What does Naomi's statement reveal about her understanding of God's sovereignty? Setting the Scene • Naomi has returned to Bethlehem after a decade in Moab, bereft of husband and sons. • Her words in Ruth 1:21 capture the first raw, unfiltered confession we hear from her lips on Judean soil. Naomi’s Words “I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?” (Ruth 1:21) What Naomi Believes about God’s Sovereignty • God is the decisive actor. – “The LORD has brought me back” – Naomi credits her return, not to chance or her own decision, but to God’s hand. • God governs both plenty and loss. – She left “full,” returns “empty,” and attributes both conditions to the LORD. • God is personal and covenantal. – She uses the divine name “LORD” (YHWH) and the title “Almighty” (Shaddai), showing she knows the One who rules her life is the covenant God of Israel. • God’s sovereignty includes hard providences. – “The LORD has testified against me” pictures God as a witness and judge; “the Almighty has afflicted me” acknowledges painful discipline under His authority. • God’s purposes may be hidden, yet still trusted. – Though she feels empty, her testimony assumes nothing slips outside His rule. Echoes Throughout Scripture • Job 1:21 – “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.” • 1 Samuel 2:6-7 – “The LORD brings death and gives life… He humbles and He exalts.” • Psalm 115:3 – “Our God is in heaven and does whatever pleases Him.” • Isaiah 45:7 – God “creates calamity” as well as prosperity. • Lamentations 3:37-38 – Both calamity and good proceed from the Most High. • Romans 8:28 – God works “all things” together for good, even the bitter parts Naomi feels. Lessons for Today • Acknowledging God’s sovereignty does not negate honest lament; Naomi models both. • Belief that God rules over loss grounds us in truth when feelings swirl. • The same Almighty who ordains hard providence is already weaving redemption—seen later through Ruth and Boaz, pointing ahead to Christ. • Trust grows when we, like Naomi, trace every chapter of our story back to the hand of a faithful, sovereign Lord. |
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