Ruth 1: Home group study notes

Home group study notes for Ruth, Chapter 1

Read Ruth 1:1-22

Background:

The book of Ruth is a message to us of hope, love and redemption in the midst of a wicked generation. In verse 1 of chapter 1 of the book of Ruth the text says “In the days when the Judges ruled”, this tells us the spiritual climate of the time of Ruth since in and in the scripture says “there was no king in Israel, everybody did that which was right in their own eyes”. This is not a good thing for tells us ‘There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death’. We read in verse one that there was a physical famine in the land but there was also a spiritual famine whereby God’s people were repeatedly turning their backs on Him and doing what seemed right in their own eyes.

Chapter one as we are about to see very much sets the stage for the desperate situation that one family find themselves in but even in desperate circumstances in the midst of a backslidden generation we see the mercy and love of God.

Question 1:

Elimelech and his wife Naomi decide to move their family out of Bethlehem and into the neighbouring country of Moab. Do you think that this was a good decision? What can we learn from this to apply to our own lives?

Answer:

There is a famine in the land of Israel at this time and so on the one hand we should cut them a certain amount of slack since we can be sure that Elimelech and Naomi were trying to preserve their family. However, to go into the land of Moab meant ultimately leaving their fellow ‘God chosen’ people, leaving the promised land given by God and leaving people that worshipped God (although backslidden). What they went into was a pagan culture that embraced horrific practices as part of the pagan religion, into a land that was occupied by the enemies of God. Ultimately the famine ended up reaching Moab also and so their situation really did not improve in the long-term, in fact the three men in the family died as a result and so what initially seemed like a good solution really was not at all.

This teaches us that when hard times come it is important to look to the Lord for instruction and guidance rather work a way out purely by our own understanding or in compromising our faith. The Lord is our sustenance and our provider.

Question 2:

In verse 13 and then also in verses 20-21, Naomi says that the hand of the Lord has gone out against her. Was Naomi correct in saying this?

Answer:

God loves His children and is not an angry man waiting to beat us. Naomi had a very limited perspective about what was going on actually in reality God was bringing Naomi home, back to her people. He was already initiating good things for her. Things that were so marvelous she could not have even imagined. See ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

God loves His children and is not an angry man waiting to beat us. Naomi had a very limited perspective about what was going on actually in reality God was bringing Naomi home, back to her people. He was already initiating good things for her. Things that were so marvellous she could not have even imagined. See ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

The same is true for us. When we go through tough times know that God is not trying to destroy you but that His plans are for your good, to prosper you and give you a future.

Question 3:

In verses 6-18 we read how Naomi encouraged Orpah and Ruth to leave and go back to their old homes. Both loved Naomi since they both wept at the thought of leaving, but the resolve between Orpah and Ruth was very different since Orpah relented and went back home where as

In verses 6-18 we read how Naomi encouraged Orpah and Ruth to leave and go back to their old homes. Both women loved Naomi since they both wept at the thought of leaving, but how does Ruths character differ from Orpah?

Answer:

In Ruth we see a depth of loyalty that is not present in Orpah. While Orpah appeared to love her mother-in-law, she nevertheless put her own future and well-being first by agreeing to leave Naomi and go a separate way.

God loves His children and is

Ruth on the other hand knows that in all likelihood staying with her mother-in-law will make life difficult in the future but such is her love for Naomi that the threat of separation actually causes her to cling tighter and strengthens her resolve to stay close.

Orpah has been in a Jewish family for some time but it has not made any lasting difference to her since she chooses to return to her pagan past. Ruth however declares that not only will she not leave Naomi but that she desires to embrace all the Jewish customs and indeed the Lord Himself (see verse 16).

An interesting thought to ponder: How do difficult circumstances affect our resolve to stay close to Jesus? Are we like Orpah, reverting back to our old ways when difficulty comes or are we like Ruth, who when difficult circumstances and the threat of separation came clung all the tighter to Naomi?

Question 4:

In Paul says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of Christ Jesus concerning you”.

How do you think Naomi could have given thanks and rejoiced in this difficult time? What did she have that she could have given thanks to God for?

Answer:

Firstly, Paul says in ‘IN everything give thanks’ he does not say ‘give thanks FOR everything’. Giving thanks to God is something that we are instructed to do in every situation and Paul even sand out praises of thanksgiving to God while he was chained-up in prison.

Naomi did actual have lots that she could be thankful for…

Her life and health - Firstly the Lord had preserved her where others in her family had become ill and died. Naomi must have had reasonably good health for she was able to make the journey from Moab to Bethlehem.

Her daughter-in-law - Naomi was not on her own, the Lord had blessed her with a remarkable daughter-in-law who loved her and was committed to looking after her.

She was going home - The Lord was taking Naomi back home to the people she should never have left in the first place, this is certainly something that she could have been thankful for since the Lord had not cut her off.

Daily provision – While we can see in this passage that Naomi is clearly poor, we can also see though that she had enough to live on and whenever the food gets scarce the Lord brings more along to sustain her.

The Lord Himself - She had the Lord Himself, which is a major thing to be thankful for especially since she had been living around a people that were ignorant of the truth of the living God.

Her future – although Naomi’s current situation was difficult the Lord had though prepared a marvellous future for her, far better than she could have ever imagined. By faith she ought to have been thanking God for whatever He had for her in the future.