RUTH 4 - WHO IS YOUR REDEEMER?
Ruth 4
As we have seen so far, one of the major themes in the Book of Ruth is the concept of a redeemer for Ruth and Naomi – someone who can purchase the land of Naomi’s deceased husband, Elimelech, and thereby give them and their descendants a permanent place to live in Israel. The only issue, which is revealed in Chapter 4, is the question of who is going to be their redeemer.
Under Jewish law, the right to redeem, but not the obligation to do so, went to the closest family relative, but with the purchase of the land also came the obligation to take Ruth as the redeemer’s bride. As explained in Chapter 4, the closest family member did not want Ruth. The reasons are not totally clear, but it appears that it had to do with him already having heirs whose inheritance would have been impaired if he took Ruth and had more children by her. So essentially, this proposed redeemer, provided by the law, refused to redeem them because of what it would cost him.
Without a redeemer, there would be no rescuer for Ruth and Naomi from poverty, homelessness and misery.
Their rejection by this redeemer left them in a desperate spot. Yet, in this Chapter we see that Boaz, who was a lesser relative, comes forward, and with great affection for Ruth, says that he will be their redeemer, purchase the land, and take Ruth as his bride. The parallels between the situation of Ruth and Naomi, and our situation as sinners, are striking. Just as they had no permanent home in Israel, and lived in misery, we, because of our sin, have no place in God’s Kingdom and live in the consequences of our sin. Just as the death of Naomi’s husband caused them to forfeit their place in Israel, sin and the spiritual death it brings us, has caused us to be under God’s judgment and to forfeit our ability to dwell with Him forever in Heaven.
Just like them, we need a redeemer.
The world offers us many false hopes for redemption from sin, such as by self-help, self-improvement, good works, spirituality, and religious rituals. Yet, none of these things can redeem us from the ravages of sin, and none of them truly care for us , or want us as their bride. Instead, they will make us their slave, place demands upon us that are impossible to keep, and we will never be able to satisfy them. Redemption through them is transactional, not relational, and it is an illusion.
The only redeemer who can free us from our bondage to sin, give us a place in God’s Kingdom, and who truly loves us and wants us, is Jesus.
Like Boaz did with Ruth, He desires a relationship with us, and will take us as His bride. The first redeemer provided by the Jewish law to Ruth and Naomi, refused to redeem them because of what it would cost him. Yet, Jesus redeemed us, even though it cost Him everything, including His life.
Ruth’s response to the great gift of redemption that Boaz gave her was to bear him a son, which in that culture was the highest form of honor she could bestow upon him. That son became the grandfather of David, and is in the line of our Redeemer, Jesus. Just as Ruth brought honor to Boaz, our response to Jesus, as our Redeemer, should be to glorify Him. 1 Cor. 6:20 says that since we were bought with such a great price, we therefore should glorify God in our bodies.
In this life, we have a choice as to who or what is going to be our redeemer. Will we seek to redeem ourselves through our own striving and efforts, or will we accept the Redeemer who loves us so much that He died for us? That is the question before us from this last Chapter of Ruth. The first choice leads to death and misery. The second choice leads to life and joy.