I started a new series on the book of Ruth this past Sunday. As a husband and a dad, Elimelech’s actions in Ruth 1:1-5 got me thinking a lot about my actions as a father and those around me.

On the surface as you read the passage, what Elimelech does sounds pretty reasonable. What father wouldn’t go to these lengths for their family?

However, the reality is this: Elimelech’s decision to move to Moab was a bad decision for his family. He wasn’t being the godly leader that he was supposed to be in his home. He traded obedience for the pragmatic and practical.

God was in the process of disciplining his people through the famine, so instead of dealing with the problem at hand, Elimelech decided to ignore the underlying issue.

See instead of taking responsibility for the his sin and that of his family and leading them back to the Lord in repentance – he packs up and runs away. In doing so, he is demonstrating to his family that following God doesn’t really matter. That obedience to God doesn’t really matter. That God essentially doesn’t matter.

Then you have the whole moving to Moab thing . Moving his family to a place where God’s people were told not to go. Moving them away from a community of God’s people.

Finally there is the repercussion of Elimelech’s sin. Ruth 1:4 – “These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth.”

This shouldn’t have happened…

His sons themselves were led into sin as a result of Elimelech’s sin, as a result of their father’s leading.

A question for Dads – Is your sin affecting your family?