Thus, to further prove her discipleship verse 15 said “And she (Naomi) said, behold thy sister in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods; return thou after thy sister in-law”.
Invariably, Naomi was saying; listen and listen very carefully, your sister in-law is gone back it would be only you a strange God of the Israelites. No one would understand your language no one to chat with, so it is better for you now to go back.
The question is “will you also go back?”, (John 6:66-67) friends and close associates in the faith may go back; but “will you also go back?”
Pastor, Ministers, Church leaders may go back ‘will you also go back’ when trusted friends desert you, when close associates like Demas forsake you because of the love of this present world and go back ‘will you also go back?’ (2 Timothy 4:10).
When those who started the journey long before you, those you look to as examples of faith, those you look up to for encouragement and admonitions suddenly change and go back “Will you also go back?”
Orpah, a close associate, maybe, one that Ruth saw married to Chilion-a stranger, and she was encouraged to marry Mahlon, is gone back, but Ruth clave unto her mother in-law. When others go back, will you cleave to Jesus alone? Yes, the LORD is looking for those disciples who no other matters in their lives safe Jesus alone.
Those who will say “others may, I shall never go back” I know I have a destiny with Christ Jesus alone, so no going back.
When the teaching will become hard, when the feed becomes bony and strong, when the going becomes rough and tough, and ‘others’ are going back, O LORD help me NEVER to go back.
Ruth clave unto her like the hand of Eleazar the son of Dodo clave unto the sword in battle. (2 Samuel 23:9-10). Naomi’s persuasive plea would not change her decided mind, in fact nothing could. She was steadfastly minded to go all the way no matter the difficulty (Lk. 9:62, Heb. 10:38-39).
TRUE TEST OF DISCIPLESHIP (LUKE 9:57-62)
“And Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee for whither thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; “where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me and more also, if ought but death part thee and me”(Vs 16-17).
Oh! What a determined and decided heart. What a decisive confession! By this Ruth was saying Mama, Naomi, why waste your frail energy, your saliva and your time on such a matter already decided like this. There is no amount of persuasion that can change this mind. May I let you know this, I have already counted the costs, I have made up my mind to loose everything in life and that including my life. Nothing can change my decided mind. I will never go back to the idolatrous Moab country, I will never return to the idolatrous people, I will never turn to idol worship. No going back, no going back. I have heard much from you concerning your Jehovah God. You have told me much about that good land of Jehovah, I have heard a lot from you concerning Jehovah’s people which are your people. How can I go back? To whom shall I go back when I have already denied and forsook all my people and renounced their gods? To where do I go back-a land I have cursed and cursed by God Jehovah? No Mama Naomi, don’t just waste your precious energy and time because persuading me will not work at all.
I have decided, my mind is terribly made up and steadfastly for that matter to follow you to wherever you go come rain, come sunshine whether thick or thin, whether night or day. My mind is steadfastly made up not only to follow you but also to lodge wherever you lodge in the open field, in the rain or sunshine, in a hut or palace, in an hamlet or a city, in the wilderness or in a city. Whether there is food or not afterall you have told me how Jehovah God satisfied His peoplein their millions in the wilderness. What of your people, those wonderful people of Jehovah?
I have desired with all my heart for a long time to be acquainted and join myself with them. Having renounced my own people, from henceforth your people shall be my people.
I’ve got my mind made up and I won’t turn back till I get to your land, see your people and most importantly worship your God. No amount of persuasion can change my mind because it is steadfastly made up.
Mama Naomi, I have seen the light in the far horizon, and I am prepared to go its full circle either alone or with anyone who is prepared to go with me, for me there is no going back. Every other person may go back. This one I set out to go, nothing on earth of beneath the earth can make me turn back.
That land that is flowing with milk and honey, those covenant people of God and living God of the whole universe, are all my mind is on, not thing more, nothing less, if I get there and there is no food still and the famine more sore, life there may be unbearable, the people there may reject me and treat me as an outcast, one thing is sure I will never for any reason go back. My heart is already fixed and cannot be moved. And talking about, whether you can give birth to another man-child that I can marry. For me marriage is a forgone issue because I am already married to your God. Yes, I know you have left a long time ago, some people might have taken up your house. Never mind, anywhere you decided to lodge whether on the field or in the snow or sun, or a man’s toilet or a farm but, I am fully prepared to lodge there with you.
I know you have left for a long time, your vineyards, your olive field, your lands to farm might have been taken over; so there may be no food or field to cultivate Mama Naomi, never mind, if it means scavenging I will gladly do for us to feed.
Mama, I am not only prepared to go all the way with you, iam also finally prepared to die and be buried with you. O LORD, deliver me from butter and bread Christianity of this end time.
“when she (Naomi) saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her”. (Vs 18). Until the world sees your level of consecration, they may still be dangling carrots in your eyes to attract you. Until the devil get to know that you are steadfastly minded, he would not stop pushing you here and there. Naomi sieved Ruth to know the stuff she is made of and she found her to be original wheat that no wind of false doctrine or erroneous teaching can blow away, no amount of threatening or intimidations that can remove her conviction.
Oh! What a God’s messenger, what a faithful servant? Completely blind to people, things and herself. Totally deaf to self-situation and people. Her eyes is single, focused on the living God. ‘she was not seeing or hearing any other but the God of Israel. That’s why no other mattered. (Isaiah 40:16-20)’.
Just like Peter, James and John who when they lifted up their eyes saw no man, safe Jesus alone.(Matt. 17:8). O LORD, make me completely blind and deaf to every other but you alone let me see, you alone let me hear at all times. Help me to be steadfastly minded with a fixed heart. Make me unmoveable, holding fast the profession of my faith. (Ps. 108:1, 1 corint. 15:58, Heb. 10:23).
Like Ruth, every true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ must willingly deny father, mother, wife (husband), children, parents, siblings, lands, houses, riches, and even himself (Matt. 10:37-39, 16:24-25, Mark 8:34-38, Luke 9:23-24).
Jesus was very emphatic on this test of true disciple. Self-denial is the number one thing in discipleship and making it eventually to heaven. Abraham denied himself (Gen. 13:9,22:1-12), Joseph (Gen. 39), Moses (Heb. 11:25, Num. 16:15), Ruth (Ruth 1:14-18),Esther (Esther 4:16), Apostles (Matt. 4:20-22, 19:27, Act. 20:24), Paul (Phil. 3:7-8). You also must deny yourself, renounce all self-dependence, self-interest, and self-pursuits which are contrary to Gods will and purpose.And take up his cross daily; the emblem of suffering and shame, everywhere you are going the cross must be with you daily, so that whenever the self in you arises, you quickly nail it to the cross(1 Corint. 15:31, Gal. 2:20).And follow Jesus daily not for a while. Follow Jesus closely not afar off(Matt. 28:58). Habitually follow Jesus regardless of the price, even unto death (Rev. 12:11), not just when it is convenient, easy or popular.
Ruth exemplified these in her decision to follow Naomi. She denied herself earned her cross daily and habitually and closely followed Naomi to the very end.
ARRIVAL AT BETHLEHEM
Vs. 19 “so they two went until they came to Bethlehem”. This journey could not have been a day or two journey, it must have taken them days on the road. I want to believe they did not have the leisure of riding in a chariot or an ass or donkey. They trekked all the way. Yet Ruth did not give up, looked back or went back. She endured the hardship of the dessert road.
Naomi being an old woman must have made the journey longer and slower since she would not be able to move fast due to age, yet Ruth endured with her at her pace she followed.
I could imagine them talking as they went, Naomidoing the most talking about the land, they were journeying to. I could imagine Ruth asking questions concerning the land, The house of bread, where the bread of life was to be born in the latter days. And old Naomi taking time to painstakingly explain to her clearing all her doubts. What a beautiful picture of a true disciple listening to the saying of the Holy spirit as they journey home (Mark 4:9, Rev. 3:7,10,17 & 29). As Naomi was talking as they went, Ruth’s desire and faith were growing daily, not because there were promises of better life in Bethlehem no, but she believed the God of that land and His People (Rom.10:17).
Many Christians today do not have the time to listen to our guide – the Holy Spirit. This is why a lot of people are rising and falling – indecisive, they listen more to the voice of the stranger than the voice of the Holy Spirit (John 10:5,10; Ps. 85:8). Many Christians today spend more time on internet browsing, television viewing than spend time on the scriptures study (2 Tim. 2:15).
Some others spend the time doing the talking (Praying), but not allowing the Guide to speak to them. Meanwhile, communication is a two-way traffic which breaks down when it is only one-way.
Moreover, it suppose to be the Holy Spirit doing the major talking while we do the listening. O LORD, give me the hearing ears, help me not to be a forgetful hearer.
Many minds are preoccupied with the things of the world that there is no room for the word of God therein. In Mark 4:1-9. The Lord Jesus gave the parable of the sower. The seed is the word of God, the same everywhere(Ps. 119:89) but this same seed is sown on different grounds (our heart). The seed is viable-living (quick and powerful; Heb. 4:12), but the profitability or fruitability depends solely on the ground.
“Break up your fallow ground” (Hosea 10:12) is the needed message of the hour for every heaven bound disciple of the LORD. ‘…….And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem (Vs. 19).
O Lord! Help me never to stop my journey half way until I reach my home. Help me to finish the race and to finish strong. No matter how long, they arrived Bethlehem. Indeed slow and steady win the race.
The race to heaven does not need sprinters because it is a marathon. The road is narrow and most full of many dangers. There are many distractions on the journey such as; strife, bitterness, unforgiveness, cares, anxiety, worry, lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, pride of life, weariness, deceitfulness of love of money, avarice, false doctrines, trials, self-righteousness, doubt, despair, confusing avarice as blessing, mockery, unfruitfulness, regret, etc(Luke 21:34).
But every heaven bound Christian must “lay aside every weight and sins that doth easily beset, looking only unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith”(Heb. 12:1-2).
“Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14).
Just like the way to Bethlehem of old, the way to heaven is narrow. But much more is the fact that the farther you go on the journey the narrower this way is such that what extra luggage entered with you at the “strait gate” becomes a burden and hindrance at the point on the journey, and as such it must be dropped, if you must continue. The farther you go on the journey, the lighter you must travel if you must continue because the way grows narrower. Thus, the weight that is permitted at a point becomes an hinderance at another point ahead except you lay it aside. Those areas of your life that will not be permitted in heaven, as you journey on the narrow way God begins by His Holy Spirit to point them out to you one after the other to make amend till you are perfected for heaven.
At times, the road becomes very rough and journey hard and discouraging (Number 21:4). At such a time you take solace in the unfailing promises of God (2 Corint. 1:21), you take comfort in the infallible word of God (Ps. 19:7-11). The most important of the race is to finish it. The prize is given not to the swift, but to anyone who endures to the end (Matt. 24:13). The race is not competitive, so no need to out-do or out-shineone another. It is not to please men but to please God only (2 Tim. 2:4-5). The marathon race for some may be long while to others may be short, all that matters is to run lawfully with patience till you get to the finishing line.
O LORD, help me to finish my race and finish it strong. Let me never stop my journey half way in Jesus name. Naomi though feeble due to age,(worn out by sorrow) arrived Bethlehem with Ruth.
LORD, even if maimed, battered, worn and dismembered all that matter is take me home, carry me o, my shepherd on your broad shoulder and lead me home. It is not how I get there that matters but getting there (Job 19:25).
Naomi came to Bethlehem though with a terrible and sorrowful story of her losses, “ I went full, and the LORD brought me home again empty”; (Vs. 21), yet all that mattered was that she came home again.
Yes, worldly goods may be loss, bodily members may be loss, friendships and relationships may be loss, alas! There may be several other losses, but all that matters is getting home; finishing the race and finishing strong (Phil. 3:4-11).
THE WELCOME PARTY
‘…And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said; is this Naomi?Despite her battered life, her losses, her frailty, her sad story, terrible testimony; Naomi was still given rousing welcome. “All the city was moved (i.e arouse, agitated, became joyous) about them…” I could imagine the drummers rolling out the drums, the ones with flute, trumpets, violin and all kinds of musical instrument quickly brought them out; singing and dancing began to welcome them especially Naomi back home. The news went round quickly such that the farmer left his farm work and ran back to see Naomi, the water drawer quickly ran back from the stream to see the returning Naomi. Oh! What a glorious sight.
What a great day it is when a backslider return to the father, when a lost sheep is found and returned to the fold. The angels in heaven rejoice in dance and praises to God over a sinner that repents (Luke 15:7,10).
The scene of that day is like that described by the LORD Jesus in Luke 15:20-24; when the prodigal son returned home, the father had compassion on him. Yes no matter how far a country you have gone from God, He is still patiently waiting for your return if you are a backslider. He is untiringly waiting for your return. And when you do, He is unrepentantly compassionate. Every day that breaks seesHis compassions renew (Lam. 3:22-23),they can never fail. “The father ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him”, this is the unfailing, unrelenting, and ineffablelove of God; He gladly accepts back anyone that comes to Him and will in no wise cast out (John 6:36).
But much more to the consternation of the returning prodigal son, the father gave the order to the servants “Bring the BEST robe, and put it on him”;