You can understand why she tells her daughter in-laws:

“No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.”

In other words – “God is against me and if you stick around, your life will become a bitter misery like mine.”

Or what about what Naomi says to the people in Bethlehem who came to greet her and Ruth on their arrival:

“Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

I get it. Naomi is hurting and is angry at God. If we are honest with ourselves, we have all probably been there at one point in our lives. Perhaps not to the extent of Naomi but maybe you have questioned what God is doing or have been angry at him for the circumstances that you may have found yourself in. 

Come on, lets admit it – we have all done the fist shake at God!

One thing that the author of Ruth does very well is to contrast Naomi’s misery with the very subtle workings of God throughout the story. God wasn’t passive and evasive in this passage but was behind the scenes working all things of this for His name and His glory.

For example:

• It was God who broke the famine and made a way for her to come home (v6).
• Naomi might not have any sons, but she has forgotten about a close male relative back in Bethlehem. A kinsmen-redeemer called Boaz who we meet in the next chapter. Boaz is the guy who will ultimately preserve the family name and provide for them.
• In verses 20-21, Naomi, tells the people in Bethlehem on her return that “the Lord has brought me back empty.” Naomi forgets about Ruth who is standing beside her at that very moment and who boldly told Naomi that she wasn’t going anywhere in the preceding verses. It is Ruth who goes out and works very hard in Boaz’ field so that her and Naomi can survive.
• Finally in verse 26, we see that the two women arrive at the beginning of the barley harvest. Perfect timing huh?

Naomi was so embittered by her circumstances that she missed seeing God at work. Like Naomi, we can sometimes get so embittered with our circumstances and angry at God, that we don’t see His mercy and loving care in our lives. We walk around with blinkers on.

Think for a moment – What hardships and bitter circumstances are preventing you from seeing God at work in your life?

Oswald Chambers wisely said “We must focus on God and not the difficulties.”

All in all, this story is only a short scene in a greater story. Ultimately its the story of God’s redemptive purposes through his Son. Just look at the genealogy in Ruth 4 and see the connection to Jesus. God was working on a larger scale than just that of Naomi’s story. He was working for you and me for through His son Jesus.

Let’s open our eyes to what God is doing!

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?