Ruth: Pursued By Grace
Sermon #1
Ruth 1:1-7
THREE TOMBSTONES IN A WASHPOT
Series Intro: The little book of Ruth has been called "the
greatest piece of literature ever written." Another writer
called the story of Ruth "the Cinderella of the Bible." It is the
story of how a pagan girl named Ruth came to be part of the
covenant people of Israel. In the 100 verses that make up the
book of Ruth, we see this young woman as she is pursued by
grace, and brought out of her wretched condition. This is a
story of redemption, of love, of grace and of hope. It is a story
we need to become familiar with on a very intimate level.
Over the next several weeks, as the Lord leads, I will be
preaching verse by verse through this book. I am titling this
series of sermons: Pursued By Grace.
Sermon Intro: In these first seven verses of Ruth we are
introduced to the family of a man named Elimelech who lived
during the days of the judges,
v. 1. It is the sad tale of a man
who chooses to walk out on the Lord and on God's plan for his
life. As a result of his decision, he and his family pay a terribly
high price.
We are told that Elimelech takes his family to a place called
Moab. Moab was located just across the Jordan River, east of
the Promised Land. It was inhabited by people who worshiped
pagan gods. The Moabites were the descendants of a man
named Moab who was the son of an incestuous relationship
between Lot and on of his daughters, Gen. 19:30-38. They
were a proud people noted for their lawlessness, immorality
and brutal violence, Lev. 18:24-25; Deut. 9:4-5; Isa. 16:6;
Psa. 60:8. They attacked and opposed Israel, seeking to
destroy the people of God, during Israel's wilderness
wanderings, Num. 23-25; Deut. 23:3-6. This was a people
opposed to God and His ways. In Psalm 60:8, God says this,
"Moab is my washpot..." This phrase means that they were
a despised thing, compared to a vessel containing water to be
used by slaved to wash the feet of a conquering hero. God
says that they are nothing and that they will be reduced to the
lowest form of slavery! Yet, they were a people who could
have been saved had they repented of their sins as Ruth did.
It is to this despised and wicked nation that Elimelech
moves his family. Here we see a picture of that person who
willingly turns his back on the things of God and pays an awful
price. If this section of scripture teaches us anything, it
teaches us that living in a backslidden condition carries with it
devastating consequences, but repentance and restoration are
always a possibility. With this information in mind today, let's
look into this passage of scripture today as I preach on the
thought Three Tombstones In A Washpot.
I. V. 1a A TIME OF DESPERATE CIRCUMSTANCES
(Ill. There was a three-fold famine in the land.)
A. A Material Famine In The Land - Verse 1 describes the
situation that Elimelech and his family faced by telling
us that there was "a famine in the land." A famine is
an extended dearth. A time when food is in serious
shortage. While there was a shortage of foods in the
land at that time, it wasn't the only famine the people of
Israel faced.
B. A Moral Famine In The Land - Verse 1 tells us that
this story takes place during the time of the Judges.
The attitude of the people during those days is summed
up in the last verse of the book of Judges, Judges
21:25. It can best be described as a time of turbulence
and social upheaval. They were days marked by
lawlessness, idolatry, false religion, theft, drunkenness,
homosexuality, sexual perversion, violence, national
division, civil war and extreme unbelief. Days, it would
see, that are not too different from the days in which we
find ourselves. Of course, when man "does that which
is right in his own eyes", what else should we
expect?
C. A Missionary Famine In The Land - Often, in the Old
Testament period, God used famine as a tool of
discipline. When His people strayed away from Him,
He would reach out to them to call them back to Himself
by orchestrating a famine, Deut. 11:16-17; ; 2 Chron.
7:13-14.
(
Note: Often, as we pass through this life, God will
orchestrate these famine experiences for us as well. It may
take the form of a financial famine, when there is more
month than money. It may take the place of a physical
famine where health and well being become elusive. There
may be a spiritual famine when the heavens become brass
and the Lord seems very far away. Whatever form it takes,
it is a famine in your life. God's intention during those
times of life is not to drive you away from Him, but it is to
draw you nearer to Him. He may be trying to correct you,
Rev. 3:19; or He may be trying to perfect you,
2 Cor. 12:9.
How you react to your famine experience determines
whether it becomes a time of blessing in your life or a time
of devastation.)
II. V. 1b-2 A TIME OF DANGEROUS CHOICES
(Ill. As we will see in these verses Elimelech did not
respond correctly to what the Lord was doing in his life.
Notice three mistakes he and his family made during this
famine experience.)
A. V. 1 Chose To Leave The Promised Land - Verse 1
tells us that this man made a conscious decision to
leave "Bethlehem-Judah" for the country of Moab. The
name "Bethlehem" means "House of Bread" and the
name "Judah" means "Praise". At the present time
neither of those places were living up to their names.
There was no bread in "The House Of Bread" and
there was no reason for rejoicing in "Praise". However,
while the geographic locations failed to live up to their
names, so did Elimelech! His name means "My God Is
King." If that had been true about this man, he would
have known that God's valleys do not last forever and
that God would have taken care of His people. After all,
Elimelech had a close relative name Boaz. He stayed
in Bethlehem and seemed to do quite well in spite of the
famine, Ruth 2:1. Yet, Elimelech chose to leave his
inheritance in the promised land and head off to a land
where God would not bless him!
(Ill. This is a scene repeated countless times in the
family of God! Here is a person who proclaims
themselves to be a "Christian". That is a name that
means "Christlike One." Yet, when a famine comes in
their life, they run out on God. Maybe things didn't go
their way at church. Maybe a trial arose in their life and
they were blind sided by it. Maybe they were placed in
a financial crisis and placed God after income. Maybe
they just came to love the world more than they loved
the Lord. Whatever the reason, they chose to walk out
of the promised land of God's blessing and to head off
into the world to live life on their own terms. There is a
word for that kind of behavior: Backsliding! I am afraid
that more believers are in that shape than are willing to
admit it this morning!)
B. V. 1 Chose To Live In A Polluted Land - To leave
Israel to go to Moab was to violate the clear
commandment of the Lord, Josh. 23:7, 12. Yet,
Elimelech chose the forbidden path to Moab over
contentment in the things of the Lord. To leave one's
inheritance as Elimelech did was equivalent to denying
the faith of Jehovah. It was a total turning from God to
the world. You see, for Elimelech and his family, this
move to Moab involved total separation from the things
of God. They could not worship at the Temple, they
could not bring their offerings, they could keep the
feasts that were commanded by the Law. They were
totally isolated from everything that stood for God. Not
only that, by moving his family to Moab, Elimelech
exposed his family to evils they would have avoided
had they stayed in Israel. For instance, both of those
boys married pagan women. It is never right for a child
of God to marry an unbeliever, 2 Cor. 6:14. These men
violated the will of God by intermingling with this pagan
race, Ezra 9:1-2; Neh. 13:23.
(Ill. Again, how many times do we see this same thing
repeated in the lives of those who call themselves
God's children? When a believer walks away from the
things of the Lord, he or she cannot possibly serve the
Lord as they should. Friend, there is no way to be right
with the Lord as long as you are separated from the
things of God! When His house, His word, His work,
His worship and His will are not priorities in your life, it
doesn't matter what you mouth says, your life says that
you are away from the Lord! The believer who walks
away from the things of the Lord is saying, "God wasn't
as good to me as I thought He should be. He isn't
worthy of my love and devotion." It is a choice that
always leads downward. If you walk out on God, you
will find yourself doing things you never thought
possible! You will see yourself involved in wrong
relationship and worldly activities. It is a dangerous
thing to choose the world over the Lord!)
C. V. 2 Chose To Linger In A Prodigal Land - This family
went to Moab and there they stayed! The word
"continued" means "to exist or to become." This may
indicate that not only did Elimelech and his family go
into Moab, but that Moab got into them as well. Who
knows how far into the sin and society of Moab this
family fell. I am sure when they left they told
themselves that it would only last a short time. But the
days turned into weeks, the weeks into months and the
months into years. Before they knew it, 10 years had
passed, v. 4, and they were farther away from the Lord
than could have ever imagined themselves being.
(Ill. What an example of the deceptive nature of sin!
There are people in this room who are in Moab this
morning in your heart and you can't even see it! For
whatever reason, you have decided that God and His
plan for your life doesn't suit you. Maybe you are
struggling against something He had brought to pass in
your life. Whatever the reason, you are away from Him
today. You probably never thought you would get as far
as you have, or that you would stay as long as you
have.
Here's how it works. Someone gets offended in a
church. A little spiritual famine. Maybe that person has
always been very active and faithful to the things of
God. Now, they are offended and they leave that
church. Maybe they aren't offended, maybe they "fell
led" to go somewhere else. (Note: I always get
nervous when someone tells me that! It usually means
they are headed to Moab!) Anyway, they wander
around trying to find a new church home. But, they only
visit other churches on Sunday morning. After a while,
they find a church to settle down in. They join that
church. But, now they only attend on Sunday morning.
They just can't seem to get back "in the habit" of
attending regularly. Why? They went to Moab and
have never come back!
Maybe it happened like this: it got to be a burden to
get to church Sunday morning, Sunday night and
Wednesday night. So you decided to take a
Wednesday here and there. Before you knew it, you
were missing a Sunday evening as well. Then, all of a
sudden, Sunday morning became too much. Now your
attendance at church is just hit and miss. You never
intended it to happen, but you went to Moab and you
never came back!
That's not your story? Then try this one on for size.
A financial need arose in your life. You know, a famine
of sorts. Instead of considering that maybe God sent it
to help you grow in Him, you went out and got you a
second job. Now, you know it will involve your missing
church now and then, but you got to make ends meet.
Right? Well, before you know it, you are out of the
church, out of the Lord's will and in trouble spiritually.
What happened? You went down to Moab and you
never came back!
Of course, it could be like this: you started to allow
little things in your life that had always been out of the
question. Before you knew it, you were doing things
you never thought you would ever do again. You began
to let little words slip. You tolerated sinful programs on
TV. You indulged the crude speech and wicked humor
of your friends. Then, you found yourself living just like
the lost world around you. You never thought it would
happen, but you went to Moab and you "continued"
there! You need to come back!
Before I leave this thought behind, I want to remind
you that going to Moab doesn't always involve an
actual, physical move. There are folk who attend
church regularly, who pay their tithes, who live clean,
moral lives, but they are in Moab this morning. You
see, we go to Moab spiritually when we allow our
attitude to get bad. When we become critical, quick to
find fault in others, but remain blind to the fault in our
own hearts, we have gone to Moab. When we use our
tongues as weapons instead of witnessing tools, we
have gone to Moab. When we harbor grudges and ill
will toward others, we have gone to Moab. Not all the
prodigals leave the Father's house physically, though
they are miles away spiritually.
Friend, I may have described your situation today.
In doing so, it is not my intention to rub salt in your
wounds. My goal is to help you get out of Moab and
back to the "House of Bread" and the place of
"Praise". Sometimes, the only way that will ever
happen is for us to be confronted about our sins and
our backsliding!
III. V. 3-5 A TIME OF DEADLY CONSEQUENCES
(Ill. Sin always carries with it harsh consequences. This
was the case in the life of Elimelech and his family as well.)
A. V. 2 There Was Discipline In That Home - Before
Elimelech loaded up his family to move to Moab, it is
likely that he had already moved away from God in his
heart. You see, no one just wakes up one morning and
decides to leave God behind! It is a slow subtle
process that builds until the believer has moved farther
away from the Lord than he could have ever
anticipated.
The reason I say there was discipline in that home
lies in the names of Elimelech's sons. There names
were Mahlon which means "Sick" and Chilion which
means "Pining, or Wasting Away." It may be that
these two boys were just the victims of circumstance.
But, if you believe that, then you don't believe in a God
of providence! I think God was trying to get Elimelech's
attention long before he ever left for Moab.
(Ill. Friend, He will do the same in your life as well.
When a backslidden spirit begins to manifest itself in
your life, God will begin the process of speaking to your
heart. He may do it in a still small voice like He did with
Elijah, 1 Kings 19:12. Or, He may do with the
thundering voice of a prophet as He did with David, 2
Sam 12:7. He may use subtle means, or He may use
direct means, but if you are His, He will reach out to you
to bring you home again, Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:6-11.)
B. V. 3-5 There Was Death In That Home - In spite of his
relationship to the Lord, in spite of the blessings of God,
in spite of the intervention of the Lord in his family,
Elimelech moved to Moab. What was a reality in his
heart became a reality in his life! After he was there for
some time, he died. After a while, his sons were also
taken in death. It is my opinion that God used the
ultimate form of discipline in the lives of Elimelech and
his family in order to bring the remainder of the family
back to God. You see, the famine in Bethlehem was a
call to repent. Those sick sons were a call to repent.
God gave this family ten years of rope, but time finally
ran out and they paid the ultimate price for their
disobedience.
It is sad, but it is also true, God will use whatever
means that He deems necessary to bring you home
again! If you are His, you will not run from Him forever.
He will discipline your life and if you do not repent, He
will take you home, 1 John 5:16; 1 Cor. 5:5.
C. V. 5 There Was Defeat In That Home - Naomi and her
two daughters-in-law were left desolate. In that society,
the poorest of the poor were widows with no children to
care for them. These women were left with nothing but
desolation, discouragement and defeat. It didn't
have to be, but because of the sin in their hearts and
the choices they made in life, they were forced to pay a
horrible price. All Naomi had to show for her
disobedience and backsliding were three tombstones in
the land of Moab. All she had left were her daughters-in-law and she couldn't even provide for them. These
women were in a desperate condition.
(Ill. Such is the nature of sin! It never brings anything
good into our lives. While it may give those who
wander off into it some pleasure in the flesh in the short
term, Heb. 11:25, all it can produce in the long term is
death, defeat and discouragement. If you want to
destroy your family, devastate you life and doom those
you love, just wander off to your Moab and stay there.
There is a price to pay! You see, sin brings its own
club, Pro. 13:15; Rom. 6:21. So, put the things of God
last in your life and see how your children treat them
when they grow up. Go ahead and indulge your flesh
and its sinful appetites and see what good comes of it.
When sickness, when chastisement, when defeat,
disillusionment and discouragement come, just
remember, you are reaping the harvest you foolishly
sowed, Gal. 6:9. Brother, the time to repent is now!)
IV. V. 6-7 A TIME OF DELIBERATE CHANGES
(Ill. These last two verse of our text this morning will help us
to leave this message with a little hope. Out of death and
defeat we can catch a glimpse of life and victory in the
actions of Naomi.)
A. V. 6 A Time Realization - Somehow or another Naomi
heard that the Lord was again blessing His people. In
truth, He had never stopped blessing! Did you know
His chastisement is also His blessing? If he didn't love
you He would chastise you when you failed. Anyway,
someone came into Moab with the good news that God
was blessing back in Israel. This sparked a desire in
her heart to go home. Maybe she remembered what it
was like to be close to the things of God. Maybe she
remembered the sacrifices and the worship. Maybe she
missed the sweet fellowship she had enjoyed with the
people of God. Whatever the thoughts were that went
through her head, she finally woke up in Moab and
wanted to go home. This is what happened to the
Prodigal Son, Luke 15:17, "And when he came to
himself..." (Ill. Being in a Backslidden condition is a
form of insanity.) When that boy saw where he was and
what he was missing out on, he wanted to go home. So
it was with Naomi.
(Ill. Sooner or later, that time of realization comes to all
those who wander away from the Father's house.
There will come a time when the fog and haze of sin will
clear away for a moment and in that moment of clarity,
the backslider will just where he is and how far he has
fallen. He will hear the tender voice of the Lord saying,
"There's bread in my house. Come home!" That
moment is a defining moment in the life of the person
who is away from the Lord! If they, like Naomi, will
remember and will arise and head back, they will
reenter the realm of blessing and hope. If they continue
on in their sins and their wanderings, they will open
themselves up to progressively harsher chastisements.
What is the Lord saying to your heart today?) B. V. 6-7 A Time Of Repentance - The Bible says that
she "Arose...that she might return from the country
of Moab", v. 6; and "Wherefore she went out of the
place where she was..." Naomi rose up and left Moab
behind! She experienced a change of heart that
resulted in a change of action. She is a picture of
someone repenting of their time in Moab and returning
home.
(Ill. Friend, if you are guilty of going away from God into
Moab, then you need to do what Naomi did! Can you
see that it was better back at the Father's house? Can
you remember the times when the Lord met with your
soul in sweet communion. Are you looking back at a
time when you were closer to the Lord and served Him
more faithfully and fervently than you do today? It is
time to come home! It is time to bring that sin, that
attitude, that problem, that hurt, whatever it is to the
altar and let God have it! It is time to repent of your sins
and come home to the Father! It is time to leave your
Moab behind you, to get out of that place and to get
back to the Lord! If you will, He will receive you and He
will balance the books of your life, 1 John 1:9.)
C. V. 7 A Time Of Returning - Naomi rose up and went
on her way to return to the land of Judah. She was
headed back to the land of "Praise". She was going
back to where she should have been all along! She
was going home!
(Ill. Did you know that God never saved you so that you
could wander off into sin? He saved you so that you
might worship Him in spirit and in truth. He saved you
so that you might be used of Him for His glory. He
saved you so that you might live a life filled with joy,
peace and the glory of God. But, that will never be true
as long as you choose to remain in Moab. You see,
dwelling in Moab will rob you of your peace, of your joy,
of your praise, of your usefulness to the Lord. It will kill
anything in you that God can use to help you and to
bless you. If you are there today, please return to the
place of praise. Please come back to the Father today!)
Conc: When Naomi went into Moab, by her own testimony,
she went in full,
Ruth 1:21. When she came out, she came
out empty. All of her hopes, all of her dreams and all of her to
morrows were reduced to three tombstones in a washpot
called Moab. When she left that country she left everything
she valued behind. When you go to Moab, you always leave
something! Naomi left three tombstones in her Moab, what will
you leave behind? Will you leave you testimony? Will you
leave you innocence? Will you leave your health? Will you
leave your wealth? Will you leave you family? What will your
journey away from God cost you? Whatever it is, it will cost
less to come home today than it will if you wait to a later date.
You will leave less behind if you come now than if you wait
until later. God can salvage more from your life now than He
can if you linger in that polluted country.
By the way lost friend, this message is for you too! God is
calling you to leave your wretched life of sin behind and to
come to Him and be saved. If you linger there away from Him,
you will pay the ultimate price. You will lose your soul in Hell!
It doesn't have to be that way. If the Lord is calling you to be
saved, get to Him today and let Him take care of that for you!
