Ruth 4
Notes
Transcript
Redemption Realized
Redemption Realized
Great! Here's an introduction incorporating William Carey:
When we think about the faithfulness of individuals in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan, William Carey, often called the "Father of Modern Missions," stands as a powerful example. Carey was a simple cobbler and preacher in 18th-century England, who was deeply convicted that the Great Commission applied to all believers. Despite overwhelming odds and skepticism from his peers—some even telling him that if God wanted to save the heathen, He didn’t need Carey’s help—he persisted.
Carey trusted God’s sovereignty and moved to India, where he labored tirelessly, translating the Bible into several languages and laying the foundation for modern missionary work. His life reflects the same truth we see in Ruth 4: God uses the faithfulness of the unlikely and the overlooked to bring about His grand purposes.
In this final chapter of Ruth, we see how God orchestrates events to redeem not just Ruth and Naomi, but to pave the way for the coming of Christ. It reminds us, as Carey famously said, to “expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” Let’s look at how God’s sovereign hand worked through the faithfulness of His people to accomplish His redemptive plan.
Big Idea: God's sovereignty guides our every step, and our obedience to Him can lead to redemptive outcomes that reflect His eternal plan.
The Plan and the Price
The Plan and the Price
(Ruth 4:1–6)
Boaz at the Gate: Boaz approaches the city gate, a hub for legal transactions and justice. This scene reflects the intentionality and providence of God. Boaz’s integrity is on full display as he faithfully fulfills his role.
Biblical Context: This gate was similar to the place where Abraham negotiated for the cave of Machpelah or where Jacob's sons traded with Hamor and Shechem.
God's Sovereignty: Boaz’s actions seem ordinary, but the author highlights God's orchestration: "Boaz went to the gate, and the redeemer came by." God’s timing is perfect.
The Kinsman-Redeemer’s Dilemma: The nearer redeemer declines the opportunity to redeem Ruth and the land, fearing it would jeopardize his inheritance. This refusal highlights the cost of redemption and contrasts with Boaz’s sacrificial willingness.
Boaz arrives at the gate of the city. This is the place where townsfolk would go for conversation, different types of business transactions and to administer justice.
We see this throughout scripture with Abraham negotiating to by the cave of Machpelah and hamor and shechem traded with thee sons of Jacob.
Today we see another business transaction that is going to come.
As we have been seeing God’s providence throughout the book of Ruth, we have seen him work through ordinary measures. Here we see it again. Notice the lanuage the writer uses, Boaz goes up to the gate and sits down there and the Redeemer comes by.
The way the author puts it here, Boaz didnt know that the redeemer was going to come by, but as God would have it. He comes right by, and Boaz begins his plan.
He asks the unnamed redeemer to sit down and asks for the ten men to come come so that they can be witnesses to the business transactions.
It was written in the law that the elders of a city are particularly charged with jurisdiction in matters of family rights such as the levirate.
for someone to be the one to redeem they would gain the land and the widow Ruth
Ultimatly, The man is not able to redeem the land.
Boaz used the possibilities and the responsibilities of redeeming both the land and Ruth in a way that put the un-named redeemer in a position that he didnt want to be in.
The un-named redeemer would lose his own inheritance. If he were to marry Ruth and give her a son, the property would revert to the son and he would lose both his money and his land. This act of redeeming was an act of love and sacrifice.
We find here Boaz's integrity and immediate action at the city gate show his faithfulness to God's Law and his willingness to fulfill his role as a kinsman-redeemer.
Boaz is going farther than the law in showing this hesed kindness to Ruth by taking the responsibilities of the Redeemer no matter what he sacrificed.
He was under no obligation to help but he was willing to do so in an act of love.
God had sovereignly alined Boaz to be the one that takes Ruth under his wing and he seeks to redeem her.
Sealing the Deal: The symbolic removal of the sandal confirms the transaction.
Elimelechs estate had been offically transffered to Boaz and Mr. So and So has relinquished all rights in his duties as the closest redeemer.
Boaz's transaction and the people’s blessing underscores God's providence in an ordinary legal process.
If you feel overwhelmed by legal processes in your personal life, such as negotiating a will or navigating family disputes, remember that these ordinary tasks reflect God's providence.
In your workplace, particularly if you're facing contracts or compliance issues, consider viewing these processes as part of God's providence. Instead of approaching meetings with anxiety, faithfully follow Christ and trust him to work out everything that is needed. He is in control of even these things.
Boaz’s approach reveals his hesed—a steadfast, sacrificial love that goes beyond obligation and reflects covenantal faithfulness to both God’s law and the welfare of Ruth and Naomi.
In the cultural context of ancient Israel, this act of hesed would have stood out as a profound display of love and generosity, prioritizing the needs of others over personal gain or convenience.
Boaz willingly accepts the responsibilities of the kinsman-redeemer, even when it means potential cost to himself.
This act of selfless love beautifully mirrors Christ, who willingly laid aside His divine glory and endured the ultimate sacrifice—His death on the cross—to redeem humanity from sin and restore us to a right relationship with God.
Boaz’s actions point forward to the greater redemption found in Jesus, whose perfect fulfillment of covenant love ensures eternal hope for all who trust in Him."
The Cost Paid: "Boaz fully commits to redeeming both Ruth and the land, demonstrating an unwavering dedication to his role as kinsman-redeemer. This act of redemption was not merely a legal obligation but a profound expression of sacrificial love and integrity. Boaz’s willingness to pay the price, ensuring the preservation of Naomi’s family line and Ruth’s future, mirrors the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
Jesus, our greater Redeemer, paid the price not with silver or gold but with His own blood, offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice to redeem humanity from sin. This was not a ransom paid to Satan, as some misunderstand, but a satisfaction of God’s justice, required by His holiness.
From Genesis 3, where the promise of redemption is first foretold, to the intricate details of the sacrificial system, the Bible reveals that the penalty for sin is death and that only through the shedding of innocent blood can atonement be made.
The price has been paid.
There have been some that have said in history that Jesus paid the ransom to Satan for his people. However, that is not the truth. Jesus paid the price to redeem the people of God from God himself. His death and blood was what was needed to fulfil what was rightly due to God.
Just as boaz paid the price for ruth this his monitary sacrifice Jesus pays the price for us through his the ultimate sacrifice of his death on the cross.
Just as Boaz’s monetary payment restored Ruth and Naomi’s future, Christ’s death on the cross restores our relationship with God and secures our eternal inheritance. His sacrifice fulfilled the demands of divine justice while simultaneously expressing the boundless love of God, showing us that the cost of our redemption was immeasurable, but it was paid in full by the One who loved us most."
Public Witness: "The townspeople’s blessing on Boaz and Ruth highlights the community’s recognition of God’s providential hand at work in their union.
Their public affirmation reflects an understanding that this moment was not merely a legal or social arrangement but a divinely orchestrated event.
God used the ordinary means of peoples blessing to bring about a blessing for Ruth’s fertility that would place Ruth with the matriarchs of Israel and Leah.
The blessing bestowed on Ruth, likening her to Israel’s matriarchs Rachel and Leah, emphasizes God’s ability to redeem and elevate those whom society might otherwise overlook. Ruth, a Moabite and outsider, becomes part of the lineage through which God fulfills His covenant promises, showcasing His power to include all people in His redemptive plan.
The reference to Rachel and Leah is particularly striking, as these women played pivotal roles in building the house of Israel. By invoking their legacy, the townspeople express hope that Ruth and Boaz’s union will be equally fruitful and significant in advancing God’s purposes.
This moment underscores a recurring biblical theme: God’s inclusion of the unlikely and the unexpected in His grand narrative of redemption.
The scripture, Psalm 127:1
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
—'Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain'—serves as a fitting reminder that all endeavors, whether building a family, establishing a home, or fulfilling a redemptive role, succeed only through God’s sovereign guidance. It is God who establishes the legacy of Boaz and Ruth, turning their faithfulness and obedience into a blessing that echoes through generations.
Through this story, we are reminded that God’s providence is not constrained by human boundaries or limitations. The inclusion of Ruth in the lineage of Israel not only enriches the history of God’s people but also points to the broader scope of His kingdom—a kingdom where grace and redemption transcend all barriers."
For if a mere man, a creature of God, could act like this, showing his power to redeem an outcast and bring her into fellowship with the living God, then surely, says Knight, the author must see God as at least as compassionate to all the Ruths (of Moab, of Babylon, and of every other land), and God himself must be a ‘God of redemption with the desire and the power to redeem all outcasts into fellowship with himself.’29
The Provision of a Redeemer
The Provision of a Redeemer
(Ruth 4:13–17)
When we started Ruth, three weeks ago, We saw two empty women. Without husbands, returning to Bethlehem. All hope seemed lost for the old bitter woman Naomi, however, with the grace of the Lord, Ruth came to bethlehem as a foreigner, then she became a servant to Boaz, but now she is the wife of Boaz.
Boaz and Ruth enter into a covenant marriage together. A picture of God’s covenant realtionship with the church. Something that is intimently represents the joining of 2 people into one flesh together.
Ruth bears a Son. Something that never happened in her 10 year marriage with the late Mahlon, but here we have a miracle. The Lord provides for her.
This is a reminder for us, of how God has worked in many women throughout scripture to provide for them the fulfillment of his promise. God would bless the wombs of certain women and advance his redemptive plan through their babies.
There is a bigger concept here, that we can track all the way back to Genesis 3. After the fall, God makes a promise.
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
There is a promise of a seed or offspring that will come and crush the head of the serpent.
One that will defeat satan, sin and death. This seed can be tracked all throughout scripture. One even could think how is God going to be able to to provide a savior with all of this sin going on. Time after time, it seemed that God wouldnt provide the promised seed.
We see this first in Cain and Able. Able’s death by the hand of Cain causes the reader to catch their breath. Then the wickedness of Man would continue to grow and we see God flooding the earth and killing all but the 8 on the ark. then we see finially, Abraham having Isaac and then Jacob. Jacob having 12 sons.
God is still working out his plan for salvation even through all of the sin. And here in the midst of the judges, where everyone was doing right in their own eyes. We find a baby being born to a kinsman redeemer.
One that was proclaimed by the women to Naomi in a prophetic word that hee should be renowned in Israel. This seed has brought Naomi from mourning to joy. From being an old cranky woman to now being full of Joy.
They would go on to name him Obed. and AS verses Ruth 4:18-22
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.
would be the grandfather of King david.
Saving Lineage: Obed’s birth places him in the genealogy of David and ultimately Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
The Purpose in Redemption
The Purpose in Redemption
(Ruth 4:18–22)
The genealogy links Ruth’s story to King David and Christ, emphasizing God’s overarching plan of salvation.
God’s sovereign design not only preserved Naomi’s family but also paved the way for the Messiah. This reminds us that God is always working, even when we don’t see the full picture.
If we were to trace this seed throughout Israels history, we would get to see a better picture. Turn with me to Matthew 1.
Ruth and Boaz’s Story is ultimately about Christ. God has made a plan for the redemption of men and women through his Son. He was going to fulfill it. God used ordinary lives for his exceedingly extraordinary good.
He used the mundane for Good. Maybe this is where you find yourself today. seated in the mundane.
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
God often uses the mundane for his own glory and good. God has redeemed us from our sin. We who were spiritually empty have been filled with the Holy Spirit. We have become heirs of Christ kingdom and we have been given an inheritance that will never perish. God is at work in our lives to build his kingdom.
Closing the Sermon
As we conclude, let Ruth’s story remind us that every day is an opportunity to contribute to the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan. God doesn’t ask us to have all the answers or to see the full picture. Instead, He calls us to trust Him with our lives, faithfully walking in obedience to His Word and fulfilling our daily responsibilities with integrity and love.
Just as Ruth demonstrated loyalty and Boaz showed selfless love, we too are invited to live in faithfulness, knowing that God is weaving our actions into His greater purposes. Whether in moments of uncertainty or clarity, success or struggle, our Redeemer is always at work, accomplishing more than we could ever imagine.
We don’t have to know how He will use our efforts or when we’ll see the fruit of our faithfulness. What we can do is surrender everything under His sovereign feet, trusting Him with every detail of our lives. In this trust, we find freedom—not to control outcomes, but to joyfully serve our Redeemer, confident that He will provide all we need.
So, let us leave here today with a renewed commitment to our faithful God. Let us give ourselves wholly to Him, trusting Him with both the seen and the unseen, and rejoicing in His power to redeem even the most ordinary moments for His eternal purposes.
