“Change and Decay All Around Me I See”

So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. Naomi...: that is, Pleasant Mara...: that is, Bitter I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest. - Ruth 1:19-22

    "So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest."

    “Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day, Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;

    Change and decay in all around (me) I see - Thou who changest not, abide with me!”

    I once heard Bro. Scott Richardson say, “Life in this world ain’t much. It begins with a slap on the bottom and ends with a shovel full of dirt in your face, and there ain’t much in between except bumps and bruises.” Certainly, Naomi would agree with Bro. Scott. (Read Ruth 1:19-22).

    Naomi was a true believer, once highly esteemed in Bethlehem, a woman of wealth and influence. But during a time of famine, she left her country with her husband and her two sons. When Elimilech and Naomi might have used their riches to relieve great need, they chose to hang on to their money and leave their people. But things changed in a hurry. After ten years’ absence, Naomi returned from Moab bereaved and destitute. She had lost her husband and her two sons, her money and her property. She came back to Bethlehem with nothing but the ragged clothes on her back and a daughter-in-law who was as poor and destitute as she was. How quickly things change! When Naomi arrived in Bethlehem, as she walked down the streets, broken, weary, ragged, and worn with age and trouble, the whole town was astonished by what they saw. They said to one another, “Is this Naomi?” The withered rose is so much unlike the blooming flower that the one bears only a faint resemblance to the other; and Naomi was so unlike the woman who left Bethlehem ten years earlier that her friends could hardly believe it was her - “Is this Naomi?”

    The afflictive hand of divine providence makes great changes, sometimes shocking changes, in a short time. When God chastens, he means to correct; and his chastening rod always has its intended effect (Heb. 12:5-12). Naomi correctly attributed all her troubles to the hand of her God. She learned that everything she had experienced was brought to pass by the hand of her heavenly Father and that it had all been for her soul’s good.

    A PICTURE OF THE FALL

    Certainly, Naomi stands before us in this text as a picture of the fall of the human race in our father Adam (vv. 20-21). If we could get some idea of Adam’s condition and circumstances in the garden of Eden, as God made him, we would look in the mirror every morning and say, “Is this Adam? God made us full, but now we are empty!” (Eccles. 7:29).

    God made man in his own image and after his own likeness (Gen. 1:27). In the beginning, Adam was full. He was perfectly righteous. He was incredibly brilliant. He was spiritual, strong, and in complete peace and harmony with both God and his creation. Then, Adam sinned, and we sinned in him. Oh, how great was the fall of man! (Rom. 5:12).

    Because of that terrible fall, we all bear greater resemblance, by nature, to the devil than to God (Matt. 15:19). We are spiritually empty, void of righteousness and full of sin. Man is no longer spiritual but carnal, no longer wise but foolish, no longer strong but weak. Fallen man is without peace, without God, and without hope in his natural condition.

    The only remedy for this lost, ruined condition is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:14-16). When Naomi had lost everything, she returned to Bethlehem, she returned to her God and his people. Even so, sinners who have lost everything in Adam must return to the Lord God by faith in Christ Jesus. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, she came home to God.

    Bethlehem means “House of Bread.” In the house of God there is always “bread enough and to spare.” And there is always a warm welcome in the Father’s heart for returning prodigals. The word Judah means praise - Bethlehem-Judah was the Place of Praise. Naomi and Ruth came out of the place of sorrow and suffering, out of the place of death and despair into the place of praise. The mercy-seat is the place of praise. There God meets with sinners and declares that they are forgiven. That Mercy-Seat is Christ (Heb. 9; 1 John 2:2). Bethlehem-Judah was the place of God, the place of his presence, his power, his protection, his promise, his provision. That is what Christ is to all who trust him. He is our divine refuge (Prov. 18:10).

    GREAT CHANGES

    In this text, Naomi also represents the changing circumstances of life in this world. What changes occur in this world! Every day something new happens that either elevates or depresses our spirits.

    We rejoice in favorable changes. Naomi had been through some hard times. But things were about to get much better. Even in this vale of tears there are some joys that must not be overlooked or taken for granted. What great joy we have when our children become mature, responsible adults, when God is pleased to save them, when they bring grandchildren into the family. When friends prosper, our hearts rejoice with them. When someone we love recovers from sickness or their family’s troubles seem to be over, we find joy in change. But our text is not talking about favorable changes.

    The changes Naomi had experienced were afflictive, trying changes, changes which are hard to endure. Though her friends appear to have been terribly disturbed by Naomi’s great losses, she was composed. She resigned herself to the will of God. She spoke honestly, but not scornfully of the Lord’s dealings with her (vv. 20-21).

    Naomi had endured a very sorrowful trial. She went out full. At least, she thought she was full. After all, she had everything the world could offer. Her husband was wealthy and highly respected. Her sons were in good health. Her family enjoyed social rank and prestige. But, when she came home, things were different. She came home empty.

    Let us learn and ever remember that the fulness of this world is soon gone (Eccles. 1:2-3; 1 Sam. 2:3-5). There is a fulness that can never be taken away in Christ (Lk. 10:42). To be in Christ, to have Christ is to be rich in our souls, rich toward God, rich forever.

    Painful as her troubles were, and though they must be blamed upon disobedience and unbelief as their cause, Naomi properly acknowledged the hand of God in them all. She said, “The Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me.” “The Lord hath brought me home again empty!” (See 1 Sam. 2:6-8).

    The fact is, nothing will give our souls peace and satisfaction in the times of trouble and great sorrow like the acknowledgment of God’s hand in our troubles. This is were Job found solace for his soul (Job 1:21). When God took Eli’s sons and told him it was because of his sin, Eli comforted his heart in the acknowledgement of God’s providence (1 Sam. 3:18). When David’s son was killed because of David’s sin, he took comfort in the fact that God loved him, in the fact that he is always wise, gracious and just, and he always does what is right and good (2 Sam. 12:20-24). When Shimei publicly cussed David out before his servants, the man after God’s own heart took refuge in the purpose, providence, and promise of God (2 Sam. 16:9-12). The One by whose hand Naomi had been afflicted and by whose hand she had been brought home was, “The Lord, the Almighty!” El-Shaddai! God all-sufficient, God almighty, the God of covenant faithfulness is the God she had learned to trust and worship (Gen. 17:1)

    Naomi acknowledged the pain she had felt and still felt by reason of her long trial. She said, “The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.” The cup of affliction is a bitter cup. Though it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness in the end, it is not joyous, but grievous in the experience (Heb. 12:11; Job 13:24-26; Lam. 3:15-17). Naomi also acknowledged that the Lord God had dealt with her sharply, because she had given him reason to do so. She said, “The Lord hath testified against me.” “He doth not afflict willingly” (Lam. 3:33). God had a controversy with her, so he laid the rod to her back that he might retrieve her heart (Job 5:17-18). This afflicted believer, this corrected child, humbly submitted to and acquiesced in the will of God. She said to her friends, “Call me not Naomi (Sweetness), call me Mara (Bitter): for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me!”

    God will do what ever must be done to correct his erring children and turn their hearts to him again. How many illustrations we have in the Scriptures. Naomi is but one. Naomi lived in Moab for ten years. Lot lived in Sodom a long, long time. Samson did not lose his hair the first time he laid his head in Delilah’s lap. David spent a full year without communion with his God. All of them suffered much because of their sinful behavior. But the Lord God will never lose one of his own. He says, “Give me thine heart;” and if we are his, he will see to it that we give him our hearts.

    THE BELIEVER’S ATTITUDE

    What should our attitude be when we see great changes like this in the lives of our friends or experience them ourselves in God’s good providence? May God the Holy Spirit seal to our hearts this portion of his Word by making it beneficial to our souls and by making us useful to one another.

    When we see one of God’s people suffering great adversity, let us be kind, gracious, and sympathetic, even when we know they have brought the trouble upon themselves (Eph. 4:32; Gal. 6:2). Let us relieve them if we are able, and love them if we cannot relieve them. When they return, when the Lord has recovered them, we should always receive them into our hearts with open arms. How often? Our Lord says, until seventy times seven. In other words, let there be no limit to our forgiveness of one another, just as there is no limit to our heavenly Father’s forgiveness of us.

    When the Lord God fills our cup with bitterness, let us seek by his grace to be content, even when we are made to suffer adversity (Phil. 4:12). As Naomi was bettered by her bitterness in life and Job was advanced by his adversity (Job 42:10-16), so shall we be at God’s appointed time (Rom. 8:28-30). Let us, therefore, set our hearts upon the world to come (2 Cor. 4:17-5:1). Though we are unworthy of the least of God’s mercies, the Lord God has done great things for us. All things are ours now. Eternal glory and eternal happiness await us. The Lord knows exactly what he is doing.

    “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;

    He plants His footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.

    Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill

    He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will.

    Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread

    Are big with mercy, and shall break With blessings on your head.

    Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace;

    Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

    His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour;

    The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower.

    Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain;

    God is His own Interpreter And He will make it plain.”