The Story Of Ruth And Naomi, The Beginning

The biblical story of Ruth and Naomi is a story filled with precious life lessons that all lead to the building of a godly character. Let’s dive right into it!

A season of loss

Naomi, her husband and their two sons all lived in Bethlehem, Judah. A sudden famine destroyed their home land . As a result, Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, decided to move his family to the country of Moab. Sadly, Elimelech passed away while they lived in the land of Moab. Thereafter, Naomi’s sons, Mahlon and Chilion, married two Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Unfortunately, a few years later, both of Naomi’s sons passed away as well. Naomi suffered tremendous losses, she first experienced becoming a widow and was now without sons.

The news came to Naomi that the famine was over in Bethlehem and that God was blessing the land again. As she was preparing to journey back to her home land, her daughters-in-law, still by her side, were also preparing to leave with her. She gracefully blessed them and told them to return to their mother’s houses, for them to start a new life. Naomi prayed that each of them would find happiness in new relationships with loving husbands, who would tenderly take care of them, just as much as they were good to her and her late sons .

Ruth and Orpah both wept, they did not want to let their dear mother-in-law go. Despite her soft and gentle words, they held on to her. Naomi reiterated her spoken prayer by explaining that she was too old and would not be able to give them husbands anymore. She insisted that they both should go on with their lives, for a better life, a better future.

A season of separation

Both women wept again, however, Orpah considered Naomi’s words for a moment. She finally kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and turned back. Orpah went back to her own culture, back to her gods, back to her old life. However, Ruth remained firm and stayed with Naomi. As the Bible says, she “clave unto her”.

Naomi pleaded a third time with Ruth, the remaining daughter-in-law. But with the softness of love and respect, Ruth pronounced these precious words “ Don’t urge me to leave you, or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God ” ( Ruth 1:16 ). She even added that death alone would be the only cause of their separation and affirmed that she would NEVER leave Naomi’s side.

A season of love

What a beautiful picture of respect, love and self-sacrifice! At this exact moment, after seeing Ruth’s loving and sincere determination, Naomi had no other choice but to let her journey with her, back to Bethlehem . Ruth loved and respected Naomi with her whole heart. She was willing to leave everything behind to follow her, because she knew she was a wise woman, the daughter of the King. She honoured Naomi as her elder. This principle is found multiple times throughout the Bible.

"Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD" - Leviticus 19:32
"In the same way, you, who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble" - 1 Peter 5:5

Orpah left, but Ruth remained. Ruth did not consider her own interests and desires. She did not ask herself if she would get married again, or what the future would look like by staying with Naomi. She only had Naomi’s interests at heart and all that she wanted was to be in her presence and follow her wherever she would go. May we become like Ruth in serving and loving others wholeheartedly and respecting our elders, like mothers and fathers. And may we become like Naomi in loving and honouring the younger ones, as our little sisters and brothers . The story of Ruth and Naomi is filled with hidden treasures that are meant to be found.

"Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." - 1 Timothy 5:2