Naomi & Bitterness - Mike Chipman
My congregation followed its study of Judges by going right into Ruth, which continues with the same difficult times and people. The book of Ruth is likely set near the beginning of the time of the Judges, so it is safe to say that the story of Naomi and Ruth took place in a harsh context. Yet, as we moved through Ruth, we saw a clear picture of the gospel, represented not only by the redemption of Ruth through her marriage to Boaz, but also in the sanctification of Naomi.
Naomi’s story picks up in the midst of the famine in the land, which caused Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, to move his family to Moab in search of relief. What started as a temporary fix ended with two Moabite daughters-in-law, two dead sons, and the death of Elimelech himself. In convincing her daughters-in-law to leave, she proclaimed, “It is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” To add to this, when she and Ruth returned to Bethlehem, she told her story to the town saying, “call me Bitter, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” Were it not for the last sentence of chapter 1, we might think that Ruth should be stuck into Judges where it belongs - a sad, bitter tale with no true heroes and only a speck of future hope. To close chapter 1, we read, “And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.” Hope.
Anger and bitterness have a way of making any hope we have disappear. Anger is casting judgment without any real justice or hope for reconciliation. Bitterness is understanding the sovereignty of God, yet rejecting his goodness. Twice in the passage, Naomi judges the providence of God in her life. Coming from a land of literal death and famine, she enters the House of Bread during the harvest, a bitter, angry lady. While we have been brought from death to life, we often feel short-changed by God. Rather than living in his blessings in all circumstances, we live in our perceived injustices. We want judgment. And we want justice our way. We alone claim to be good and right, and God has obviously bungled our circumstances and should take a back seat. Bitterness and anger are emotions that any person feels, but the way we experience them in Ruth is something unique to believers. Believers know the truth concerning God and his salvation, but when we are angry, we exchange that truth for the lie that we know better. Naomi resolved to be bitter, even change her name in protest. Ruth, on the other hand, chose to glean in the fields, and through her actions, Naomi sees her salvation again. Even while Naomi was bitter, God’s goodness reached out and filled her empty hands.
Ruth and Boaz marry, and they have a child - redeeming Naomi and her name. The women of the town said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a Redeemer… He shall be to you a restorer of life and nourisher…” God restored Naomi’s fortunes through His goodness working in Boaz. God turned Noami’s bitterness to praise and filled her empty hands with a grandbaby. “Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap…” God restored Naomi’s faith. Out of a land of desolation, she found delight in the Lord.
Christian, we have no reason to be bitter or to look at circumstances and say, “The Lord has made me empty.” We are quick to speak on the sovereignty of God in all life when it comes to the good things of life, but are slow to see his hand at work when there is famine in the land and the world becomes dark. As believers, there is never a time when we can look at our lives and say we are empty. We have Jesus. We have the hope for redemption. There is no need for anger because we have been reconciled to God. God accomplished justice on our behalf. There is no need for bitterness because we have the goodness of God on full display. God made us alive together with Christ. Live in the hope that we have in Jesus and proclaim to all who would hear how the hand of the Lord has been for you and how he has made you full.