Tag: Suffering and God - Ruth

Ruth 1:19-21
So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

Tag:  Suffering and God

Here is a picture of real suffering.  Naomi had left her land with her husband and her two sons.   However, she returned to Bethlehem, having all three died.   Ruth, her daughter-in-law returned with her.   But, she was a broken woman.   She wanted to be called "Mara," which means "bitter" in Hebrew.  The name "Naomi" in Hebrew means "pleasant."   There is the picture of suffering:  Pleasent turns into bitter.   How did this happen?  To whom does Naomi attribute this suffering?  She states clearly, "... for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I wen away full, and the Lord has brought be back empty."   She actually states, "... the Almighty has brought calamity upon me!"     We might, in haste, think, no, "God did not bring calamity on you, Naomi, life did."  We might let her know that Satan probably did this, like in the case of Job.   Or, we might counsel her that, no, Satan did this.   Yet, notes what the prophet Isaiah tells us about God and how He works in this world:

Isaiah 45:7
I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the Lord, who does all these things.

God brings "calamity" into our lives to bring glory to Him!!!   We might think that all "calamity" is a result of evil in this world ... and we would be right ... in regard to the source of calamity.  But, God uses calamity by removing His grace to accomplish His plans.    Instead of being bitter, Naomi needed to come in faith to recognize God created this calamity to accomplish something greater for Himself.  In the end of this book.  Notice the ending.  This is what God is doing with all the calamity He creates:

Ruth 4:14-17
Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.