The Book of Ruth (3)

In the second verse of Ruth 1 we are informed that the name of a certain man was Elimelech, the father of the family who went to live in the country of Moab. The name Elimelech means “my God is King.” What a beautiful meaning lies in this name. However, we must remember we may have names which have beautiful meanings, but it is another thing to have fulfilment by free grace in our hearts.

We are not called to judge this Elimelech. Nevertheless, what a blessing it is when by grace we may say, “My God is King!” What a blessing when we may truly understand what that means, for to confess by sovereign grace, “my God is King” means to dethrone myself. In our deep fall in Adam we had desires to become kings, and to dethrone the eternal God. When we will confess by grace that God is King then we will bow deeply before the Lord. This is a blessed place where we can never come by ourselves, but it is a place where the Lord brings His people.

Secondly, we are introduced to the name of the wife of Elimelech, which is Naomi. Naomi means the “pleasant one” or the “happy one.” We are reminded of our state of innocency, when we were created after the image of God. Then we were truly in a blessed state as the pleasant or happy one. There were no obstacles between the Lord and us.

After the fall we are no longer pleasant and happy by nature, but we are cursed, sinful, and rebellious. The Bible teaches us that “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it” (Jer. 17:9). If it may please the Lord to work with His grace in our hearts, then we may again receive the meaning of the name, Naomi. By grace we become pleasant and happy.

What a great blessing if that may be true in our families, when children may have fathers and mothers who not only have names with beautiful meanings, but also may have the grace wherein the fulfilment of the meanings is made true in the heart. When the father may say “my God is King” and the mother may be the “pleasant one” in the midst of the family circle, the children have a blessed privilege. We as parents must examine ourselves.

When we follow the chain of the meaning of these names, we see the beginning and the end of the work of God.

Thirdly, we are informed from the Bible that Elimelech and Naomi had two sons. The name of the first was Mahlon, which means “singer.” A true singer is one who sings to the honor and glory of God. The second son’s name was Chilion, which means the “perfect one.” Should we not call such a family blessed which had names with such magnificent meanings?

It is possible to have a wonderful name, but we need true conversion and the work of God in our hearts before such meanings have true value for us. Then we may realize the meaning of those names, which we hear in Elimelech, my God is King; Naomi, the pleasant one or happy one; Mahlon, the singer; and Chilion, the perfect one.

It is by grace and grace alone, that out of the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, there is a people born by the work of a triune God in true regeneration. These people may testify that God is their King and because of His grace they become the pleasant one or the happy one. In this life they may sing by moments, and the day is coming when they shall be “perfect.” They shall be robed in the perfect robes of Christ’s righteousness and forever delivered from the body of sin and death. When we follow the chain of the meaning of these names, we see the beginning and the end of the work of God.

Rev. J. Spaans is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Norwich, Ontario.

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