While They Were Living There, Elimelech Died

^1-2Long ago, in the days before Israel had a king, there was famine in the land. So a man named Elimelech, who belonged to the clan of Ephrat and who lived in Bethlehem in Judah, went with his wife Naomi and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion to live for a while in the country of Moab. While they were living there, ³Elimelech died, and Naomi was left alone with her two sons, ⁴who married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. About ten years later ⁵Mahlon and Chilion also died, and Naomi was left all alone, without husband or sons. RUTH 1:1-5

The book before Ruth is Judges and it ends with a disturbing confession. It says, “There was no king in Israel at that time. All the people did just as they pleased” (Judges 21:25). Soon after this confession, the story of Ruth opens with the family leaving their country to a foreign one because of famine. But while they were living in the foreign land, the Bible says the head of the family died. It did not end there. Ten years later, the sons also died, leaving Naomi alone with the wives they had married from the country of Moab.

If you look at this story, you will discover that the family’s problems started when they left their country, Israel. Israel was a land of God’s people; a place of God’s presence. Now, it is true that they were not comfortable while they were at home because of the famine. But from the story, it seems to me the famine was a consequence of disobedience to God. Remember Judges say there was no king and the people did as they pleased. They married where they pleased. They worshipped whatever they wanted. So as a consequence, there was famine in the land. Instead of the family to realize that it had sinned against God like everyone else in the land and repent so that God would show mercy to Israel, the family packed its belongings and left God’s presence. And look at the choice of the new country. It was full rebellion, because Moab was one of the countries the people of Israel were warned against. God had even given specific instructions against marrying from these countries. But here was God’s family, leaving His presence and settling right in the midst of God’s enemies.

However, while they were living there, out of God’s presence, among God’s enemies, that’s when death came. It first came to the head of the family who had made the decision to leave. Ten years later, Naomi and her sons did not still realize that the source of their problem was their departure from God’s presence, so while they remained there, her two sons also died. I have a feeling that the next person on the line was going to be Naomi. If she had not realized why they were dying, she too would have died. Fortunately, verse 6 says “Sometime later, Naomi heard that the LORD had blessed his people by giving them a good harvest; so she got ready to leave Moab . . .” That’s how she escaped the disaster that was hanging on the family.

Now, friends, who is the king in our lives? In Naomi’s time, the Bible says there was no king and the people did as they pleased. Who is the king in your life? Are you your own king, doing whatever you want with your life? Some people say no one can teach them how to live their lives. I live it the way I want. Again, some of us dwelt in God’s presence before. But when God said, look, you cannot be in my presence and continue keeping certain relationships; you cannot be in my presence and continue watching or promoting pornography; you cannot be in my presence and continue with hatred or indecent dressing or fornication; because God said so, we got angry and left His presence. We no longer go to fellowship because each time we are there, God is asking us to give up something if we want to remain in His presence. We no longer read the Bible, because it is always asking us to change our ways. Instead, we are running away from God’s presence.

Separated from God’s presence, there is only death. We first of all die to God’s leadership and start wandering in our lives, taking unwise decisions. That is spiritual death. Once the family left God’s presence, it died to His purpose. It wandered into the Moabite territory and married two women. This was against God’s instructions because God would not let the Israelites marry foreign women. After this spiritual death, came the physical death which Elimelech and his sons died. Do not be deceived by the successes you are recording in your academics, or profession. Remember that while the family was in Moab, it appeared to be doing better than the people at home. They probably ate three meals a day, but it was only the Moabite food that brings death, and maybe the two sons even had good paying jobs. But the end was death for all of them. That’s what will happen to you if you remain out of God’s presence.

Also, out of God’s presence, we are not safe. We don’t know the thing that killed these people. The people who stayed at home obviously did not die even though there was famine there. The Bible says when Naomi returned, the women exclaimed, “Is this really Naomi?” It means those women who had been there when the family left, were still there. They did not die! Meanwhile, the family that left to where it got food and a good life died, because it lived out of God’s presence. Famine in God’s presence is better than abundance out of His presence. Notice also that whatever killed them did not kill the Moabites. So it singled them out because they were under their Father’s curse. Don’t compare yourself with Satan’s children. What they do that does not harm them, when you do, it will harm you, because you are not meant for that kind of life. 

We thank God that Naomi returned. Verse 6 says, “Sometime later, Naomi heard . . .” That was the thing that led to her decision to return. She heard that God had visited the people and blessed them with a good harvest. Now, why did God not also go to Moab to bless Naomi? It is because Naomi was out of His presence. Whenever you are out of God’s presence, you are also out of His blessings. Naomi returned because she heard. The others did not return because they did not hear. They were already dead. Notice that the only difference between Naomi and the other family members is that she took the decision to return while there was still time. Her husband and sons did not take that decision until it was too late. They died out of God’s presence!

Again, when Naomi returned, no one rejected her. They didn’t say, “You left us when there was famine, why are you coming back now? Why didn’t you continue enjoying yourself in Moab?” Instead, they welcomed her. Today, if we return to God, He will accept us and grant us a new beginning. So friends, like Naomi, you have also heard that God wants you to return to His presence, but will you return now or wait until you die out of His presence?