Naomi’s husband has died.  Both of her sons are dead.  She is left with two daughters in law, Ruth and Orpah.  They are in a strange land living among idolaters.  What will they do now to survive?  Naomi hears there is bread! 

“Then SHE AROSE with her daughters in law, that SHE MIGHT RETURN from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had VISITED HIS PEOPLE in giving them bread! 

That is her answer!  She must find bread.  If she knows where bread is, there is hope for her and Ruth.  If she can get to the bread, she will survive.  So she arose!   She returned from living among idolatry and came again to the land of Judah. 

“Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to RETURN unto the LAND OF JUDAH.” 

God was visiting His people with bread in the house of praise!  Naomi had dwelt there at one time.  She declares, “I went out full.”  But walking away from the house of praise has made her bitter!  “The Lord hath brought me home again empty:  why then call ye me Naomi (pleasant)…call me Mara (bitter).”  The absence of bread and the troubles that followed me when I left the house of praise has left me bitter! 

Naomi returned to Judah to the house of Bethlehem (the house of bread) in the time of the beginning of harvest.  There Ruth married Boaz and bore a child Obed, the grandfather of David.  The women of the city declared, “…Blessed be the Lord…he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age.” 

Thank God for the house of bread!  I will praise Him for His restoring power when WE ARISE AND RETURN TO THE HOUSE OF BREAD!

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