THE TIMES OF NAOMI
TEXT: BOOK OF RUTH
INTRODUCTION
This past year during the general elections they made a big point of stressing that this was the "year of the woman", as many new woman ran and won political office. For the rest of the month of July we here at ETCC will have the month of the woman, as we study 3 of the great woman of the Old Testament, in our Mid Week studies and on Sunday Morning.
We must never underestimate the power of a woman especially in the church. There would be a tremendous list of things in the kingdom that just wouldn’t get done if it were not for women.
A CEO of a large company in the Eastern United states was on a vacation with his wife traveling through New England. And they pulled up to a small gas station. The Attendant filled up the tank and the Ceo went inside to pay the cashier. When he was inside he looked out the window and saw that his wife had gotten out of the car and was talking to the attendant. The conversation was very animate, they were laughing and smiling. When the Ceo returned she talked about a minute longer and then she got into the car.
And he asked her did you know that man? She replied ,"its the strangest thing I used to date that guy when we were in college, we even got engaged." The CEO gulped not to excited about that answer and said O really." But then he smile and said , "gee dear did you ever think that you were almost married to a gas station attendant and not to an important CEO like me." She said, "no dear you don’t understand, if he would have married me he would have been the CEO."
These 3 women that we will be studying the rest of this month, were godly woman who lived and served God in the midst of a very wicked and ungodly society. Ruth and Naomi lived during the period of the Judges a period which was characterized by the fact that everyone did what was right in their own eyes, a time when standards of right and wrong and morality were nonexistent. And Esther is the story of an Jewish orphan girl who became the Queen of the Persian Empire.
We who live in the days of Rosanne, Jane Fonda, Hillary, Pat Schroeder, Molly Yard and Jill Ireland and company, all who feel that they are roles models and the epitome of womanhood, for us it will be refreshing to view the lives of 3 women who are true examples as to what womanhood is all about. Their lives remain today, a tremendous example to all Christians and especially, to young girls and women today.
This week we will look at the life of Naomi, next week we will look at the life of Ruth and the one characteristic that was so prevalent in her life, "Loyalty", and the last week in the month we will look at the life of Esther. I know that those who participate will be blessed by meeting these great women of faith.
In Ecclesiastes chapter 3 the word of God tells us;
[ECCL. 3:1-8]
Today as we look at 6 snapshots in the life of Naomi, as we look at "The Times of Naomi" we will be inspired and challenged by the life of this Godly woman. And we will probably find that one of these snapshots describe pretty well where we are today.
I. THE FIRST SNAP SHOT WE SEE IS A TIME OF CALAMITY
A. I am sure that most of us have heard, and have probably lived the expression, "When it rains, it pours."
It seems that many times just as we think things couldn’t possibly get any worse, they do. Often our lives can seem like a BAD country and Western song, our wife leaves us, the barn burns down and the dog dies - or something like that.
There are times in this life when things can get pretty tough, but if we are a Christian we should not be surprised by this, remember what James said in James 1:2,3 "CONSIDER IT PURE JOY MY BROTHERS WHENEVER YOU FACE TRIALS OF MANY KINDS BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE."
B. The question "why bad things happen to God’s people"
is a question that has perplex the faithful and empowered the cynic for years.
The truth of the matter is that God does not cause bad things to happen, but that he allows them and uses them.
Someone has said that for every non Christian who gets cancer, a Christian gets cancer -- so the world can see the difference.. For every Non- Christian who gets fired a Christian gets fired - so the world can see the difference.....
C. In the passage we just read we see Naomi going through a time of great calamity. Some have called Naomi "The Job of Womanhood"; it is said that no man suffered in life as much as Job and I believe it can also easily be defended that no woman in the OT ever suffered as much as Naomi.
Let’s look at the things that she suffered:
Naomi’s suffering began in her home town of Bethlehem when God’s people were enduring a terrible famine. The severity of the famine and the degree of hardships in Bethlehem must have been unbearable. Things were so bad that Elimilech took his wife Naomi and 2 sons and went to live in Moab. Now we need to understand that Moab was an enemy of God’s people, Moab had oppressed Israel for 18 years under the leadership of King Eglon. Elimilech taking his family and going into Moab for food would be like a Kuwaiti a couple of years from now going to live in Baghdad because of a famine.
Not only did Naomi endure a famine have to leave her home and friends and go live in enemy territory, but while there (away from her home and people), her husband and her 2 sons died. Naomi is in a foreign land , her husband and her 2 sons are now dead, IT WAS A TIME OF CALAMITY FOR NAOMI.
II. A TIME OF COURAGE [8-13]
We see Naomi displaying courage in these verse in at least 2 ways.
A. First it took courage for Naomi to go back to her homeland, after all she was going back after a very long PERIOD OF time. She didn’t even now what she was going home to. And she was going back as a widow, the lowest wrung on the social ladder. And as we said earlier, during this period the people in Israel were wicked and an old widow woman was very vulnerable -- there would be more then one hungry wolf laying in wait to take advantage of her. It took courage for Naomi to go back to Israel.
B. Second it took courage for Naomi to go it alone. Naomi tells her daughters in law to go back to their mothers house. Naomi didn’t try to put them on a quilt trip, "Well I’m just a little ole lady with no one to take care of me, I don’t know if I can make it on my on, but you girls don’t you worry about me, you run along now, I don’t won’t to be a burden to you..."
Naomi had courage she was willingly to go back home and she was willing to go it alone.
But she didn’t have to go alone did she? because Ruth went back with her to Judah.
III. A TIME OF CRITICISM (19-21)
In these verse we see Naomi at a very low point in her life. Someone has said that , "FAILURE IS NOT FALLING DOWN... FAILURE IS STAYING DOWN..." In these verse we see Naomi falling down and her faith wavering.
A. It seems that Naomi had handled the tragedies while away from home rather well. I feel that in Moab, her faith was strong and that Ruth noticed her faith, and that in part, this (Naomi’s faith), is what drew Ruth to go with Naomi.
But as Naomi came into Bethlehem as she walked those streets as she saw those familiar buildings and faces, the memories of being there with her family came racing in. She had left Bethlehem full, she had a husband and 2 strong boys. And now she returns to her hometown empty.
I think we all know, what that is like, many times we can handle very difficult situations surprisingly well. But then a close friend, someone very special to us calls or visits us and we fall apart AND THE TEARS AND THE EMOTIONS FLOW.
And as Naomi is overcome with emotion we see her beginning to criticize God for her misfortune. Naomi has gone through some tough times and she is feeling bad. She tells her friends "don’t call me Naomi", which means pleasant, "I want you to call me by a name that describes how I feel, I feel bitter, so call me Mara", (which means bitter one).
I think many of us feel that way at times if we are honest. Now we may not go public with it like Naomi, but during those times when the disappointments and heart aches start piling up, we too begin to waver and have doubts.. we may even feel angry. And do you know what? God at those times wants us to tell Him how we feel, he doesn’t want us to come before Him pretending everything is alright, He wants us to share our heart with Him.
God is big enough and His shoulders are strong enough to handle are doubts... And God really knows and understands what we are going through.
JW McGarvey a great leader in the Christian Church a many years ago told of an encounter he had with a lady whose only son was killed in an accident. When he arrived at her house she was very upset and said to McGarvey, "Where was your God when my son was killed!" Mc Garvey responded, "the same place he was when his son died!"
God knows how we feel and he wants us to bring our burdens to Him -- he says in Matthew 11, "COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."
And let me stress again that failure is not falling down... we are all going to fall down in our faith at one time or another. In many ways FALLING is a part of growing, we can easily see this in the physical. When we were toddlers learning to walk, everyone of us fell down, but we didn’t stay down did we, no we got up didn’t we?..we tried again. Failure is staying down, refusing to get up.
Maybe right now you are down on your knees in your faith, or you going to stay down and feel sorry for yourself, or are you going brush yourself off and get up. This is what separates those who are growing form those who are dying in their faith, those who fly from those who stay on the ground.
Naomi’s heartache and pain caused her to fall to her knees, BUT Naomi is not going to stay down long, no she is going to get up again, and we see her begin to get up and start her recovery in our next snap shot.
IV. A TIME OF CONCERN
Most any psychologist will tell you that the way to get over your own problems, depression and emotion turmoil is to change your focus from yourself to others. To get involved helping other people.
When Naomi and Ruth get to Bethlehem we see Naomi not so much concerned about her future, but rather we see her being concerned about the future of Ruth. She knows Ruth is young and needs a husband.
So in this snap shot in chapter 2 we see Naomi not having a "poor poor life is tough Naomi misery party." But we see her thinking about someone else and her needs. And as we will see this concern will reap Naomi a tremendous harvest.
V. A TIME OF COMMITMENT
In this snap shot we are going to see a time of commitment , in fact 2 commitments. The first has to do with Naomi and the second with Boaz.
A. Naomi’s is really a time of RE - commitment.
Naomi had fallen but she had begun to get up as she shifted her concern to others. She wants Ruth to find a husband and in the back of her mind Naomi is wondering if Boaz who is her Kinsman Redeemer is going to be the one. A Kinsman Redeemer is a near relative who had the right and the duty to Redeem a deceased widows land and to marry his widow if she had no sons, and this applied to Naomi. But notice her Naomi was concerned for a husband not for herself but rather for Ruth.
In Chapter 2 we see Ruth going out to glean in the fields to get food for herself and Naomi. Gleaning is a way that God provided in His law to care for the poor. God told his people in Leviticus that when they harvested their fields that they were not to harvest the edges and that they were to go back and harvest a second time through the filed to get what they missed. They were to leave that for the poor who would come behind the harvesters and glean the field.
When Ruth comes back from the fields that night and Naomi see just how much she had brought back... She knew that this was not the amount you normally glean in a day so she says, [2:19,20].
Did you catch what Naomi said in verse 20, can you feel the emotion and excitement in her voice, can you see her get off the ground and stand strong and firm in her faith once again...
"THE LORD BLESS HIM! SHE SAID TO HER DAUGHTER IN LAW. "THE LORD HAS NOT STOPPED SHOWING KINDNESS TO THE LIVING (RUTH AND I) NOR HA HE STOPPED SHOWING KINDNESS TO THE DEAD (MY HUSBAND AND MY SONS)"
When Naomi finds out that Ruth had been working in the fields of Boaz, she realizes that it was not mere coincidence or luck, but that her God was working in her life to help and restore her.. She comes to realize the truth, "That God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God"...
WE SEE THE RE-COMMITMENT OF RUTH AND:::
b. WE ALSO SEE THE COMMITMENT OF BOAZ....
In chapter 3 we see Ruth basically coming to Boaz and asking him to marry her and fulfill his duty as a Kinsman Redeemer.
Boaz tells her that there is another relative who is nearer than he is and that he has the first obligation to Redeem Ruth and Naomi.
But if this man does not Redeem you then he would redeem them.
So Boaz calls a meeting with this man and he brings with him 10 elders from the town as witnesses.
[4:2-6]
When the man found out that it would cost him to be a redeemer he did not want any part of it, and gave the right over to Boaz. And he symbolized this (as was the custom at that time) by taking off his sandal and giving it to Boaz.
Boaz on the other hand was willing to sacrifice part of his inheritance to be a redeemer.
And he and Ruth were married.
VI. A TIME OF CELEBRATION [4:13-17]
The best blessing that Naomi could have received was a grandson. I am sure those here who have grandchildren will be quick to agree that there is nothing that compares to the joy of having a grandchild.
There is a special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren. Some say the reason that they get along so well is that they have a common enemy....
It was with great joy that Naomi held her new grandson what a blessing this child was to her. AND BECAUSE HE WAS A BOY her husband family line would continue.
And if you turn to Matthew chapter 1 and read the family tree of Jesus you will see some interesting things. [Matt. 1:5-6]
God used the union of Ruth and Boaz to continue the earthly line of Jesus.
CONCLUSION
WHAT DO WE WANT TO TAKE HOME FROM THIS TODAY:
1. GOD CAN BRING ABOUT GREAT GOOD OUT OF BAD CIRCUMSTANCES. HE STILL DOES TODAY. AND IF YOU KNOW THE END OF THE STORY YOU KNOW THAT GOD WILL BRING ABOUT THE GREATEST GOOD FOR ALL HIS CHILDREN "ETERNITY IN HEAVEN" AND I CAN’T THINK OF ANY GREATER GOOD THAN THAT -- IT BEATS ALL OF THIS TEMPORARY EARTHY STUFF -- DON’T YA THINK?
2. GOD WAS WILLING TO REDEEM US EVEN THOUGH IT COST HIM.
I LOVE THE STORY OF NEIL JOHNSON A MAN WHO LIVED IN THE 1880’S IN NEWARK OHIO, HE HAD A WIFE AND A LITTLE CHILD . HE WAS A GOOD
MAN WHO HAD A BAD TEMPER. ONE DAY HE AND A NEIGHBOR GOT INTO A HOT AND HEAVY ARGUMENT OVER A PROPERTY LINE DISPUTE. THINGS GOT REAL
BAD AND NEIL EVENTUALLY KILLED HIS NEIGHBOR.
NEIL JOHNSON WENT TO TRIAL WAS FOUND GUILTY AND WAS GIVEN A
LIFE SENTENCE. NOW A LIFE SENTENCE BACK THEN MEANT JUST THAT, HE
WAS IN FOR LIFE AND HE WOULD NEVER GET OUT AND SEE HIS FAMILY
AGAIN, HE WOULD NEVER BE A FREE MAN.
EVERY MONTH HIS WIFE AND CHILD WOULD MAKE THE LONG TRIP JUST
TO VISIT HIM. NEIL WAS DOING GOOD IN PRISON AND HAD WON THE
RESPECT OF THE GUARDS AND THE INMATES.
THE GOVERNOR AT THAT TIME HAD A PRACTICE THAT EVERY CHRISTMAS
HE WOULD WALK THROUGH THE JAIL AND HE WOULD PARDON ONE MAN, A MAN
WHO WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE WARDEN. SOMEONE WHO WAS IN FOR LIFE WAS RARELY CONSIDER AS A CANDIDATE.
IT HAD BEEN 12 YEARS SINCE NEIL HAD ENTERED THOSE DARK PRISON WALLS AND IT WAS CHRISTMAS DAY., ALL THE PRISONERS WERE ASSEMBLED AND THE GOVERNOR WALKED THROUGH. AND STOPPED IN FRONT OF THEM AND MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, "THIS YEAR THE PARDON GOES TO NEIL JOHNSON" AND THERE WAS DEAD SILENCE, NO ONE STEPPED UP TO CLAIM THE PARDON, SO THE GOVERNOR SAID IT AGAIN, AND AGAIN DEAD SILENCE. THEN HE WALKED THROUGH THE RANKS AND IN THE BACK ROW WITH HIS HEAD DOWN AND CRYING WAS NEIL JOHNSON, AND HE WAS SAYING OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO HIMSELF THEIR MUST BE SOME MISTAKE...THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE. AND THE GOVERNOR PUT HIS HAND ON HIS SHOULDER AND SAID , "NO SON IT’S NO MISTAKE THE PARDON IS REAL."
I WANT US TO LOOK BACK AT THE CROSS, I WANT US TO SEE JESUS HANGING THERE, WRISTS NAILED FEET NAILED..
DROPS OF BLOOD ROLLING HIS WRISTS DOWN HIS FINGERS AND DRIPPING on TO THE DRY PALESTINIAN SAND.
WITH EVERY DROP OF BLOOD JESUS WAS REDEEMING YOU AND ME.
WHEN BOAZ REDEEMED RUTH IT COST HIM MONEY.
WHEN JESUS REDEEMED US IT COST HIM HIS LIFE.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE CROSS AND WHEN WE LOOK AT JESUS WE SHAKE OUR HEADS AND SAY THEIR MUST BE SOME MISTAKE, THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE....
AND JESUS OUR REDEEMER PLACES HIS NAILED SCARED HAND ON OUR SHOULDER AND SAYS, NO MY CHILD IT’S NO MISTAKE THE PARDON IS REAL I DIED FOR YOU." YOU ARE FREE TO GO!!!!!
