Blessed be the Lord

Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him." Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. Also the neighbour women gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. - Ruth 4.14-17

It is interesting to see how God is honoured through the whole story of Ruth and Boaz. The longer it went the more obvious it was that God was in control of this whole thing.

Now the women of the area realised it and proclaim to Naomi ‘blessed be the Lord.’

And why is He to be blessed?

He provided a kinsman redeemer
He gave her Ruth who loved her more than seven sons could

But that’s not all. We know the rest of the story.

God blessed the family by giving Ruth and Boaz and son and Naomi was so special that the neighbour women proclaimed ‘Naomi has a son!’ God gave her the family she had lost.

But there is one thing more. Ruth the Moabitess became a part of Israel’s royal line. She and Boaz called their son Obed grew and had a son named Jesse. Jesse was the father of David – Israel’s greatest king.

God turned triumph into tragedy  - and eventually Jesus would be born into the line of David.

Blessed be the Lord.