Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More
Text: Ruth 2:6-18
Return where God is at work (vss 6-7)
- Return from Moab (vs 6) to Judah (vs 7)
- Naomi has lost so much outside of the will of God.
- Go back to where God is blessing. Go back to where the LORD is visiting his people.
Instructed to return to their old lives (vss 8-9)
- Naomi doesn’t want to be a burden to her daughter in laws. She is genuinely grateful for her daughter in laws, but feels helpless and even burdensome to them going forward.
- Naomi says you’ve obligated yourselves to me and taken care of me, but I’m saying you’re free to go. Naomi feels guilty about her daughter in laws’ situation.
Ruth and Orpah desire to return with Naomi (vs 10)
- Both Ruth and Orpah say they’ll go back with Naomi.
- But desire is not enough. Talk is cheap.
- James 2:15-17
Naomi’s feeling of guilt wants the ladies to return to their home (vss 11-13)
- Turn again… Turn again…
- Naomi pleads with Ruth and Orpah to return because they will not be able to marry if they return to Judah with her.
- Naomi feels the burden of guilt, like the whole thing is her fault. Her survivor guilt is real.
Orpah returns because the prospect of marriage is her god (vss 14-15)
- Orpah agrees and returns. Though Ruth may desire marriage and children, that is not her motive. 1 Timothy 5:11-12
- The younger widow is under the heavy temptation to get married to whoever she finds.
Ruth returns with Naomi in faithful devotion (vss 16-18)
- Ruth goes through the thorough calculation that every disciple must make. She deals with every aspect of life that derails people from devoting themselves to the LORD.
- Go
- Ruth is willing to go where there is no prospect of marriage for her.
- People don’t like where the LORD will take them because GOING there looks like the loss of opportunities and it looks like more burdens.
- Lodge
- Ruth is willing to accept whatever living conditions she’ll encounter.
- People don’t accept the lifestyle under the wings of the God of Israel.
- People
- Ruth is willing to make a new circle of friends and fellowship with whoever Naomi is associated with.
- People don’t like the people of God and don’t want to follow the LORD.
- God
- This is Ruth’s faith. She chooses to hide herself under the wings of the God of Israel.
- Boaz makes note of it in Ruth 2:12.
- Die
- Ruth’s decision is going to be a lifelong decision.
- Luke 14:25-33. Following feels like the loss of opportunity, but reality is it’s not.
