Redemption

Intro:

Batman- ordinary person doing extraordinary things but has no superpowers….Boaz ordinary guy doing extraordinary things but has no ability to save mankind. In the end is is a redeemer but not the redeemer. Today we conclude Ruth and with it we see the final redemption of this family Naomi & Ruth and the foreshadowing of a redeemer far greater and what Israel and all of us truly need.

Scripture:

Ruth 4:1–22 (ESV)

Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down. And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

1. God Advances His Salvation Narrative Through Ordinary People

As we conclude the story of Ruth we are reminded that in many ways this is a very ordinary story of people who are just trying to live out their lives, yet find themselves as part of God’s unfolding grace, centered on the lineage of Jesus the Saviour of the World.

Boaz lives up to the hype

Remember in chapter 3 Naomi states that Ruth 3:18 “She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”

Boaz is determined to go ahead and settle the issue with this unnamed redeemer. He goes to the gate as that is where people conducted business and where people traveled. Nonetheless, the fact that this unnamed redeemer come by right off the bat is not simply a coincidence. This was God’s providential hand orchestrating the events of the day for the redemption of Ruth to take place.

The fact that Boaz had already secured ten elders to be on standby shows how eager he was to settle this manner. Boaz wastes no time to get to the point and explains the situation to this man and gives him the opportunity to respond.

It’s important to think back to Ruth 1:19 “So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them.”…so this nearest kinsmen redeemer would have known about Naomi & Ruth and his obligation/opportunity but simply did not act or make it a priority. Of course once given the opportunity to take on the land of Elimelech he jumps at it, but Boaz goes on to tell him all the responsibility that comes with it, mainly marrying Ruth and advancing the family.

Not surprisingly he is out at this moment. Scholars differ on opinion, but clearly there is a concern about future inheritance either for a current son or future son that makes him step aside….again God is working in ordinary people to accomplish His will, and this unnamed redeemer is much like Orpah a character that chooses their own desires over those of God and Boaz and Ruth are the beneficiaries of that in that God blesses them uniquely.

One thing that is interesting in this text is that Boaz confronts this redeemer that is closer by putting the responsibility of marrying Ruth in front of him, when in reality there was no legal obligation to do so, yet Boaz being an example of biblical manhood, knows its the moral thing to do….we see this interesting tradition of transferring of a sandal seals the desire for Boaz to be the redeemer and the rest of the story unfolds after that.

What we learn is that Boaz in indeed an ordinary man in this story, but he is an ordinary man that lives by conviction to have integrity in the way he conducts himself. He is willing to lose out on what he wants, to marry Ruth, because he wants to do things the right way…and I would argue that he trusts that if it’s God’s will for him to marry Ruth he will orchestrate it regardless of the obstacles, a closer redeemer.

Application:

God can use ordinary people to accomplish the extraordinary in our lives as well. In what ways can we follow the example of Boaz and Ruth in this biblical account and conduct ourselves in ways that honor God and trust in his sovereignty?

Our goal….simple obedience in the little things…that’s my goal.

2. God Works In Ways That Go Beyond What We Can Imagine

The contrast of chapter one of Ruth and chapter four is profound. We start the story of Ruth with the feeling of hopelessness and end it with hope not just for Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, but ultimately for the nation of Israel as their desire for a righteous king will play out by David being the grandson of Obed, Ruth and Boaz’s son, but also for mankind as the need for a redeemer for all man’s sins come to fruition through this family.

This story that picks up steam once Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem, and though this seems like a small insignificant place for this story to unfold…we know from our vantage point that one day God will use this small seemingly insignificant town to be the exact location that Jesus is born. God works in ways way beyond what we can imagine.

I wonder in your story what seems insignificant right now, that God might be using in a way that is far greater than you can see?

One of the most touching scenes of Ruth is found in Ruth 4:11–12 “Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.””

In this blessing we see that these elders pray for a blessing over Boaz and his soon to be wife and of the presumed offspring which will continue to lineage of Elimelech and his clan.

It’s important to know that this is before they are married and have Obed. It seems that this blessing is almost prophetic in nature as I would suggest that Ruth having Obed is nothing short of a miracle. We don’t know the details but we see that back in chapter one that though they lived In Moab ten years with Ruth being married to Mahlon yet they did not have children. Yet, in the goodness of God, these elders anticipate the bountiful mercy of God to be displayed in Boaz and Ruth’s lives and speak this prayer over Boaz in anticipation of what they believe God is about to do…and of course he does!

“In the Lord’s providence the impact of Ruth’s and Boaz’s loving kindness stretches well beyond Naomi’s field of vision to help secure rest for all Israel.”

“No matter how hopelessly cyclical human history may seem in the days when the judges judge (1:1), the Lord is advancing his salvation purposes to raise up his anointed servant, a king (v. 22), on behalf of all those who take refuge under his wings (2:12).”

ESV Expository Commentary: Deuteronomy–Ruth

Ruth 1:2 “The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah…

1 Samuel 17:12 “Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.”

In this two verses we see the significance of this tiny town of Bethlehem and how God chose it to advance His kingdom by first having Obed son of Boaz and then David son of Jesse (who we know was the son of Obed). God was at work all along in the story of Ruth…even in the introduction and the lineage of Elimelech. We see that without Ruth there is no lineage to David and to Jesus.

“The book of Ruth underscores the Lord’s supernatural grace at work even generations before David’s birth to raise up his servant David by way of his dealing kindly with his servant Naomi, who would have died before learning that the Lord had incorporated her into the royal lineage. The book’s surprise ending thereby calls the covenant family to trust the Lord’s loving kindness, even if they cannot perceive his providence or know how he will accomplish his salvation purposes during their days on earth.”

Excerpt From ESV Expository Commentary: Deuteronomy–Ruth

Iain M. Duguid

Application:

In what ways is God working in our lives that we can’t see?

Are there areas in your life where there seems like no hope, Ruth-no husband or father and no child as an example? Are you trusting that God can provide for you as he did Ruth?

Are we praying prayers trusting in the goodness of God like the elders? How can we grow our prayer life to be more like this?

3. God’s Blessings Are For All Nations

Ultimately this story is not about Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz the story was and always will be about God and his love for humanity, to the point of sending his son to die on the cross for our sins. All that we read in the Old Testament in the end is pointing to the need for a redeemer. We need redeeming…there is no bigger problem in the world than this…our sin has left us separated from God and scripture teaches us that Jesus is that redeemer that was sent to earth to make a way for us to have a right relationship with God, which was fulfilled as this perfect human, Jesus, who had no sin, went to the cross on our behalf taking on not just your sins, but the sins of all of mankind as he died a gruesome death on the cross…but the story wasn’t finished there…at easter time we don’t celebrate just what Jesus did on the cross…no we celebrate a tomb…an empty tomb to be specific and that’s because three days after going to the cross for our sins and dying a terrible death on that tree, Jesus was raised from the dead defeating death and giving us the promise of eternity through it.

So while we have studied Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz as the main characters in this book, it’s really about Jesus. It’s really a foreshadowing of a redeemer who isn’t just solving the problem for two widows to have a future and a hope, but he’s redeeming all of mankind with the hope of a future with him in heaven….what a beautiful promise that is

We see that through this family ultimately the Savior of the world enters the world…but on of the interesting notes on this is his lineage is filled with unlikely people and Ruth the namesake of this book of the bible is one of those people. Remember Ruth was a Moabite.

It’s no coincidence that God weaves women from three foreign countries in Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth...

It’s easy to get caught up in the how God is specifically working through his people the people of Israel in the Old Testament. However in the genealogy of Jesus we see that God includes Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth as a glimpse into his heart for the nations.

Clearly God’s desire by including these ladies in the genealogy of Christ shows that his desire was for all people to know and worship him. We see that throughout scripture:

Genesis 12:2 ESV

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

Genesis 22:18 ESV

and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Promise to Abraham

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Actually, Matthew’s chief aims in including the genealogy are hinted at in the first verse—viz., to show that Jesus Messiah is truly in the kingly line of David, heir to the messianic promises, the one who brings divine blessings to all nations. Therefore the genealogy focuses on King David (1:6) on the one hand, yet on the other hand includes Gentile women.

D. A. Carson

Another interesting fact about Matthew’s genealogy is the inclusion of four Old Testament women: Tamar (Matt. 1:3), Rahab (v. 5), Ruth (v. 5), and Solomon’s mother (v. 6), Bathsheba. All of these women (as well as most of the men) were questionable in some way. Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes (Gen. 38:24; Josh. 2:1), Ruth was a foreigner, a Moabitess (Ruth 1:4), and Bathsheba committed adultery (2 Sam. 11:2–5). Matthew may have included these women in order to emphasize that God’s choices in dealing with people are all of His grace. Perhaps also he included these women in order to put Jewish pride in its place.

Louis A. Barbieri Jr.

The genealogy in the book of Ruth is a great reminder to God’s faithfulness in the past and the promise that he will continue to bless his people in the future. We can find hope in this. If we live a life of piety by living out our faith boldly, loving our neighbors and seeking to do justice, we can trust that God will use our lives for his glory, sometimes in ways that go beyond our lives. Our lives of faith are not in vain…a life of faith can impact far more than we might ever know.

I think about the missionary that leaves all behind to live in a place far away from there home and faithfully share the gospel with those around them. They might never know their impact on this side of heaven. Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Jim Elliot. He was one of five young men who were martyred as they served as missionaries in the jungles of Ecuador seeking to reach the Huaroani Indian people.

On January 8, 1956, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Flemming, and Roger Youderian were speared to death on a sandbar called “Palm Beach” in the Curaray River of Ecuador. They were trying to reach the Huaorani Indians for the first time in history with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jim Elliot and the other men who died never saw an Huaorani come to faith.

But in God’s providence it wasn’t the end of the story:

Betty Elliot sought permission to live with the Waorani to continue the mission effort, despite the death of her husband Jim. She and her infant child Valerie were joined by Rachel Saint, whose brother Nate had also been killed. Rachel was already known to the Waorani via earlier contact with Dayuma, a young refugee from the community. The women were not perceived as a threat and integrated into the tribe’s lifestyle. In her personal account of events in Ecuador, Through the Gates of Splendour (1957), Betty states that they lived “in a tiny leaf-thatched shack” and slept in hammocks.

With Dayuma’s help, Betty (tribal name Gikadi, ‘woodpecker’) and Rachel (tribal name, Nemo, ‘star’) translated the New Testament into Wao Terero. Dayuma was the first of the Waorani to convert to Christianity. Betty also asked the Waorani to renounce violence. The Daily Express on 2 December 1958 reports an alleged attack from the neighbouring Quichua, and a Waorani woman called Manhamn “addressing the darkness” to say, “we don’t kill, we’ll be glad to receive them if they come out without spears”.

Betty and Valerie lived with the Waorani for 2 years, and as Valerie later recounted they had lived in “safety and contentment”.

Today, the Waorani are around 40% Christian according to the Joshua Project.

Application:

God’s always wants to reach all of mankind. It would have been easy for this to be about God’s people and how he was redeeming them through Boaz and then eventually David…but God’s heart is all of the nations. Ultimately we have to guard against this as well. We can make this all about us…our country, our community, our church…God bless us…where God says I’ve blessed you to bless others.

Closing:

“So, no matter the sorrows we carry and the losses we believers incur (e.g., Ruth 1:1–5) until the day when God wipes every tear from our eyes, we can trust that in Christ God is for us (Rom. 8:31) and is even using our trials to advance our ultimate good and his greater glory (e.g., Gen. 50:20; James 1:2–4). On him our King we have set our hope and in him find our rest (Matt. 11:28–12:14; Heb. 4:9–10).”

Excerpt From ESV Expository Commentary: Deuteronomy–Ruth

Iain M. Duguid