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There lived in Bethlehem a man
named Elimelech; he had a wife named Naomi, and two sons, named Mahlon and
Chilion. Elimelech and his family lived many years very happily at
Bethlehem; but after a time, God sent a famine upon the land, and all the
people there were very much distressed. It is God who gives us corn
for bread, and sends us the fruits of the earth at the right season; we
ought to be very thankful for all these mercies. But sometimes, God
is pleased not to send rain, or not to give us sunshine; and then the corn
does not grow up, nor ripen, and we have no flour to make bread, and there
is a famine. But in all our wants we ought to trust in God; because
He has power to give us what we need, and without Him not a sparrow can
fall to the ground. When
the famine was very bad in Bethlehem, Elimelech and his family went to
Moab to live there. Were they right to go? No; because the
people of Moab were wicked idolators. God's people ought not to go
to places where they may learn to sin. When
they came to Moab, Mahlon and Chilion married wives of the women of Moab;
they were idolators, and their names were Orpah and Ruth. Mahlon and
Chilion did not live long; they both died, and Elimelech died too; and
Naomi was left with her two daughters-in-law. She had none to
comfort her; all around were idolators, and she wished to be in her own
country again, where she might hear about God. When
the famine was over, Naomi said she would return to her own land.
Orpah and Ruth were both very kind and affectionate to Naomi, and they
said they would go with her; but Naomi did not wish to take her daughters
to a new country, against their will; and she wished to try their love for
her; so she said, "No, my daughters, do not go with me; go home to
your own country, and to your parents, and your friends, and may God deal
kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me." Then
Naomi kissed them, and they both wept, and said, "We will surely go
with thee to Bethlehem." But Naomi said again, "Nay, my
daughters, return to your home; why will you go with me?" Then
they wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and went away.
Did not Ruth go? No; she threw her arms round Naomi, and would not
leave her. But Naomi said, "See, Orpah is gone home to her
friends, and to her gods; return thou after her." Then Ruth
answered, "O do not tell me to go away; let me follow thee:
where thou goest, I will go; they people shall be my people; and thy God
my God; where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried; only
death shall part thee and me." Naomi was very happy to hear
Ruth say this, for Naomi loved God, and she wished Ruth to love him too. Young
people should try to be like Ruth; gentle, and affectionate, and
humble. Orpah was affectionate and kind; but she loved her idols and
her country people best, and could not leave them. Ruth left all,
because she loved best the worship of the true God. Do you wish to
love God? Then you must leave the things of the world, and the
people who do not love God; and give yourself up to His service, and try
to be with those who love and serve Him.
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