Lessons for life from the Bible – Day 5

Orpah lived in the time of Judges, when uneasy peace reigned between Israel and Moab. She was married to Kilion, the son of Naomi, during the ten years his family lived in Moab. Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, their son, Mahlon, who was married to Ruth and Kilion all died. Only Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, were left.

There was famine in Israel. Naomi heard that the Lord had come to the aid of his people in Israel by providing food for them. She decided to return to her hometown of Bethlehem.

Naomi told Orpah and Ruth that they should rather return to their own mothers’ home and prayed that the Lord would bless them. Both Orpah and Ruth refused to leave Naomi. “We will go back with you to your people.” (Ruth 1:10)

Naomi urged them again to return home. Ruth remained steadfast in her determination to stay with Naomi. “… Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God.” (Ruth 1:16)

Orpah, however, decides to return to her own people and their gods and bids them a tearful goodbye. Orpah had earlier vowed to go with Naomi and Ruth, but in the end her family and their gods proved the greater attraction.

The Bible says nothing more of Orpah, but it has much to say about Ruth. She married Boaz and became the great grandmother of King David and an ancestress of our Lord Jesus. (Matthew 1:5)

There are times when we behave like Orpah. We want to do the right thing and lead a godly life, but then we succumb to temptations that lead us astray.