hotcoffee
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Ruth 1:6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.
Have you ever seen people take other people to the alter with them? Were they hoping their friend would confess their faith and or reaffirm their faith? Were they leaning on their friend for encouragement while they made their own confession or reaffirmation of faith? Or were they going together in prayer for yet another person or persons? Is it simply possible they going along so they wouldn't get separated by the crowd at the end of the service?
Back in verses 3-5 we saw in the commentaries that the Bible doesn't say that Orpah and Ruth were converted. So when Naomi decided to go back to Judah [Bethlehem] she was making a decision that would take these two women who probably were still worshiping idols into the promised land of God. When Orpah and Ruth packed their bags while Naomi was packing hers, it shows that these two young women were willing to go up to the alter with her.
Look at Matthew 10:34-42
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c] 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c] 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
c.Matthew 10:36 Micah 7:6
One of the commentaries points says,"Had she returned upon the death of her husband, perhaps she might have saved the life of her sons". So, taking that into consideration, when Naomi made a decision to go back to Judah [Bethlehem] she was making a re-affirmation of faith.
Orpah and Ruth were going along with her to make sure she made it through their homeland safely. That verifies that the three of them were very close.
I'm pretty sure my daughter-in-law wouldn't have gone with me even part of the way. Had this happened to us.... she would probably say "Oh you're leaving, good".
