‘And again they wept together, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye. But Ruth clung tightly to Naomi’ (Ru 1:14)
Naomi, her husband and two sons left Bethlehem because of famine in the land. They went to the enemy country of Moab and settled there. Naomi becomes a widow, having to bury her husband in a strange land of compromise. Her two sons get married with Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. The sons die too leaving behind three widows. Naomi decides to go back to her country, having heard that God has blessed the land once more with good harvests.
Her two daughters in law decide to follow her. It is clear that they saw her as a woman of God, a true mother and a mentor. She thought them all the good things they knew. She was wise, patient, strong and gentle in the same time. She spoke to them about Jehovah and His laws. They both got attracted by the promise of a life full of joy, purity and true worship. They wanted to serve the only Holy God.
That dream was the very opposite of the life style of their people. The god of Moab, Chemosh, was a wicked and erratic god that none could predict. They had to offer many sacrifices to please him. Children were thrown alive in the fire of the altar of Chemosh. But Naomi told them that Jehovah was different; the only Faithful, Wonderful, Loving and Mighty God of the universe. So the decision to leave Moab and to go to Bethlehem was no so difficult at the beginning.
But then, the long journey home started. The road was dusty and the sun too hot. None greeted them along the way. The reality of their decision came before their eyes. They will go to a country where they will be foreigners and refugees. They shall be discriminated by all, for the Jews hated the Moabites. They have to learn a new language, new table manners and new traditions. They have to completely forget about their own childhood country, the fashion of family and friends. They have to accept the situation that Naomi has no wealth, no status and no more sons. There is a great risk that they will become beggars or prostitutes, especially after the death of Naomi. They do not know any single soul in Bethlehem so loneliness shall be their portion for a long time. They shall die and be buried in a land where their families can never come to visit.
Was it worth it? Can a man lose everything for the sake of a dream and not become a loser? Does Jehovah accept them or they are forcing themselves upon His mercy? What if they become home-sick and there shall be no cure for the broken heart? What if they will die poor, unhappy, rejected widows? There is no going back once they cross over…What if they shall regret this radical decision?
In the midst of these painful questions, their true heart was revealed. Orpah wept and wailed but then she made her choice…she kissed her mother in law good-by and went back to her people and to her gods. Let’s see why…
The name Orpah means ‘the gazelle’.
A gazelle is a beautiful animal, a small antelope. In the East, they are seen as the symbols of feminine beauty. They live in family groups. They are hunted by all animals and even by men. They are very vulnerable creatures. Their horns just add to their beauty; these are not used for protection. Their only way to escape the predators is by running very fast. The gazelle is very alert to danger, having as impressive sense of smell, sight and hearing. When the predators chase them, they not only run very fast but they leap high in the air. These jumps decrease the speed but the gazelle uses them to intimidate the hunter. For example, cheetahs go back from pursing a gazelle once she leaps in the air above her.
Orpah, the Gazelle, went back to Moab possibly because she was afraid of the unknown dangers of the future. The threat of living in Israel seems to increase with each step along the way. She did not trust Jehovah enough to feel safe under His care. She already knew the dangers in her home country. She was used to that. But she has to learn new methods of defense. The gazelle cannot survive alone. The thought of loneliness in the new country was too much for Orpah to bear. Her imagination went wild…Any man can oppress, insult, rape or kill her…The fear rose in her heart and won the battle over her faith in Naomi’s God.
Like the rich young ruler, she loved Jesus but not enough to forsake all things for Him. So she wept bitterly for the dreams that died under a tree along the road…She wanted to be a woman of God, but the price Jehovah is asking of her is just too great…That is the end of the road for her…she made her choice…she embraced and kissed her mother in law for all the beautiful memories and gifts of the past…but there is no future for them together…she kissed Naomi once more, the kiss that says ‘I will never see you again’…and taking on her back the few things that belong to her, she went back to her family and to her gods… On my cheeks, tears flowing free…I taste the last kiss from your lips…What a kiss…
Yes, in moments like these, I look up to You, my Lord…may the tears of sadness be replaced with the joy of Your presence…with the power of a new beginning…with the encouragement coming from the faith of another daughter, who passing the same fire and the same pain, remained faithful unto the end…her name is Ruth. But her story is for another time…