Into Hot Water

Good morning!

I'm excited to begin studying the book of Ruth today - - a tragic, yet beautiful, love story.  I've just been feeling the Holy Spirit's pull there, for some reason.  So, let's go!

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.

Ruth 1:1-2 (ESV)

In 1929, the Great Depression was just beginning in the USA.  Not quite a "famine", but close to it.  The economy was collapsing and, in the little rural Georgia county called Banks, work was very scarce.  A young man and woman had just married.  These were my maternal grandparents, Roy and Lorene Carpenter.  They heard that work was to be had in Ohio, in a tire factory.  So, they left all they had ever known, traveling close to 500 miles from home, where both of them worked to scrap out a living making tires.  They stayed there until my grandmother became pregnant with my mother, about one and a half years.  Then, they came back "home".

Ohio may not have been exactly "hostile territory" for my country bumpkin grandparents; but, it was certainly unfamiliar, to say the least.  Some of you may have had to take a similar step, to move away from your "support system" and dwell for a time in a hostile land for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps the hand of God led you there as a missionary.

I think of my cousin, Helen, and her husband, George, who were missionaries in Guatemala for over 40 years.  Or, my friends, Judy and Gary, who were missionaries in an exceedingly hostile environment for many years.  Sometimes, God leads us into "hot water", that is, difficult circumstances.  Other times, we jump into hot water of our own volition, in defiance of the will of God.

Did Elimelech and Naomi WANT to go live in Moab?  Probably not.  Perhaps, though, they felt they had no choice.  Perhaps greed led them there. This, though, is certain:  it was a pagan land, where the Ya (God of their fathers) was not worshipped.  It was also a rough trip, taking 7-10 days on foot, across rugged, sometimes steep, terrain.  Even though the actual distance was only about 50 miles, it was "a world away".

Moab, part of modern-day Jordan, was a land where babies were routinely sacrificed on fiery altars, as acts of worship.  This was a hostile environment for this Hebrew family, to be sure.  Most Bible commentators interpret Elimelech's decision to be a faithless one.  Let's examine why.

The book of Joshua describes a period when the Hebrew people were mostly following the lead of faithful Joshua, their God-appointed leader.  Because the people were faithful to God and followed His ways, their early years in The Land (the Promised Land) were mostly peaceful and successful.

We are told the story of Ruth began during the period of the Judges.  At that time, immediately after the time of Joshua, the Hebrews were led by a succession of God-appointed men (and women) whom He raised up to lead His chosen people.  Some of these we know little about.  The book of Judges was not written chronologically; so, it is difficult to establish a coherent timeline.  Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, for instance, are men we know little about.  Others, such as Samson, Samuel (yes, the prophet), Deborah and Gideon are more familiar.  Essentially, the period of the Judges represents a time when the Hebrew people grew less and less obedient and faithful to their Ya, their God.

The book of Judges records division, cruelty, apostasy, civil war - -  even national disgrace, because "every man did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25)  (When you read of that happening in ANY nation, or even in any individual's life, you can know that hard times will follow.)

Elimelech's decision to leave the Promised Land was made in this spiritual climate.  He was doing what he felt to be right.  And, in the process, his family (to borrow from Warren Wiersbe) "exchanged one famine for three funerals".1

Perhaps he was "following his heart".  Have you ever been guilty of that?  I know that I have, for sure.  And, I don't care how old you are, or how much you love the Lord, or how obedient you are, not a single one of us is immune to this temptation to "do what we think is right' or "do what our heart tells us", when those actions are contrary to a life of obedience.  If you believe you are immune, then you had better get ready - - - a monstrous temptation may just be on the way, to show you just how traitorous your heart can be.

In the next post, we will examine the first of three mistakes Elimelech and Naomi made, and which we should avoid as we encounter all this earthly life brings.