Opening Surprise

Opening Surprise• Usually rely on a good storyteller to come up with a surprise ending

– Author of Ruth doesn’t disappoint; ending is packed with unexpected outcomes to amaze any reader/hearer

– Hopefully, by the time we finish, we will be filled with awe and gratitude over the transforming power of God's goodness in our lives and gripped by a larger vision of what God will do through us today

• What is unique is the fact that Ruth also has a surprise beginning• The opening verses introduce a man, his wife and their two sons,

giving the impression that the story you are about to hear is about the men – Elimelech and his sons, Mahlon and Chilion.

• Yet in the opening six short verses, death wipes the men off the scene, leaving three grieving widows behind– In a male-centered culture that ascribed value to women based

on their relationships to men, these husbandless, sonless women seemingly hold no interest to anyone

– In many minds, especially in the minds of the three women themselves, the story is over; nothing is left to tell … yet ironically, this is where the real story will begin

Ruth 1:1-6“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. 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.

But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food.”

Ruth 1:1-6“In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine

in the land

“In the days when the Judges ruled”It was the worst of times

• This is not a date-stamp to locate the moment in history in which the characters lived …

• … It is a theological description of the character of the times in which these events take place

• Timeframe: ca. 1200-1020 BC – the time between Joshua's death (Judges 1:1) and the coronation of Saul (1 Samuel 10)

• Era of frightful social/religious chaos; moral and spiritual declivity

• The book of Judges teems with violent invasions, apostate religion, unchecked lawlessness, and tribal civil war

Treacherous Behavior of Israel

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Summary statement of Judges

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” (Judges 17:6; 21:25)

What contrast to the thinking in the days of Judges do you find in Proverbs 3:5-6?

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths.”


in the land

“…there was a famine [racab] in the land”

• What would come to mind for the original audience as they hear there was a famine in the land at this time?

• Biblical famines have many “natural” causes: – Drought (Gen. 41:27; 1 Kings 18:2; 2 Kings 8:1; Acts 11:28; etc.)– Disease, locust invasions (Amos 4:9-10)– Loss of livestock (1 Kings 18:5)– Warfare (2 Kings 7:24-25; Isa. 1:7). – Many are a direct result of God's judgment (2 Kings 8:1; Isa.

3:1; Jer. 14:13-18; Amos 4:6; Mark 13:8; cf. Hag. 1:10-11)

Famine in Ruth: A Silver Lining (although there are no clouds)?

• First: it recalls the biblical pattern that famines, despite tragic appearances, often advance God's plan for his people What great destiny might this story portend?

• Second, it hinted at some thematic link between this story and the patriarchs The same phrase (“there was a famine in the land”) occurs

elsewhere only in Gen. 12:10 and 26:1Abraham who left the land to live as a foreigner (gur) in Egypt Isaac who left the land to live (gur) in Gerar among the Philistines (cf.

similar terms in Gen. 41:54, 56; 42:5) In both of these instances, in spite of the tragic famines and

patriarchs' false witnesses concerning their wives, Yahweh's sovereign plan brought blessing on his people

Could the text infer this may happen again here? Is the author serving notice to watch for the development of that thematic continuity?

Famine in Ruth: Result of Disobedience?

• Deut 28: 23-24: “And the heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron. The LORD will make the rain of your land powder. From heaven dust shall come down on you until you are destroyed.”

• Deut 28:47-48: “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.”

• Lev 26:18-20: “And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.”

• Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”


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. The name of the man was Elimelech

Elimelech: Decision Making and the Will of God

• What choices faced Elimelech?

He could stay in Bethlehem, the empty breadbasket of Judah, mourning sin that surrounded him & trusting God to provide

He could leave the Promised Land behind in search of greener fields … the fields of Moab, where food was more abundant





• What thoughts/images would come to mind for the original audience of Ruth when Moab is mentioned?

• What was the Israelite disposition toward the Moabites?

Background: Lament for Moab

“Who are these guys?”

Israelite disposition toward the Moabites seems to have been colored by several factors in their history:

Gen 19:30-38 – Origins of Moab Num 22-24 – Moab’s encounter with Israel as they

pass through their territory from Egypt Num 25:1-9 – Moabite women's encounter with

Israel • Deut 23:3-6 – Israel's “left-hand” of fellowship with

Moab in the assembly of the LORD • Judg 3:15-30 – Recent rule and reign of Eglon the king of

Moab over Israel

“Moab” in hieroglyphs

Origin of Moab -- Genesis 19:30-38“Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two

daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.’ So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.’ So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.”

Israel’s disposition: They would remember Moabites' contemptible origins in the incestuous relationship of Lot and his daughter.

Meeting the Moabites – Numbers 22:1-6“Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of

Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. And Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.’ So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, ‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.’ “Israel’s disposition: They would remember the Moabites' resistance to them passing through their territory when they came from Egypt.

Meeting the Moabites – Numbers 25:1-5“While Israel lived in Shittim, the people

began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.’ And Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.’ “What trap did the people of Israel fall

into while in Moab?What did the Moabite women influence

God’s people to do?How did God react to these sins?

Why were only the leaders punished?

“Left Hand” of Fellowship with Moabites (Deut 23:3-6)

“No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the LORD forever, because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you. You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever.”

What does God say about Moabitesworshipping with Israelites?

Why could the Moabites not enter into theassembly of the Lord?

How final is this proclamation?Could they be welcomed after 10 generations?

Encountering Moab – Judges 3:12-15“And the people of Israel again did what was evil in

the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms. And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, and the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.”

What was the relationship between Israel and Moab during this time of the Judges?

Encountering Moab – Judges 3:28-30

“And he said to them, ‘Follow after me, for the LORD has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.’ So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over. And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.”

How did the relationship betweenIsrael and Moab change?

Background: Lament for Moab

“Who are these guys?”

The move to Moab by Elimelech and his family must be interpreted in light of the general Israelite disposition toward the Moabites. That disposition seems to have been colored by several factors in their history:

• The Moabites' contemptible origins in the incestuous relationship of Lot and his daughter (Gen 19:30-38).

• The Moabites' resistance to Israelite passage through their territory when they came from Egypt (Numbers 22-24).

• The Moabite women's seduction of the Israelites and the latter's subsequent punishment (Num 25:1-9).

• Israel's constitutional exclusion of Moab from the assembly of the LORD (Deut 23:3-6).

• The recent oppression of the Israelites by Eglon the king of Moab (Judg 3:15-30).

“Moab” in hieroglyphs

Image of Moab – Psalm 60:7-8

“Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my

scepter. Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe;over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

Elimelech: It’s Only a Name

• What is ironic about Elimelech’s name?• In light of the tragedy that unfolds in the first few verses of Ruth,

what does Elimelech’s name teach us about God and His ways?

• Before he left the Promised Land and went to a place like Moab, Elimelech's very name should have given him pause, for it literally means "My God is king"

• Elimelech may also indicate upper-class background of family, since the name's ending was associated with power (“melech” = king)– It appears, however, that God was no more king in Elimelech's heart than he

was in the hearts of his fellow countrymen – There was no king in Elimelech's life, and therefore, like so many others in

the days when the judges rules, he chose to do what was best in his own eyes

– Elimelech's departure for Moab may reflect his own doubts about the truth his name declared





• Were these equal choices?– No – we can perhaps serve the Lord equally well in New York or

New Orleans, in Acapulco or Amsterdam; however, God had delivered his people from Egypt and brought them to the land of Canaan as a special place for them to live

– God had called Elimelech to live in Bethlehem … he therefore had no business leaving there to go anywhere, least of all Moab

• How did Elimelech respond to the famine?

Spelling Relief: M-O-A-BWhat are some logical/plausible reasons Elimelech may have thought in making

the decision to move his family to Moab?

• Political Instability. Israel as yet had no king and, as a result, almost everyone did as they pleased. Fleeing to a more stable environment would be better to raise a family.

• Economics. In an agriculturally based economy, a famine is devastating. On a clear day, "the fields of Moab" could be seen from the ridges outside of Bethlehem … a marked contrast to the brown and dusty fields of his surrounding area. Day after day, that fertile, watered , environment beckoned to Elimelech and became more and more of a plausible getaway option.

• Patriarchal Precedent. In similar straits, Abraham had gone to Egypt (Gen. 12). Isaac chose to go to Philistia (Gen. 26). Then, a generation later, Jacob and his family are clearly led by God to go down to Egypt (Gen. 46:2-4). With the extensive precedent of such choices by the patriarchs of Israel, moving out of the promised land could be justified.

• Future Daughters-in-Law. With the recent defeat of Moab, over 10,000 male Moabites died. This left many single women available as future wives for his sons – a “target-rich” environment.

Choosing Our Own Path• Elimelech stood on the precipice of a sticky decision – stay in the arid land

of God's choosing or flee to the bountiful one God had roped off. • We know that Elimelech chose the latter, but the question today is “What

will you choose?” “What factors do you consider?”

• The factors that weigh most heavily in our decisions are those that seem most likely to provide us with comfort and security, not necessarily God’s revealed word

• Like Elimelech, we act as the sovereign of our own lives, making the choices that seem best in our eyes, without reference to God and without serious thought about the long-term implications

• Many bear the label "Christian,” yet their Christianity has no real impact on life-defining decisions; just as Elimelech bore the name "My God is king" yet lived in a way that made it evident that God wasn't his king at all

What do our choices reveal about us?• The roads we choose for ourselves, often make our deepest heart

commitments plain for all to see.

Our Own Moabs• Frequently, we parents don't like our children's choices. Yet how many of their

choices do we actually govern by our choices? • Parents today complain about carpooling or bussing their children to school,

and often that is the reasoning behind giving cars to teenagers at an early age – But have we taken into account the distance from our children's future schools when

choosing a house we want? – Did we put our children in the best environment to make friends who would be good

influences and perhaps future mates?

The fact of the matter is, we too have our Moabs; we, too, have gone our own way

• How many times have we made decisions without consulting God and without seeking His will in the matter?

The good news is that even after we've blown it by making foolish decisions,

there is hope. God is gracious. He even works providentially through the consequences of the sinful choices we make to bring about glory for Himself and good to those who will seek Him. That's certainly what we're going to see in the book of Ruth.

Handling Our Moabs• Perhaps the Lord has you in difficult circumstances and the

attractive land of Moab is an alluring decision away. Escaping to easier terrain is all too tempting when we’re weary in hardship.

• Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

• Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

Note that fleeing our circumstances doesn't necessarily remedy them; it is our wisdom to make the best of that which is, for it is seldom that changing our place is mending it

Handling Our Moabs

• In the midst of trials what does God call us to do?

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)


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. 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.

“They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah”

• The term "Ephrathites" shows story of Ruth is connected to David, who “was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse" (1 Sam 17: 12 cf. Gen. 35:19; 48:7; Micah 5:2).

• There is good reason to think that the Ephrathites were the aristocracy of Bethlehem. Clan name may have derived from Ephrah, wife of Caleb, whose two decendants are credited with settling in Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 2:19; 50-51; 4:4; see Ruth 4:22).

• If this clan descended from Caleb, they could be viewed as one of the “first families of Bethlehem” – the bluebloods, a founding or notable family in Bethlehem.

• In times of reversal, "when you've got nothin', you've got nothin' to lose." But when you're on top of the heap, it's a long way down to hit bottom. The Vanderbilts have suddenly become poor sharecroppers.

Coming to Moab = Sodom• As we’ve seen, in the minds of Israel Moab was strongly associated

with Sodom• Sodom carries multiple connotations of a culture of inhospitality

and moral indifference that degenerates into social oppression• Is Elimelech betraying his own moral indifference and

acquiescence to sin by going there?

• What difficulties would Elimelech and his family face as they come to take up residence in Moab?Difficulties of language barriersCultural gaffsBouts with homesickness and depression Immigrants aren't always welcomeThe sense that you're never really "one of them." After migrating from

Judah, Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon and Chilion lived as outsiders among the Moabites.

Opening Surprise

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