The Hope for the Future: Christ

The Book of Ruth ends with the genealogy of Perez of the line of Judah: "Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David (Ruth 4:18-22).

Note especially verses 21b-22: "Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David," confirming the statement about the birth of Obed to Ruth and Boaz in verse 17b, which reads, "And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David." This is what gives the Book of Ruth its significance. Ruth's great-grandson was David, the greatest king in the history of Israel. It was through the line of David, in fulfillment of prophecy, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in Bethlehem. Isaiah says that the Savior will be "a shoot (that) will come up from the stump of Jesse… the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him" (Isa. 11:1-2, NIV).

God was never in doubt as to what He was doing. He was silently accomplishing His purposes in the godly line of David, which would one day come to its complete fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is our hope! Jesus is our kinsman-redeemer! Remember, it was by His Incarnation that the Son of God became our kinsman so that by His sacrificial, atoning death He might also become our Redeemer. All of our needs and problems find their solution at the Cross of Christ and in His glorious Resurrection.

So, the Book of Ruth points ahead to Christ, the hope for the future. We are encouraged to rely on the character of God as revealed in His Word. Isaiah asks, "Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light?" (Isa. 50:10a). And he answers, "Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon his God" (v. 10b).

We are to judge, not by what we see of our circumstances, but by what we know of the unchanging character of our God. The only way that can happen, is to have our minds soaked in Scripture and our thinking informed by the certainty of God's sovereignty being exercised in love and grace, right now, in the circumstances of our daily lives.

Boaz and Ruth were ordinary people who lived faithful lives. In the same way, God wants you to be faithful. Trust Christ, the hope for your future. He is our "kinsman-redeemer," our Savior. He is our Lord, our God. As Isaiah says, "Trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon (our) God" (Isa. 50:10b). Amen.

The Answer to the Problem: A Son

In Ruth 4:11-17, the story turns to the real answer for the problem that Naomi and Ruth faced. That answer? A son! Without a son being born to Ruth and Boaz the redemption is incomplete. And so, as the story continues, all the people proclaim, "We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the LORD will give you from this young woman" (v. 11-12).

The people pronounced a blessing of fertility on Ruth (v. 11a), that she would be like Rachel and Leah, who had twelve sons between them (Gen 29:31-30:24). Then they pronounced a dual blessing on Boaz: First, literally, "may you have standing" (v. 11b) or "may you prosper" (v. 11b), referring to wealth, and second, that he "be famous in Bethlehem" (v. 11b).

Verse 12 expands on the idea of being "famous in Bethlehem" (v. 11b). It is the offspring of Boaz and Ruth that will bring fame to this family. It is the birth of their son and all who follow that are in view here. "Perez" was the more important of the two sons born to Judah by Tamar, as he is an ancestor of the people of Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah. Not only do they long to see a son raised up for Elimelech, but a famous line of descendants from Boaz himself, as a reward for his faithful, compassionate love and kindness. They ask for God's blessing to be poured on the man who has acted faithfully for the preservation of the family line, by granting him a famous dynasty—a prayer that was abundantly answered.

It was to Bethlehem that Samuel, the prophet, came (1 Sam. 16:4) to anoint David, the great grandson of Boaz and Ruth, to be king over Israel. It was about Bethlehem that the prophet Micah later proclaimed: "Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). And so it was to Bethlehem that Joseph from Nazareth came with Mary, under the decree of Caesar Augustus, to be registered, and in Bethlehem that the Savior of the world was born (Luke 2:1–12).

"So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son" (v. 13). Obed, the son of Ruth and Boaz, the true "kinsman-redeemer!" Obed is being referred to throughout verses 14-15, and he is clearly regarded as the "kinsman-redeemer." "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'" (vs. 14-15).

As one commentator put it: "The child was the real kinsman-redeemer, a word that here has the broad sense of 'deliverer' and 'helper'… Only through the child was the yoke of affliction that the Lord had laid on Naomi completely removed." (David Jackman, quoting Goslinga, The Preacher’s Commentary, Vol. 7: Judges, Ruth, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991], 349)

The problem is taken care of. The need is met. A son is born who is the true "kinsman-redeemer" for Naomi. So she cares for her grandson, Obed, and helps raise him (that is the literal thought of verse 16): "Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him."

Obed, meaning "servant," indicates that this son would serve his grandmother as her "kinsman-redeemer" in the sense that he would take care of her in her old age. And so, as we look back we can see God's answers to prayer in the birth of the son, Obed, and then, as we look forward to David, we see it even more dramatically. Obed was "the father of Jesse, the father of David" (v. 17b). That is what God had been working toward behind the scenes all along.

The birth of a son to Ruth, a "kinsman-redeemer" for Naomi, is the ultimate answer! And it all points to the future, not only to the birth of David, but certainly to the birth of Jesus in the line of David. Jesus is the Son born that first Christmas morning to be our redeemer! What a glorious truth to keep in mind as we prepare in the weeks ahead to celebrate the birth of Christ our Savior, Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Heart of the Matter: Redemption

W. Gary Phillips, in his commentary on Ruth, offers the following summary on all that has taken place: Pretend you are an ordinary field worker in Bethlehem during the days of the judges, specifically at the time of Ruth. What events would you have observed?

First, you would have seen two women walk past your fields into town—one of them obviously a foreigner. Naomi was an embittered woman who described herself as someone whom God delighted in tormenting. It was clear to all that she had nothing—except a widowed Moabite daughter-in-law (Ruth 1). Then you would have been surprised by two things: First, you would have been impressed at the hard work undertaken by this young Moabite widow. And second, you would have been surprised because the country squire, Boaz, kept looking in her direction, providing more "supervision" of that part of the field than normal (Ruth 2).

Some weeks later, on your way back to town after the grain was harvested, if your eyes were sharp, you might have noticed Ruth, no longer in her mourning clothes, quietly going in the wrong direction—out from town toward where all the harvested grain was being kept overnight. But if you knew Boaz was there, you would know that she (a young woman alone at night) would be kept safe (Ruth 3).

And now, as you are on your way through the gate to the field to start transporting the grain, you notice a crowd gathered. You look closer, and all the elders are there—very unusual for this time of day—and then you see Boaz with another man in the middle of them, surrounded by a crowd of townspeople pressing against one another, every one of them trying to get close enough to hear what is happening. It turns out to be a fascinating legal mini-drama. This chapter of Ruth records the "court transcript" (Ruth 4). (W. Gary Phillips, "Reading an Ancient Court Transcript," Holmon Old Testament Commentary: Judges, Ruth, [Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 2004], 345)

David Jackman, in his commentary on Ruth, assesses the situation in Ruth 4 as follows: From one point of view, Naomi's story is like anybody else's in Israel in the days of the judges, "when there was no king in Israel" (Judges 21:25a). Elimelech made his decisions on the basis of what he thought would be best for himself and his family. He did "what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25b). It brought his wife to the brink of ruin, eventually, but he could not have foreseen that. Her only way out was through her foreign daughter-in-law, whose loyalty to her because of her loyalty to God, paved the way for the kinsman-redeemer to rescue them both. (David Jackman, The Preacher's Commentary, Volume 7: Judges, Ruth, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991], 341)

At first glance, this might seem to be an ordinary and limited story of one family’s crisis. Yet it merits a whole book of the Bible, indicating that the revelation it contains is necessary to our understanding of the mind and purpose of God. The necessity and provision of redemption is at the very heart of God's plan. Not only that, it is the plan of His heart!

You cannot study the final chapter of Ruth without taking notice of the fact that Boaz, the "kinsman-redeemer," is the only possible solution to the problems faced by Ruth and Naomi. He takes the initiative in bringing about the act of redemption (v. 1). He pays the price (vs. 8–9). He publicly claims his own (vs. 9–10). He provides a name and an inheritance where before there was only ruin (v. 14). He restores and sustains Naomi, even in old age, through the birth of Obed (v. 15). Ruth and Naomi could have done none of these things themselves. They were entirely dependent on the covenant-faithfulness and personal compassion of Boaz, their "kinsman-redeemer." They were entirely dependent upon grace.

Through the lens of the New Testament, we can see that what God did for Ruth and Naomi through Boaz, He has accomplished for all of us who have received His mercy in Christ. We too, have suffered from the absence of a king in our lives. Actually, we have taken over the throne in our lives which rightly belongs to God alone. We too, need a redeemer as we suffer the just consequences of our sin and rebellion. We are equally unable to save ourselves, and no other kinsman could possibly meet our need. "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law" (Gal. 4:4-5).

By His Incarnation, Jesus, the Son of God, became our kinsman so that by His sacrificial, atoning death, He might also become our Redeemer. All our needs and all our problems find their ultinate solution at the Cross of Christ, and in His glorious Resurrection. Christ Jesus is our "kinsman-redeemer." This is the ultimate lesson of the Book of Ruth.

Ruth 4:1-10 goes right to the heart of the matter—redemption. That is what this story is about—redemption. As the story resumes in Ruth 4:1, Naomi's prediction that Boaz is a man of immediate action (Ruth 3:18) is fulfilled, as he heads for the town gate. Indeed, the indication is that he did this as soon as he got back to Bethlehem from the threshing floor.

"The gate" (Ruth 4:1) was really the center of the community's life; there cases were heard and contracts were made. The "elders" (v. 2) dispensed justice, the poor waited for help, and the ordinary people met one another to exchange news at "the gate" of the city. It had much the same function as the village square in medieval Europe. Everyone had to pass through "the gate," so it was the obvious place to go in a small community if you wanted to be sure of meeting someone. (Ibid, 343)

For Boaz to fulfill the role of the "kinsman-redeemer" for Ruth and Naomi, he first had to find out the intentions of the closer relative (Ruth 3:12). So when he came by, Boaz asked him to sit with him (v. 1) and he gathered the elders (v. 2) to serve as witnesses. And so he presents his case in verses 3-4a, saying: "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold (or "is selling") the piece of land which belonged to our brother (or "relative") Elimelech. And I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.'" The relative replied, "I will redeem it" (v. 4b). He must have thought that he would gain by buying the land. This seems to be somewhat of a surprise, but not to Boaz. He was prepared.

He goes on in verse 5 to remind this relative of the additional condition that must be met: namely, he must marry Ruth and provide an heir for Mahlon. He said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance" (v. 5). Boaz probably hoped to discourage the kinsman from buying the land by reminding him that the purchase of the land obligated the kinsman to marry Ruth, though he gave the kinsman every opportunity to do just that.

It turns out that this "closer relative" would have none of it. He replies, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it" (v. 6). In the end, he refused his right of redemption in the hearing of the elders. So, in keeping with the custom of the day, he "took off his sandal and gave it to (Boaz)" (v. 7) to confirm the agreement. Again he told Boaz, "Buy it for yourself" (v. 8).

Boaz then announces to all who are present: "You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day" (vs. 9-10).

With compassion and kindness, Boaz accepts the role of "kinsman-redeemer" with regard to Elimelech's property, which had passed to his sons, and he marries Ruth to provide a legal heir for the family. Only in verse 10, are we finally told that Ruth had been Mahlon's wife.

Boaz began and ended his remarks with the same words: "You are witnesses this day" (vs. 9a, 10b). It may be that the writer of the Book of Ruth wanted to suggest that if a mere human being could love an outcast, redeem her, and bring her into fellowship with himself, then God certainly could love all the outcasts of the world, redeem them, and bring them into fellowship with Himself. That is the heart of the matter—redemption!

We are the outcasts God seeks to redeem! If you will confess Christ Jesus as Lord, "and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9). Jesus shed His blood on the cross and died for your forgiveness. He rose again from the dead the third day to give you life, abundant and eternal. Just believe and trust in Him. Amen.

Boaz's Example: Reflect God's Character

Boaz was flattered by Ruth's kindness in seeking him out. He blessed her for it: "Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter," he said (Ruth 3:10a). And he added, "You have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning" (v. 10b). This is a reference to Ruth's kindness to Naomi in not forsaking her. It pleased him that she turned trustingly to him rather than to a younger man, "whether poor or rich" (v. 10c). It is increasingly clear that Boaz interpreted Ruth's bold actions as a request for marriage.

Boaz comforted Ruth as he promised to do all that she requested of him: "And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request" (v. 11a). He told her that everyone in Bethlehem knew that she was a woman of noble character ("a virtuous woman," v. 11b). The same phrase is found in Proverbs 31:10, which says, "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies." It might be said that Ruth was well known as a Proverbs 31 woman! No greater compliment can be made. So Boaz assured Ruth that all would know there was nothing wrong in the fact that she had come to him with the request to marry him.

In verse 12, Boaz told Ruth, "It is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I." He went on in verse 13 to say, "If he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the LORD lives!" No one was compelled to act as the "kinsman-redeemer." However, because there was another who was first in line to act as such, Boaz, being a true man of God, would check out the situation and then, if appropriate, would be Ruth's "kinsman-redeemer." He would strictly follow God's Word. Truly a man reflecting God's character. Ruth couldn't ask for a better man.

Ruth remained at Boaz's feet till morning, but arose to leave before daybreak with Boaz's encouragement, lest it be known that "a woman" had spent the night there (v. 14). He knew that if it became known, people might assume the worst, and Ruth's reputation, as well as his own, might be ruined. But before she left, Boaz filled her shawl with "six ephahs of barley" (v. 15), most likely a simple gift reassuring Ruth that, as a man of God, he will provide, which also served as a message for Naomi.

Upon returning home, Naomi inquired as to what had happened and Ruth filled her in (v. 16). She said, "These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, 'Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law'" (v. 17). These are the last recorded words of Ruth in the book. The message? Her "empty" days were about to end.

The final verse of the chapter is another great statement concerning the character of Boaz: "Then she said, 'Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day'" (v. 18). On learning what had happened, Naomi advised, "Sit still" (NKJV, KJV), or "Wait" (NIV), "until you find out what happens" (NIV). Literally, "Wait until you find out how the matter will fall." She was convinced that Boaz was the kind of person who would not rest untill the matter was settled that day—the matter of the right of the nearer kinsman. The final chapter will prove she knew her kinsman well. Boaz was truly a man of God. He was a man who knew God, trusted God, and walked with God, following His every lead. He was a man who reflected God's character.

In addition, Naomi's advice to "wait" (v. 18), reveals a stance of faith—a confident, expectant belief that only God could bring about the fulfillment of the "kinsman-redeemer" for Ruth. She would trust Him.

Missionary John Paton never forgot his father's deeply ingrained habits of daily devotions. Day after day, he would hear his father praying in the next room of the little cottage where he lived, and even as a boy of six, he noticed the bright countenance his father perpetually wore. He later said that while the outside world might not understand the light on his father's face, "we children knew that it was a reflection of the Divine Presence in which his life was lived." ("A Reflection of the Divine Presence," Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, & Quotes, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 2000], 377)

That is a description of Boaz; a man whose life was a reflection of the Divine Presence. When you learn to follow God's lead, your life will be one of following God's Word, trusting in God's protection, and reflecting God's character, His divine presence. May those three characteristics describe you. Amen.

Ruth's Example: Trust God's Protection

Like Naomi, Ruth is also a woman of active faith. In Ruth 3:6-9, we see Ruth literally taking refuge under God's wings as she ventures forward in faith to put Naomi's plan into action: "So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her" (v. 6). Ruth followed closely Naomi's instructions, all the while trusting in God's protection.

"After Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down" (v. 7). "At midnight" Boaz awoke and there she was "lying at his feet" (v. 8). Boaz asked who she was (v. 9a) and Ruth responded, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative" (v. 9b).

Behind these highly unusual actions lay a sincere trust in God’s care and protection. Faith always grows when it acts on the basis of what the Lord has already accomplished and provided. Based on what the Lord has already done for her, Ruth's request in verse 9 includes the use of the word "wing," the same word Boaz used in Ruth 2:12 when he said, "The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

"Under your wing" (v. 9b), most likely refers to the corner of the garment or blanket which covered Boaz. If that is so, then Ruth's request is for more than protection. It is an appeal to Boaz to marry her so that they will share the same covering. In the context, this seems to be the most likely meaning, as she reminds him that he is "a close relative" (v. 9b), or a "kinsman-redeemer." She is asking him to act upon this truth of God's Word.

Knowing that Boaz is a man of God, Ruth asks him to provide for her and to protect her, just as God has been leading him to do. In this, she provides a pattern for our faith. In order to move forward spiritually, there are moments when we have to trust the Word of God's promise and venture out in faith. There are many times when we cannot see how it is going to work out, but that is no reason not to trust God, commit our way to Him, and act upon our faith.

Sometimes we seem to be sitting down and waiting for an awful long time, because we are always requiring God to show us more before we launch out and trust Him. It is possible to be so afraid of making mistakes that we do nothing. But provided our lives are in a right relationship with God and we honestly want to go His way and not our own, He gives us permission to launch out in faith, to risk for His sake. God honors the heart that is set on attempting great things for Him because it expects great things from Him.

Here we see that blend of faith and action. Naomi followed God's Word and Ruth trusted God's protection. We must act by faith in the same manner. Amen.

Naomi's Example: Follow God's Word

One night as the famous Bible teacher F.B. Meyer stood on the deck of a ship approaching land, he wondered how the crew knew when and how to safely steer to the dock. It was a stormy night, and visibility was low. Meyer, standing on the bridge and peering through the window, asked, "Captain, how do you know when to turn this ship into that narrow harbor?"

"That’s an art," replied the captain. "Do you see those three red lights on the shore? When they're all in a straight line I go right in!"

Later Meyer said: "When we want to know God's will, there are three things which always occur: the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances.... Never act until these three things agree." ("F.B. Meyer's Formula," Nelson's Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations, & Quotes, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 2000], 369)

George Truett said, "To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge. To do the will of God is the greatest achievement" (Ibid, 368). So when the three lights line up—the inward prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the circumstances of life—then you know the will of God, and what remains is to act on it.

A.W. Tozer added this thought: "The man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ can't make a wrong choice—any choice will be the right one" (Ibid). When you are wholly surrendered to Christ, your life will be in the complete control of God's Spirit and you will be led in only one direction—the direction God has for you. All that remains is to follow Him—to act upon God's lead.

When you make it a practice of following God's lead in your life, your life will become a blend of faith and action. Your faith will discover where God is leading and your actions will follow in that direction. You will learn to discern God's direction or will in your life, and then follow where He is leading and moving. When God leads—by faith, act!

The three main characters in our story—Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz—act by faith upon God's lead. These three characters each show us a special characteristic that will be seen in our lives as we learn to follow God's lead. Today we will consider Naomi's example.

For nearly three months, while the barley harvest was being completed, it seems that nothing was happening in the Ruth-Boaz story. Life goes on. Day by day, Ruth continues to glean with the servants of Boaz, and day by day, her daily needs are met (Ruth 2). As time passed, Naomi and Ruth must have been wondering what was going to happen. Would Boaz fulfill his role as Ruth's "kinsman redeemer," or would he not? Will he continue to take care of their daily needs? They simply had to wait and see.

Can you imagine what these women were going through? Waiting is difficult at the best of times, but our ability to wait upon God depends on how we understand Him. This brings us back to "the central theological message of the book which is that of the hidden, but active, God, who is at work continuously in the lives of His people, even when they think nothing is happening. There is not the slightest hint that this overruling sovereignty for one moment limits the freedom of our human actions or the dignity of our choices. Sometimes, God disappears completely into the tapestry of everyday life and we assume that He has forgotten us in our daily routine with its pressures, hassles, and uncertainties" (David Jackman, The Preacher's Commentary, Vol. 7: Judges, Ruth, [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1991], 329). But He has not! The God "who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11) is always there, even as we wait.

As we pick up the story in Ruth chapter 3, if we look through the lens of today, Naomi appears to be that scheming mother-in-law who pushes Ruth forward in hopes that her own plans would succeed. Ruth comes across as somewhat forward, if not immodest, as she literally throws herself at Boaz. But apply the lens of the ancient world, and all things change. There are basic cultural practices written into the Law of Israel which govern the story at this point.

Israel was created by God's call to be a unique people. When we describe the nation-state as a theocracy, we mean literally that God was its King, its covenant Lord. As such, God called Abram to a new land and promised this land to his descendents (Gen. 12:1, 7). In Exodus, God led His people Israel out of bondage and delivered them into this land. The land was God's free gift to His people. This was His part of the covenant He had made with them. The peoples' response is to be that of love and loyalty to God, shown by their obedience.

Please note, however, that Israel's obedience is not the means by which they earn God's grace and favor. Rather, obedience is seen as the expression of gratitude for the mercy already given. They were created to serve God, and obedience is an aspect of His comprehensive blessing.

Following the conquest of Israel, the land was divided up among the tribes as their inheritance from the Lord. So they were leaseholders. They had no absolute rights to the land. They could not part with the family portion or sell it whenever they wished, because it was not theirs. It belonged to God. But He had given it forever to the family as a mark of His Blessing.

But what if poverty struck? Could they realize the value of the land to alleviate their suffering? The Law was clear: "The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for You are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold. Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, then let him count the years since its sale, and restore the balance to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession. But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; and in the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession." (Lev. 25:23-28)

It was the duty of the nearest relation or kinsman to redeem the land, to buy it back for the family. It is this provision which Naomi was wanting to invoke. We learn later in Ruth 4:9, that Elimelech owned property that Naomi had to sell because of her poverty. She, therefore, plans to call on Boaz, as a kinsman, to become the redeemer and thus to ransom the family property. But there is more.

The Jewish law further provides for a man to marry the widow of his deceased brother if no heir has been born. The widow was not to remarry outside the family, but the brother of the deceased husband was to raise up an heir for his dead brother so that his name might be perpetuated and his family inheritance continue to be possessed by the family. This is spelled out in Deuteronomy 25:5–10, where the force of the passage is that, while such a marriage is the right of the nearest kinsman, it is not a duty to be forced upon him. It is a right that he can feel free to lay aside.

The important point, of which Naomi was most certainly aware, concerns the fact that the "kinsman-redeemer" acts out of compassion and commitment, rather than compulsion or mere duty. Naomi wants Boaz not only to ransom Elimelech's property, but also to marry the widow of her husband's rightful heir, Ruth, and so to establish the name of her husband and son, and to return the family to its proper status in Bethlehem.

In all of this, Naomi is simply trying to discover God's will and she is directly following God's Word. In Ruth 3:1, she says to Ruth, "Shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?" "Seek security" can be translated, "find a home" (NIV). The Hebrew word literally means, "find rest." What is implied is the security and benefits found in marriage by a woman in Israel. It was customary for parents to arrange marriages (in this case, Naomi for Ruth). The motive: "that it may be well with you" (v. 1b), or that Ruth may be well provided for.

Naomi interpreted Boaz's kindness to Ruth as an indication of his interest in her, possibly indicating a willingness to be that "kinsman-redeemer" for Ruth. The inward impulse, the Word of God, and the circumstances all lined up, so Naomi acted upon God’s lead and sent Ruth to the threshing floor to find out Boaz's intentions in the matter: "Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do" (vs. 2-4).

Ruth complied: "And she said to her, 'All that you say to me I will do'" (v. 5). Ruth followed the custom of the day, just as Naomi had instructed. In this manner, Ruth made clear to Boaz her willingness to marry him. God led, and Naomi acted upon His lead by faith. That is what God would have us do as well. Let God lead through the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit, through His Word, and through life's circumstances. When all three line up, like Naomi, act upon His lead. Amen.

Grace: God's Unbelievable Redemption

Grace is not only God's unending provision and God's unlimited resources, above all, it is God's unbelievable redemption! This truth is especially evident in Ruth 2:20. I said last week that we would take a closer look at verse 20 this week, the key verse not only in chapter two, but in the entire book of Ruth. So let's do that now; let's take a close look at Ruth 2:20.

There is a lot to be learned here that will introduce us to what is yet to come in the Book of Ruth. Naomi made two statements in this verse during her conversation with Ruth. First, she said, "Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!" (v. 20a). Second, she said, "This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives" (v. 20b).

First, the phrase, "the living and the dead," has been interpreted as a reference to both Naomi and Ruth ("the living"), and Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion ("the dead"). It is thus taken as the equivalent of "everyone." God "has not forsaken" (v. 20a) Naomi and Ruth, but God "has not forsaken" (v. 20a) Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion either. His "kindness" (v. 20a) is to the whole family. Naomi's statement may indicate that she already anticipated what was about to take place.

Second, Boaz is described here as "a close relative" (v. 20b). Literally, it is the Hebrew word "ga'al," meaning "kinsman redeemer" (as in the NIV). Boaz, by law, could fulfill the duty of preserving the name of the dead by marrying Ruth. He had already begun to fulfill this duty by providing food and protection for her.

The root of "ga’al" means "to redeem" or "buy back," usually with an emphasis on the redemption being the privilege or duty of a near relative. The responsibilities of the "ga’al" included avenging the death of a murdered relative (Num. 35:19), marrying a childless widow of a deceased brother (Deut. 25:5-10), buying back family land that had been sold (Lev. 25:25), buying a family member who had been sold as a slave (Lev. 25:47-49), and looking after the needy and helpless members of the family (Lev. 25:35), as Boaz had already been doing.

It is difficult to know how conscientiously this law was observed since the Israelites broke most of the covenant laws in the time of the judges, but Jeremiah 32:6-25 indicates that it was still binding in the sixth century B.C., many years after the time of Boaz. What we are about to witness in the Book of Ruth is that righteousness still existed in Israel, even in the time of the judges. At Bethlehem, where so much sin and rebellion existed, there was yet one godly man by the name of Boaz. He would certainly carry out his God-given task. We are about to experience unbelievable redemption in the Book of Ruth.

Let's return to our opening question from a couple weeks back: What is grace? Benjamin Warfield said, "Grace is free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving" (George Sweeting, Great Quotes and Illustrations, cited in Swindoll's Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1998, 253). Here Ruth had begun to experience just that, free sovereign favor, even though she didn’t deserve it.

That is what grace is. It is God standing ready with unending provisions. It is God standing ready with unlimited resources. It is God standing ready with an unbelievable redemption just for you! God's grace stands ready for you! Like Naomi and Ruth, trust God no matter what is happening around you. At all times, no matter where you are, trust God. He will, by His grace, meet your every need. Amen.