Faith and Hope in the Darkness: Ruth Chapter 1

God is always present and working, even when we cannot see or feel it. In the midst of our ordinary lives, and especially in our darkest moments, God’s faithfulness remains steadfast. The story of Ruth and Naomi begins in a time of great darkness—during the days of the judges, when everyone did what was right in their own eyes, and a famine forced a family to leave their home in Bethlehem for the foreign land of Moab. Tragedy strikes as Naomi loses her husband and both sons, leaving her and her daughters-in-law vulnerable and without support. Yet, even in this place of loss and bitterness, God is quietly at work.

Naomi’s decision to return to Bethlehem is an act of faith, even as she feels empty and bitter. She acknowledges God’s sovereignty, recognizing that the end of the famine is God’s provision. In her pain, she prays a blessing over her daughters-in-law, invoking the deep, loyal love of God—his hessed. Ruth’s response is a remarkable act of loyalty and faith. She chooses to leave behind her homeland and gods, clinging to Naomi and embracing the God of Israel as her own. Ruth’s commitment is not just to Naomi, but to a God she barely knows, demonstrating faith in the darkness.

As Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem, the community is stirred by their arrival. Naomi is honest about her pain, asking to be called Mara, meaning “bitter,” because of her losses. Yet, she has turned toward God in her grief, not away from him. The story reminds us that lament and honest expression of pain are part of the journey of faith. God meets us in our sorrow, and it is often in returning to him, even when we feel empty, that healing can begin.

God’s faithfulness is seen in the provision of Ruth’s companionship and in the timing of their return—just as the barley harvest begins, a sign of hope and new beginnings. Even when we cannot see or feel it, God is working behind the scenes, redeeming our pain and weaving our stories into his greater plan. The story of Ruth and Naomi points us to Jesus, the true bread of life, who meets us in our darkness and brings us into his light through his sacrifice.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Faithfulness in the Darkness Even when life feels overwhelming and circumstances seem hopeless, God is still present and working. Naomi’s story shows that God’s faithfulness does not depend on our ability to see or feel it; he is at work behind the scenes, redeeming our pain and providing hope, even when we are in the depths of grief or bitterness. [71:15]
• 2. The Power of Loyal Love (Hessed) The Hebrew concept of hessed—steadfast, loyal love—runs through the story of Ruth. Ruth’s commitment to Naomi is not just emotional but active, sacrificial, and enduring. This kind of love reflects God’s own covenant faithfulness to us, calling us to embody loyal love in our relationships, especially when it is costly or inconvenient. [61:47]
• 3. Faith in the Unseen and Unknown Ruth’s decision to follow Naomi and embrace the God of Israel is a profound act of faith. She steps into an uncertain future, leaving behind everything familiar, trusting in a God she barely knows. True faith often means moving forward without all the answers, trusting that God’s character is enough to sustain us. [64:53]
• 4. The Sacredness of Lament Naomi’s honesty about her pain—her willingness to be called “bitter”—reminds us that lament is a sacred part of the spiritual journey. The Bible gives us language for our grief and confusion, inviting us to bring our raw emotions to God. In lament, we find dignity for our pain and space for God to begin his healing work. [68:42]
• 5. Returning to God in Our Emptiness Naomi returns to Bethlehem not when her life is restored, but when she is still empty and wounded. Sometimes the first step toward healing is simply turning back to God, even if we feel we have nothing left to offer. God meets us in our emptiness, and it is often in that place that he begins to restore hope and purpose. [69:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [38:19] - Worship: Way Maker
• [41:43] - Worship: Worthy of It All
• [44:50] - Worship: I Exalt Thee
• [46:10] - Prayer for Youth and Speaker
• [47:30] - Introduction to Ruth Series
• [48:23] - Ruth: Ordinary People, Extraordinary God
• [49:43] - Imaginative Contemplation and Ruth 1 Reading
• [53:25] - Setting: Days of the Judges
• [54:46] - Darkness in the World and Our Calling
• [55:58] - Famine and Family’s Journey to Moab
• [57:53] - The Meaning of Names and Tragedy
• [59:16] - Naomi’s Vulnerability and Loss
• [61:47] - Hessed: God’s Loyal Love
• [64:20] - Ruth’s Declaration of Loyalty
• [66:46] - Naomi’s Honest Lament
• [69:20] - The Sacredness of Lament
• [71:15] - God’s Faithfulness and the Barley Harvest
• [73:11] - Communion: Jesus, the Bread of Life
• [74:29] - Closing and Worship

Bible Reading

Ruth 1:1–22 (ESV) — In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Then she arose with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the fields of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she was with her two daughters-in-law, and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.
And they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.”
Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
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?”
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

Observation Questions

1. What circumstances led Naomi and her family to leave Bethlehem and go to Moab? ([50:17])
2. How does Naomi describe her situation when she returns to Bethlehem? What does she ask the people to call her, and why? ([52:45])
3. What is Ruth’s response when Naomi urges her to return to her own people and gods? What does Ruth say about Naomi’s God? ([52:10])
4. What significant event is happening in Bethlehem when Naomi and Ruth return? Why might this detail be important? ([01:11:15])

Interpretation Questions

1. Naomi is honest about her pain and even asks to be called “Mara,” meaning “bitter.” What does this reveal about how God’s people can approach him in times of suffering? ([01:07:59])
2. Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi and embrace the God of Israel is described as an act of faith in the darkness. What might this teach us about faith when the future is uncertain? ([01:04:53])
3. The Hebrew word “hessed” is used to describe the kind of love Naomi prays over her daughters-in-law and that Ruth shows to Naomi. How is this kind of love different from ordinary kindness or affection? ([01:01:47])
4. The timing of Naomi and Ruth’s return—just as the barley harvest begins—is highlighted in the story. What might this suggest about God’s involvement in their lives, even when things seem hopeless? ([01:11:15])

Application Questions

1. Naomi returns to God and her people even while feeling empty and bitter. Have you ever felt like you had nothing left to offer God? What helped you take a step back toward him, or what might help you now? ([01:09:59])
2. Ruth’s loyal love for Naomi was costly and inconvenient. Is there someone in your life who needs you to show this kind of steadfast, sacrificial love? What would it look like to do that this week? ([01:04:53])
3. Naomi is honest about her pain and doesn’t hide her bitterness from her community. How comfortable are you with expressing lament or grief to God or others? What might help you be more open about your struggles? ([01:07:59])
4. The story shows God working behind the scenes, even when his presence isn’t obvious. Can you think of a time when you only recognized God’s faithfulness after the fact? How did that experience shape your trust in him? ([01:11:52])
5. Ruth leaves behind her old life and steps into the unknown, trusting a God she barely knows. Is there an area in your life where you sense God calling you to trust him without all the answers? What is holding you back? ([01:04:53])
6. Naomi prays a blessing of “hessed”—God’s loyal love—over her daughters-in-law. How can you pray this kind of blessing over someone in your life who is facing a hard season? ([01:01:47])
7. The barley harvest signals hope and new beginnings. What is one small sign of hope you can look for or celebrate this week, even if your circumstances haven’t changed? ([01:11:15])