When I read this story of Ruth, I found something interesting, something intriguing, and something stimulating. When I visit this time in scripture there is a tragedy, a disaster, a calamity, it’s a catastrophe misfortune, but on the other hand, it is an accomplishment, victories, successful story bundle up in this book called Ruth. There are 85 verses in four chapters of power packed information. In this story we know that Ruth was from a place called Moab, we also know that she was an intruder who had no business breaking into the greatest plan of history.
It’s recorded that in these days of the Judges, the Bible tells us that a famine broke out in the nation of Israel. Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, took their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion to the land of Moab in search of food.
Historians indicate to us that this famine very well could have been related to the raid that took place by the Philistines and the Ammonites and not a factor because of a drought and heat. Just maybe as soon as the crops ready for harvesting and enemy would swoop in and steal the crop from Israel. All of their hard work in plowing, planting, cultivating, and irrigating would literally come to nothing because of the work of their enemies would destroy it. They established themselves in Moab, they found the food in Moab. They found the work in Moab. Also, both of the sons found themselves wives among the daughters of Moab. As it may seem, Elimelech and Naomi begin to have a measures of success in their departure from Israel. But after a decade, the disaster would soon visit this family again. So, first, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi as a widow in a strange country. Then Naomi watched both of her sons died in this strange nation.
In all of her pain and grief, Naomi began to turn her eyes, ears, and her heart back toward her native land; with all that she had been through she said that I just want to go home. She heard of the prosperity that was beginning to happen again in Bethlehem. So she decided that it would benefit her to go back to her homeland and try to put what remained of her shattered and battered life back together again.
As she began to make her exit, as she is trying to depart, something strange happened; Naomi tried to discourage her in-laws.
In-spite of her efforts to discourage them, her two daughters-in-law decided at this point that they would return with her. On the trip back to Judah, Naomi began to attempt them again, she tried her best to dissuade, deter, dampen, daunt, dispirit, dishearten and discourage Ruth and Orpah from going with her.
When Naomi first began her discouraging remarks, neither daughter was willing to go back to Moab. But the Bible indicates to us that the more difficult that Naomi painted the picture that Orpah begin to yield or to give in on her commitment. But for Ruth, this only increased her desire, her grit and determination to carry on and to stay with her. And somebody here ought to know that the more you try to discourage some people to turn around, and go backwards, only makes them say I’m determined to walk with the Lord.
That is the way it is with some people who walks into a Christian setting. Know that walking this walk there are some days when you are going to gain, but there are also sometimes when you are going to have to give up some things too. There are times when people will try to discourage you. In fact, those that are in this thing for the Lord, it really doesn’t seem to discourage them at all. In fact, I have noticed that there are some who respond to this call of commitment with passion and desire and with steadfastness, so instead of it turning them back, there are some people who has decided, and who has made up in their mind and in their heart I Will Not Go Back, to the way things used to be, I will not go back to the old way of thinking, I will not go back to the slave mentality, I will not go back to business as usual, I will not go back to church as usual, and certainly I will To Moab. One reason that they will not go back is because they know that God doesn’t want them to return to mess. Moab was a hot lava mess, in fact in Psalms 60:8 notice what God called Moab, God said Moab is my wash pot," said the Lord. I don’t want to go backwards.
I have seen what the Lord can do.
I have seen my life change for the better.
I see a new walk in Christ.
I have a new attitude, a new mind set, a new level of understanding, if you didn’t want me to see the light, then you should’ve never brought me to the light. But now that I have seen the light you will never put me back in darkness again, I will not go back, you can’t make me go back. I rebuke you for even suggesting that I go back. If you don’t want to go back somebody scream, I would go back.
As a matter of fact, instead of some people turning back, it has stirs a deeper place in their heart to live for God, with a deeper desire, and a deeper aspiration. I believe that there are some people that can’t wait to go forward. Because they know that back there is nothing but danger that lurks in the balance. Back there is nothing but bondage, back there is dictatorship, back there is nothing but deceit, cunning, sneakiness and hatred.
Back there we recognize that there are heartaches and pains that is in the lay-away, we understand that trouble is waiting to rise, back there is nothing but destruction waiting for me back there.
But believe it or not there are some people that want to go back there, because it wasn’t long before Orpah turned back and went back to Moab. Some people want the cunning, the kickback of making under the table deals, they want to
go back.
What does Moab hold for Orpah? In Ruth 1:15, we find that she is returning back to her old gods. She is returning to her old gods of idolatry, the ones that will have a rule over her life again. And may I tell you that it is absolutely imperative that those who have experienced revival, revitalization and restoration, you should not return back to the “gods” that ruled, controlled, and dictated every move of your life. God has a greater plan for your life than going back to the dregs of what used to be.
Understand that Moab is a land of wanderers and I believe that too many people have wander away from God, they wandered away from His Word, His Spirit, from the Church and from the Sanctuary that provides safety. It is a wandering that is sad and fatal, because in Naomi own words in verse 20, she said that she went full and returned back full of bitterness in spirit. That is what Moab held for Orpah.
I can’t go back because: to go back to means that I consent to unhappiness and displeasures.
To go back to means you walk by sight, not by faith.
To go back to means, I don’t care about the ministry.
Going back mean, instability and double-mindedness.
To go back means death.
To go back means that there will be no returning to life.
To go back means disobediences.
When Orpah turned back to Moab she placed herself in with a company of men who were exposed to true life, but they never had the ability to turn in the right direction.
And what we have to know is that this will happen every time when one goes back to Moab’s way of life.
I remember that one writer said that Moab is was a good place to pass through, but a dangerous place to linger in.
I’ve got to beg you this morning, I’ve got to charge you, allow me to beseech you by telling you please do not turn back to the way that you were living before the days that the Lord Jesus came into your life.
I don’t know about you but I can never go back. And that ought to be the heartbeat of every single Christian that is in this house. And I know there are times just like Lots wife when you can here the music playing, I know there are time when you can hear your old friends calling your name but you’ve got to stand flat-footed I can’t go back because destruction is waiting for me there.
So now Ruth makes a decision, but I can hear someone saying pastor before you go on first let me ask a question. What was it that made Ruth so different from Orpah? I’ll tell you what it was it was all a matter of desire. The self-denial that caused Orpah to stumble, and if we are not careful the same thing will cause us to fall, but on the other hand Ruth began to determine in her heart that she would be different, and not follow someone just because she has known them for a long time.
When Ruth was determined to go on to Judah and leave Moab forever behind, she stepped into the very greatness of the halls of history. The decision that she made on that day should set out some lessons for us.
Ruth’s decision was a much harder on her to make than was Orpah’s. Because Orpah’s simply was turning around and going back to her-own country. But this decision that Ruth was making was going to change the entire destiny of her life.
Even thou she was moving forward she had a few things that was against her, and I need to tell somebody here in the room that whenever you try to move forward there will always be something that will try to pull you back. Or whenever you try to move forward there will always be something or somebody that will be against you.
Her foundation was against her, because she was from Moab.
Her past was against her, because she was a widow.
Her religious tradition was against her, because she worshiped Chemosh.
Her sister-in-law was against her, because she was alone in this decision.
Even her future was against her, because she was going into a nation that had no room for Gentiles.
But I dare someone to stand here this morning and count the cost. I dare you to add it all up. Consider what you are leaving back in this wicked world. Please think through who you are leaving. But in the end think about what you are going to gain. Because what you stand to gain is joy, unspeakable joy, peace that surpasses all understanding, love that flows like a river.
Understand that her decision was not made out of instinct but rather of conviction. I would rather have five who makes a decision based on conviction than to have 500 who make decisions based on instincts.
When she made her decision, Ruth decision was made by surrendering. Ruth made her decision and there were no strings attached to what she was going to do.
She was determined that whatever Naomi did that was exactly what she was going to do.
Take us home Ruth. It just so happened that Ruth’s story doesn’t end with that decision. The Bible informs us that she married a man named Boaz. From that marriage became a son named Obed. Obed would have a son whose name was Jesse. Jesse would have a son whose name was David. Out of that lineage would be the descendants of Jesus Christ. And I believe that if she would have return back to that place of destruction, she might would have aborted the lineage of Jesus Christ.
I know that it might seem like you are giving up on the good things of life by going back, but I’m here to tell you that going back is a death trap, going back is a place for the wicked, Moab is a place for the cunning, Moab is a place for the ungodly, the unchurched and the unsaved.
Tell your neighbor that I won’t back, I can't go back, they can't make me go back!
