Are You Relaxed In A Strange Land?

Have you ever found yourself drawn to something, only to realize later that you were completely captivated by it?

That’s exactly what happened to Elimelech and his family.

The Decision to Stay

In Ruth 1:1 (as we discussed yesterday), we learn that they decided to sojourn in the country of Moab. Elimelech probably reassured his wife, “Let’s just stay there for a few months, and then we’ll return.” We’ve all been there, haven’t we?

“I know this isn’t the truth, but I’ll say it to save myself the shame, and then repent later. I know this relationship is immoral, but I can’t resist it now. Let me just taste it and repent afterwards. I know these videos and images aren’t good for me, but I’ll just watch them this time, and then repent.”

How has it been for you? Have you managed to cut it off, truly repent, and return after that “first time”? Most likely, the answer is “No.”

The Slippery Slope of Sin

You see, sin has a way of sticking to us. You may give in once, cry, and promise yourself never to do it again. But you can’t play pranks with the devil. He’s been in this business for decades, and he knows how to come after you and pull you back into that mess again and again.

He’ll give you all the reasons why you should continue. He’ll twist your thoughts, whispering sweet lies into your ears.

“You look so appealing in those revealing dresses. Don’t you see how heads turn and people compliment your physique? You felt proud of yourself and elated, right? Good! That’s how it should be.

No, don’t beat yourself up. It was just one lie, and you asked God to forgive you. You can do it one more time, and the ever-loving God will still forgive you.

Come on, girl! Pick yourself up. That boy really loves you, makes you feel important and special, and will take care of your needs. Some church-going people also do the same, so don’t think you’re alone. It’s a natural feeling. The main thing is that he loves you. Don’t lose him because you may not find another person so special.”

These are all lies from the devil. He engages you in a conversation, showing you every reason to continue your new sinful lifestyle.

I believe that somehow, he had that conversation with Elimelech as well.

The Relaxed Comfort of a Strange Land

In verse 2, we see a new plan: they continued to stay in Moab. The strange land had become their home, and they felt relaxed.

Today, we will discuss what followed:

“3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died, and she was left, and her two sons.

4 And they took wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.” (Ruth 1:3-5)

Sin has its harvest time.

When the devil entices you with the pleasures of the strange land, he conveniently forgets to mention the consequences. He won’t tell you that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

He told Eve that her eyes would be opened, but he didn’t tell her that they would lose their fellowship with God and be expelled from the pleasant life they enjoyed in the Garden of Eden.

The devil always tells half-stories, showing you just one side of the coin.

The Harvest of Sin

What happened to Elimelech for remaining in Moab? He died.

We aren’t told what caused his death; he simply passed away.

The wages of sin is death, and how sad it was for Naomi and her two sons.

We don’t know if Naomi agreed to the plan of moving to Moab or if she just went along with her husband’s decision. Regardless, now her husband had died. To me, that should have been a signal for her to rise with her sons and return to Bethlehem-Judah.

But alas, they remained. Not only did they remain, but sin also dragged them further down the slope. Her two sons took wives from among the Moabite women – Orpah and Ruth.

Let’s take a moment to consider the nation of Moab and its people.

You might remember Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who journeyed with him and later settled in Sodom and Gomorrah. And you might recall how Lot and his family escaped from Sodom, with Lot’s wife tragically turning into a pillar of salt. Lot was left with his two daughters.

And what did these daughters do? They committed an awful act, each taking turns to sleep with their father. The firstborn became pregnant and bore a son named Moab, who became the father of the Moabites to this day (Genesis 19:37).

What a lineage.

But that’s not all.

The Moabites did something that led God to command the Israelites to have no association with them. In Deuteronomy 23:3-4, it is written, “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord… because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam… to curse thee.”

The Moabites were not true worshipers of God. They had their own gods.

Yet, Naomi’s sons married Moabite women, entering into an unequal yoke in marriage. Unfortunately, this still happens today. It starts with keeping an ungodly man as just a friend, then a close friend, and gradually intimacy draws closer until you are bent on marrying him. Some girls even claim they will convert him to the Lord after marriage (as if they suddenly become the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin).

So, they got married. And what followed? Barrenness. “And they dwelled there about ten years” – no children.

More tragedy struck. Mahlon and Chilion died. Oh, the sorrow Naomi and her daughters-in-law experienced.

Reflecting on God’s Will

Once again, I reflect on the consequences of acting against God’s will and, on the other hand, the blessings that come from obeying Him and walking in His perfect will.

Where do you find yourself today?

Are you sliding down sin’s slippery slope, moving from one sin to another?

Why not return today? (We’ll see how Naomi took that step in the next topic.)

I wish she had done it earlier – before her husband died or before her beloved sons died. Even after their marriages, when she saw the lingering barrenness – a sign to seek help from God – she could have led her daughters-in-law back to God and journeyed with them back to Bethlehem. But she hesitated until she lost everything!

Do you want that to happen to you?

There’s a song we sing that says:

“Before the Savior calls again, You may cry a million tears. Before He calls again, You may waste precious years. He’s calling now, the door is open, Come inside while you can. You may suffer needless heartache, Before He calls again.”

Even if you haven’t outrightly wandered into sinful lifestyles, what about other areas of your life?

Are you in the center of God’s will for your career, education, relationships, residence, business, and those seemingly small details of life? Do you seek God’s guidance, or do you simply do what seems right to you?

Staying outside of God’s will keeps you away from His loving arms.

Don’t relax there.

Activity:

1. Identify the ONE step you took outside of God’s will and Word that has kept you in sin’s bondage today.
2. From this story of Naomi’s family, what do you learn about the consequences of remaining outside of God’s will?
3. List the areas of your life that you need God to restore and set you on the right track. Ask God for forgiveness and help to stay in His will always.

Memorize Psalm 119:10: “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.”