The chalk cliffs of Beachy Head on England’s south coast are the British answer to the Golden Gate Bridge: a place of beauty and stillness that has a terrible allure, both practical and aesthetic, for suicidal people. Neil and Kazumi Puttick, a married couple jumped to their deaths on the evening of May 31. The Putticks were the parents of a little boy named Sam who, at the age of 16 months, suffered a high spinal injury in an auto accident and was left quadriplegic, unable to breathe on his own. On May 26, five-year-old Sam was diagnosed with meningitis, and doctors, certain there was no hope of recovery, let the Putticks take him home. He was declared dead on Friday. Neil and Kazumi, quietly turning aside inquiries from friends, composed a long note, bundled up their child with a selection of his favourite toys, made the long drive from Wiltshire to East Sussex and stepped off into oblivion together, as a family.
The Putticks were, by all accounts, reasonable, good-natured people. Were they in their right minds when they decided that life without Sam was no longer worth living? Other bereaved parents will perhaps be the last to second-guess their decision; but then, other bereaved parents have had the courage to go on. (A Leap Too Far. Colby Cosh, National Post. Published: Tuesday, June 09, 2009) http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=44bfb644-babc-4ec9-b8d9-260ee3f3b1b5&p=1
The death of a loved one is one of the most tragic events in a survivors life. In the case of Ruth and Naomi, The two widows probably visited the three graves of their loved ones for the last time before leaving Moab. Then they committed themselves to the Lord and set out to begin a new life. It would be interesting to know what Naomi and Ruth talked about as they journeyed from Moab to Bethlehem. Did Naomi give her daughter-in-law some basic instruction in the Law of Moses? Did Ruth ask questions about the Jewish faith, the Jewish people, and her new home in Bethlehem? We wonder what kind of answers Naomi would have given since she was a bitter woman with a faltering faith in the God of Israel.
Behind the scenes of their journey is God’s providential protection. A trip from Moab (at least 60–75 miles) would have taken about 7–10 days. Having descended about 4,500 feet from Moab into the Jordan Valley, they then ascended 3,750 feet through the hills of Judea (MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. Ru 1:19)
• Here are two women who have no means of defense, traveling between two great regions without being accosted.
When we are in the middle of grief, it is most difficult to think clearly. Emotions run though our system. Coming to understand who God is and how He operates before traumatic circumstances occur, enable us to live a life of purpose and have a faith that is anchored to Christ, which is able to survive the most dreadful storms.
In Ruth 1:19-22 we see a New Beginning moving from a 1) Total Loss to a 2) Total Gain.
1) First, Naomi & Ruth’s New Beginning moving from a Total Loss. Ruth 1:19-21
Naomi had been away from home for ten years, and the women of the town were shocked when they saw her. (In v. 19, the pronoun of “they said” is feminine.)
Ruth 1:19 [19]So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, "Is this Naomi?" (ESV)
Rather than make Naomi happy, familiar surroundings and old friends made Naomi’s distress more intense. We can understand why. Going back home after the death of a loved one is likely to make us feel our loss. Our home seems so empty, the silence deafening. Suddenly we are weighed down by grief, for the one thing that is missing—our loved one—is what made the house “home.” For Naomi, who had left Bethlehem with a husband and two sons, the return brutally drove home the extent of her loss (Richards, Lawrence O.: The Bible Readers Companion. electronic ed. Wheaton : Victor Books, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996, S. 175).
Naomi’s return was an uncommon occurrence. The whole town is really a figure of speech in which the designation of the whole stands for a part. That is to say, one speaks of “the whole town” when in reality one means only a large part of the inhabitants of the town. In this case, the whole town means the women of Bethlehem. (Waard, Jan de ; Nida, Eugene Albert: A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Ruth. 2nd ed. New York : United Bible Societies, 1992, S. 19)
The whole town, and especially the women, were thrown into a peaceable uproar. Everybody ran, told the news, and wondered. For more than ten years had passed since she had left Bethlehem. Then there had doubtless been talk enough, as Naomi went away with her husband, in far different and better circumstances. It may be taken for granted that even then her character had awakened sympathy and affection in Bethlehem. Her husband, we know, belonged to a prominent family of the city (due to the tribe he belonged to). All this renders it natural that the news that Naomi had returned to Bethlehem, poor and sorrowful, spread like wildfire, and created what to her was an unpleasant sensation. “Is that Naomi!” is the universal exclamation (Lange, John Peter ; Schaff, Philip ; Cassell, Paulus ; Steenstra, P. H.: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Book. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2008, S. 23).
Their question “Is this Naomi?” suggests both surprise and bewilderment. It is certain that the question of the women should not be understood to mean that they were uncertain who Naomi was; rather, they were surprised that she was in such a condition, without either husband or sons (Waard, Jan de ; Nida, Eugene Albert: A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Ruth. 2nd ed. New York : United Bible Societies, 1992, S. 19).
The name Naomi means “pleasant,” but she was not living up to her name. She was not the Naomi whom they had known a decade before. Her ten difficult years in Moab, and the sorrows they had brought, had taken their toll on Naomi’s appearance and personality.
• Moab seemed to be a way out of their problems. God commanded them to say but they thought they had an easy way out of their problems. This way out was a lot more costly than what they bargained for.
• Sin always demands a hidden price. It entices us with false promises and the bill is always more than what the surface provided. God knows the end price and tries to warn us. Faith is believing God, that the hidden cost is more than we bargained for.
Ruth 1:20 [20]She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. (ESV)
Instead of making her better, the trials of life had made her bitter, which is the meaning of the word mara.
As a person of faith, Naomi knew in her heart that the Almighty God was in charge. Like Job, however, she wondered out loud at God’s ways.
We can’t control the circumstances of life, but we can control how we respond to them. That’s what faith is all about, daring to believe that God is working everything for our good even when we don’t feel like it or see it happening. “In everything give thanks” (1 Thes. 5:18) isn’t always easy to obey, but obeying this command is the best antidote against a bitter and critical spirit.
Quote: The Scottish preacher George H. Morrison said, “Nine-tenths of our unhappiness is selfishness, and is an insult cast in the face of God.”
• Because Naomi was imprisoned by selfishness, she was bitter against God.
Please turn to Hebrews 12
Naomi accused the Lord that He had dealt very bitterly with her (Ruth 1:20). She had left Bethlehem, against God’s commands, with a husband and two sons and had come home without them. She had gone to Moab possessing the necessities of life, but now she had returned to Bethlehem without these external means. She was a woman with empty hands, an empty home, and an empty heart. Because she didn’t surrender to the Lord and accept His loving chastening, she did not experience
Hebrews 12:3-17 [3]Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. [4]In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. [5]And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. [6]For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." [7]It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8]If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9]Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10]For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11]For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. [12]Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, [13]and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. [14]Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. [15]See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; [16]that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. [17]For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. (ESV)
• Esau is a great object lesson for Naomi. Esau made a short term physical decision that had great consequences. He refused to repent and suffered great loss.
• The lesson for Naomi and for us is that we are not to not grow weary or fainthearted in the midst of correction (Heb. 12:3).
• The lesser-to-greater analogy from the readers’ own childhood training shows that it is appropriate for the heavenly Father to discipline, and it calls for a response of respect and submission (Heb. 12:5).
• Without correction we would not truly be children of God (Heb. 12:8).
• Faith is the underlying need here that God is indeed acting on behalf of the Good of His children (Heb. 12:10).
• With such a great loss, this situation is indeed painful for Naomi, but for her good if she learns from the experience, can lead to peace (Heb. 12:11).
• Presently, however she must rid herself of the bitterness (Heb. 12:12).
• This is a message for everyone, for unchecked bitterness spreads like a cancer infecting the people of God (Heb. 12:15).
Poem: Naomi’s complaining demonstrated both a lack of gratitude for present blessings and a lack of confidence in God’s wisdom, will, and ways. Robert Morgan wrote of another complainer:
There was a boy named Grumble Tone who ran away to sea,
“I’m sick of things on land,” he said, “as sick as I can be;
A life upon the bounding wave will suit a lad like me!”
The seething ocean billows failed to stimulate his mirth,
For he did not like the vessel, nor the dizzy, rolling berth,
And he thought the sea was almost as unpleasant as the earth.
He wandered into foreign lands, he saw each wondrous sight,
But nothing that he heard or saw seemed just exactly right;
And so he journeyed on and on, still seeking for delight.
He talked with kings and ladies fair; he dined in courts, they say,
But always found the people dull, and longed to get away
To search for that mysterious land where he would like to stay.
He wandered over all the world, his hair grew white as snow;
He reached that final bourne at last where all of us must go,
But never found the land he sought. The reason you would know?
The reason was that north or south, where’er his steps were bent,
On land or sea, in court or hall, he found but discontent;
For he took his disposition with him everywhere he went.
(Morgan, Robert J.: Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, and Quotes. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000, S. 393)
Naomi continues her denunciation of God’s actions, but comes to a factual realization.
Ruth 1:21 [21]I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?" (ESV)
There are some positive and still troubling elements of Naomi’s statement in this verse. She says, I went, me hath God afflicted; not, We went—my husband took me with him,—after all, I only followed as in duty bound. She utters not a breath of accusation against Elimelech or of excuse for herself. Properly speaking, the fault did lay with her husband and sons. They were the originators of the undertaking that ended so disastrously; but of this she has no memory. She neither accuses, nor yet does she commiserate and bewail them (Lange, John Peter ; Schaff, Philip ; Cassell, Paulus ; Steenstra, P. H.: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Book. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2008, S. 24).
• There are signs that she recognizes her own fault in these actions. This is a positive sign of repentance of sin.
Naomi had went away from Bethlehem because of a food famine. She returned back with a famine in her soul (Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:421).
Naomi does come to some important realizations. Naomi uses two names for God. One is the personal name of Israel’s covenant God, translated as “LORD” in our English Bibles. The other is Shaddai, translated as “Almighty” in keeping with the ancient Greek and Latin translations of the Hebrew. The patriarchs and Job make the most use of this name. The name conveys God’s full array of attributes, principally His ability to act in power on behalf of his own (Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11).
Please turn to Genesis 17
By speaking of God as “the Almighty” Naomi emphasized His great power (or “provisions”; cf. comments on Gen. 17:1). This great God could not be resisted. The disaster He sent could not be averted (Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:421).
The “Almighty” designation for God has the sense of provision for His faithful covenant people. It carries the understanding of a gracious, fertile God, by whom the propagation of mankind is guaranteed (Gen. 17:1 ff, Gen. 28:3, Gen. 35:11, Gen. 43:14, Gen. 48:3, Gen. 49:25) (Lange, John Peter ; Schaff, Philip ; Cassell, Paulus ; Steenstra, P. H.: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Book. Bellingham, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2008, S. 23)
Genesis 17:1-9 [17:1]When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, [2]that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly." [3]Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, [4]"Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. [5]No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. [6]I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. [7]And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. [8]And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God." [9]And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
• The story of elements between Genesis 17 and Ruth 1, of sojournings, understanding God, name changes and covenant obedience is remarkable. Had Naomi understood the nature of the God of the covenant, she should have realized that the days of sojournings had ended and she was to remain in obedient communion with God and His covenant people. Like the story of Abraham and Sarah, God is faithful to His promises even when the initial outward circumstances seem to the contrary.
The understanding of the Lord “Almighty” (Shaddai),is traditionally interpreted as “all-sufficiency,” which was the rendering of the LXX (pantokratôgr, Gk.). The name “El Shaddai” describes God as the One who is self-sufficient and the satisfier of His people (cf. Gen 17:1) (Believer’s Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995, S. Ru 1:20).
Unfortunately is only after Naomi sought satisfaction in everything else that she acknowledged that God is the all-sufficient one. Yet, it is one thing to know God’s name and quite something else to trust that name and allow God to work in the difficult situations of life.
Psalm 9:10 [10]And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
• Naomi knew the name but did not exercise the faith.
Naomi’s words about the Lord Almighty’s acts in her life are all on the negative side: made life bitter … brought back empty … afflicted … brought misfortune. In Hebrew these thoughts are expressed starkly with words like bitter, empty, and evil given the prominence of emphasis. The translation “afflicted” reflects a slight editing of the text. As written, it says that the Lord has testified in the court of life against Naomi (Lawrenz, John C.: Judges, Ruth. Milwaukee, Wis. : Northwestern Pub. House, 1997 (The People’s Bible), S. 228)..
This almost seems like the resentment of a fatalist, that sees God as a bully that cannot be resisted. Behind the bitterness is the acknowledgement that it is indeed God who has caused the things to happen to her, but she resents it.
Quote: Why did Naomi express that she was now empty. Ian Dugud said it so profoundly:
Like Naomi, we may be so busy complaining about our emptiness that we miss the fact that God has emptied our hands only in order to fill them with something so much better. Without Naomi’s emptiness, she would never have left Moab behind and returned to the land of promise. Had she stayed contentedly “full” (as she thought) in Moab, Naomi would have missed out on the far greater blessing of a prime place in the history of redemption.
She was so caught up in what she had lost, however, that she could not yet see the far greater treasure she had been given in Ruth, a token of God’s grace to her. We too, like Naomi, often cling desperately to small treasures, or even ridiculous nothings, when God has intended us for larger vistas (Ian M. Dugud. Esther & Ruth. Reformed Expository Commentary. P&R Publications. 2005. p. 149).
It is natural to sorrow upon the loss of loved ones, but the problem in this situation is that she apparently feels empty because she found her ultimate meaning and happiness in her family. In essence, her family was her god.
• We set ourselves up for a fall when we look to anything but God for our identity and ultimate happiness.
o People will fail us, they will die, we can lose our jobs, health and financial wealth. We are to love and cherish others and prudently use the resources that God has given us but it is foolish to base our identity or ultimate happiness on any of these things.
o Since God cannot change and or break His promises, His is steadfastly secure to put all our hope and trust in. When we find our identity first in Christ, as Christians, we find our ultimate purpose.
Quote: In any loss we inevitably ask why. Continuing with Ian Dugud he discusses God’s nature and actions in such a situation:
God sometimes takes away the things that have become precious to us because they are supporting us in our life of sin and hardness of heart toward him. Alternatively, he sometimes takes away things that were good in themselves because he wants to use our lives as a powerful testimony of the sufficiency of his relentless grace in the midst of our weakness and loss. (Ian M. Dugud. Esther & Ruth. Reformed Expository Commentary. P&R Publications. 2005. p. 149).
Reflecting on God’s Character:
Invariable, though, he has not brought these trials and losses into our lives because he hates us and is seeking to afflict us, or to get even with us for our sin. On the contrary, if we are his children, he loves us and through this loss wants us to receive something far more precious than all of the trinkets to which we become so desperately attached. He wants to give us more of himself. (Ian M. Dugud. Esther & Ruth. Reformed Expository Commentary. P&R Publications. 2005. p. 149).
Was Naomi really that poor and empty? Or was she simply exaggerating her situation because she was weary of body and bitter of soul? Just think of the resources she had that should have encouraged her.
For one thing, she had life; and this in itself is a precious gift from God—a gift we too often take for granted. Naomi left three graves back in Moab, but God in His goodness had kept her alive and brought her back to Bethlehem.
• Naomi thought that life had ended for her, but her trials were really a new beginning. Naomi’s faith and hope were about to die, but God had other plans for her!
The fullness of this world is soon gone (Eccles. 1:2-3; 1 Sam. 2:3-5). There is however a fullness that can never be taken away in Christ (Luke 10:42).
Naomi not only had life, but she also had opportunity. She was surrounded by friends, all of whom wanted the very best for her. At first, her sorrow and bitterness isolated her from the community, but gradually that changed.
One of Naomi’s richest resources was her daughter-in-law Ruth. In fact, it is Ruth whom God used and blessed throughout the rest of this book; for Ruth was a woman who trusted God and was totally committed to Him. Remember that it was Ruth who lost a husband as well. She had left her biological family and everything she knew. But she embraced God’s unfamiliar path for her with faith.
• Naomi soon learned that God’s hand of blessing was on Ruth and that He would accomplish great things through her obedience.
But most of all, Naomi still had YHWH, the God of Israel. The Lord is mentioned about twenty-five times in this brief book, for He is the Chief Actor in this drama whether Naomi realized it or not.
Quote: “I firmly believe in Divine Providence,” said President Woodrow Wilson. “Without it, I think I should go crazy. Without God the world would be a maze without a clue.”
When we fear God, we need not fear anything else. On his deathbed, John Wesley said, “Best of all, God is with us!” God is not only with us, but He is also for us; and “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31, KJV)
We see a New Beginning moving from a 1) Total Loss to now a
2) Total Gain. Ruth 1:22
Ruth 1:22 [22]So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. (ESV)
The barley harvest was in God’s mercy an excellent time to arrive in Bethlehem, because it meant employment for the womenfolk, who normally bound the cut grain into sheaves. Naomi and Ruth could not bind sheaves, not being members of a family, but were at least permitted to glean after the harvesters. Already the Lord of Israel was preparing to refill the bereft Naomi (Elwell, Walter A.: Evangelical Commentary on the Bible . electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1996, c1989, S. Ru 1:15).
Naomi was about to make a new beginning;
Please turn to Leviticus 23
It was barley harvest when the two widows arrived in Bethlehem, a time when the community expressed joy and praise to God for His goodness. It was spring, a time of new life and new beginning. The harvesting began in April, and was followed in May by the wheat harvest. Barley is the first grain that ripens in the spring. It was a time of great joy and of great spiritual significance because it anticipated the redemptive work of Christ, His resurrection glory and the believer’s eternal life in him (Donald S. Fortner. Discovering Christ in Ruth. Evangelical Press. 1999. p. 47).
Leviticus 23:9-11 [9]And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, [10]"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, [11]and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. (ESV)
Now turn to 1 Corinthians 15
This offering signified that every product of the soil, every result of labour and toil, is of the Lord and belongs to the Lord. We remember the resurrection of Christ from the dead becoming the first-fruits of the resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 [20]But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21]For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. [22]For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. [23]But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. (ESV)
The very word “first-fruits means, “there is more to come”. The sheaf of first-fruits waved before the Lord signified two things. First, it was an acknowledgement that God alone brought the grain out of the earth. Life comes from him. Secondly, it was also a pledge of much more to come. So it is with the resurrection of Christ. It manifests the exceeding greatness of God’s power and grace to all who believe (Eph. 1:19-20), and it is the pledge of our own resurrection at God’s appointed time. (1 Cor. 15:12-13; 20-23). (Donald S. Fortner. Discovering Christ in Ruth. Evangelical Press. 1999. p. 48).
Illustration: 1938 God Moves In Mysterious Ways
At age 32, William Cowper passed through a great crisis in his life. He tried to end his life by taking laudanum. Then he hired a horse-drawn cabbie, ordering the driver to take him to the Thames, intending to throw himself from the bridge. It was one of London’s foggiest nights. They drove for an hour without reaching the chosen spot. Disgusted, he decided to get out and walk there. He found to his surprise they had actually gone in a circle and he was back at his own doorstep!
The next morning, he fell upon a knife, but the blade broke and his life was spared. He then tried to hang himself, and was cut down unconscious but still alive.
Then one morning, in a moment of strange cheerfulness, he took up his Bible and read a verse in the Letter to the Romans. In a moment he received strength to believe, and rejoiced in the forgiving power of God.
Sometime later, Cowper summed up his faith in God’s loving dealing with him in a great hymn which became a favorite among Christians:
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace:
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain.
(Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979)
(Format note: Some base commentary from Wiersbe, Warren W.: Be Committed. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1993 (An Old Testament Study. Ruth and Esther), S. Ru 1:19)
