why did elimelech and his family go to moab

The subject was the Book of Ruth. To walk in the steps of Abraham, one like Ruth would need to: (1) leave her relatives; (2) leave her homeland; and, (3) trust God to bless her as she sought to bless her mother-in-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). Read More. Stated in the words of the author of Judges, every man (and woman) was doing what was right in their own eyes. Here is a woman who is not walking by faith, but by sight, who is not living according to the law, but in disregard for it. 12 The word new is not in the original text. Having started off on a rather negative note, let me hasten to say that the Book of Ruth is a breath of fresh air for those of us who have just come from the Book of Judges. It must have been on Naomis watch that these two sons married their Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth. A very happy ending!Considering the book theologically, Ruth is significant for four main reasons that have been widely recognized by Gods people. It is not Naomis belief in the sovereignty of God that troubles me as much as how she applies it. People who are not traveling in the same direction. than the children of the married woman, says the Lord. Wouldnt it be better for the two of them to travel together? 32 Come, lets make our father drunk with wine so we can have sexual relations with him and preserve our family line through our father. 33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, and the older daughter came and had sexual relations with her father. She would go where Naomi went and live where she lived. In the book of Ruth 1:1 we are told that there was famine in the As the story opens, we encounter a man who takes his family to Moab because there is a famine in Bethlehem of Judah. As Orpah kisses Naomi goodbye and turns back toward home, Ruth clings all the more tightly to her mother-in-law. var addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19 = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19+'<\/a>'; Classis WestThis email address is being protected from spambots. Naomi counseled Orpah and Ruth to do what seemed right in their eyes. Even if she were able to bear children, it would be unreasonable for these two widows to wait 20 years for replacement husbands. No, in Naomis mind there was no good reason to remain with her as she returned to her homeland. God had just destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their great sin. 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. The faithful believer was never to be "unequally yoked together". The danger of practicing pragmatism above principle. Paul restates this law in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Other than weeping, Orpah remains silent;20 Ruths words and actions are what the author has chosen to report. document.getElementById('cloak6abc068fa8d6d6e3ed55f5c6ed881e19').innerHTML = ''; That strongly suggests that she was still a Moabite at heart, still an idolater at heart. There do not appear to be many generations between Boaz and David, but biblical genealogies dont always include every genealogical link in such cases. She seems to have little or no conviction regarding her sins, the sins of her husband, or of the sins of the nation. This is leaving Almighty God out of a big issue, whether or not to stay in the church!Third, the very first verse of Ruth states, Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled Certainly, this is a temporal indicator, telling us when these events took place. Now she had no husband and no children. To do it any other way was to disobey God. Chilion was the son of Elimelech and Naomi and the late husband 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. Ruth 1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her And that this may be the more effectually observed, it is the duty of all believers, according to the Word of God, to separate themselves from all those who do not belong to the church, and to join themselves to this congregation wheresoever God hath established it, even though the magistrates and edicts of princes be against it, yea, though they should suffer death or any other corporal punishment. But when she urged Ruth to return to her pagan god(s), that was the worst unkindness of all. Why do you call me Naomi, seeing that the Lord has opposed me, and the Sovereign One has caused me to suffer? 22 So Naomi returned, accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, who came back with her from the region of Moab. God had given Israel the land as a place of rest and blessing. She was full when she had a husband and two sons; now she was empty, for all she had was Ruth. There was a shortage of bread in Bethlehem, which towns name means house of bread. So what did Elimelech and his family do? In moving to Moab, Naomi left the Lord to some extent and for some years. Both had married Israelite husbands, had borne no children, and were now widows. Second, this book points ahead to the New Testament days of the catholic or universal church, for Ruth is a Moabitess, a Gentile who is grafted into Israel. She was willing to sacrifice family ties, marriage, and a family to do so. where did these children come from? (Isaiah 49:20-21). Even the structure of the Hebrew in our story is similar to that of Abraham's story. 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 Naomi thought of Gods blessings in terms of having food and a family. 9. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 8 Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, 9 for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans. There was no famine there Why did Anyone anywhere in the world with an Internet connection will be able to use and print out the NET Bible without cost for personal study. How do you know when to leave and when to stay? Naomi, seeking a husband for the young Ruth, sent her to Boaz's threshing-floor when he would be there, in the hope that he would want to marry her. When Abraham responded in fear rather than in faith, his choices were so bad that even an Egyptian king rebuked him in Genesis 12:18 saying. He is faithful and always right on time! Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer[b] and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?. Stay in Bethlehem: risk starving their bodies. This was the land in which God had already killed the men of Israel for the very same action. But sadly for his sons, then never comes, and they die in Moab. Thus, there was something covenantal about this famine. They no longer have their old or former husbands because they have died. In fact, my study for this sermon has caused me to think of Naomi in even less flattering terms. And with Gods help and the support of others who love you and are moving in the same direction, make the decision to get out of Moab today. We are not told how long Elimelech may have waited before he made his fateful decision. In Ruth, this element of the curse of the Moabites is also mentioned. Fearing they would be overrun by the Israelites, Balak (king of Moab)4 hired Balaam to curse Israel. In the brief narrative no critical comment His occupation is not known; the Bible never says. There the sacrifices were made, bespeaking the full and rich atonement made for our sins on the cross. They entered the region of Moab and settled there. 3), he was of the family of the Hezronites. Moabs hostility and opposition to Israel continued on into the period of the Judges. One has to ponder the outcome of her decision. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Design by Social Village. And Naomi was now ready to arrange for a marriage and offspring in an unconventional way, just as Tamar, the mother of Moab, and the Israelites (more recently) did. during the time of the judges in Israel. var addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68 = 'Classical Committee';document.getElementById('cloaka1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68').innerHTML += ''+addy_texta1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68+'<\/a>'; For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here is a brief summary of just the first chapter: The book of Ruth opens with an Israelite, Elimelech, leaving Bethlehem with his wife Naomi and two sons, Mahlon, and Chilion. helen phillips obituary; demarini nautalai 2022; can vanishing twin be misdiagnosed at 7 weeks; coates 11kw pool heater. Learn more about our. They were both Moabite women, close to the same age. WebWhat happened to Elimelech in Moab? The oldest daughter (who will become the mother of Moab) saw their situation as impossible. The final chapters of the Book of Judges are certainly the worst of times, and yet the Book of Ruth describes the best of times. This suggests to me that godly character is not only evident in the good times, but even more dramatically in the bad times. Moses reiterates to the people of God that they must not only remain in the land He gives them, but they must occupy this land in spite of dreadful obstacles. that Elimelech was one of the chiefs of Israel, andthat his premature death was his punishment for having left the Holy Land and having settled in the land of Moab. Both were traveling with Naomi as she made her way toward Israel. In Leviticus 26 we read. The people were to know that as they lived in the land of promise in faithfulness, God would bless them. 6Then Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; Naomi not only disregards the Abrahamic Covenant, she also urges Ruth (and Orpah) to do likewise. (If you're a human, don't change the following field), Ruth 1:1-6 - Famine in the House of Bread. My sense is that most of the residents of Bethlehem stayed in Bethlehem, rather than leaving to sojourn in a foreign country during the days of the famine. and a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. Remember this, if ever you are tempted to leave the church, which is where the Lord dwells (I Tim. It appears from redemptive history that the Moabites had deliberately schemed to intermarry with the Israelites in order to conquer them. Required fields are marked *. reghdfe predict out of sample; In her third attempt, she orders Ruth to follow her sister-in-law back home. document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML = ''; 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). God loves to show mercy and compassion. (One was named Orpah and the other Ruth.) It is a beautiful story of redemption and restoration. They were of the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah.) WebMany resident aliens (especially Jews) may have been placed in this kind of agricultural occupation by the Moabite government. Follow your sister-in-law back home! 16 But Ruth replied. 19 and Micah 5:2. To develop this point, I would have to summarize the four chapters of Ruth, but you can read the book for yourself to trace Jehovahs sovereign decree and hand guiding the various characters.Fourth, this book is significant because it presents the godly examples of Ruth herself, Naomi and Boaz, people whose virtues we would do well to emulate.But there is another important theological and practical lesson from the book of Ruth, especially chapter 1, that is often unnoticed or underdeveloped in sermons and writings on the eighth book of the Bible. Naomis people (Israel) would be her people, and Naomis God would be her God. The wonder is that God remained faithful to those who so easily abandoned Him. Abraham had been faced with similar choices and God had used a famine to challenge him. Naomi doesnt mention that these women would likely not find an Israelite husband. These cookies do not store any personal information. daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. Is it also a suggestion that the emigration of Elimelech and his family from Bethlehem to Moab is of a piece with the disobedience of that period? Certain decisions have a way of progressing to their natural conclusion. After Mahlon died and Ruth had How could Naomi encourage Ruth (and, by inference, Orpah) to return to their god(s), when doing so would condemn them eternally? If the reader knows redemptive history, then there isn't a place on earth worse than Moab for an Israelite to turn for bread. These are the times of darkness when godliness should shine forth as a brilliant light. As noted in the introduction, biblical narrative has redemptive or covenantal structure. Many years later, the Israelites were camped on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River from Jericho, poised to enter the Promised Land. 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. 5 Then Naomis two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. My problem with the text in Romans 2 was that I couldnt think of an example of what Paul was saying. document.getElementById('cloaka1ecccfd0b401858a2877dcb45f7be68').innerHTML = ''; Many, including me, are troubled by the times in which we live, but this is no excuse for ungodly behavior. She decided it was time to get out of Moab. Elimelech was a faithless husband who led his family into the yawning jaws of death. May the Lord show you the same kind of devotion that you have shown to your deceased husbands and to me! For the connection between Ephrath and Bethlehem, see Gen. xxxv. WebYet, you guessed it; Moab is the very place that Elimelech chose as his destination for bread. Follow your sister-in-law back home! (Ruth 1:15). Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with or without credit. In her second effort, Naomi insists that her daughters-in-law must not return with her because it would only cause them to endure some of her affliction (verse 13). While they were there, Naomis husband died, and her two sons married women from Moab, one of whom was named Ruth. A few years ago, I found myselfat a crossroadswith a several key friendships in my life. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; That is why some men and women will choose never to marry or to bear children. So the woman was left all alone bereaved of her two children as well as her husband! But when Ruth refused to return to her people and accompanied her to Bethlehem, Boaz entered the picture, a close relative, a possible redeemer. The two women, now forever bound together by Ruths covenant, continued on their way until they reached Bethlehem. WebSee Page 1. Who thinks of Orpah today? First, she insisted that Naomi must cease urging her to turn back. Responding to the famine, Elimelech, his wife Naomi and their two sons moved to Moaba move of desperation given the long enmity between Israel and Moabwhere they thought the prospects for productive work were greater. Abraham put the seed at risk when he represented his wife Sarah as his sister, and she ended up (temporarily) in Pharaohs29 (and later Abimelechs)30 harem. Classis EastThis email address is being protected from spambots. 3 When Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor, the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them. For you are the temple of the living God. Bethlehem forsaken for Moab. She has been convinced and turns back to her own country. 28:23-24).Together these first three factors are, to say the least, suggestive (three deaths, no reference to God in this scene alone in Ruth, and the dark days of the judges); the next two arguments are more explicit and are based on the words of Naomi and Ruth.Naomi states that, in the death of her three menfolk, the hand of the Lord is gone out against me (Ruth 1:13) and the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me (20). While they were in Moab, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi and her two sons. 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. Thus, we cannot say with certainty that the story of Ruth occurs late in the period of the judges, though this seems likely. Im an Assyrian not a Syrian. Naomi tended to focus only on herself, on her lack of sons to give in marriage, and on her lack of a child to carry on the family line. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13-16). You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Surely this poor fellow doesn't understand the covenant". He was clearly a faithless husband who led his family directly into death. She went on to become so righteous that God made her the ancestress of King David. All rights reserved. has Naomi sold. When a famine came to the area around Bethlehem, Elimelech and Naomi moved to Moab (Moab was the name of Lot's elder daughter's son and the people and land The same pattern in the land is taught in Deuteronomy 28. Naomi returned to her homeland accompanied by her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth. var addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c = 'Stated Clerk';document.getElementById('cloak79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c').innerHTML += ''+addy_text79beab5da96ef5c7e556d8524343f19c+'<\/a>'; 2014 Protestant Reformed Churches in America. For some who emigrated, it worked out well, but for others it did not. No! Naomis hope was in the physical rather than in the spiritual, in the present rather than in eternity. "Then," he might say, "we will return to the land of promise." Be honest with yourself and recognizethat staying there is not good for you. 1, iv. No wonder Naomi finally ceased trying to convince her to turn back (verse 18). And then, within 10 years, both Naomis sons died. 15Look, Naomi said to her, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Obviously, Naomi had changed. Rather, the portion of land, which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

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why did elimelech and his family go to moab

why did elimelech and his family go to moab