why did elimelech and his family go to moab

Is it really Naomi? the women asked. A few years later, king Saul will offer the sacrifices, even though he was instructed to wait for Samuel, all because Saul felt this was a crisis that justified setting aside obedience in faith to Gods Word.27. They would be a reminder that Naomis sons their husbands had not married Israelite wives. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Ruth was the great grandmother of King David. 2 These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods. She has chosen to permanently leave her homeland and family and to embrace Israel, the Israelites, and Israels God as her own, forever. The two were penniless, and supported themselves by gleaning grain (Leviticus 23:22) in other people's fields. The geological marvels, millennia in the making, drew more than 1. For you are the temple of the living God. The first concerns our Lord Jesus Christ. 19 So the two of them journeyed together until they arrived in Bethlehem. 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. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. If Naomi had other sons, she could give them to these women in Levirate marriage, but she has no other sons. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely (which is exactly what we see later when Boaz the faithful husband responds to God with faithfulness remember he lays down on a huge pile of harvest from the land). Hi, I'm Carla! Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Australia, Missions, Sister Churches, Christian Schools. 54-55). And when both her sons died without bearing children, her situation seemed impossible. 4 So her sons married Moabite women. Samuel does this, not just once or twice, but he layers the whole story with irony. And even if it were possible, and I were to get married tonight and bear sons, then what? There is no reason for you to return to Judah with me! To an ancient Israelite, the idea of famine in the land should have confronted them with a theological challenge. Scarcity of food compelled him to emigrate with his family to Moab, where he died, and where one of his sons married Ruth (ib. Joseph's family were given the land of Goshen to live Surely this poor fellow doesn't understand the covenant". var addy79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'jdengelsma' + '@'; The scriptures don't mention Naomi's parents, just the fact that 3, 4). In Esther, the people of God were supposed to return to the Promised Land, but they chose instead to dwell in the apparent peace and safety of Persia. We dont have a very good reputation in the Bible.. Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. She was married first to A pointer to the fact that, in moving from Bethlehem to Moab, Elimelech did not truly take God and His Word into account? Serving the god(s) of Moab (or any others) was an abomination to God: You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3). She had left her country and lost her husband and both her sons. I so love the story of Ruth and Naomi, and each time I read it, I learn something new and powerful. The same is true for Naomi. Because of a famine, they relocated to Moab, a neighboring country where there was food. We know that this backfired because Balaam could not curse those whom God had blessed.5 When this approach did not work, Balaam counseled Balak how to harm Israel in a very different way by having the Moabite women seduce the Israelite men.6 One might easily infer from this that the Moabites, like the Canaanites, were a sexually immoral people (in a way that tempted the Israelites). This family would have journeyed north to Jerusalem and then crossed the Jordan River by Jericho. WebElimelechs Family Goes to Moab. If you have time this week, my suggestion is to go to the book of Ruth and read it. Such is not the case, my friend, and seeing her as some kind of heroine will distort our understanding of the message of this wonderful book. Ruth 1:2b. 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. She returned to Moab. Instead of trusting God to preserve her husbands line (indeed, the Messianic line), she at least passively (if not actively) approves of their marriage to non-Israelites. 1: Why did Elimelech go to live in Moab with his family? Remember this, if ever you are tempted to leave the church, which is where the Lord dwells (I Tim. moved to Bethlehem with her mother in law, Naomi, she met and Moabwas fun, it was easy, and it was making me feel good. Im thankful that it encouraged you, Bill. PRC-Related: RFPA, Standard Bearer, Reformed Witness Hour, Etc. I love how God works! They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. She urged her daughters-in-law to return to their mothers home, with the expectation that the LORD would bless them with security in a marriage to a new12 Moabite husband. Rev. Ruths words are beautiful, and thus it is no wonder that some have chosen to employ them for their marriage vows. That is precisely what Naomi did with Orpah and Ruth. 12 May the LORD reward your efforts! What time does normal church end on Sunday? var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Naomi advised Ruth to glean in the field of Boaz, since he was a relative of Elimelech. Certain decisions have a way of progressing to their natural conclusion. Follow your sister-in-law back home! 16 But Ruth replied. Some returned to the land of their birth.Is this what we have here in Ruth 1:1-5? And all of this resulted in the near annihilation of one of the twelve tribes (Benjamin) and a conspiracy to acquire wives for the remaining Benjamites in a way that was morally unacceptable. - Quora Answer (1 of 4): Because there was a famine in Israel, so he went to another country presumably Web1. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 20 It could well be that Orpah had much to say, but the author did not wish to focus on her as she is not the heroine of this story. There is so much more to this story than merely the people in it this story is the story of the gospel. And there is another difficult part of leaving Moab. 16But Ruth replied, Dont ask me to leave you and turn back. Therefore all those who separate themselves from the same, or do not join themselves to it, act contrary to the ordinance of God.Rev. Ruth 1:1. The stage is set, and the setting is loaded with redemptive meaning. Your Moab. For 2,000 years, millions of elect, believing Jews and Gentiles from around the world have become one body in Jesus Christ.Third, this book records remarkable instances of Gods providence. 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? The only time the land was dry was during times of curse. 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. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' She was not a Jew, and she had not been raised by parents who taught her the law. They lived in the town of Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah in the land of Israel, in the days of the judges (1), that is, after the deaths of the elders who outlived Joshua and before the reign of King Saul.But famine struck the promised land, including Judah and Bethlehem (1). It was a bad start, and sadly things didnt get any better over time. Many tears were shed, but in the end both women refused to leave Naomi and return to their mothers home. 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. No, of course not, my daughters! But, like Naomi, God started taking things away from me one by one, so I was left standingat the crossroadsall by myself. lived and so they went to Moab where conditions were better and get May the Lord show you the same kind of devotion that you have shown to your deceased husbands and to me! This faithless man journeys to the worst possible place one can imagine as it relates to the hope for bread, to the land of Moab. How could Naomi point them in the wrong direction? The term she used to refer to Him Shaddai was a term that emphasized Gods great power. 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. When Naomi returns to Bethlehem, she finds most of the residents of the city still living there, and judging by what we are told about Boaz, they appear to have done fairly well. Orpah seems to have no great spiritual interest in Israel or in the God of Israel. I had a decision to make, a choice to pursue, and a new direction to take. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. As I was studying our text for this message, it occurred to me that the text which describes the origin of the Moabites in Genesis 19 is a key to understanding the story of Ruth, and especially Naomis role in this account. Naomi saw singleness (widowhood for her) and childlessness as a curse, while Paul taught that singleness could facilitate ministry to others and to God (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). But according to Rab (B. This seems to be designed to provoke some questions in the mind of the reader. If Ruth is right in moving to Israel from Moab, then Elimelechs family were wrong in moving from Israel to Moab. Are you in a place you dont need to be? The suffering of His people, whether for sins they have committed or for living righteously, is but the prelude to His glorious salvation. How could any faithful Israelite encourage someone to return to their (false) god(s)? Orpah and Ruth were committed to returning to Israel with their mother-in-law. These are the times of darkness when godliness should shine forth as a brilliant light. Were Orpah and Ruth Israelites? Lots older daughter neatly avoided the moral implications of what she proposed. People who are not traveling in the same direction. (8) All of this leads me to conclude that Naomi is not an example of faith, but an excellent example of Israels poor spiritual health. I pray that you, like Ruth, have forsaken all confidence in yourself and have cast yourself upon the one true God for salvation. Is God judging here? (2) There is no indication that other Israelites from Bethlehem (or elsewhere in Israel) accompanied Elimelech and his family to Moab. You will note from the first verse of chapter 1 that the setting for the story of Ruth is the times of the judges. Judah (through whom the messianic line would be traced) kept his third son from a Levirate marriage with the first sons widow, and then had sex with a woman he thought was a cult prostitute.31 God not only preserved the messianic line, He was faithful to fulfill His (Abrahamic) covenant32 with Abraham. Isnt it so cool how the Bible is like that? 1 Copyright 2010 by Robert L. Deffinbaugh. Now I should stop to say that I firmly believe in the sovereignty of God, that God is in absolute control of everything that takes place on this earth. There is really no evidence of faith (on Naomis part), either. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Ruth 4:3 Commentaries: Then he said to the closest Second, Naomis words are even more forceful here,14 issuing Ruth a command to leave her. There was a shortage of bread in Bethlehem, which towns name means house of bread. So what did Elimelech and his family do? and a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. Wow, Pat! In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16). WHY DID ELIMELECH GO TO MOAB? 22So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. 3 Sometime later Naomis husband Elimelech died, so she and her two sons were left alone. 17 Wherever you die, I will die and there I will be buried. The more Naomi moans on about how bad things are for her, and how hopeless it would be for Orpah or Ruth to stay with her, the more we see the mighty hand of God working all things for the good of His people, as well as for His glory. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung tightly to her. Ruth Chapter 1 And so they did. This would have been Ruth 1:1b. Hence, we can connect a theme in Judges with the events unfolding in our story here in Ruth. 14 Again they wept loudly. Samuel immediately requires the reader to wrestle with the dire need of a faithful husband. Ruth 1 RSV;NIV - Elimelechs Family Goes to Moab - BibleGateway 3 When Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor, the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. DO LESS, BE MORE: HOW TO SIMPLIFY CHRISTMAS. If you need my help and encouragement along the way, you know I am here for you! var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; 19 and Micah 5:2. Ruth opens with a startling statement of famine. For example, one might wonder, "Who is this guy anyway? This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the series, Ruth: A Story of Redemption, prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh on January 10, 2010. The Moabites were known for their evil and for their false worship. from Bethlehem of Judah. The something that occurred is immediately coupled together with the problem of a famine. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to Then Elimelech, Naomis husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. 1 Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth! To her, Gods blessings should appear now, in the form of bread, an eligible bachelor (marriage), and babies. elimelech died, leaving naomi and her daughters-in-law alone. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. Lot and his two daughters are now living in a cave. Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor! Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. They did not seem to live by it, so why would they consider it important to teach it to a Moabite? It is also true (as God Himself says above) that God also punishes the guilty, but that is not the totality of who God is. How will this family survive without a faithful husband? The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. There is no doubt that this is a great honor and privilege for a woman. Who even remembers her name? Bearing children was to be done Gods way. WHEN YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF MOAB | At the Crossroads. Ruth, the eighth book in the Bible, is relatively short, consisting of just four chapters. They left each other and went in opposite directions. How wrong she was! It would also seem that Naomis barrenness was divinely imposed.18, (5) Moab was not the place of Gods promised blessings; Israel was.19. 4 The LORD said to Moses, Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the LORD in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal-peor (Numbers 25:1-5). Why did Elimelech live with his family in Moab? - Answers This means, says the rabbi, that Elimelech was only on a temporary journey. (If you're a human, don't change the following field), Ruth 1:1-6 - Famine in the House of Bread. This email address is being protected from spambots. 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. That person is a true Jew at heart. Ruth 1-2 Access 50+ premium resources. As Elimelech searched for bread, he went to the worst place in the world for bread. We answer this question with a reminder that Israel was under God's command to remain in the land as part of their call to be faithful. All three women had to make a choice. WebElimelech Moves His Family to Moab 1 In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. For instance, Samuel opens the story without naming Elimelech. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi. The two women, now forever bound together by Ruths covenant, continued on their way until they reached Bethlehem. Rabbi Ginsburg argues that Elimelech is really not the problem; his sons are the problem. Later, things seemed to look up for the bereaved family. Another label for pragmatism is doing what seems right in our own eyes. That was the spirit of the age during the days of the judges. Surely you would not remain unmarried all that time! Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? And so this older daughter persuaded her younger sister that both of them needed to get their father drunk, and then each should lie with him, so that they might produce offspring for their father. Then we find that such ways become comfortable, and so we stand or linger in them. As a relative of Boaz (ib. 3 I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse, and all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name (Genesis 12:1-3, emphasis mine). In Ruth, this element of the curse of the Moabites is also mentioned. has Naomi sold. Do you have pictures of Gracie Thompson from the movie Gracie's choice. So she set out from the place [Moab] where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.. But what she fails to see is that God is only increasing her problems to the level of human impossibility, so that He can demonstrate His power and grace through her weakness. Rather, the portion of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech.
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