BOOK OF RUTH:
“OUR KINSMAN REDEEMER”
RUTH 1:1-4:22
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Ruth in the Old Testament is one of my favorite books in the entire Bible. It is a short historical story with a simple divine plot which speaks directly to our lives today. I find the people to be real as well as their struggles. In the midst of the story of Ruth, we have something that directly points us to Jesus Christ which is spiritually invaluable.
The book of Ruth can be summed up by 10 key words which can help us understand the story of Ruth if we are not familiar with it. Because this is the third in our series of three messages on the Book of Ruth, I’d like to use these words to re-familiarize ourselves with the story rather than re-read the passages. One of these words is quite significant for us today:
Famine… the beginning of the hardship for mother-in-law Naomi and eventually what brought daughter-in-law Ruth into the story
Emptiness… Naomi’s life after the death of her family was marked with loss
Bitterness… the feeling of Naomi towards God at the loss of her husband and two sons in death
Kindness… the actions of Ruth in staying with her mother-in-law and going back to Bethlehem with her
Gleaning… Ruth was young and worked hard in picking up leftovers at harvest time in the fields so she and Naomi would survive
Blessed… Ruth is in the field of Boaz who is a good and Godly man, he protects her and provides a way for her to gather more than they need
Kinsman-Redeemer… Boaz is a close relative of Naomi’s husband who may be of help in their dire need
Redeem... Boaz can marry Ruth, buy back land, and make things right for Naomi and Ruth
Praise… God gets credit for all that He did in bringing Ruth and Boaz together
Renew…Naomi and Ruth both have a new life set before them drastically different than before and a baby is born which brings hope into their lives
Of all of these key words which summarize the Book of Ruth, the most important word is “kinsman redeemer.” It is this word which describes Boaz that is at the center of the Book of Ruth and points directly to Jesus Christ which is the point of our time together today… Jesus Christ is our Kinsman-Redeemer. The job of the “kinsman redeemer” is originally described in the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. This “kinsman redeemer” basically is a blood relative who can opt to help his family member when they get themselves into trouble and might do so at high personal cost.
I. REDEEM FROM BONDAGE
The first job given in the Old Testament for a kinsman redeemer is the job of buying back a relative who has gotten themselves sold into slavery. Selling oneself into slavery was a measure someone might take to pay off debts that were over their head. Now, in the story of Naomi and Ruth, there is no slavery… the circumstances for these two ladies has not reached such a dire circumstance just yet. They are in need, hungry, in debt, and the next step for them is perhaps slavery. What prevents bondage is Boaz.
READ Leviticus 25:47-50
“'If an alien or a temporary resident among you becomes rich and one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the alien living among you or to a member of the alien's clan, 48 he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his relatives may redeem him: 49 An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself. 50 He and his buyer are to count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for his release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired man for that number of years.”
We find in Leviticus that God provides a way out of slavery for someone who is indentured to pay off a debt. I want you to notice two things about this passage. First, the identity of the person who is the kinsman redeemer must be someone who is a close relative. Verse 49 mentions an “uncle or a cousin” and then expands it to other more distant relatives. The person who does the redeeming must be blood related.
Second, we find that this blood relative can have the job, if he is able, to pay off the debt which the relative is a slave for and provide freedom from bondage. This relative redeems the debt. This loving relative pays what is not their debt to set the relative free.
JESUS APPLICATION
I told you earlier that kinsman redeemer is the word which describes Boaz and it points directly to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our kinsman redeemer. Jesus certainly fits the description as our blood relative. Hebrews 2:17-18 tells us, “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Jesus Christ the Son of God was a flesh and blood human being which makes Him just like you and I. Being a flesh and blood human being allows Jesus the opportunity to redeem us.
Jesus also fits the description as someone who can redeem us from bondage. In John 8:34, “Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” The Apostle Paul tell us in Romans 7:14, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.” Every human being who has ever lived deals with sin and we are in bondage to it. We can do nothing about it. Psalm 49:7-8 tells us, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-- 8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough.” No payment is good enough… so God had to make a way Himself to redeem us from our bondage to sin. Jesus paid with His perfect life to redeem us from the bonds of sin.
ILLUSTRATION… Jesus Became A Human Being by Meister Eckhart (Miller, ed. The Book of Jesus. pg 241)
“Jesus became a human being because God the Compassionate One could not suffer and lacked a back to be beaten. God needed a back like our backs on which to receive blows and thereby perform compassion as well as preach it.”
II. REDEEM FROM POVERTY
The second job given in the Old Testament for a kinsman redeemer is the job of providing for family members who are in abject poverty. In Naomi and Ruth’s case, poverty came upon them because of drought, death, and being widows. This is why Ruth was picking up leftovers in fields after they were harvested… she and Naomi were in desperate need and poverty. They needed a close relative who could pay the price and redeem property and their whole situation. Boaz was that man… he was a close relative and he had the financial means to redeem what was lost.
READ Leviticus 25:25-28
"'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold. 26 If, however, a man has no one to redeem it for him but he himself prospers and acquires sufficient means to redeem it, 27 he is to determine the value for the years since he sold it and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it; he can then go back to his own property. 28 But if he does not acquire the means to repay him, what he sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and he can then go back to his property.”
The word redemption carries with it several meanings. It can mean “to free” or “to separate” or “to buy with a price.” In this passage in Leviticus, redemption means “to buy with a price.” A close relative can buy back lost land or property. There are lots of situations in life in which loss of property or money can occur. God provided in the Book of Leviticus for such situations. For Naomi and Ruth, it seems that the property of Elimelech (Naomi’s husband) had been sold or lost and they were in great need of having it returned to them.
JESUS APPLICATION
Again, Jesus Christ is our kinsman redeemer. Not only did Adam and Eve sell all of us into spiritual sinful bondage in the Garden of Eden, but they also forced us into spiritual bankruptcy. Without God, we are poor. We are disconnected from God with Whom we were designed to have a loving personal relationship. Sin breaks that and makes us poor.
It is only in Jesus, our Kinsman Redeemer, that we are lifted out of our spiritual poverty. The Apostle Paul understands this completely and writes about it in the New Testament. In Ephesians alone he writes about our riches in Christ often. Paul shares with us that in Christ we have redemption, grace, hope, power in our inner being, and faith in our hearts:
Ephesians 1:7-8, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”
Ephesians 1:18-19, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”
Ephesians 3:16-17, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
ILLUSTRATION… Jesus the Worm by Roy Hession (Miller, ed. The Book of Jesus. pg 252)
“Those who have been in tropical lands tells us that there is a big difference between a snake and a worm, when you attempt to strike at them. The snake rears itself up and hisses and tries to strike back – a true picture of self. But a worm offers no resistance, it allows you to do what you like with it, kick it or squash it under your heel – a picture of true brokenness. Jesus was willing to become just that for us – a worm and not a man. He did so, because that is what he saw us to be, worms having forfeited all rights by our sins, except to deserve hell. And he now calls us to take our rightful place as worms for him and with him.”
III. REDEEM FROM THE DEAD
The third job given in the Old Testament for a kinsman redeemer is the job of providing children for dead relatives… giving life where there was no hope. In the case of Naomi and Ruth, all of the men in their family had died. Elimelech died and had two sons who both died without having any children. Their family name and legacy died when all three men passed away. Boaz has the opportunity to continue the legacy of his relatives.
READ Deuteronomy 25:5-6
“If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.”
The Law of God in Deuteronomy provides ways for family names, family inheritance, and family structure to continue when tragedy strikes. A kinsman redeemer in this instance is one that takes a widow into his home and acts as a step-father and continues the family name and inheritance of his brother or cousin. Our culture is different, but in the Old Testament, this was extremely important. Overall, it seems like this part of being a kinsman-redeemer is all about bringing life when there is no hope.
JESUS APPLICATION
Jesus Christ is our kinsman redeemer on whom all of us rely. Not only does Jesus Christ redeem us from bondage and poverty, but He also redeems us from the dead. Jesus offers eternal life where only eternal death was found. We find in Jesus Christ that Jesus Himself offered His life for our life and we have been redeemed from death. Just like other things we have talked about this morning, the New Testament points directly to Jesus being our Kinsman Redeemer who redeems us from the dead.
The Book of Romans talks about our lives being redeemed to life often:
Romans 4:17, “He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-- the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.”
Romans 6:4, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:11, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”
ILLUSTRATION… Only Begotten Son by Nate Adams (Miller, ed. The Book of Jesus. pg 254)
“I was shaving when I heard a crash in the bedroom. The full-length mirror that was leaning against our bedroom wall must have fallen. The I heard Caleb’s scream. I flew around the corner to see a zillion pieces of broken mirror on the floor – and Caleb, my 19-month old, lying in the middle of it. Then I saw the blood.
The sight of my son’s blood overwhelmed me. I snatched him up and scanned his body. Though the glass had been shattered all around him, the only mark was a small scratch on the inside of his left ear. Only a trickle of blood flowed, so it was apparently more fear than injury that was forcing tears.
The interesting thing about this little crisis is now I can’t read, hear, or think about Jesus on the cross without getting a lump in my throat… thinking about what kind of determined, redemptive love could be strong enough to let an only Son cry out in pain on a cross.”
SUMMARY
Boaz is one of the central figures in the Book of Ruth. He is the kinsman-redeemer buys back debt that was not his and provides a life for Naomi and Ruth. He was able to do this because he was a blood relative, he was willing, and he had the means to pay the debt.
Jesus Christ is the central figure in the Bible and in all of humanity. He is our kinsman-redeemer who buys back our sin debt and provides eternal life for me and for you. He is able to do this because He is an innocent flesh-and-blood human being who was willing and had the means to pay our sin debt.
CONCLUSION
