"May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem." (v. 11)

For Reading and Meditation:     Ruth 4:11-12

We continue meditating on the words of blessing given by the elders at the completion of the legal formalities entered into by Boaz: "May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah" (v. 11). To see the real significance of these words, we have to jump ahead a little and consider some of the events that took place subsequent to the marriage of Ruth and Boaz. In due course a son was born whose name was Obed. When Obed grew up and reached maturity, he then married and had a son named Jesse. From Jesse came David, one of the greatest of all Bible characters. When we come to Matthew 1, the name of Ruth is listed alongside the others who were part of our Lord's genealogy. Ruth's name, being included in our Lord's line of descent, is stamped with a dignity that even Rachel never had! Consider what else the elders said as they gave Boaz and Ruth their blessing: "May you have standing in Ephrathah [the area surrounding the city of David] and be famous in Bethlehem" (v. 11). Bethlehem has a cherished place in history for two main reasons. One, it is the city of David, and two, it is the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is almost impossible to think of Bethlehem without thinking of King David. And the great- grandmother of David was Ruth. The blessing given by the elders turned out to be more than a blessing; it was a prophecy. Ruth has become as well known in Israel as Rachel and Leah, and her standing is as solid and immovable as that of the city of Bethlehem.

Father, the more I follow the story of Ruth, the more convinced I am that Your sovereign purposes are at work even when nothing seems to go right. Deepen this conviction within me hour by hour and day by day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.