Three Funerals and a Wedding, Part 1 of 2

Chris: Hi, this is Chris. Welcome to Adventures in Odyssey.
Connie Kendall: Hi, this is Connie. Connie Kendall, I mean. And I'd like you to join us for a time of wonder and excitement and all kinds of other fun stuff. Are you ready? Well, let's go for another Adventure in Odyssey. How's that? Did I say it right?
Guest (Male): We have no crop. We'll starve.
Guest (Male): Whining about it won't do any good.
Guest (Female): Handsome prince.
Elimelech: The decision is made.
Naomi: Moab?
Elimelech: You must be strong, Naomi.
Nadal: Elimelech, welcome!
Connie Kendall: Hi Courtney, hi Jenny.
Courtney: Hi Connie.
Jenny: Hi Connie. The stool’s right in front of you, Jenny. Thanks.
Connie Kendall: What can I get for you two?
Courtney: A couple of lemonades, please.
Connie Kendall: Coming right up. Okay, here you go. Two lemonades.
Courtney: Thanks.
Jenny: Thank you.
Connie Kendall: So, how have you both been?
Courtney: Fine. Why?
Connie Kendall: Oh, no reason. I just didn't see you in our Bible study last Tuesday and...
Jenny: Time! 28.59 seconds. You win, Jenny. Told you. Pay up.
Courtney: All right, all right.
Connie Kendall: Hey, what's with the stopwatch?
Jenny: Oh, Courtney and I just had a little contest going on, that's all.
Courtney: Jenny said that you'd mention the Bible study within 30 seconds of our sitting down. I said it would at least be a minute. She won, so she gets to buy the lemonade.
Jenny: Here's the money. Come on, Jenny. See you around, Connie.
Connie Kendall: Wait a minute, hold it right there.
Courtney: What's the matter? Didn't I give you enough?
Connie Kendall: It's not the money. It's the attitude. You guys can't just walk in here and say something like that and then walk out again without us at least talking about it.
Jenny: See, Jenny? You pegged it.
Courtney: Told you. Now you pay up.
Jenny: All right, all right.
Connie Kendall: Will you two cut that out?
Courtney: Connie, we know what you're going to say.
Connie Kendall: Oh, do you? Well, that should be a time saver.
Jenny: We like your Bible study, we really do.
Connie Kendall: So you decided to show your appreciation by not coming? Is that it?
Courtney: Not exactly.
Connie Kendall: Well then, what gives? We've been doing all the great stories lately: Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Elijah. You've got excitement, action, adventure.
Jenny: That's just it, Connie.
Connie Kendall: What's just it?
Jenny: There aren't any stories about us.
Connie Kendall: You and Jenny?
Jenny: No, us. Women.
Connie Kendall: What do you mean? There are plenty of stories about women. There's Esther and Rahab...
Courtney: Yeah, more action stories. Esther saves the day, Rahab rescues the spies. Aren't there any stories about love?
Connie Kendall: Well, they're all about love. The whole Bible is about it. God's love for us.
Jenny: Not love, Connie. Love.
Connie Kendall: Oh, love. You mean romance.
Courtney: Yeah. Handsome princes, fair maidens, solemn vows, devoted passion.
Jenny: The Bible just doesn't have anything like that, Connie.
Connie Kendall: The Bible has one of the most romantic stories ever written.
Courtney: It does? Where? What story?
Connie Kendall: Do you have your Bibles with you?
Jenny: Well, there are some in the library.
Connie Kendall: Well, come on then. Let's go look it up.
Courtney: Look what up? What story?
Connie Kendall: The story of Ruth.
Jenny: Ruth? That’s one of the most romantic stories ever written?
Connie Kendall: Absolutely. Here's a Braille Bible for you, Jenny.
Jenny: Thanks.
Connie Kendall: It's got everything you asked for and more. A handsome prince, a beautiful maiden, loyalty in the face of the unknown, a rescue from a life of drudgery, a midnight rendezvous, longing, desire, all played out against the backdrop of the passionate desert sands of the Holy Land.
Courtney: You sure we're talking about Ruth?
Connie Kendall: Yes. Sometimes you have to use a little imagination. Like the first sentence, for instance. You read it, Jenny.
Jenny: Okay. Long ago, when judges ruled, there was a famine in Israel.
Courtney: Yeah, that sounds real romantic already.
Connie Kendall: I told you, you have to use some imagination. Look, think of it like this. Famine stalked the land. The judges who ruled in Israel were powerless to stop it because the people had turned away from God.
Courtney: Wait a minute, where do you get that?
Connie Kendall: Well, turn back a page to the book of Judges and read the last sentence.
Jenny: Okay. In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what they thought was right.
Connie Kendall: Everyone did what they thought was right. They were all doing what they wanted to do. No one was following God's law, and so famine had taken its toll.
Courtney: Okay, I'm with you so far. What happens next?
Connie Kendall: The famine struck even the prominent families, like that of Elimelech, whose name means God is king. He was from the tribe of Benjamin, and his proud heritage stretched back to the time of the patriarchs.
Jenny: Proud heritage is good.
Courtney: Yeah, keep going, Connie.
Connie Kendall: Elimelech stood on the edge of the once-fertile fields he owned just outside of the village of Bethlehem, his back bent with years, his ancient eyes staring into a bleak old age. His sickly sons, Mahlon and Chilion, stood by his side, along with his gentle wife, Naomi, whose name means the joy of Jehovah.
Elimelech: Nothing. Nothing at least.
Naomi: Are you certain, my husband? It is still early in the season.
Elimelech: Early if the rains had come. But they haven't come, and the seed is dying. No, we will not see a crop this year.
Mahlon: But this is the third year in a row, father.
Chilion: We've almost eaten up our stores. If we have no crop, we'll starve.
Elimelech: Whining about it won't do any good.
Chilion: That's easy for you to say, Chilion. You're smaller than the rest of us. You don't need as much food.
Mahlon: Well, I may be small, but at least I can walk across the room without having to sit and rest.
Chilion: Is it my fault I inherited my father's weak lungs?
Elimelech: Do not quarrel, my sons.
Naomi: Elimelech, I know how you feel about your cousin, Oran, but perhaps it's time to consider his offer.
Elimelech: No.
Mahlon: But father, mother's right. Cousin Oran has the manpower to dig irrigation ditches from the river to our fields. Our crops will grow again.
Chilion: Yes, maybe not as rich as they were before, but at least we'll have food.
Elimelech: That's right. Those ditches come at too high a price. Once we accept Oran's help, we will be under his charity.
Mahlon: Better under his charity than to starve to death.
Elimelech: You do not know him like I do. He will press his advantage to take the land.
Chilion: But father, what good is land if we're dead? Father, we have no choice.
Elimelech: No!
Naomi: Father! No, I can't. All right, all right. Stop it, all of you. You're going to kill yourselves before we starve. We should all go back in the house. Mahlon, you know the sun isn't good for you.
Chilion: Yeah, it'll damage your delicate complexion.
Naomi: Oh, quiet, puny! That's enough. Now, go on, both of you.
Mahlon: Yes, mother.
Chilion: Yes, mother.
Naomi: Come, my husband.
Elimelech: Wait, wait, Chilion. I have something I want you to do.
Chilion: What is it, father?
Elimelech: Go to Bethlehem. Tell Oran and the rest of the family to meet me at the city gate.
Chilion: Yes, sir.
Elimelech: And make sure Boaz is there as well.
Chilion: I will.
Naomi: I know how difficult this is for you, my husband. But Chilion is right. We have no choice.
Elimelech: Yes, no choice.
Connie Kendall: The gate to Bethlehem was not just a convenient meeting place. It was the place where business transactions were conducted as well. Elimelech trod there with a troubled spirit, the burden of his responsibilities weighing heavily on his heart.
Oran: Ah, hello, cousin.
Elimelech: Greetings, Oran.
Boaz: God be with you, cousin Elimelech.
Elimelech: Boaz, and with you, my boy. And God be with all of you as well.
Oran: Yes, yes, enough of that. You can socialize later. I'm a busy man. My many servants require constant supervision. I have no time for chitchat. Now, on to business. Here's a stool for you, Elimelech.
Elimelech: Thank you, Boaz. You're very kind.
Oran: Have you no stool for me, Boaz?
Boaz: Oh, I'm sorry, Oran. I assumed one of your many constantly supervised servants had brought one for you.
Oran: Never mind. I prefer to stand anyway. Well, Chilion has told us that you've finally come to your senses, Elimelech. When can I bring my men over?
Elimelech: You can't.
Oran: What? What are you talking about?
Elimelech: Chilion spoke out of turn. I don't want your men on my property.
Oran: Don't be stubborn, Elimelech. Accept my offer of help.
Elimelech: Your offer comes at too high a price.
Oran: Then why have you gathered us together?
Elimelech: To tell you we're leaving.
Guest (Male): Leaving? Where are you going, cousin?
Elimelech: East. To Moab.
Boaz: Moab? They are our enemies.
Elimelech: They also have food. I have received word that there is no famine in Moab and that trade is still good.
Mahlon: Father...
Elimelech: I have made arrangements for us to live there.
Oran: And what of your lands?
Elimelech: I knew that would be your concern. And I knew that you would view this as an opportunity to take them.
Oran: My offer of help is in accordance with our laws. I have acted within my rights.
Elimelech: And it is within my rights to refuse your offer.
Oran: But how will you protect them if you're away?
Elimelech: That is not your concern. It will be taken care of.
Oran: This maneuvering will not help you, Elimelech. Mark my words. Nothing good will come of it. You'll see. You'll see. Out of my way! Move!
Elimelech: I cannot expect you to understand my decision. So I will instead simply ask for your blessings and your prayers.
Guest (Male): Go with God, my brothers.
Boaz: May the Lord God bless and keep you, Elimelech.
Elimelech: Boaz, stay a moment, please.
Chilion: Father, I don't know what you're making... Chilion, would you excuse us? I need to talk to Boaz alone.
Chilion: Yes, father.
Boaz: Elimelech, are you certain you want to do this? The Moabites are an evil people.
Elimelech: I cannot believe that all of them are evil.
Boaz: Even so, they worship Chemosh, a false god. How can good come from mixing with evil?
Elimelech: Boaz...
Boaz: Elimelech, please reconsider.
Elimelech: For three years I've waited and prayed, and nothing...
Boaz: I know, but...
Elimelech: The decision is made. We are going.
Boaz: All right, cousin, all right. And who will look after your lands?
Elimelech: You.
Boaz: Me?
Elimelech: Listen to me, Boaz. You are an honorable man, an honest man. I can think of no one I trust more to protect and preserve my property for my descendants. Will you keep this faith for me?
Boaz: I will, my friend. I will.
Elimelech: Thank you. Thank you. Here, here, let me give you my sandal to seal the agreement.
Courtney: Wait a minute. His sandal?
Jenny: Yeah, what's up with that?
Connie Kendall: Well, in those days, it was the custom in Israel that when a deal was made, the person making the deal would pull off his sandal and hand it to the other party.
Jenny: That's kind of gross.
Courtney: Yeah, but everything else has been pretty good. I like Boaz.
Jenny: Oh, me too. What happened next, Connie?
Connie Kendall: Elimelech went home and told Naomi of his decision.
Elimelech: Moab! You must be strong, Naomi.
Naomi: My husband, you're asking me to leave everything I've ever known and move to a foreign land filled with foreign gods?
Elimelech: I've been through that already with Boaz. It has all been arranged.
Naomi: But our sons are ready for marriage. How will they find wives?
Elimelech: That too has been arranged.
Naomi: Oh, you have found them Moabite women?
Elimelech: It is not forbidden. If we cannot have God's best, we will have God's second best.
Naomi: We will be outcasts in Israel.
Elimelech: We are already outcasts in Israel, Naomi.
Naomi: But these Moabite women know nothing of the Lord God. They will lead our sons astray.
Elimelech: We will teach them what they need to know. Our ways, our laws.
Naomi: How? When we are disobeying our laws?
Elimelech: That is enough, Naomi. You're only making this more difficult than it already is. Now, I need your help. Please, please.
Naomi: Yes, my husband.
Connie Kendall: Elimelech and Naomi packed up their belongings and, with their two sons, moved to the land of Moab, east of the Dead Sea. The trip was long and difficult across burning desert sands. But at last, they arrived at their new home and met the newest members of their family.
Nadal: Elimelech! You made it. Welcome. Are you settled in yet?
Elimelech: Oh, yes, yes, our tent is up and we are prospering.
Nadal: Oh, you look more like you're perspiring. Are you well, my friend?
Elimelech: Oh, just tired from the long journey. This is my wife, Naomi. Naomi, this is Nadal, the father and uncle of our sons' betrothed.
Nadal: Oh, you're welcome in my house, Naomi.
Naomi: Thank you.
Nadal: And are these your sons?
Elimelech: Yes, yes. Chilion and Mahlon.
Nadal: Yes, of course. Well, you both must be anxious to meet your intendeds. I won't keep you waiting. Come out, my dears, and gaze upon your new husbands. Chilion, this is Orpah.
Chilion: Hello.
Nadal: Well, daughter, have you nothing to say?
Orpah: He's kind of small, isn't he?
Nadal: Orpah!
Chilion: No, no, it's all right. I am small in stature, it's true, but big in heart.
Nadal: Excellent, excellent. Go on, go on now and get to know each other. And now for you, Mahlon. This is my niece. Her name is Ruth.
Mahlon: My Lord.
Nadal: Exquisite, is she not?
Mahlon: You are very beautiful.
Ruth: It pleases me to hear you say so. May I always find such favor in your eyes, my Lord.
Mahlon: Thank you. Excuse me.
Ruth: Will he be all right?
Nadal: Oh, yes, yes, it is just a coughing spell, my dear. Perfectly understandable. I've had the same reaction myself when meeting a beautiful woman for the first time. Ruth, this is my wife, Naomi.
Ruth: May I bring joy to your house, mistress?
Naomi: Welcome to my family, daughter. Why do you smile?
Ruth: You are the first person to call me daughter since my mother died. I was very young, but I remember how tenderly she would say the word, the way you did just now.
Naomi: You do me honor, Ruth. I pray I shall be as good a mother to you as she was.
Nadal: Wine! Bring us wine. Everyone gather around, please. Gather around. A toast. To seal the joining together of our families. To the young couples. May they prosper and thrive. May Chemosh bless them and give them many children.
Naomi: Elimelech! Elimelech!
Mahlon: Quickly!
Naomi: Elimelech! You need rest, my love. The famine and the journey to Moab have tired you.
Elimelech: God is dealing with me. You were right, Naomi. They were all right. We should not have come. And now, now I must leave you here.
Naomi: Oh no, no, please!
Elimelech: Mahlon, Chilion.
Mahlon: Yes, father.
Chilion: We're here.
Elimelech: You must take care of your mother and your wives.
Mahlon: Yes, father.
Chilion: We will, sir.
Elimelech: Elimelech! Do not weep for me, my wife. You must be strong. You must teach Orpah and Ruth of our ways, our laws. Promise me.
Naomi: I will. I promise you, my love, my life.
Elimelech: Oh, Lord, Lord God of Israel, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, forgive me. Forgive me. Oh, forgive...
Courtney: So Elimelech died almost as soon as they arrived in Moab?
Jenny: That's sad.
Connie Kendall: Yeah, it is. But it was only the beginning of Naomi's sorrow, and Ruth's. See, a few years later, Mahlon also fell ill and followed his father in death.
Courtney: Wow. Poor Ruth.
Jenny: It's all right, she didn't love him.
Courtney: How do you know that?
Jenny: It was an arranged marriage. Would you have loved him?
Courtney: I might have grown to love him.
Jenny: Wheezy Mahlon? Get real.
Courtney: Well, I'm not Ruth. Anyway, she and Naomi really got along.
Connie Kendall: Yes, they did. And Naomi kept her word and taught her daughters about their laws and their ways.
Naomi: And so that is how we came to Moab.
Orpah: How could you just pack up and leave everything you'd ever known?
Naomi: Because her husband asked her to, Orpah.
Orpah: I don't know if I could do that.
Naomi: It's our way, Orpah.
Ruth: Tell me more of your God, Naomi.
Naomi: He is mighty in word and deed, Ruth. He delivered our people out of bondage in Egypt and brought them...
Connie Kendall: Their lives went on this way for 10 years. Chilion kept his promise to care for his mother and for his wife, and even for his brother's wife. But sorrow once again visited their home, for the strain was too much for his small body, and he also joined his brother and father in death.
Courtney: That's terrible.
Jenny: Yeah, all three of them were widows. What did they do?
Connie Kendall: Well, God shines brightest when things seem darkest. Naomi had received word that the Lord had blessed his people by giving them good crops again. She decided to return to Israel.
Courtney: What about Ruth and Orpah?
Connie Kendall: Well, another custom of the time was that parents would keep a widowed daughter-in-law in the family in hopes of marrying her to a close relative of her former husband. That way they could keep their family line going.
Jenny: So Naomi took Ruth and Orpah with her?
Connie Kendall: Naomi loved them so much, it was an easy decision for her. But just outside the city, she began thinking, and a change came over her.
Naomi: No. No, this isn't right. I shouldn't do this.
Ruth: What is it, Naomi? Why have you stopped? Are you ill?
Naomi: No, not ill. I just can't do this to you.
Orpah: Do what to us?
Naomi: The Lord is punishing me, not you. But I've allowed that punishment to injure you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Ruth: Don't cry, Naomi. You have not injured us.
Orpah: We don't understand what you mean.
Naomi: I want you to return to your parents' homes.
Orpah: What? But why?
Naomi: Because it's only right.
Ruth: No! No! We want to go with you to your people.
Naomi: It's better for you to return. Do I have younger sons who could grow up to be your husbands?
Orpah: It doesn't matter.
Naomi: It does. You must return to your parents' homes. I'm too old to have a husband. Even if that were possible and I became pregnant tonight and bore sons, would you wait for them to grow up? No. No. Now come, come and kiss me, my daughters.
Ruth: Mother.
Naomi: The Lord bless you for your faithfulness to your husbands and to me. And may he grant that you find happiness with new husbands and new lives.
Orpah: Naomi.
Naomi: It's all right, Orpah. Farewell.
Orpah: I love you.
Naomi: And I you. Go, go now. Ruth...
Ruth: No. I'm staying with you.
Naomi: Ruth, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.
Ruth: I will not leave you. Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Where you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. I will die where you die and be buried by your side. May the Lord your God do terrible things to me if I allow anything but death to separate us. Do not make me go. Oh, please, mother.
Naomi: Ruth. My daughter. Oh, Ruth. All right. All right.
Connie Kendall: So when Naomi saw that Ruth could not be persuaded to go back, she stopped urging her. Then they both arose and continued their journey to Bethlehem and a new life.
Jenny: That was beautiful. Ruth was really brave, wasn't she?
Courtney: Yes, she was. She left her home and her whole life behind, just like Naomi did.
Jenny: They were a lot alike. Maybe that's why they loved each other so much.
Courtney: Love. Wait a minute, is this the love story you were talking about, Connie? Love between a mother and daughter?
Connie Kendall: Partly. But there's more to it. A whole lot more.
Jenny: Well, let's get on with it then.
Connie Kendall: Time! Sorry, but I gotta eat back to work.
Courtney: Work? But you can't just leave us hanging.
Jenny: Yeah, you have to tell us the rest of it.
Connie Kendall: Oh, I will.
Jenny: When?
Connie Kendall: Tuesday night. In our Bible study.
Courtney: Oh, Connie!
Connie Kendall: See you then.
Chris: Ruth's pledge to stay with Naomi is one of the most beautiful, touching, and courageous examples of loyalty ever recorded. Despite the fact that she had lost her own husband, Ruth chose to leave everything she had ever known behind because she loved Naomi. It's the same kind of love Jesus had, and it's a pattern of love and commitment we can all learn from. So, what do you think will happen to Ruth and Naomi? There are two ways to find out, of course. One is read ahead in the book of Ruth, which you should do anyway, and the other is keep listening. Until then, if you'd like to write to me, I'd love to hear from you. The address is Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. Or in Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, B.C., V6B 4G3. And when you do, ask about how you can get your own copy of today's episode. It's called "Three Funerals and a Wedding." Adventures in Odyssey is a presentation of Focus on the Family. "Three Funerals and a Wedding" was written and directed by Phil Lollar. Our production engineer was Todd Busteed, and our music by John Campbell. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey.