A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
RUTH 2:17-23
Lesson #06
THE LAW OF THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER
- Memory verse: Psalms 16:9
- Ruth trusted in God to provide for her and Naomi in the same way we trust in God to provide for us.
- The Christian life is a life of faith (2Cor 5:7).
- Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb 11:6)
- In our last lesson we saw that Boaz went beyond the gleaning law to provide abundantly for Ruth.
- In the same way Jesus Christ goes beyond the Law to provide for us.
- We do not earn or deserve God’s blessing. Therefore, we live by grace. (Eph 2:8)
- In our lesson today we will discuss how the Christian is supposed to live in hope.
- Read Ruth 2:17-23
- The abundant supply:
- When Ruth came home from the field of Boaz during the barley harvest, she had an ephah of barley.
- En ephah was about 1.1 bushels (40 liters).
- This was a large amount for a widow to glean in one day.
- In fact, it was so much that Naomi was very surprised and questioned her about it.
- Ruth tells Naomi about Boaz. Up to this point in the story, Ruth does not know Boaz and Naomi are related.
- However, as soon as Ruth tells Naomi about Boaz, Naomi immediately knows who he is and gives praise to God (20).
- What does Naomi know that Ruth does not know?
- Naomi knows about the law of the kinsman-redeemer that was unique to the Jews.
- What was the law of the kinsman-redeemer?
- Read Lev 25:23-25, 47-48
- The Hebrew word for kinsman-redeemer is “goel”.
- It is a unique part of Jewish culture established by God earlier in the Old Testament (Lev 25:25-55).
- It is a strange custom to us today because we do not have anything like it.
- It was God’s way of taking care of his people in that day and that time.
- I have explained other parts of Jewish culture in our study:
- The abundant supply:
The law of the levirate marriage (brother-in-law)
The law of gleaning
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- The law of the kinsman-redeemer, however, is very important to our story. Without an understanding of this law,
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=1= You cannot understand the rest of the book of Ruth.
=2= You cannot understand fully what the New Testament means when we call Christ our Redeemer.
=3= You cannot understand Revelation 5.
The scroll written on the front and back is the title deed to this earth lost by the sin of Adam and Eve.
The writing on the front and back state the written requirements necessary for redemption of the earth.
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- There are three aspects of the law of the kinsman-redeemer
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(Lev 25:25-55)
=1= The law functions in connection with redeeming land. (Lev 25:25-34)
=2= The law functions in connection with redeeming poor people. (Lev 25:35-55)
=1= The law functions in connection with redeeming widows. (Deu 25:5-10 in fulfilling the levirate marriage law)
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- The meaning of the words:
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The word “redemption” = the deliverance or freedom from some evil by the payment of a price.
The word “kinsman” = the closest male relative by blood relationship was to be the protector.
The “kinsman-redeemer” (goel) =
Any close male relative could bring deliverance or freedom to a person or to property by paying the appropriate price.
The Bible does not specifically say what the blood relationship was between Boaz and Naomi’s husband, Elimelech.
We do know that Boaz was not the nearest male relative to Naomi’s husband (Ruth 3:12). However, he was a close relative and possibly a brother to Elimelech.
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- The requirements of a kinsman-redeemer:
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=1= He must be the nearest male relative.
=2= He must be able to perform the obligations.
=3= He must be willing to perform the obligations.
=4= He must fulfill all the obligations.
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- The obligations of a kinsman-redeemer:
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=1= If a close relative was murdered, the kinsman must be the “avenger of blood” who would catch the murderer and kill him. (Num 35:6-34)
=2= If a close relative lost his land through poverty, the kinsman redeemer must pay to buy it back for him.
=3= If a close relative died and left a widow without children, he must marry the widow. The first child would be considered the child of the dead man. (The law of levirate marriage)
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- The purpose of the law of the kinsman-redeemer:
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This was God’s welfare system embodied within the family.
This was God’s physical example to the Jews that Jesus Christ would be our Kinsman-Redeemer.
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- What happened if a close relative refused to perform his duty as kinsman-redeemer? In other words, if he was able to perform but he was unwilling.
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If the man was a near relative and was able to perform his duty, but he was not willing to do so, he must remove one shoe from his foot in front of the elders of the city and give it to the person he was unwilling to redeem.
The unredeemed person would spit in his face. Then the unwilling relative must walk without one shoe for a period of time so that all his neighbors would know he was unwilling to perform his duty.
It was a social disgrace to be able to perform the duty but to be unwilling to do so.
After that, another near relative could decide to fulfill the obligation of kinsman-redeemer.
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- Naomi’s reaction to the name of Boaz:
- Naomi praises God that the Holy Spirit has led Ruth to Boaz and that he gives her his favor.
- Like any good Jewish mother-in-law, she instructs Ruth on how to take advantage of the situation. (22)
- She tells Ruth to glean nowhere else but in the fields of Boaz.
- Every day Boaz would see Ruth there. He would be reminded that he has a responsibility to Naomi.
- Why is an understanding of the kinsman-redeemer important to Revelation 5?
- Read Rev 5:1-10 The scroll
- The scroll is the title deed to this earth. God gave dominion over this planet to Adam, but Adam lost the deed to Satan when he and Eve submitted to Satan’s temptations in Genesis. Satan became the “god of this world” system.
- Notice that the scroll is written “within and on the back” (Rev 5:1)
- In Biblical times, on the back of a scroll which was a legal title deed to property, it had the conditions that a kinsman-redeemer must fulfill to redeem that property.
- Jesus Christ, the slain lamb of God, in Revelation 5 qualifies as the kinsman-redeemer (see Rev 5:9).
- =1= He is our near kinsman in that He was completely human while He was still completely God.
- =2= He was able to perform as our kinsman-redeemer in that he was without sin and had the power of God in him to pay the price of our redemption on the cross.
- =3= He was willing to perform as our kinsman-redeemer. He was willing to suffer the crucifixion for us and pay the price.
- =4= He said on the cross, “it is finished” meaning that He had paid the full price of redemption and fulfilled all the obligations of a kinsman redeemer.
- Read Rev 5:1-10 The scroll
- Special Note: Not represented in the book of Ruth is the responsibility of the kinsman-redeemer to be the “avenger of blood” represented in the book of Numbers.
- Read Num 35:6-34
- Jesus Christ is the “avenger of blood”.
- Satan brought death upon mankind through Adam’s sin.
- Jesus Christ takes revenge on Satan in Revelation 20:10,14 when He casts Satan, death, and Hades in the lake of fire for eternity.
- Application:
- We can see that Boaz is a prefigure or illustration of the kinsman-redeemer, Jesus Christ.
- Remember that Boaz’ name means = “in him there is strength”.
- He is able and willing to perform this duty.
- Discussion:\
- What does the word “redemption” mean to you?
- Where does “hope” fit into this lesson on the kinsman-redeemer?
- Remember what Naomi said back in Ruth 1:21?
- She felt bitter against God because of her loss. She had no hope that her life would ever get better.
- When Naomi heard the name of Boaz, she had hope that God would make the situation better for them.
- What is Biblical hope?
- It is not the idea of maybe God will or maybe God won’t do something.
- Biblical hope is an inner assurance that surely, without a doubt God will provide what He promised.
- Notice that faith comes first in the Christian life. then comes trusting in God’s grace. Then as you begin to see God provide based on faith and grace, you have the inner assurance of hope for the future that surely God will take care of you to fulfill his promises. (1Tim 1:1 1Thes 1:3 Col 1:27)
- Read 1Pet 1:3
- Remember what Naomi said back in Ruth 1:21?
Homework
Ruth 3:1-5
- Application of Ruth 2:17-23
- How does hope in Jesus Christ, your kinsman-redeemer, affect your attitude toward your life on earth today?
- Preparation for Ruth 3:1-5
- Read Ruth 3:1-5
- What four things does Naomi tell Ruth to do?
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- =2=
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- =4=
- How do these 4 things relate to the Christian and his relationship to Christ?
- Read each scripture before you answer the question.
- =1= (2Cor 7:1)
- =2= (1John 2:20,27)
- =3= (Isaiah 61:10)
- =4= (Rom 10:9-11 Gal 4:4-5)
- What four things does Naomi tell Ruth to do?
- Read Ruth 3:1-5
- Memory verse: John 1:12
