Ruth 1
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? Are you the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do you wilt and become soft and lose your strength? Are you the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did you have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have you become hardened and stiff?
“Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.”
How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Pray
SERMON
Introduction (10 minutes)
Jab 1
SLIDE 1 I heard a story Sunday morning I thought I’d share with you. It’s actually a story I’ve told before so maybe you’ll remember it. There is a Chinese Proverb that goes something like this.
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion that helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors exclaimed, “Your horse ran away, what terrible fortune!” The farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad fortune?”
A few days later, the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out, “Your horse has returned, and brought several horses home with him. What great fortune!” The farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad fortune?”
Later that week, the farmer’s son was trying to break one of the mares and she threw him to the ground, breaking his leg. The villagers cried, “Your son broke his leg, what terrible fortune!” The farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad fortune?”
A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, recruiting all the able-bodied boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son, still recovering from his injury. Friends shouted, “Your boy is spared, what tremendous fortune!” To which the farmer replied, “Who knows what’s good or bad fortune?”
Jab 2
We have a difficult time knowing the difference between good and bad as well. Because we can’t see the future and barely remember the past (some have trouble even remembering what they had for breakfast) we don’t know how the events we face today will play out in the days, months, or years to come. What we may perceive as bad today may actually work out for good. As Paul reminds us: SLIDE 2
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Right Hook
SLIDE 3 Turn to the first chapter of Ruth. For the next several weeks we will be looking at the book of Ruth. As you are turning I want to share some interesting facts about the book.
Ruth is one of two books in the Bible named after Gentiles (the other book is Luke)
The story of Ruth is told through speeches (of eighty-five verses, fifty-nine contain dialogue)
There are no miracles in this book (contrast this book with the book of Judges. There we find several miracles, angelic visitors, etc.)
There are no villains in this book
Everyone is named in Ruth (the one exception is a close relative we’ll come to in chapter 4)
All of the main characters face a crisis of some sort and their decisions reflect their priorities
The book of Ruth is a love story, even though the word love only appears once at the end of the book where it mentions Ruth’s love for her mother-in-law
Several prayers and blessings are uttered, but everyone prays for and blesses someone else and not for themselves
The two key concepts in the book are God’s loyal love and grace and kinsman-redeemer (which we’ll explain in a couple of weeks)
Explanation (10 minutes)
1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. (Ruth 1:1-2)
We have no idea when the events in this book took place, except that they took place during the times of the judges. A generation or two after the death of Joshua the people were led by judges which was spread across about three-hundred years. The events in the book probably took place fairly early that time period.
Additionally, we’re told that there was a famine. That’s not much help either because there were numerous famines during the years of the judges. The people would disobey and God would allow them to be conquered by a foreign nation. That foreign nation would then take their food. That’s why we read about Gideon threshing wheat in a wine press. He didn’t want the Midianites finding out he had grain.
Since there is a lack of food in the land one man decides to move his family to a place where there is some food. Elimelek takes his wife and their two sons and move to Moab. What’s interesting is that they are from Bethlehem. Who else was from Bethlehem? David was from there and Jesus was born there. The name Bethlehem means “House of Bread.” Eventually the Bread of Life would be born there, but right now there’s not much bread in the House of Bread, so Elimelek takes his wife and children and travel east across the Jordan River in search of food.
3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. (Ruth 1:3-5)
Things are bad at home so they move, and then things get worse. First, Naomi’s husband dies. Then less than ten years after moving to Moab, Naomi’s two sons die. Ironically, the reason for leaving Bethlehem was to escape death, and now three-fourths of the family has died. Naomi is now a widow and childless with two grieving daughter-in-laws who are also now widows. What do you do?
As a side note if you didn’t know this, Oprah was named after Orpah but Orpah’s named was mispronounced and then misspelled and thus we have Oprah Winfrey instead of Orpah Winfrey.
6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. 8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.” 11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me – even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons – 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!” (Ruth 1:6-13)
You will remember the cycle followed throughout the book of Judges. The people start off right with God, but a generation or two later turn their backs on him. When God allows an enemy to subdue them they eventually call out to him. God sends a judge to deliver them and they are once again right with God. And then the cycle starts over again. In verse 6 we see that God has sent a judge to deliver his people because there was food – literally bread. Once again there is bread in the House of Bread. With her husband and two sons dead why stay in Moab any longer? So she heads out for home, but before she gets very far she sends Orpah and Ruth home to their parents. She understands what it means to be a widow in a foreign land and she doesn’t want these two women to suffer that same experience. It would be better if they returned to their respective families.
The reason she gives is strange to our customs, but made complete sense to God’s people. Widows were very vulnerable in that day, especially if there was no family to help take care of them. The way God allowed for the widows to be provided for when they had no children was for a close relative to marry her and give her children to look after her. This is what Naomi is referring to when she talks about having more sons for the two women to marry. She’s too old to have more children and they are too old to wait. So it would be better to return home to their parents. Maybe they could find new husbands and if not their families would provide a home for them.
14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. (Ruth 1:14)
Initially both women cling to Naomi saying they would return with her. When Naomi continues her plea Orpah follows her advice and goes home, but Ruth refuses to leave. We shouldn’t be hard on Orpah. She’s doing what Naomi has suggested and there’s wisdom in it. It would be much easier to find a husband in Moab. We aren’t told why Ruth refuses to leave. The word used for “cling” is the same word found in Genesis 2 when we’re told that a man will “cling” or “be joined” to his wife.
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. (Ruth 1:15-18)
Ruth’s love for Naomi is stronger than her love for her family, so she stays with Naomi. And she is quite aware of what it means. It will mean leaving her family, leaving her customs and culture, and leaving her religion. To follow Ruth means to adopt the Lord as her God and to adopt the Hebrew way of life. All of that she is willing to do for Ruth. Perhaps Elimelek and Ruth had done a good job teaching her about God. Seeing Ruth’s determination, Naomi stops trying to persuade her.
19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” 20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” (Ruth 1:19-21)
Naomi may be glad to be home, but she’s not happy. It’s been ten years since she left with her husband and two sons. Time has passed and the men in her life are dead. Is it that the women of Bethlehem really don’t recognize her after all that time? She left with a husband and two sons, but returns with only a Moabite woman. Could this be the same Naomi?
Naomi requests a name change. Her name means “Pleasant,” but she wants it changed to “Bitter.” She bitter at the world. She’s bitter at God. She has nothing left and she blames God.
It was God that made her life very bitter
It was God that brought her back empty
It was God that afflicted her, and
It was God that brought misfortune upon her
In her mind she had every right to be bitter.
22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning. (Ruth 1:22)
The barley harvest is an odd comment, but will become important in the next chapter.
Application (10 minutes)
So ends chapter 1. While God is mentioned a few times in these verses, we never see God doing anything. But as we’ll see in the next few weeks, that doesn’t mean God isn’t at work.
So what lessons can we learn from this story? Here are four.
SLIDE 4 First, stay under God’s protection.
A few months ago I gave the illustration of standing under an umbrella to stay dry. When we step out from under an umbrella and into the rain we should expect to get wet. The application is when we obey God we can expect him to take care of us. When we disobey it’s like stepping out from under the umbrella.
Life in Bethlehem may have been difficult for Elimelek, but he was where God put him. When he moved out of the Promised Land he was leaving God’s protection. When his sons married foreign wives – which was strictly forbidden in God’s law – they were leaving God’s protection.
When things get difficult the grass on the other side of the fence seems so much greener. It’s easier to leave when we’re uncomfortable and things aren’t easy. However, the question is where does God want you? Perhaps God has put you in this situation for a reason you don’t yet understand. When God is ready for you to move he’ll let you know.
SLIDE 5 Second, be kind to others.
One thing Naomi does right in the story is found in verses 8 and 9. In the midst of her heartache she doesn’t take it out on Orpah and Ruth. Instead, she blesses them. She prays for God to show them kindness even as they’ve shown kindness to her. And she prays that God will provide them with husbands that will provide for them.
How many have been treated rudely or unkindly by someone simply because they’ve had a bad day. You didn’t do anything wrong, but you suffer because of circumstances the other person has faced. It’s so easy to take it out on others when things go bad.
In the face of difficulties, don’t take it out on others. Be kind. Show God’s grace.
SLIDE 6 Third, be willing to accept help from others.
As I mentioned, being a widow without family in that day was dangerous. Orpah and Ruth volunteered to travel with Naomi. Three was certainly better than one. But she refused. She didn’t want the help.
We hate having to ask for help and we don’t really like having to accept it when it’s offered. Perhaps the help being offered is from God. Be willing to accept it.
SLIDE 7 And fourth, remain joyful.
Naomi allowed the events in her life to make her bitter. She thought her life was ruined even though later chapters show she still had a long and fulfilling life ahead of her. It wasn’t the same without her husband and sons, but she still had much to do for God.
It’s tempting to become bitter and to blame God when things go bad. Sometimes we allow our personal pains to prevent us from seeing God’s providential care in the circumstances of our lives.
Have you ever experienced disappointment with God? This often happens when you do what you think God wants, but then things don’t turn out the way you expect. God doesn’t come through the way you think he should.
Naomi had experienced disappointment with God. She lost her husband, her two sons, her wealth, and her position. It's interesting she gave up on God's goodness, but she did not give up on God. She became an embittered believer who interpreted God in a “worst case” scenario whenever possible. “Why don’t you show yourself loving to me? Show yourself kind to me? Or just show yourself?” Sometimes it seems easier to identify the hand of Satan than the fingerprints of God.
John Piper observed,
I would take Naomi's theology any day over the sentimental views of God which dominate evangelical magazines and books today. Naomi is unshaken and sure about three things: God exists. God is sovereign. God has afflicted her.”
But what Naomi forgot that God can turn tragedy into triumph. As Joseph said to his brothers in Egypt: SLIDE 8
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)
As the story unfolds in the next chapters, Naomi's attitude will be transformed. Significantly, God did not send a prophet to correct her or a judge to punish her; he sent barley, Boaz, and a baby!
At this point, however, she interpreted God’s love for her by her circumstances rather than interpret her circumstances by God’s love. Naomi said, “God is out to get me!” Ruth took her hand and said, “Come, let’s go together. Your God will be my God.”
Series: Ruth
Title:
Scripture: Ruth 1
Date: August 15, 2018
Location: WSCC
Proposition: