Charles Spurgeon Commentary Ruth 1
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Ruth 1
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Ruth 1
"And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons." — Ruth 1:1 (ASV)
That was a bad move on their part; Better poverty with the people of God, than plenty outside of the covenanted land.
"And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there." — Ruth 1:2 (ASV)
And the name of the man was Elimelech,
"Elimelech" means, "my God is King." A man with such a name as that ought not to have left the kingdom where his God was King; but some people are not worthy of the names they bear.
And the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
That is generally what happens; those who go into the country of Moab continue there. If Christians go away from their separated life, they are very apt to continue in that condition. It may be easy to say, "I will step aside from the Christian path for just a little while;" but it is not so easy to return to it. Usually something or other hampers; the birdlime catches the birds of Paradise, and holds them fast.
"And Elimelech, Naomi`s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelt there about ten years." — Ruth 1:3-4 (ASV)
Which was about ten years too long. Probably they did not intend to remain so long when they went there; they only meant to be in Moab for a little while, just as Christian people, when they fall into worldly conformity, only purpose to do it once, "just for the sake of the girls, to bring them out a little." But it happens to them as it is written here: and they dwelled there about ten years.
"And Mahlon and Chilion died both of them; and the woman was left of her two children and of her husband." — Ruth 1:5 (ASV)
That seemed to be her great grief—that she was left. She would have been content to go with them, but she was left to mourn their loss.
"Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Jehovah had visited his people in giving them bread." — Ruth 1:6 (ASV)
Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab:
It is often the case that, when our idols are broken, we turn back to our God. It is frequently the case that the loss of earthly good leads us to return to our first Husband, for we feel that then it was better with us than it is now. Naomi also had another inducement to return:
For she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
Have any of you professors gone a long way off from God? I wish you knew what plenty there is in the Great Father's house, and what a blessed feast there is for those who live with him. There is no famine in that land; there is plenty of gladness, plenty of comfort, plenty of everything that is joyful, to be found there. You do not need to go to Moab, and to her false gods, to find pleasure and satisfaction.
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