Naomi
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In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land of Israel and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. The story begins with a famine in Israel, a sign of disobedience and apostasy (Deut 2 :8-30)An Israelite named Elimelech (“My God is King”) in desperate act he moves from Bethlehem (“House of Bread”-Note the irony) to moab. Although he seeks life in that land, he and his two sons Mahlon(“Sick”) and Chilon(“Pinning”)find only death..Moab is a country full of idol worshiping. The land was cursed by God.to that country Naomi went to live with her family,but Naomi was a godly woman who know the word of God, as a woman of God she could have made a point with her husband about the moab country .or she could have prayed about it. we see here lack of prayerlife and lack of faith,a weak believer so only she went to moab and lost everything Now Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.Naomi hears that the famine in Israel is over and decides to return, no longer as Naomi(“Pleasant”) but as Mara(“Bitter”) She tells her daughters-in –law to remain in Moab and remarry since there was no security for unmarried woman in those days.Orphah chooses to leave Naomi and is never mentioned again. Ruth on the other hand, resolves to cling to Naomi and follow Yahweh the God of Israel. She therefore gives up her culture, people and language because of her love. Naomi”s misfortune leads her to think that God is her
enemy, but he has plans she does not yet realize. Same is with us also we
do not understand God plans and his will in our lives, we wish God to
hurry for us when we are going in difficult times. Naomi had great respect for her living God and affection for the land of Israel. Naomi longs to return now to her own land, to Bethlehem .One of her widowed daughters-in-law, Ruth, accompanies her, and is at length married to Boaz . Blessed be the lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman that his name may be famous in Israel .He shall be unto thee a restorer of life.(Ruth 4:14-,15) Naomi probably never thought she would have heard the above words. Oh the joy of those who know the Lord. For eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard nor the heart imagined what the Lord has in store for those who love the Lord. Ruth 1:20 ,Naomi said do not call me Naomi but call me Mara for the Lord Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. Naomi hailed from Bethlehem (a house of bread) .Yet in the days of Naomi there was a famine in the land. How was that possible? Because in the days of judges, there was lawlessness and anarchy in the land of Israel. (Judges 5:7). And every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (jud 17:6;21:25) The people were often in rebellion before God. So God caused the surrounding nations to oppress them. Disobedience causes anarchy and confusion. God cannot fulfill his will in such an atmosphere. The Holy Spirit is grieved. Satan has great control over our lives in times of disobedience. John 10:10 The thief comes to steal,kill and destroy.But I have come to give abundant life. Disobedience opens the door for Satan to have an upper hand and he always causes major confusion in our lives. Those were the condition of Israel in the times of Naomi and her family. The Devil sticks by his character of kill steal and destroy. He stole from Naomi her home, husband and sons. From a land of plenty she experienced famine in her life. Yet in the midst of all the darkness, we see the gracious hand of the Almighty. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is the same God yesterday, today and forever. Moreover He is Immanuel –God with us. Moreover He Is a God of His Word. He said the He alone is THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. When Naomi cried out to God in her heart, God proved himself to her. He proved to be the Way by giving her a Ruth. We see the Provision of God here. God chose Ruth who was a orphan,widow and a moabite. Moabites were a curse generation because of ancestoral sins. The Provision of God is that God chooses the weak and foolish vessels of this world to accomplish his sovereign purposes for no flesh shall glory in the presence of God. God proved Himself to be the truth when He said I am a father to the fatherless and help to the widows. And God proved to be the Life of Naomi and Ruth by providing a son-Obed. He was to be the hope for Ruth and a restorer of life for Naomi. God’s life is always seen in restoration of His children. Both Naomi and Ruth saw the gracious hand of God lift them out of their present circumstances of gloom to a bright hope ahead. Thus, Naomi took her honored place among the mothers of Israel and thus God blessed her family by giving them a place in the honored lineage of Jesus. God changed miraculaously the unfortunate life of Naomi into a abundant blessing. The same God can use us today,we have to allow God to use us and become as blessed Naomi Dear friends, whatever the circumstances in our life, Jesus truly is the very way. He is the restorer of our life. He took the curse of our sin on the cross and became a curse for us so we can enjoy the abundant life that he promised. That Abundant life is waiting for us today. Let us tap into it by putting our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in a life of obedience and submission to His will.
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