Ruth 1:1–5 (ESV) —
1 In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and
a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his
wife and his two sons. 2 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. They
were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab
and remained there. 3 But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she
was left with her two sons. 4 These took Moabite wives; the
name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there
about ten years, 5 and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman
was left without her two sons and her husband.
NOTE: These were
written during a period of Judges that was characterized by "everyone did
as he pleased." Bethlehem itself had at least two Levites living in a town
that was not characterized as a Levitical town (according to Judges). Elimelech
leaves the land because of famine. His name means "God is King." His
children marry foreigners, although they may have converted prior to the
marriage. He dies, and then his two sons dies. His wife remains with two
daughter-in-law's. Who is the most impacted? The daughters are young and can
marry again. But Naomi has left her land, has left her people, has lost her
husband, and has lost both of her children. The story is as much about Naomi as
it is about Ruth. How many people have suffered as much as Naomi? Everything
that was important in life is gone. And in a time, when physical blessing was
related to spiritual blessing, Naomi looks like the loser in life. How do we
respond when life is bitter beyond measure? How does Naomi respond? And why
does Ruth follow a woman whose God has destroyed everything that gives life
meaning? I suppose that is the rest of the story.
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