Taken from the book, Reflections on the Book of Ruth, by A. B. Saint
Chapter 3
Then Naomi 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 the Lord had visited His people
in giving them bread.
Ruth 1: 6
Elimelech and his two sons died in the land of Moab but Naomi on the other hand had survived them and was very much alive as were her two daughters in law. This is very encouraging. There is now hope that what began badly might enjoy a more fruitful end. Thank God, this side of heaven there is always an opportunity to forget the past and to move on. Praise God, for to Naomi a door of hope is now swinging open on its hinges, and the clouds of darkness and doubt and depression will steadily begin to lift.
It was time for some good news. Ever been in that situation? Naomi evidently missed home and seeing that there is now a chance to return to her homeland she began to move into action. The bible says that she ‘arose and she went forth out of the place where she was.’ She took action and along with her two daughters in law the bible tells us ‘went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.’
Her destination was fixed upon her mind. No one could stop her now for she had waited a long time for this moment. It was clear what Naomi must do now for had not the message reached her ears that the Lord had visited Bethlehem and bread is now available? Bless God for the voice which speaks good things and the anointed ear which hears them. She knew it within herself that this was the time to return to the Land of Promise. Although she herself would say that the Lord had indeed dealt bitterly with her, yet it would seem that the Lord had not forgotten her and at first light she obeyed the call.
There was no doubt about it, there was a sincere affection which existed between Naomi and her two daughters in law. Even though they were of Moab and she of Bethlehem-Judah, each one of these ladies had experienced both the love as well as the death of a husband and all from the same family. Perhaps with very little else in common other than that they were all women and had a genuine care for each other, this tragic fact was the greatest common denominator between them. Each one wore the cloak of widowhood.
Naomi felt particularly grieved, after all if she and her husband had not ventured into Moab; these young women would not have met and married men who would sadly bring about an early widowhood upon them. This particular day the bond was even more real as the older woman told them that it was time for her to leave the land where her husband and sons were buried and time to bid farewell to two Moabite women whom she had grown to love.
It would seem that they began the journey with her with the express purpose of living new lives alongside her in the Land of Canaan, but Naomi was not for this; rather she would prefer them to return each to their own parental home and re-marry and live in peace. On hearing these words both Ruth and Orpah faced a choice to remain in Moab or try to make a new life for themselves in Bethlehem. Due to the kindness and thoughtfulness on Naomi’s part both these girls were given several opportunities to turn back again and remain in Moab. This choice would not be easy to make when all three seemed to be still enjoying a harmonious relationship up to and indeed on Naomi’s return journey back home. They were still walking together until they came to the fork in the road.
There had been tears earlier and again at these crossroads there was plenty of heart searching and not a dry eye to be seen, but, unsure now of her future in Bethlehem, after all Naomi did not promise anything, with a lump in her throat and a tear in her eye, Orpah turned back. Turning back to her old life, turning back to her own people, turning back to her own god, and that is the last we see of her. In verse 7 of chapter 1 she is ‘on the way.’ but like many, instead of pressing on she turns back and with this action lost whatever blessing she might have received in the location known as the House of Bread.
Settling for what she knew rather than what she didn’t know, Orpah returned back in the direction of more familiar surroundings. She had thought, she had determined within herself, she had come to the conclusion not to go on any further. With tear-stained eyes she may have contemplated the journey too long, the road ahead too hard, the future too unsure. She had made up her mind to return to Moab. The Promised Land it seems did not hold any promises for her. There was no animosity at this parting and with a wave of her hand she was gone.
I reflect for a few moments on the words which Naomi uses in verse 15 when speaking to Ruth about Orpah’s decision not to continue with them on their journey. She uses the words “thy sister-in-law is gone back.” Of course, there are different connotations of the meaning of these words. For example, going back to retrieve something which we have forgotten, or going back to the beginning when telling a story, or going back in time, a favourite pastime for the elderly, or going back to our favourite holiday haunts and so on.
All of these things are fine, but there are other times when going back is totally wrong and quite unspiritual, such as going back on our word, going back on a promise, going back in regression and the like. I recall meeting a young woman who told me that she had no interest in Christianity because she had gone back to her pagan roots, the old religions. In the church, we sometimes talk sadly about those who used to be of our number but have now gone back into the world.
In the spiritual sense the term ‘going back’ literally means going backwards. Backsliding is seen as a retrograde step. The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 10 talks of his young helper Demas who, having loved this present world left both him and the Work. Like the disciples in John’s Gospel in Chapter 6 and verse 66 who went back and walked no more with the Lord. Like Lot’s wife who against the advice of the angel, looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. Like the idolatrous Jews in the book of Jeremiah Chapter 7 verses 21-24 who still did not understand that obedience to the Lord was of more importance than sacrifice. “Walking in the imaginations of their evil heart they went backward and not forward.”
The study of bible characters can be very interesting and good for our learning. For instance, Nabal is known for his churlishness, Peter for his impetuousness, Dorcas is known for her charitableness, Esther not only for her beauty but for her fearlessness, Mary of Bethany for her devotedness and regrettably Elimelech for his foolishness. Elimelech’s choice had to come from either blind panic or misplaced faith. In deeply trying circumstances he must have cried out “What choice do I have?” At whatever stage or period of the famine this man brought his family out of Bethlehem we do not know, but what we do know is that his problem had to be that of a limited faith in the keeping and sustaining power of Almighty God in the midst of difficulties.
In a sense, Orpah with all her strengths and all her good points, of which she may have had many, is a picture of those whose lives belie the fact that they are prepared to go so far and no farther. Now Orpah had the same opportunity as Ruth, but it seems her mind-set went as far as the bend in the road. I am sure in those closing moments her thoughts were mixed. She knew what the right thing was to do but in her heart of hearts she didn’t want to do it. Moab had too much of a pull on her as everyone and everything she knew and loved was back there. She went as far as her thinking would allow her and clearly reveals to us in this matter an insight into her half-heartedness. For her the best way forward was going back and yet if she had gone a little further she might have been inspired to go the whole way.
Many, many years ago now a lady speaker I knew came to our Thursday afternoon ladies meeting at Church. Surprisingly, I still remember the message she brought us. She was speaking at that time on Matthew chapter 26 and verse 39. Referring to the Lord Jesus Christ and His prayer before going to the Cross, the bible says: “And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”
Rather than speaking on our Lord’s Prayer at that time she chose to take the first few words of the text as her subject. She spoke on “And He went a little farther…..” and entitled it ‘Second Miler Christians.’ Who was she referring to? She was speaking of those saints of God who always go over and above what is expected of them, and they do it all not to be seen of men but for the glory of God. She spoke about the necessity of our not remaining stationery but moving on daily in our Christian lives, continually moving forward and gaining ground resulting in a life which is seeking after a closer walk with God. The thought of ‘going back’ and losing any spiritual ground was evidently very distasteful to her.
It is true that in life going a little further on will bring us into different territory and as in the natural so in the spiritual. The first fork in the road introduces us to Christ and the beginning of the Christian Walk, and thereafter each turning point will take us to a different place or a different level. The bends and curves in the road are only the beginning of that which will follow. These are the places of the visionary. The hidden, life-changing situations, which, if we allow them will prove to be the necessary building blocks which will help shape our Christian character.
We should never ever set limits upon ourselves, nor should we set limits on the capabilities of God to see us through and see us home. Yet, a great many of us stop at the same stopping places in our Christian experience every time and because of this our Christian growth is stunted. God forbid that we should continue on in exactly the same way as we first did when standing beside the starting blocks of the Christian race on day one.
It is easy to become complacent and continue on with very little advancement, yet surely there is more to the Christian experience than church on Sunday. How terrifying to think that ‘fervency in prayer’ is something only to be read about in books? I recall a past generation who knew more what it was to ‘take hold of the horns of the altar’ and were so impassioned by the needs they saw around them, that in crying out to God their tears fell down upon the ground around them.
Many of a past generation it seems understood the Apostle Paul’s prayer to know God more. They uttered prayers like ‘Enlarge my vision,’ ‘Give me a burden for the lost’ and ‘Rekindle the dying embers of my heart.’ Heart searching prayers which rang out with ‘Thy Will be done’ and ‘Revive Thy Work in the midst of the years’ although still spoken today seem not so widespread now. The understanding of ‘Whatever the cost’ and ‘Thine alone’ in comparison to many who have gone on before are known and understood by precious few today.
How many are taking up the challenge of the God who said, ‘Prove Me Now!’ Ah! Caleb comes to mind as we speak on these things. What a spirit he had and yet how few have this same spirit today. For the vast majority in many of our Churches the spirit of Caleb is not theirs. There is no desire to attain anything in Christ. There is no hill country that they desire after. His was the faith that stretched through those long years in the wilderness. Again, I say, God help us if we have never shot an arrow, never bent the bow, never tried to scale the heights, never burnt the midnight oil, never launched out into the deep, never spent quality time with God in prayer and never knew what it was to be an Overcomer!
There could be many reasons why Orpah went back. Many things if we delved into them would have tipped the scales for her I am sure. Moab can be a different thing to different people. Its territory does not have to be spoken about only in geographical terms, but going back to Moab in spiritual terms can cause quite a dent in the life. As with Orpah it could be a Place – a Location. It could be a Person – a Disposition. It could be a Prospect – an Expectation or maybe a Position – an Occupation. To someone else it could spell out Shangri-La, but to the sincere chid of God it sets the scene for disaster. To the half-hearted like Orpah, Moab was home. Maybe as she stood only a short distance away from her familiar surroundings, she said to herself: “I’ve arrived,” however anyone or anything which takes us away from Jesus the very Bread of Heaven must confess “I have departed.”
Whatever they are, wherever they are, whoever they are, will if we allow them, lead us away from our primary object, Christ Himself. As the people of God our feet should ever be towards the House of Bread. Yet, for the sincere saint of God even if only one time we have unwisely decided to take another route, we have to be honest that from the time of conception, the onset of the journey, it will not sit right with us. There is usually more than a little hesitancy within the heart as to whether it is the right thing to do. If we continue to pursue our Moab’s, the peace we once enjoyed will slowly begin to diminish. Moab is a soulish place and walking through the gates the peace has all but gone.
Thoughts, dreams, ideas, notions, schemes, impressions, conclusions, plans, must be put to one side. This must be done if we are to choose well.
Remember: Going a little farther is part of the Christian Life!
Taken from the book, Reflections on the Book of Ruth, by A. B. Saint
LIFE ON THE ALTAR 