Genesis 19:30-38 English Standard Version

Lot and His Daughters

30 Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

34 The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

This was the source of this edict. Deuteronomy 23:3 “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,”

Matthew 1:5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,

Ruth, a Moabite, is in the lineage of Jesus just three generations before King David. Did Boaz violate an edict from Moses? Ruth was the daughter by law of Naomi who was of the tribe of Benjamin. Since Ruth rejected her lineage and clung to Naomi, was she still a Moabite?

Perhaps Boaz had a different point of view because his mother was Rahab, the harlot from Joshua 2:1. She was saved in the collapse of Jericho because she helped two spies by hiding them in accordance with Joshua 6:17.

The source of our opinions are many and before we go about name calling, perhaps we should understand their history. Remember our Lord was called a blasphemer by the Pharisees. John the Baptist called them vipers, that was ugly.

Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.”

At least when Jesus called them hypocrites, He gave examples of their offenses.

Ruth 1:16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

In this telling Naomi’s husband and two sons have died and she pleads with Orpah and Ruth to return to their birth mothers. Orpah leaves but Ruth remains with Naomi.

I bring you this story for one specific reason. When my oldest granddaughter was being prepared for her baptism into this life with Christ, the youth pastor tried to persuade her not to do it. I had never heard of this approach. It was not part of my preparation for baptism.

Naomi laid out several strong arguments for not remaining with her as she prepared to leave Moab and return to her family. The one thing she did not say to them was that they were Moabites by birth and would not be accepted.

Here is the “Good News” on full display. Our past does not disqualify us from being accepted into the family of God. Now let us hear Ruth plea to Naomi continue.

Ruth 1:17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.

Now that is commitment. My granddaughter could not be persuaded because she, like Ruth, was committed. Praise God.

This Naomi approach of diswayment is unique and I will not recommend it nor advise against it.

The symbol of obedience in baptism is a new life in Christ, one of commitment which can lead the initiate to ask “Where to now?”

Naomi did not promise her daughter-in-laws anything. 11 But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Orpah gave Namomi the kiss of betrayal. or am I just projecting my own fears? I wasn’t given that choice in my baptism. I am not sure what my 15 year old self might have done if they had tried to disway me..