THE UNWILLING REDEEMER

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Ruth 4:1-10

Lesson #09

THE UNWILLING REDEEMER

• Memory verse: Proverbs 23:11
• Review:
  • Remember that Ruth needed a kinsman to redeem her and the property that belonged to Elimelech.
    • Ruth wanted Boaz to be her redeemer and made a public legal claim on him.
    • However, there was another man who was a nearer relation by blood to Elimelech than Boaz.
    • That man would have the first opportunity to be the redeemer.
  • Remember that Boaz told Ruth to wait, and he would settle the conflict.
    • Usually, in the Jewish culture, this would be settled by the woman.
    • She would have to go to court and make the legal claim on this other man.
• Read Ruth 4:1-10 The actions of a unique kinsman-redeemer
  • It is not Ruth who works out her redemption, why?
  • Because Boaz is a prefigure of Jesus Christ, our kinsman-redeemer, it is very important that it is Boaz who works out the redemption.
    • The Christian knows well that he is not saved or redeemed by anything that he personally does.
    • It is Jesus Christ who does everything for us as our kinsman-redeemer.
    • Like Ruth, the sinner has only one thing he must do…he must claim Jesus Christ by faith as his savior or redeemer.
    • Everything else about redemption is accomplished by Jesus Christ just as everything that had to do with Ruth’s redemption was done by Boaz.
    • This is the most important principle that we can learn about our kinsman-redeemer, Jesus Christ, from this passage.
  • The public aspects of redemption:
    • Notice that Boaz goes to the city gate.
    • The city gate was the place where government, financial, and legal matters were decided. The location of the city courthouse was at the city gate.
    • In the United States it used to be that a city was built around the courthouse. The courthouse was in the center of the city with a park or square around it.
    • Because all cities in Bible times were built with a protective wall around the city, the location of the courthouse was always at the city gate.
    • In this way, everyone coming and going through the city gate would not miss any important aspects of city business, such as news and the collection of taxes, etc.
    • Why did Boaz go to the city gate?
    • Redemption was a legal and public event.
    • He must settle the matter with the other man in court about who would be the kinsman-redeemer.
    • It is the same situation with Jesus Christ as our kinsman-redeemer.
    • He had to settle the matter publically. He died on the cross for all to see.
  • The ten elders who would decide the matter:
    • These ten men were the elders of the city of Bethlehem.
    • They would judge who would be the redeemer.
    • The number 10 in the Bible:
    • Ten in the Bible is a symbolic number indicating a governmental standard for a test.
    • Remember there are 10 commandments which are God’s governmental standard by which man is tested or judged if he is without Christ.
    • Remember there are 10 virgins with 10 lamps in the parable in Mat 25 waiting for the Lord’s coming.
    • Remember there are ten healed lepers in Luke 17.
    • Remember that Naomi had spent 10 years in Moab…God’s test of faithfulness.
  • The blood relationship of the two kinsman:
    • We do not know exactly the blood relationship between Boaz and Elimelech.
    • Also we do not know the blood relationship between this other man and Elimelech.
    • Verse 3 uses the word “brother”, but in the Hebrew language, it is a general term not meant to express a specific relationship. In fact, Hebrew does not have specific names for family relationships.
    • What we do know is that this other man had the closer relationship, and he would have the first opportunity to be the kinsman-redeemer.
  • The strategy of Boaz: (3-4)
    • Boaz tells the other kinsman that Naomi’s land must be redeemed.
    • Notice that Boaz does not even mention Ruth.
    • It is true that property had to be redeemed first before a widow was redeemed.
      • The other kinsman agrees to redeem the land.
      • Remember the requirements of the kinsman-redeemer:
      • He had to be a close blood relative.
      • He had to be able to fulfill the obligations.
      • He had to be willing to fulfill the obligations.
      • He had to assume all the obligations.
    • This other man was a close blood relative, and he was able to fulfill the obligations.
      • In other words he had enough money to pay for the land. He was also willing to fulfill the obligations.
      • I am sure that Boaz’ heart fell to his feet at this point. He loved Ruth and wanted to marry her.
      • Now it seemed as though another man would be her redeemer.
    • Now, at this point in the story, Boaz mentions Ruth. (5)
      • Notice that he mentions Ruth is a Moabite. He wants to make sure this man knows she is a foreigner and to marry her is against the Mosaic Law.
      • He also mentions that if he marries her, their first child will be considered the child of her dead husband in regards to inheritance.
  • The unable, unwilling redeemer: (6)
    • When Boaz mentions Ruth, this other man is now unable and unwilling to be the kinsman redeemer. Why?
      • The Bible does not say exactly.
      • There are at least 2 possible reasons he cannot fulfill all the obligations.
      • =1= He is already married and does not want another wife.
      • =2= He has grown children among whom his property already has been divided. The birth of a child with Ruth would undo what already has been given to his own children. To marry Ruth would jeopardize everything he owned.
    • God uniquely tied the widow and the land together. The Jews through the Old Testament did not faithfully fulfill the responsibilities of kinsman-redeemer.
      • They did not fulfill their responsibilities to the Promise Land in returning land to their original owner every 50 years in the year of jubilee.
      • They did not allow the land to lie uncultivated every 7 years. To pay for these failures God sent them into the Babylonian captivity for 70 years. (1Kin 21 Isa 5:8-10 Hab 2:9-12 2Chr 36:21)
  • The spiritual analogy:
    • Spiritually speaking, Boaz represents Jesus Christ. Ruth represents the Christian or the New Testament church.
    • Who do you think the “nearer relative” represents?
    • Read Gal 3:21 and Rom 3:20
    • The Mosaic Law is the “nearer relative”.
    • Through all of history, many Jews thought that keeping the Law would redeem them.
    • However, the New Testament is clear that keeping the Ten Commandments and all the rest of the Law redeems no one.
    • God did not give the Law to be a redeemer.
    • Jesus Christ was to be the redeemer from the foundation of the world. It was God’s plan from the beginning that His son would pay the redemption price with his blood on the cross publically.

Then, why did God give the Law if it was not meant to redeem us?

Read 2Cor 3:7, 9 and Gal 3:23-24

• • • Notice that the “nearer kinsman” in our story was unable to redeem Ruth, just as keeping the Law is unable to redeem us today.
    • The “nearer kinsman” is also unwilling to redeem Ruth because it would cost him everything.

God is unwilling to redeem us by the Law because to do that He would have to lower his standard of justice. That would compromise his nature and character.

Instead of the Law, God chose a better redeemer, his son, Jesus Christ who fulfilled God’s demands of justice and our needs of mercy.

• • The barefoot kinsman: (7-8)
    • To symbolize the legal transaction, the “nearer kinsman” gave one shoe to Boaz. It means he gives up his right to possess the land that was Elimelech’s.
    • This act was usually performed with the rejected widow. However, we see Boaz take full responsibility in place of Ruth.
    • Is there any special significance to the shoe? Yes.
    • In Gen 13:17 God told Abraham He would give him all the land wherever his feet could walk. Abraham had to claim God’s Promised Land.
    • Eph 6:15 tells us that as believers our feet are shod with the gospel of peace.
    • The Law is barefoot. It cannot bring peace between man and God. Only our true kinsman-redeemer, Jesus Christ can bring us peace with God and give us all the promised blessings.
    • The “gospel (good news) of peace” is that Jesus Christ is our kinsman-redeemer, able and willing to perform all the obligations.
  • The missing Orpah (9-10)
    • Notice that in these verses, Orpah, Naomi’s other daughter-in-law, is not mentioned.
    • She had removed herself from God’s eternal plan back in chapter 1.
  • Boaz’ legal commitment: (10)
    • With the failure of the “nearer kinsman”, Boaz promises to be the kinsman-redeemer for Ruth and her property.
    • In our picture of Jesus Christ, it is important to notice that it is not just Ruth that is redeemed but her property as well.
    • Jesus Christ redeems people who claim Him as their savior and redeemer, and He also redeems this earth from sin, death, and Satan.
    • This part of the redemption was paid for on the cross, but He will not open that scroll and declare his victory until his second coming. (Rev 5) it is in his millennial kingdom that the curse of Gen 3 is removed and full redemption is finally realized.
• Review:
  • In our study we saw that Boaz’ un-named servant (Ruth 2:5) is a prefigure of the Holy Spirit.
    • He introduces Ruth to Boaz in the same way the Holy Spirit introduces us to Christ.
    • Ruth is a prefigure of the believer who comes to claim Christ as redeemer.
    • The “nearer kinsman” is a prefigure of the Mosaic Law that cannot possibly redeem anyone.
    • Boaz is a prefigure of Jesus Christ, our kinsman-redeemer, who is willing and able to redeem us and this earth.
    • There is one other person we have not identified. Who do you think Naomi represents?

Homework

Ruth 4:11-22

• Application of Ruth 4:1-10
  • Write down your thoughts as you contemplate the vast repercussions of our story about Ruth and Boaz and how their actions represent Jesus Christ and the person who seeks redemption.
• Preparation for Ruth 4:11-22
  • Read Ruth 4:11-22
    • Think about the person of Naomi in our story. She represents the Jewish people in history and prophecy.
    • In what ways do the actions of Naomi represent the actions of the Jewish people?
• Memory verse: Zechariah 13:1