Let us learn a thing or two about faith from Orpah and Ruth from the book of Ruth. These two were the daughters in law of Naomi. Both of them loved Naomi very much as we can clearly see but why did Orpah leave and Ruth stay? This comes down to a matter of perspective and perspective is the foundation of faith. How we see things or interprete life is a reflection of our perspective. Perspective has to do with reference point or point of reference and in this life there are two such points of reference that shape our perspective: the senses and the word of God. We read in the bible of the natural man being described as a man of the senses, being led and dominated by the five senses and as a result,seeing life from this perspective. We also see the spirit ruled man as a man led by the word. Matthew 4:4, Jesus speaking, said "man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God". This in essence is showing the perspective of the spiritual man. He is a man of the word and not the senses. His life is not defined by the senses, his life is defined by the word and this is his reference point. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing the word of God. How is this possible? Whatever we incline our hearing to is what forms our perspective and is our reference point hence the saying " you are what you hear". Pay attention to what you hear for it banks in your heart and finally defines the kind of person you are.
Now let's get back to Ruth and Orpah with the foregoing in mind. Who was Orpah? I mean what was her reference point and thus her perspective. This will help you see why she left Naomi and could not make the kind of commitment Ruth made to Naomi and the God of Israel. Firstly, it was logical for Orpah to obey her mother in law. She was a logical person and logic is a child of the senses. By all indications this was the sensible thing to do. Naomi's persuasive response to Orpah made sense to her and she responded as such. Mark you, it did not make faith, it made sense. Also note that Naomi was not any different than Orpah (ruth 1:8-17). Bottom line, Orpah was a sense knowledge person. She loved her mother in law for a fact but she believed what her senses could perceive and this was why Naomi's reasons sufficed to convince her.
Sense knowledge is knowledge from the senses and being led by them is being sensual or carnal. Orpah was a sensual person so it was natural for her to go with the sensual flow. Ruth however was
different. There was obviously something about her. Religion will say she was of more moral standing and more devoted but I do not agree. The bible says that they both loved Naomi very much. So what was different about Ruth? Her reference point! She believed in the God of Israel and saw everything from the perspective of the character of God. Ruth was a Moabitess (her background was outside of the covenant) but that did not give her excuse to not have faith in the God of Israel and trust Him to order her affairs. Your back ground is no excuse for your back to be on the ground. It is not your reference point, God is your reference point and your faith is towards God and not towards your background. We naturally gravitate towards our reference point.
Naomi apparently had the impression that God was responsible for her misfortunes (many preach that too!). Let me ask you: if you step out of covenant covering, is God responsible for what happens to you? Think. She said in verse 13 "...for it grieveth me mucn for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me" Does this mean that God's hand went out against her? No! She wasn't in the land of covenant whan God visited His children with provisions, she was in a strange land. Your dry place now might be a training ground to set you up for God's provisions. Seeking greener pastures without the leading of the Spirit (responding to what you are seeing) will take you out of God's covenant covering. Naomi was like Orpah, moved by her senses. So were her husband and sons. They did what they thought was the right thing to do. Orpah was a "practictical" thinker and as a man thinks, so he is. Ruth was a faith thinker. More than her love for Noami she believed in Naomi' s God. If she didn't she would have left like Orpah. Also the things she said reveals her faith and impression of God, her perspective and reference point. Look at verse 16. "... Intreat me not to leave thee or return from following after thee...and thy God my God". She loved Naomi but she knew the God of Israel whom she has come to believe in was not in Moab so she didn't want to stay. This is what faith does. It takes you out of the zone of death and helplessness into the zone of life. This is what made Ruth great.
There are non Israelites like Rehab and Ruth in the linage of Jesus because these people had great faith. Their reference point was God and His will was their perspective - Matt 1:5.
Great faith positions you in God's great plan. Orpah's name dies in history after she left Naomi but Ruth's name is etched eternally in the linage of Jesus Christ who was God's great plan for all mankind. I believe this has blessed you. Have a great life
Now let's get back to Ruth and Orpah with the foregoing in mind. Who was Orpah? I mean what was her reference point and thus her perspective. This will help you see why she left Naomi and could not make the kind of commitment Ruth made to Naomi and the God of Israel. Firstly, it was logical for Orpah to obey her mother in law. She was a logical person and logic is a child of the senses. By all indications this was the sensible thing to do. Naomi's persuasive response to Orpah made sense to her and she responded as such. Mark you, it did not make faith, it made sense. Also note that Naomi was not any different than Orpah (ruth 1:8-17). Bottom line, Orpah was a sense knowledge person. She loved her mother in law for a fact but she believed what her senses could perceive and this was why Naomi's reasons sufficed to convince her.
Sense knowledge is knowledge from the senses and being led by them is being sensual or carnal. Orpah was a sensual person so it was natural for her to go with the sensual flow. Ruth however was
different. There was obviously something about her. Religion will say she was of more moral standing and more devoted but I do not agree. The bible says that they both loved Naomi very much. So what was different about Ruth? Her reference point! She believed in the God of Israel and saw everything from the perspective of the character of God. Ruth was a Moabitess (her background was outside of the covenant) but that did not give her excuse to not have faith in the God of Israel and trust Him to order her affairs. Your back ground is no excuse for your back to be on the ground. It is not your reference point, God is your reference point and your faith is towards God and not towards your background. We naturally gravitate towards our reference point.
Naomi apparently had the impression that God was responsible for her misfortunes (many preach that too!). Let me ask you: if you step out of covenant covering, is God responsible for what happens to you? Think. She said in verse 13 "...for it grieveth me mucn for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me" Does this mean that God's hand went out against her? No! She wasn't in the land of covenant whan God visited His children with provisions, she was in a strange land. Your dry place now might be a training ground to set you up for God's provisions. Seeking greener pastures without the leading of the Spirit (responding to what you are seeing) will take you out of God's covenant covering. Naomi was like Orpah, moved by her senses. So were her husband and sons. They did what they thought was the right thing to do. Orpah was a "practictical" thinker and as a man thinks, so he is. Ruth was a faith thinker. More than her love for Noami she believed in Naomi' s God. If she didn't she would have left like Orpah. Also the things she said reveals her faith and impression of God, her perspective and reference point. Look at verse 16. "... Intreat me not to leave thee or return from following after thee...and thy God my God". She loved Naomi but she knew the God of Israel whom she has come to believe in was not in Moab so she didn't want to stay. This is what faith does. It takes you out of the zone of death and helplessness into the zone of life. This is what made Ruth great.
There are non Israelites like Rehab and Ruth in the linage of Jesus because these people had great faith. Their reference point was God and His will was their perspective - Matt 1:5.
Great faith positions you in God's great plan. Orpah's name dies in history after she left Naomi but Ruth's name is etched eternally in the linage of Jesus Christ who was God's great plan for all mankind. I believe this has blessed you. Have a great life
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