WHO WAS NAOMI?

Ruth 1: 2 “And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.”

By Van Yandell

Several characters in the Bible that played a vital role in the lineage of Christ and ultimately the salvation of mankind have been overlooked in their importance. Their sacrifice and suffering was monumental in Jewish history.

We must remember God’s establishment of the Jewish race was to provide the world with a much needed Savior. It became obvious all the efforts by people were useless when the descendants of Noah tried to build a tower to Heaven (Genesis 11: 3-5).

Interestingly, also in chapter eleven (Genesis 11: 27-32), we are introduced to Abram, who later became Abraham, the first Jew in the genealogy line to bring us a Savior in whom one’s faith based belief leads to eternal life.

Another very important character in Bible history is Ruth but her prominence was established through her mother-in-law, Naomi.

The name Naomi means congenial or nice. This description gives us a clue as to the personality and even the character of this seldom heard of woman in the Bible.

Perhaps because women were considered possessions in that day, we have a reason for her not being fully characterized for the role she played in the Old Testament series of events and people leading up to the birth of the Savior of the world.

Because of a famine in Israel, Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, were forced to move to Moab. There the two sons met their wives, Ruth and Orpah.

There they remained for ten years and in the while, Elimelech died. Also Naomi’s sons died. When the famine ended in Israel, because Moab was a strange and foreign land, Naomi decided it would be best if she went home to Bethlehem.

Many today can relate to Naomi’s predicament and emotional state. Mothers, fathers and other loved ones of the deceased, experience extreme emotional distress just as did Naomi. Yet Naomi is usually placed as a secondary character in The Book of Ruth even though she was an essential character in the orchestrating of the plot of the entire book.

The heartbreak in losing all three of her closest loved ones must have been unimaginable. Very likely, that heartbreak in Moab was a part of her reasoning to return to Bethlehem.

Bidding farewell to her two daughters-in-law she began her journey. Ruth, however, determined to go with Naomi stated conclusively “Intreat 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.”

Ruth then accompanied Naomi back to Israel where she met and married Boaz. She gave birth to Obed who was the father of Jesse, the father of King David and a direct forerunner of the Savior of the world.

Naomi is the often forgotten key participant in the series of events leading up to the birth of Jesus. She suffered immensely throughout her life and did not live to realize how important a role she played.

She saw no choice but to return to her homeland and begin her life anew. By doing so, many problems were encountered not known in her previous life there. She had tagging along with her a daughter-in-law.

Walking to Bethlehem from Moab was not a long trip but being uphill, rough and rocky most of the way, it was a difficult trip. When they arrived, women in the town saw Naomi and exclaimed “Is this Naomi?”

Ruth 1: 20 “And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.” There is no scriptural reference that Naomi felt self-pity but verse twenty definitely declares her anguish.

Being widowed, Ruth was not considered to be a desirable mate for most men. A double standard existed as it has at other times in history.

Naomi and Ruth were apparently poor in material possessions, especially food. Ruth requested permission of Naomi to go to the field of Boaz to glean grain after the harvesters “that I may find grace in his sight.”

This action could have been for the purpose of finding a husband or it could have been to glean grain for their table. At any rate, Ruth accomplished both those purposes in securing sustenance and finding a husband. God had a plan.

Some have implied the gleaning by Ruth was a set-up by Naomi but I’m not seeing that. Ruth asked permission of Naomi before going to the fields of Boaz. When Ruth went to the threshing floor to sleep at the feet of Boaz, Naomi told her what to do and say.

From that point, Naomi was mostly in the background but her presence and influence was heeded by Ruth. It was by her orchestrating of circumstances and actions that Ruth was married to Boaz.

Ruth 4: 17 “And the women her neighborrs gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

The Book of Ruth and the life of Naomi give us a confirmed case of how God at times uses human suffering to accomplish His purpose.

Through the efforts of Naomi, the desired lineage (by God) was accomplished. Might it be possible our troubles and problems might be used by God to glorify and magnify Himself?

Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and commissioned missionary. His email is vmy3451@gmail.com