“Then she [Naomi] arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited His people in giving them bread. Where-fore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.
"And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me...
"Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, surely we will return with thee unto thy people.
"And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?... And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.
"And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law.
"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.
"When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her... So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.”
There are two characters in this chapter which bring before us two entirely distinct states of soul. In Orpah you have the sinful condition of a soul that prefers the world to Christ, and in Ruth you have the beautiful picture of a soul that prefers Christ to everything. You can easily tell, my friend, which of these characters is yours. Don’t say you do not know, that is not true. You do know.
When I was in the world I knew quite well that I preferred the world, and that in my heart there was nothing but enmity to God’s beloved Son.
Now look at these two young people who say they will go up with Naomi. Both these two young people had passed through the same sorrow, were in the same circum-stances, under the same influences, and with the same testimony before them. Orpah had the same opportunities, the same privileges, the same advantages, as Ruth, and at first they turn their backs on the world together.
These two seriously mean to leave it.
What might they have said? “We had everything... our cup was full; but it has been dashed to the ground and we are empty and desolate in the world; we want something living and abiding.” And they seem in earnest, too, and say, “Surely we will return with thee.” They appear so interested, so engaged about it, like a heart almost decided for Christ.
Then Naomi brings out this: If you go with me, your worldly prospects will all be blighted; go back.
Worldly prospects all ruined! I think I see Orpah’s face. I cannot stand that, she says; I never thought of that. This brings Orpah to the point: when this point is come to, there is decision; and then comes the line of demarcation. Hitherto these two had been going on side by side to the same spot; and there may be two souls in one family, perhaps two sisters, whose hearts are moved—both think they would like to be Christians; but now decision is called for. Ah, I am not prepared for that, says one. I had not counted the cost, says Orpah; good-by, Naomi, good-by.
From that moment Orpah goes one Way and Ruth another, the one is decided for God, and the other for the world; and they separate forever, each step now taken more widely sundering them from each other.
Oh, I warn anyone who is this moment just balancing the matter. Do you turn back?
“I do.” “You choose the world?” “Yes.” “Against Christ?” “Yes.” Back to her people and her gods goes Orpah, and you follow in her steps. Hear what Isaiah says of these gods: “Gods that cannot save.” What an awful picture of a soul that turns its back, deliberately, in cold blood, on God and His Son.
One of these two characters is yours. Either, like Orpah, you refuse Christ and you choose the world, or, like Ruth, you say now, I cannot go back: you tell me the road is rough: I care not, it is the end of the road my eye is on. There will be stones in the way. I know it. There are lions in the path.
No matter, “I will go!” “Where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God,” that is, the end before Ruth is God Himself.
To the heart that wants salvation, that wants eternal life, I say: It is God you want, God Himself. We hear of gods that cannot save, and then God unfolds what He is, “a just God and a Savior.” How is He just?
Because He will not pass over sin. How is He a Savior? He gave His own beloved Son to die on Calvary’s cross to bring us to Himself.
And now He is willing to save to the uttermost all that come unto Him through Jesus.
“Look unto Me and be ye saved” is His word.
If I tell you of my God, what is He? A loving, gracious God, a saving God, a God who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up to die in order that He might spare you. A God who loves you, and who wants to save you.
Well, do you say, “Thy God shall be my God”? It is a blessed thing when the heart says, Christ is mine, I respond to His grace—to His call; I am His. I am decided for Christ.
“When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking,” and so can I! If decision for Christ is the word you can say just this moment, my work is done.
They came back to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. What does that mean? Ruth came in for everything. Whenever the heart is decided for Christ, everything is yours. The Lord grant you to have your heart so fixed on Christ, so pledged to Christ from this hour, that you may know you are Christ’s, and Christ is yours, and all that He has is yours too. Oh! who would not have such a God?
And you must make your choice. Either you must drop this paper godless, or for God. There is not a single person who can lay aside this paper undecided. If it is not for Christ, it is against Him. “He that is not with Me is against Me.” There is no middle ground. Is it among the foes, the adversaries of the Lord, that your lot is henceforth to be cast, or numbered with His own,—able, henceforth, to sing this hymn:
“My heart is fixed, eternal God,
Fixed on Thee
And my immortal choice is made:
Christ for me.”