After Naomi and Elimelek moved to Moab with their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion; Elimelek died.
The scriptures do not say much about how or why Elimelek died. This leads us to simply wonder about the realities of all sorts of things. Perhaps it was a sudden illness. Maybe the work in the salt mines was too hard on an older man who had lost strength because of the famine. Some seem to think he might have been cursed because he left the land of Israel instead of trusting in God's provision.
We do not know.
A WIDOW GRIEVES
I can only imagine the shock that Naomi felt as she found herself living inside a strange land with two young sons to raise on her own. Naomi had already been grieving the loss of her home. Now she would add the grief of the loss of her husband to that heaviness that hung over her.
Naomi was a very strong woman; but she had depended on Elimelek for her livelihood. His was the world she had always lived in. To Naomi; family meant everything.
What would become of her now?
The loneliness and grief must have been overwhelming at times. She would not have been able to tend to her own needs because she would have been too concerned about the needs of her sons. Suddenly she had two young boys without a father's love to guide them.
GOD AS A HUSBAND
I'm sure Naomi did what all wise widows do. She turned to God and allowed Him to be her husband.
It had not been Naomi's idea to come to this land; but she was here now. She was determined to do her best with the hand that fate had dealt to her. God would help her to get through whatever she had to get through. It wasn't easy though. I'm sure Naomi lost that beautiful smile that she had once been known for.
Grief is such a hard, hard thing for a woman to bear. It is not simply a matter of getting through the grief either. There is that factor that no one is going to be looking after you anymore. Every bite of food, every article of clothing, everything that is needed to sustain a woman and her children must now come from the labor and the work of the hands of the woman who is left behind.
I wonder what scriptures Naomi used to ease her mind and to bring her comfort?
NO ONE TO CONFIDE IN; NO ONE TO TURN TO
Perhaps she thought of Isaiah 54:5: For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
The verse before that one is also very comforting: "Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame; do not be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated. For you will forget the shame of your youth and will remember no more the reproach of your widowhood."
The verse after Isaiah 54:5 is also comforting: "For the LORD has called you back, like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit, like the rejected wife of one's youth," says your God.…"
I'm sure these verses of The Prophet Isaiah were important to Naomi.
SO MANY HIDDEN MEANINGS IN THE MAKING
Many of the scripture passages that widows seeking comfort in grief would lean on today came from the words of Jesus. Naomi did not realize it yet, but the circumstances she was now passing through would be the formation of the beginning of the lineage of the human genealogy of Jesus.
He would be One who would comfort those who mourn.
The fact that Jesus wept at the death of his friend Lazarus might have been a comforting thing for Naomi to know. Naomi had to deal with her own reality in her own time of history though.
Just as we on this side of the cross depend of Jesus for our strength in mourning; Naomi must have received that strength through God The Father.
Yet; we do know that Jesus was there with Him, from the beginning of time, so He was there for her too; though Naomi did not have knowledge of this fact. Every prayer that went up to God the Father was also heard by Jesus. He was right there listening to his great-grandmother's pleas as she called out to God in her grief.
JESUS FEELS OUR PAIN; THE FATHER HEARS OUR CRIES
Maybe He wanted to reach out to tell Naomi the purpose of her grief. Though it was very, very hard, this time of grieving would eventually help to make her whole again. One day she would be able to pick up all the broken pieces and put them back together. It is a very slow process though, this time of grieving. One tiny piece of the heart is mended at a time. So many shatters of brokenness are all around the one who is going through the painful experience of grief. It takes a million and one tiny moments of healing to address each of these scattered and broken pieces of a person.
God picks them up slowly and puts them back together.
THE SONS WERE A GOOD DISTRACTION FROM GRIEF
Naomi was probably a very resourceful woman. I'm sure she worked however she could until Mahlon and Kilion were able to help to make a contribution. She would have also had to tend to their education. As a Mother without a husband, it would have been up to her to see that they had others around to influence them in their choices of careers and important life decisions.
This is a lot of pressure for one grieving woman to handle.
After the death of Naomi's husband I'm sure Naomi must have thanked God every day that her sons were still with her. Little did she know at the time how very short a time that blessing would last. She was probably consumed with the thoughts of how they would marry and have children in this foreign land.
WHAT WAS COMING IN THE FUTURE?
The future of Naomi's boys must have weighed heavy on her heart every day.
Mahlon had always been a bit sickly and weak. That was the reason for his name that meant "sickness." His medical problems must have also contributed to Naomi's stress and worry.
Kilion was not the strongest or the healthiest child either.
Naomi did all she could to see that they ate right and had enough rest. She prayed for their health and survival every day. I'm sure she must have asked God over and over to send the right women for them to marry.
SONS WITHOUT A FATHER
How does a woman living on her own even begin to raise two sons without their father? She would have had to teach them all of the important things a man must know in order to be a good man. How could a woman do that by herself?
I'm sure Naomi's faith in God was her main source of strength.
Do you think Naomi would have encouraged her sons to wait to marry until they found love with a girl who was also one of Abraham's descendants? I wonder how hard this would have been while they all were living in Moab? These two young boys were constantly surrounded with the ways of the world and pagan thoughts and ideas of another culture.
If the boys had the same faith as their mother, and were dependable to help her and look after her as they began to grow up; how much would their Hebrew heritage be remembered and held close? That was the huge chore before their Mother.
Could Naomi influence them enough to carry on the faith?
The boys grew into grown men before Naomi knew what was happening. Eventually both of them married.
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