Naomi seemed to be fine for years, and then the bottom dropped out of the Israeli dream. A famine hit, and the family moved to Moab. A pagan nation. Only about forty kilometers away, by the way.
Almost immediately, her husband, Elimelech, died. That is enough to discourage most women. However, we don't hear from Naomi. Her boys took wives, and all lived for ten years of marital bliss. But then, both Mahlon and Chilion died too. So, now in a sense, Naomi is alone. That being said, she heard that God had begun to provide bread (the famine was over) in Israel, and she decided to go back home.
A weep-fest took place with her two daughters-in-law on the way out of town, and Orpha disappears from the biblical narrative forever. Ruth, however, stayed with mom-in-law.
Verse 15 of chapter one is always a mystery to me. Look what Naomi said, "your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. So go back with her."
Let me give some background here. One of the Moabite gods was Chemosh. I found this article on thoughtco.com,
"Chemosh seems to have... had a taste for blood. Thus, in 2 Kings 3:26,27, we find that human sacrifice was part of the rites of Chemosh."
What kind of mother-in-law was this Naomi girl? She indeed wasn't an evangelist. She urged her beloved daughter-in-law to go back to Chemosh worship? Weird.
Now back to the importance of this tiny dialog between Naomi and Ruth. You may have heard Ruth's words as wedding vows. That is because they are strong and sound and speak of unwavering love and endless dedication.
If you remember what eventually became of Ruth's descendants, you know that she became part of Jesus' family tree. If she had followed Naomi's advice for a split second, both David and Jesus wouldn't have been born.
Interesting how simple conversations can change history. Be careful about what you say!
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