random, therefore, about the construction of biblical narratives. His occupation is not known; the Bible never says. When Abraham responded in fear rather than in faith, his choices were so bad that even an Egyptian king rebuked him in Genesis 12:18 saying. The geological marvels, millennia in the making, drew more than 1. I pray that you, like Ruth, have forsaken all confidence in yourself and have cast yourself upon the one true God for salvation. A sensitive reader would have learned in covenant history that there are certain places one should never go for bread. & A. WebAnd the name of the man (was) Elimelech. Subscribe today for access to my Free Faith Resource Library! I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. Be honest with yourself and recognizethat staying there is not good for you. Design by Social Village. If leaving Judah was not bad enough, the place he chose to go was even worse. As Elimelech searched for bread, he went to the worst place in the world for bread. But sadly for his sons, then never comes, and they die in Moab. However, even if the date does not match exactly with the conclusion of Judges, the author is definitely pointing us back to Judges and to something that occurred in that time. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. How could Naomi point them in the wrong direction? married Boaz. Return to Bethlehem (Ruth 1) 1 During the time of the judges there was a famine in the land of Judah. The crises of life are Gods pop quizzes, times when He puts our faith to the test, times when He gives us an opportunity to put our faith on display. But according to Rab (B. Note Judges 21:25. We should note several things about Naomis third attempt to persuade Ruth to join Orpah as she returned to Moab in verse 15. What will he do? They insisted on going on to Israel with Naomi. Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor! Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. Lot was turned to salt because she looked back at the city. var addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'jdengelsma' + '@'; But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and childrens children, to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 34:6-7, emphasis mine). For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here is a brief summary of just the first chapter: The book of Ruth opens with an Israelite, Elimelech, leaving Bethlehem with his wife Naomi and two sons, Mahlon, and Chilion. And yet as the story of Ruth unfolded this time, it suddenly became obvious to me that Naomi was no role model. The subject was the Book of Ruth. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Think of it: Naomi and her husband leave the land where God promised to bless them.