“Those who will not listen must bear the consequences”
The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. —Ruth 1:20
Read Ruth 1:19-22
Naomi and her husband had left the Promised Land for a heathen country. Whatever the motives of Elimelech and Naomi might have been, it is clear that the Lord disapproved of their actions. Elimelech soon died in that foreign land and both of his sons did as well, which was not mere coincidence. Naomi testified that the Lord had dealt bitterly with her. She acknowledged the Lord’s chastising hand on account of their departure to Moab. They had tried to escape God’s judgements in the land of Israel, but were called on to bear heavy chastisements in Moab (v.21). It is very remarkable that Naomi wanted her name changed. Naomi means lovely, delightful, pleasant. But she wanted this name changed to Mara, which means bitterness. This was Naomi’s confession.
She acknowledged that the Lord had intervened in her life. At that moment she did not realize that these dealings of the Lord were meant for good, for her spiritual deliverance. In fact, her testi-mony showed that she did not agree with the Lord’s dealings. She needed to come to the realization that God’s hand had stopped her in her tracks. This is a first and important step. When you know that you are living a sinful life and continue to do so, then you are calling for God’s wrath to come upon you.
What does Naomi’s explanation show?