RUTH 1
Naomi and her husband sinned when they left Judah for enemy country. Better to be hungry in the will of God than to have a full stomach and be out of His will. They planned to stay in Moab a short time, but their “sojourn” was long enough for their sons to marry. Then the sons and father died. You can run away from famine, but you cannot escape death.
Naomi sinned by urging her daughters-in-law to go home. She did not want to take two Moabite women back to Bethlehem with her and reveal the family’s disobedience to God (Deut. 23:3). Imagine a Jewess sending them back to their false gods! But Ruth had come to trust in the God of Israel (vv.
Naomi sinned by getting bitter and blaming God for her plight. Naomi means “pleasant” and Mara means “bitter.” But it was her decision to go to Moab, so why blame God? A “root of bitterness” can poison your life and the people around you (Deut. 29:18;
Although God does not prevent the painful consequences of our sins, He does overrule so that His purposes are fulfilled. By the grace of God, Naomi’s emptiness will become fullness, and her sorrow will turn to joy.