Naomi Further Reasons with Ruth Ruth 1:15 - Equipped for Battle

Naomi's departure is at hand, and as she ventures back to her homeland she has released her two widowed daughters-in-law to return to their homes to remarry. After much weeping and sorrow, one of the daughters-in-law has returned to her home, but the other daughter-in-law is still clinging to Naomi. In chapter one and verse fifteen we read of one final appeal from Naomi to Ruth. We read:

And she said, Behold, your sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return after your sister in law.

The argument from Naomi to Ruth and Orpah was that she was too old to remarry, have sons, and then wait for those sons to become of age to marry her daughter-in-law. This “kinsman redeemer” idea in which a brother of a deceased brother was to take up his wife as his own, bare a child with her, and name the child after his deceased brother was not an option that was believed rational. Orpah realized it, and Ruth didn't care. Ruth simply clung to Naomi. Her indifference to whether she remarried again was not entered into play. Ruth didn't want to return home. She only desired to be with Naomi.

Naomi said first, “Behold, your sister in law is gone back unto her people”. Ruth's people would have been a place of familiar ground. We don't have knowledge of family life, but we can assume that it would have been much more familiar than leaving her own country and going to an unfamiliar one. Although the appeal of familiarity may have attracted some, even Orpah, it's endearment meant little to Ruth. She clung.

Naomi continued, “and unto her gods:” which were different from her own. The Moabites had their own gods to worship. Their system of religion didn't include the Almighty God of Israel which was the God of Naomi. The Moabites worshiped “Chemosh” which was promoted for worship by Solomon in 2 Kings 11:7. Naomi believed that the LORD had visited her homeland by providing bread, and her belief in His work was enough to cause her to return home. Naomi suggested that Ruth continue in Moab, worship Chemosh, and be among her family.

Finally Naomi gave Ruth an example, “return after your sister in law.” In other words, follow in the footsteps of your sister in law. Orpah left, and this showed the simplicity of Ruth leaving too. It is almost as if Naomi expects that the returning of Orpah to her home should be stimulus enough for Ruth to leave as well, however, Ruth continued to cling.

Next time we shall discover how Ruth responded to this final appeal from Naomi, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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