As I began my deep dig into the book of Ruth, Elimelek, Noami's husband caught my eye. In this short four chapter book very little is mentioned of him. Chapter 1 verses 1 through 5 read, " In the days when the judges ruled,[a] there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
According to Judges 21:25, this family was living in a time period where there was not only famine in the land but also violence, oppression, and much bloodshed. I suppose the latter are expected when there seems to just not be enough food to go around. I can't fathom being a citizen of Bethlehem in that time. Conditions were bleak according to the hunger pangs in their stomachs and all the eye could see. Though I can't help but remember when the Israelites wondered through the wilderness and our God provided manna and quail and water from the most inconspicuous of places- a rock and the Heavens. Ultimately, directly from His hand in His perfect timing. I wonder if anyone in Bethlehem was recounting that headline as they became famished in body, mind, and spirit...
In apparent desperation, we read that Elimelek left with his family to go to the town of Moab, whose people were historically known as enemies of God(Judges 3:30), to seek out provisions for his family. Certainly, this seemed like the logical solution for him to feed his hungry family and sustain them. What we don't see is his seeking the Lord for that provision or direction. We see him set his prescribed short term plan into motion with Scripture pointing out his intentions to be in Moab for a "little while" in verse one. He would plant his family amongst the enemy of God for just a little while then they could move on unscathed or at least better than if they stayed in Bethlehem, " the house of Bread," and waited on the Lord. No doubt, I dare not point my finger and condemn Elimelek for I can only hope to have the courage to wait on my Lord when my children are in a place of suffering and I catch glimpses of starvation standing at my door. While perhaps his motive was to protect his family, we see his decision to flee, either directly or indirectly (Scripture does not clearly distinguish a cause and effect here), ends with both Elimelek and his sons dying in the center of the enemies camp after having lived there about ten years. The very thing he was trying to run from, he seemingly ran into... My heart aches at that statement. His "just a little while" quickly rolled into a decade and he would never lay his eyes on his homeland again... In the midst of the famine, he went foraging in foreign land to fill their stomachs and they were none the better for it. But God, we still look back and see His hand of protection and provision and redemption. What seems to have pulled Naomi way off course, God uses to draw her and Ruth right back in and pencil them in the unfolding of His Sovereign plan... better yet - His lineage.
In his book, A New Time and Place, author Jack Hayford states, "Elimelek's life speaks to us of spiritual people who function only at a rational level; of believers who rely only on human logic rather than the direction and counsel of the Word and Holy Spirit...Elimelek is a case study of a man who allowed his life to become dominated by doubt in an atmosphere of discouragement." We are not to be a people enticed by the fruit of foreign lands that is not our own, cultivating a taste for the bread of Moab rather than the bread of Heaven. "Be Committed: Doing God's Will Whatever the Cost," a study on Ruth and Esther, instructs that when trouble comes our way, we can do one of three things; endure it which allows the trial to become our master and can lead us to bitterness and hardness of heart, escape it which will often have us miss the purposes of God and we may revisit it again later, or enlist it which allows the trial to become our servant and it works for us and for God who promises to work all things together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Elimelech seemingly chose the escape route as he walked by sight and not by faith as we are instructed to do.
We see Abraham do a similar thing in Genesis 12. God gives Abram a calling and instruction with promises. Abram and Sarah obey. They begin their journey seeking the Lord and building altars of remembrance to the Lord in worship of Him then famine hits. On the journey that God has sent them on... famine hits. Did you catch that? It's so easy to get caught up in this faulty belief that if we follow Jesus everything will be sterile and safe and trouble free. It's just not the case. Jesus actually promises the exact opposite John 16:33, "“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Abram and Sarah escape the famine by rerouting to Egypt and lying about their relationship, portraying Sarah as his sister. In turn, Pharoah and all his people are struck with a serious disease... With both Elimelek and Abram the results of their plans were uncertain and unfortunate, but the plans of the Lord are secure and never failing...If we will wait upon the Lord, He indeed will come through. For His name sake, He will lead us beside still waters and into green pastures. His supply we will find sufficient. His timing we will find quite punctual. His way we will find best.
I can't help but envision the disciples in their rocking boat Jesus sent them out to sea in shortly before the horrid storm came. Testing comes even when we are right smack on the route mid- journey that God Himself sent us on. We get to choose how we will respond to it; endure it, escape it, or enlist it. Famine hits. We all experience times of famine in different ways. Financial famine, food insecurity, relational famines, famines in our marriages, maybe even famines in our faith. But, what we perceive as not enough, our lack - He uses. That lack- it's enough for Him to use to protect us, to multiply and to use for our good.
Friend be still and know that the Lord He is good and He still prepares a table before your enemy. He still sees you. Worship Him in your famine. Worship Him with your famine. Remember the widow and her little bit. Remember the loaves and fish. Remember the widow and her son of whom Elijah required her last. Remember the Great I Am and His response in each of those. Don't run from it, run to Him with it. He has a plan. He is the plan! He is enough. Turn your ear to His voice and receive His instruction. There's no need to go foraging in a foreign land.
Isaiah 55:8-9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are my ways your ways.... As the Heavens are higher than the Earth, So are my ways higher than your ways. and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Proverbs 14:12
"There is a way that seems right to man. but its end is the way of death."
Matthew 6:33
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, then all these things will be added unto you.
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