Introduction.

1. After the death of her husband and two sons Naomi was broken-hearted, devastated, destitute and alone in a strange land. Naomi blamed the Lord for her situation and circumstances for he turned his hand against her and bitterly afflicted her. Filled with deep sorrow, anger and without a sense of meaning or purpose and without hope, Naomi's life reached rock-bottom. Widows in Moab were not cared for, but were very vulnerable and often abused and exploited by ruthless and heartless people. The Lord had brought her to the place beyond sorrow, where she had no one to turn to but himself. In the place beyond sorrow Almighty God made Naomi very receptive to anything that gave her reason to hope or think about deliverance from her desperate situation. Naomi in this state would have rolled the question what am I going to do over and over in her mind. When Naomi heard the good news, that the Lord had visited His people by giving them bread she knew that she had to return to Bethlehem. It was God's will that Naomi return to Bethlehem and Naomi was very willing and eager to return. Without a second thought Naomi packed up her belongings and set out for Judah with her two daughters-in-law in tow.
   
   
2. We must not think that these three widows set off with an optimistic and joyful attitude in their hearts. We know that the sorrow Naomi experienced deeply affected her personality, she no longer saw herself as Naomi (one who is pleasant, lovely and delightful), but as Mara (one who is bitter, sour, unpleasant, resentful and miserable). I imagine that as they began their journey walking through Moab not much was said between them as each of these widows would have been busy with their own thoughts. I am sure that as they thought much about the past 5 years they were filled with emotion and often shed a quiet tear. In thinking about the future they would have been uncertain and very fearful of the kind of reception they would receive from the citizens of Bethlehem. As they walked they were very mindful of the solemnity and seriousness of their decision to leave Moab and go to Bethlehem. Naomi's long slow journey back to Bethlehem I believe is symbolic of her long slow journey spiritually as she emerged from her very backslidden state to walk in the joy of the Lord.

1. The plague of second thoughts.

1.  Naomi had made the decision to return to Bethlehem, it was a good decision, she was doing the right thing, and it was God's will that she return to the Promised Land and to the Lord's people. I am firmly convinced that the greatest moments of temptation in life do not come at the point of decision, but come in the process of fulfilling the Lord's will. I believe our natures naturally cause us to have second thoughts about the decisions we make. Decisions that greatly affect our lives cause us to have very serious and fearful second thoughts. I remember when Elvia and I bought our first home and signed the mortgage at the bank. I can remember thinking: ‘The mortgage is 10 years salary before tax or any other deduction. What have I done? Having signed the documents did not leave me joyful, but very sombre with a fearful numbness.'Second thoughts had dealt me a strong body-blow. All Christians are prone to having second thoughts about their decisions. When you have second thoughts, the sin that continues to abide in you becomes very active and the devil draws near to make you miserable. As Christians we try to make decisions that we believe will honour and glorify God. The devil knows that and so he draws alongside us to persuade us that our decision will fail to meet its objective. Satan will oppose every decision you make that will benefit your spiritual growth and well being. The devil's primary goal is to stop you from implementing any decision that glorifies God, if he cannot accomplish his primary goal, he will pursue his secondary goal which is to make you miserable as you do the will of God.
   
   
2. As these woman walked along the road to Bethlehem they had second thoughts about the decision to go to Bethlehem. Perhaps it was when they reached the Jordan River and looked across to the Promised Land that Naomi doubted her wisdom in taking her daughters-in-law with her, and could no longer keep her thoughts to herself. Listen to the product of Naomi's second thoughts expressed in Ruth 1:8-9 ‘And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law,"Go, return each to her mother's house. The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband." So she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.' What prompted Naomi to change her mind about her daughters-in-law accompanying her back to Judah? When Naomi heard that the Lord had visited his people and blessed them with bread she was reminded that she was one of the Lord's people and that her home was in the Promised Land. Answering the question; ‘To whom do I belong?' is the fundamental question that starts a backslidden believer on the road to returning to fellowship with the Lord. Naomi knew that she belonged to the Lord, but to whom did Orpah and Ruth belong? Naomi was a Jew by birth, her daughters-in-law were Moabites, and how would they be received. Maybe Naomi remembered the words of Deuteronomy 23:3-5 ‘An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the Lord forever,  because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.' What would happen to these Moabite widows in Judah, who would accept them? What would happen to them when Naomi died? With this law active, what future did a  Moabite's have in Judah? Second thoughts always bring to mind the worst case scenario, and Naomi probably thought of the rejection, cruelty and abuse these women could suffer and was fearful for them.
   
   
3. Naomi's second thoughts supplied a solution that would remove the fear she felt for her daughters-in-law. The solution was for them to go back to the homes of their mothers and find new husbands for themselves. Being a widow not only declared that you had lost your husband, but also that you were lonely, abandoned and helpless. Orpah and Ruth were still young enough to remarry and find security and meaning to life. What are we to think about this solution put forward by Naomi? I really believe that widows should remarry rather than spend their days being loyal to their deceased husbands. God's assessment of Adam in Genesis 2:18, was ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' A man needs a wife to make him complete, and a woman needs a husband to make her complete. There can be no question that it would be good and right for Orpah and Ruth to remarry. Naomi is absolutely right to encourage them to seriously think about remarriage.
   
   
4. But Naomi does not think about their spiritual wellbeing. What if Orpah and Ruth were now converted and loved the Lord with all their hearts, minds and strength? Naomi does not seem to give attention to this possibility. The passage says nothing about Naomi's concern for God's truth and the need to walk in the Lord's ways. When Orpah decides to leave Naomi and return to her mother's home and Ruth refuses, Naomi says, ‘Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods return after your sister-in-law'.  Naomi knew that if Ruth returned to her mother's house she would be going back to a home where Chemosh was worshipped. Ruth's wonderful confession of faith and identification with the Lord's people reveals that true faith burned brightly in her heart, yet Naomi seems unmoved by it. I believe that when Naomi tells Ruth to follow the example of Orpah she reveals the true depth of her backsliding. Naomi was not thinking about anyone but herself and her chief concern was her own survival. Listen to Ruth 1:18, ‘When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.' Naomi does not rejoice in her daughter-in-laws faith, love or commitment, she stopped speaking to her. Does this simply mean that Naomi stopped trying to persuade Ruth from returning to her mother's home? I am sure it means that, but I also think it means that they walked in silence with very little chit-chat between them as they proceeded to Bethlehem. Naomi was not concerned about the spiritual wellbeing of her daughters-in-law. Second thoughts are usually self-centered thoughts. The person having second thoughts is usually asking, ‘What is best for me.' When second thoughts are communicated they are normally communicated to give the impression that the person is being selfless. The person having second thoughts shows wonderful ingenuity in explaining how what is really best for themselves is for somebody else's benefit. Satan is very quick to use second thoughts to tempt believers into being self-centered rather than Christ-centered. Christians, like Naomi very often dress up their second thoughts in very pious language. We need to be on guard when second thoughts come flooding into our hearts, and make sure we remain Christ-centered and do not become self-centered.

2.  The paradox of backslidden believers.

1. I have always been amazed that believers who are backslidden still have a remarkable understanding of the things of the Lord. It is not unusual for backsliders to give advice to others which is sound and firmly rooted in the Scriptures. Ask a backslider to pray in public and they will say the right things with a great sense of passion and meaning. I have heard a backslider firmly rebuke other believers for neglecting their faith and witness to the Lord. The paradox about backslidden believers is that they know so much, understand so well, but are unwilling to apply the truth to themselves and seek restored fellowship with the Lord. I believe that Naomi was in this position where she knew and understood the ways of the Lord, but was unwilling to submit to the Lord.
   
   

2. Listen to Naomi words in Ruth 1:8-9, ‘The Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband." Naomi is telling her daughters-in-law that life depends on the will of God and his great grace. Naomi fully recognised that the future was bound up with what the Lord would grant them, they will have rest, security and husbands if the Lord grants it to them. All things are worked according to the will and purpose of God, this is a truth that Naomi knew, but was not willing to apply it to herself. When Naomi says, ‘The Lord deal kindly with you', she uses the Hebrew word ‘hesed' which is a covenantal word. Listen to David Atkinson commentating on this word: ‘Kindly (verse 8) translates the great word at the centre of God's covenant relationship with his people: ‘hesed', steadfast love and faithfulness. It is a word which combines the warmth of God's fellowship with the security of his faithfulness.' Naomi still knew and clearly understood the fact that there is nothing that can be compared to the amazing love of God for his people. Had Naomi been speaking in the language of the New Covenant she would have said, ‘and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)'. Naomi knew this to be true because she knew the character of God and his amazing love, but she would not apply it to her own life. Naomi knew God was in control, and she fully understood that God in the covenant had committed himself to the good of his people, but she was unwilling to apply these truths and conclude, the Lord has dealt with me in a loving manner and all that has happened to me is for my good. If she did that she would not say, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.^ I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and  the Almighty has afflicted me?" (Ruth 1:20.) As a backslider she knew these truths and understood how they applied to the lives of others, but could not apply them to herself. Solomon, Naomi's Great, great, grandson exhorted the people of Israel saying, ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects.' (Proverbs 3:11-12) Backslidden Naomi was despising the chastening of the Lord and detesting his correction, she could see nothing but pain and sorrow in her life, and blamed God for making her bitter. Naomi did not see any tokens of God's love in the past 5 years of her life. She is bitter and angry at God, but still knows the truth of God's wonderful loving kindness in the covenant. The backslider is a living paradox. Backsliders need to have the rebelliousness removed from their hearts, they know what the Lord requires them to do, but refuse to do. Rather than turning to the Lord they continue to rebel even if they suffer great pain and hardship themselves and inflict it on others. Asking that the Lord stop the rebelliousness in a backslider's heart is the urgent prayer needed to be offered by fellow believers.

3. The pressing question Naomi placed on the hearts of her daughters-in-law.

1. Naomi's words urging them to return to the homes of their mother's caused sorrow in the hearts of Orpah and Ruth as they had grown to love their mother-in-law even though she had become Mara. Naomi was not asking them to think again about going with her to Bethlehem, but instructing them to leave her, end the relationship and return to their mother's homes. Anyone who saw these three widows hugging, weeping and kissing each other goodbye would have been moved by the display of love and the pain of parting. The scripture tells us specifically that they lifted up their voices and wept, which reveals that they wailed loudly in their grief. The author of this book wants us to grasp that sincere love existed between these women and that separation would have been a very painful experience.
   
   
2. Exactly what Naomi's purpose was is debatable, but there can be no doubt that the Lord used this occasion to press home the question: to whom do you belong in the hearts of Orpah and Ruth. Both these women had to determine in their hearts whether or not they belong to the Lord, the only true and living God. If they belonged to the Lord they could never go back to the worship of false gods. Orpah and Ruth were facing the question Elijah put to the Israelites on Mount Carmel. Listen to that challenge in 1 Kings 18:21, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.' The attitude adopted by the people in not saying a word was one of we will wait and see what happens. Orpah and Ruth did not have this option, they needed to act immediately. The answer they gave to this question would determine whether they would remain in Moab, belong to the people of Moab and follow false gods or proclaim that they loved Jehovah more than anything else on the face of the earth. Orpah did not love the Lord with all her heart, soul and mind so she returned to her mother's home. Ruth could not return to the old ways of her mother's home as she knew that she belonged to the Lord and could not deny this fact. Her past was the past; her future was with the Lord and his people.
   
   
3. Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew10:37-38,‘He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.' Ruth loved the Lord more than anything she had in Moab, more than her father and her mother, she was willing to deny herself and follow the Lord no matter how demanding or painful the consequences might be. Ruth belonged to the Lord and the Lord belonged to her, she had no doubt about this fact. Do you recall that in Ruth 1:18 it says that Naomi no longer spoke to Ruth, I wonder if part of the reason for not speaking to Ruth was that Ruth's attitude was a clear rebuke to her attitude towards the Lord.

Conclusion.

Every Christian can put in an Oscar winning performance when it comes to covering up their backslidden state. It is very possible to keep up all the external appearances of walking with God, but be in a backslidden state. A backslidden heart and mind are in place a long time before actions begin to reveal the state of the heart. Backsliders need to confront the question to whom do I belong and then pursue the consequences of belonging to the Lord. Belonging to the Lord requires you to enjoy the God you belong to. Are you enjoying belonging to God? If you are a Christian and you are not enjoying God examine yourself to determine if you are in a backslidden state. May the Lord give us grace to enjoy him everyday.