Ruth 1:15
And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
After the deaths of Elimelech and his two sons in Moab near the close of the time of the judges, Naomi sought to dissuade both her Moabite daughters-in-law from accompanying her back to Bethlehem, and the verse is one of those arguments, spoken after Orpah had left, urging Ruth to turn back to Moab by holding up Orpah's return to her people and her gods as the course Ruth should also take. It was spoken to test Ruth's resolve and to discourage an impulsive decision she might afterward regret, placing the consequences before her in order to establish the strength and motive of her commitment before she faced the hardships and possible disappointments ahead. The invitation held out return to her own kindred, people and gods as every way to her earthly advantage, and it made clear that following Naomi meant leaving Moabite kin and worship behind.
Both daughters-in-law had gained a knowledge of the true God from Naomi's example and teaching among idolaters and may even have been worshipers of Him. Orpah, after resisting for a time with tears, kissed Naomi and went back to her people and to the gods of Moab, and her name is mentioned no more and she disappears from the history of God's people because her connection with the people of God ceased forever. Ruth refused to yield to the same invitation and chose to go forward despite tears and uncertainty, clinging to Naomi and not parting from her, choosing without reserve Naomi's people as her people and Naomi's God as her God, committing herself to share Naomi's future and serve the Lord God and to remain with Naomi until death.
Ruth's decision to accompany Naomi to Bethlehem preserved hope that Naomi's family inheritance and name might be restored through a kinsman. Ruth later gleaned in Boaz's field, married a kinsman of Naomi and became the mother of Obed, David's grandfather, through which family line Jesus was shown to be a direct descendant of Abraham. Unlike Orpah, Ruth is honored in Israel with a place in the chief family and becomes an ancestor of Jesus Christ, her choice leads to lasting honor and her life and history are preserved in the Bible as a precious legacy and enduring example, and her name is in the Lamb's book of life.
The account belongs to Ruth's choice in the private life of a devoted family in troublous times, and her refusal shows abiding faith in God and a consistent life. Ruth's refusal proves the steadfast spirit that will not turn back even when invited to do so, and steadfastness of this kind makes burden bearers who stand at their post when all is sad and dark, showing that steadfast hearts are accepted by the Lord and that only such hearts are accepted in His sight in the great day. Orpah's going back shows one who hears the word and is convinced of duty but allows the society of friends and the blandishments of the world to overrule and determine the course, picturing turning back to the world, the opposite of the true Christian who forsakes the world to be with Christ wheresoever He leads and whatsoever He commands, for life or for death, and the contrast shows that choices can divide lives toward very different ends.