God can do great things, even with mistakes

The first chapter of Ruth is full of wonderful material. Sometime during the course of the Judges period, there was a famine in Bethlehem. This time of Israelite history was characterized by moral relativism and sin (21.25). Moses had stipulated that the Lord would respond to rebellious sin with curses (Deut. 28.15-69), one being famine. It is possible that divine sanction is behind the shortage of food. The irony is that Bethlehem means “house of bread” and there is no bread. Elimelech (“God is my king”) and his wife, Naomi (“pleasant”) decide that it would be better to live in an enemy land than a land without food, so they journey to Moab. Of all the places to travel, Moab might possibly be the worst choice for an Israelite. While there, their two sons Mahlon (“weakling”) and Chilion (“sickling”) marry Moabite women, something the Lord had spoken against (Ex. 34.16).

Sometime within the next decade, Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion all died leaving Ruth, Orpah, and Naomi as widows. Naomi hears that the Lord had provided food for Judah and she decides to “turn” home. After much discussion, Ruth is finally allowed to return with Naomi. Ruth pledges allegiance to Naomi, Israel, and YHWH (1.16).

Naomi returns to Bethlehem not under her given name (“pleasant”), she is Mara (“bitter”). She feels that the hand of the Lord has been against her and made her empty. Who is to blame for Naomi’s situation? Ruth and Naomi return during the harvest of the year. This last sentence completes an inclusio that can be seen in the original language. Elimelech and Naomi left the “house of bread” because there was no “bread” when Naomi returned to the “house of bread” there was “bread.”

There are a couple of important lessons that we can learn from this chapter. First, there was no need to leave the Promised Land, there was need to turn to the Lord. Elimelech sought blessings outside of the Promised Land and all he found was death. Rather than turning to the Lord, they wandered farther into disobedience and death. Second, God can take mistakes and do great things with them. If Elimelech and Naomi had not gone to Moab, Ruth would not have returned to Judah. If Ruth had not returned she would not have married Boaz. If she had not married Boaz, David would not have been born. Thus we learn that David’s kingship was not the result of clever political skills, fighting ability, or individual power, it was the result of the providence of God and a great-grandmother who was dedicated to God, God's people, and her family!