AM Bible Study Group; December 22, 2010
Ruth 1:19-22
Theme: This passage tells us of how a wandering soul returned to the place of God’s blessing — and found His providential care already waiting for her.
In our last study, we saw Ruth (the woman who pictured the Gentiles to us) committing herself fully to the God of Naomi (the woman who pictured the Jewish people to us). Together, their sad story revealed to us the need both had for a kinsman-redeemer.
And now, in this morning’s study, we see Naomi — the very picture of prodigal Israel — returning, sad and destitute, to the place of God’s blessing. But wonderfully, along with her comes Gentile Ruth. And together, they discover the providential hand of God at work.
I. THE WANDERING ONE IS RETURNED (v. 19).
A. We’re told, “Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem.” Bethlehem means “House of Bread”; and here, we see these two victims of famine coming to the place where “the LORD had visited His people by giving them bread” (v. 6). But what a sad picture these two women must have been! Over the past ten years, Naomi had lost everything — her husband, her two sons, all their wealth; and finally, one of her widowed daughters in law returned to her homeland of Moab. But she certainly gained the life- long commitment of her precious Moabite daughter-in-law who loved her and was better to her than seven sons (see 4:15).
B. It must be that Elimelech, Naomi’s dead husband, was a man of means; because there was much excitement when Naomi returned. But it must have also greatly shocked people to see what had become of her. The women all asked, “Is this Naomi?” Because her name means “Pleasant”, it was as if they were asking, “Is this what has become of the pleasant one?” Her time away from the place of God’s blessing in the land of the unbelievers had left its sad mark on her.
II. THE HAND OF DISCIPLINE IS ACKNOWLEDGED (v. 20-21).
A. It must have been hard for Naomi to hear everyone calling her “Pleasant”. You can almost hear her say, “Ha! You call my situation pleasant?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi (“Pleasant”); call me Mara (“Bitter”), for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. Her name change was meant to reflect her sense of her change from one blessed of God to one punished by God.
B. Note how she acknowledges God’s hand of discipline on her:
1. “The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” The Almighty is an unusual name to use — but appropriate here; because it expresses God’s sovereign control over all things. Naomi is acknowledging that her sad circumstances were the outworkings of the sovereign God; and in consequence of her sojourn into Moab, they are bitter!
2. “I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty”. What was a once prosperous family was now a destitute widow with her widowed Gentile daughter-in-law for whom she could scarcely provide.
3. “. . . the LORD has testified against me . . .” Through the circumstances she suffered, she recognized that God was condemning her sin.
4. “. . . and the Almighty has afflicted me . . .” Once again, she doesn’t attribute her situation to “fate” or “dumb-luck”; but to nothing less than the hand of God.
III. THE GOODNESS OF THE ALMIGHTY IS DISPLAYED (v. 22).
A. In spite of Naomi’s sense of God’s heavy hand on her, it’s important to notice that the writer of this book doesn’t go on then to call her “Mara”, as she requested. Instead, the writer — under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit — keeps on calling her “Pleasant”; because that’s what her end would be (see 4:14-15).
B. Note too that she “returned” with “Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law”. She didn’t really lose; but instead gained someone very precious through whom God would providentially provide a kinsman-redeemer.
C. Note that we’re told that Ruth “returned” with Naomi. When was Ruth ever in Bethlehem that she could be said to have returned? Many scholars believe this is a way of communicating that Ruth truly came under the wings of the God of Israel (see 2:12).
D. And finally, note that the timing of their return — unknown to them — was perfect! They came back to “the House of Bread” at the beginning of barley harvest. Not only would they themselves be provided food; but it was, in God’s hand, the perfect time for Ruth to meet Boaz — the kinsman-redeemer.
* * * * * * * * * *
Perhaps it’s true that God’s hand was bitter on Naomi. Perhaps it’s true that the Lord brought her back empty; and testified against her and afflicted her. But He still showed that He loved her; and had it in His plan, in the end, to bless her. And with her, He blessed and used Ruth!
This, then, becomes a picture to us of how, in God’s providence, He used the hardness of Israel to redeem not only Israel but also the Gentiles. It’s a picture of the great plan of God displayed in Romans 11. As Paul asserted in Romans 11:1; “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” And as he says in verse 11; I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles (v. 11); that we might, in the end, declare with Paul;
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
“For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”
“Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36).