"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. Wherefore 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 aught 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... and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest."
HERE ARE TWO entirely different people. In Orpah you have a picture of a person who prefers the world to Christ, and in Ruth you have the beautiful picture of a person who prefers Christ to everything. Which of these two people are you like?
Look at these two young people who say they will go with Naomi. Both girls had passed through the same sorrow, were in the same circumstances, under the same influences, and with the same example before them. Orpah had the same opportunities, the same privileges and the same advantages as Ruth, and at first they turn their backs on the world together.
They might have said: "We had everything—our cup was full. Now it is empty and we are desolate in the world. We want something living and abiding." They seem in earnest, too, and say, Surely we will return with thee. They seem so interested, like a heart almost decided for Christ.
Then, in effect, Naomi says this: "If you go with me, your prospects in this world will all be ruined; go back."
Worldly prospects all ruined! This brings Orpah to the point, and when this point is come to, there must be decision. These two had been going on side by side to the same place, but now a decision is called for. "I am not prepared for that," says Orpah. "I had not counted the cost; 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. Back to her own people and her gods goes Orpah. Hear what Isaiah says of those gods: gods that cannot save. What an awful picture of a person who turns his back deliberately on God and His Son.
You are like Orpah or like Ruth. Either, like Orpah, you refuse Christ and you choose the world, or, like Ruth, you say: "I cannot go back! You tell me the road is rough; I don't care. It is the end of the road my eyes are on. There will be stones in the way. I know it. There are problems in life. No matter—I will go!"
Where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God, said Ruth. The end before Ruth is God Himself.
They came back to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. What does that mean? It means that Ruth received rich blessing. Whenever your heart is decided for Christ, everything is yours. The Lord give 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.
But you must make the choice. You cannot lay aside this story undecided. If you have not decided for Christ, you are against Him. He that is not with Me is against Me. There is no middle ground. Decide for Christ now!