The Kinsman Redeemer / El Pariente Redentor
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Introduction
Introduction
If you go to Google and do a search for “marriage proposals” you will come up with at least 4.9M results.
People want their marriage proposal to be spectacular.
Some propose marriage on a ferris wheel. Others do an elaborate dance.
There’s a video about a marriage proposal while the couple is sitting on a boat surrounded by their family. The soon to be fiancee cannot believe it and she reaches out her hand and accidentally knocks over the ring!
So much time, energy, and creativity go into the marriage proposal for things to be absolutely perfect and a complete surprise.
Some of the saddest videos are when there’s a marriage proposal but the marriage proposal ends up being rejected. I cannot imagine the absolute embarrassment of the one proposing.
It is common to see a man propose to a woman…but how about a woman proposing to a man?
This would be slightly or much out of the ordinary.
Normally, it is the man that proposes marriage.
We are about to see a wonderful marriage proposal in the book of Ruth. Our interest isn’t simply at ooohing an awwwing over the marriage proposal but to go deeper to see what it teaches us about God and his plan of salvation! We will consider Ruth chapter 3 where we will see:
The marriage proposal plan
The marriage proposal in action
The marriage proposal acceptance
I. The marriage proposal plan
I. The marriage proposal plan
I. El plan de la propuesta matrimonial
I. El plan de la propuesta matrimonial
Naomi and Ruth have been living in Bethlehem for several months.
In we learned that Ruth had been continuously gleaning in Boaz’s fields “until the barley and wheat harvests were finished.”
Ruth had been faithfully working in Boaz’s fields.
She had been faithfully providing for her mother in law who most likely was too old to work to sustain herself.
Certainly it was enough time for Boaz to continue notice the beautiful Ruth who had left such an impression upon him.
Naomi is concerned for Ruth knowing that she will one day die.
One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.
Después le dijo su suegra Noemí: Hija mía, ¿no he de buscar hogar para ti, para que te vaya bien?
Naomi is concerned for Ruth’s welfare.
Will Ruth ever find another husband? How will Ruth survive when Naomi passes away?
Naomi has confidence that the answer lies with Boaz.
Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.
¿No es Booz nuestro pariente, con cuyas criadas tú has estado? He aquí que él avienta esta noche la parva de las cebadas.
Notice that Naomi’s interest in Boaz is that he is a “relative” of theirs.
To us, the fact that Boaz is a close relative may not make much sense. Let us not forget that we are talking about a family living in the ancient world.
Sometimes we forget that the Bible’s customs and traditions are very different from ours.
We need to transport ourselves to Biblical times to understand what is going on here.
Naomi says that Boaz is a relative. Later on, in verse 9 Ruth calls him a “guardian-redeemer” which is much more than a simple relative.
A goel is a guardian/kinsman redeemer.
A kinsman is someone that is related to you. We even use this term in wills, advanced directives, etc… We are asked - Who are your next of kin? This question asks for the names of your closest relatives.
A redeemer is someone that can pay a price to provide liberty and security for another.
A redeemer has the power to set someone free from their bondage.
A kinsman redeemer is a close relative that has the power to set you free from bondage.
The teaching about the kinsman redeemer is established in the law of God.
The kinsman redeemer could redeem the property belonging to a relative who has become poor and had to sell their property:
“ ‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.
Cuando tu hermano empobreciere, y vendiere algo de su posesión, entonces su pariente más próximo vendrá y rescatará lo que su hermano hubiere vendido.
The kinsman redeemer would marry the wife of their deceased brother in order to preserve his name:
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. 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.
Cuando hermanos habitaren juntos, y muriere alguno de ellos, y no tuviere hijo, la mujer del muerto no se casará fuera con hombre extraño; su cuñado se llegará a ella, y la tomará por su mujer, y hará con ella parentesco. Y el primogénito que ella diere a luz sucederá en el nombre de su hermano muerto, para que el nombre de éste no sea borrado de Israel.
Deut 25:
And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.
Naomi instructs Ruth to:
Wash, put on perfume and go down to the threshing floor where Boaz would be working that night.
Naomi is confident that Ruth will be successful in her marriage proposal.
Naomi is instructing Ruth to prepare herself to be the one proposing marriage to the great Boaz.
Just imagine Ruth’s reaction! One can only imagine the thoughts that were going through Ruth’s head…especially in light of Boaz’s elevated position among his people.
All Ruth needs to do is go the place where he is lying down and uncover his feet in order to lie down.
II. The marriage proposal in action
II. The marriage proposal in action
II. La propuesta de matrimonio en acción
II. La propuesta de matrimonio en acción
Ruth promptly obeys her mother-in-law.
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!
Y cuando Booz hubo comido y bebido, y su corazón estuvo contento, se retiró a dormir a un lado del montón. Entonces ella vino calladamente, y le descubrió los pies y se acostó. Y aconteció que a la medianoche se estremeció aquel hombre, y se volvió; y he aquí, una mujer estaba acostada a sus pies.
:-7-8
Ruth does exactly as she has been told. She sees Boaz sleeping and quietly goes down towards his feet.
She uncovers his feet and lies down.
During the course of the night, most likely with his feet uncovered, feeling the cold breeze of night - Boaz wakes up absolutely startled to find a woman at his feet.
How will Boaz respond to this very surprising situation?
“Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
Entonces él dijo: ¿Quién eres? Y ella respondió: Yo soy Rut tu sierva; extiende el borde de tu capa sobre tu sierva, por cuanto eres pariente cercano.
Ruth 3:9-
This interaction may not seem too extraordinary - but here is where the marriage proposal occurs!
Boaz is surprised and wants to know the identify of the woman laying down at his feet.
Ruth answers that it is she, his servant, and says “spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
Ruth reminds Boaz that he is a close relative, a kinsman redeemer who can, if he so desires, to redeem she and Naomi.
Ruth reminds him that if he desires, he can change their lives forever.
But you may ask - where is the marriage proposal? I see no such thing!
The reason is that we normally associate a marriage proposal with the giving of an engagement ring.
We associate marriage proposals with the man getting down on one knee and asking the question - Will you marry me?
The marriage proposal occurs when Ruth says “spread the corner of your garment over me”. She is not telling him “can you please give me some of your blanket, I’m cold.” She is asking Boaz if he would like to marry her.
This custom of spreading the corner of one’s garment over a woman is still practiced in the Middle East when formalizing an engagement.
Boaz cannot contain his joy!
Boaz declares a blessing upon Ruth knowing that a woman as young and as beautiful as her could have easily remarried a young man.
Nevertheless, she has demonstrated faithfulness and loyal love to her mother-in-law even after her husband’s death.
She has remained at her side and now she has followed God’s law in regards to whom she should marry.
III. The marriage proposal acceptance
III. The marriage proposal acceptance
III. La propuesta de matrimonio es aceptada
III. La propuesta de matrimonio es aceptada
Boaz cannot contain his joy!
Boaz declares a blessing upon Ruth knowing that a woman as young and as beautiful as her could have easily remarried a young man.
Nevertheless, she has demonstrated faithfulness and loyal love to her mother-in-law even after her husband’s death.
She has remained at her side and now she has followed God’s law in regards to whom she should marry.
There is however one slight problem.
There is another close relative that has precedence over Boaz.
Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
Ruth
Pasa aquí la noche, y cuando sea de día, si él te redimiere, bien, redímate; mas si él no te quisiere redimir, yo te redimiré, vive Jehová. Descansa, pues, hasta la mañana.
In this, Boaz demonstrates his uprightness and piety. He is truly a godly man.
He could have easily disregarded the other relative but he knows that he would have to give an account to God.
He does things the right way as they should be done.
Although he knows this is a slight problem, nevertheless he is determined to resolve this matter so that he may marry Ruth!
The sun is about to rise and Ruth should be going home to avoid any wrong ideas about her presence at the threshing floor.
Boaz sends her away with grain and says something that will surely make a deep impression upon Naomi.
and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”
Y dijo: Estas seis medidas de cebada me dio, diciéndome: A fin de que no vayas a tu suegra con las manos vacías.
Naomi had said that she had returned to Bethlehem emtpy handed. It was very true.
But now, God through Boaz has sent Ruth - not empty handed - but with an abundance of food. Naomi and Ruth’s futures will never be the same. The Lord has provided for them. The Lord will surely redeem his daughter through Boaz.
Naomi is now certain that this is the Lord’s will and that Boaz will not rest until he has married Ruth!
Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”
Entonces Noemí dijo: Espérate, hija mía, hasta que sepas cómo se resuelve el asunto; porque aquel hombre no descansará hasta que concluya el asunto hoy.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Why is this story in the Bible? What does it teach us about God and ourselves?
This story teaches us about the Lord Jesus Christ who is the great redeemer! Jesus Christ is our kinsman redeemer.
Although Jesus is not our close relative literally, he is nevertheless God who has come in human form. He was born of a woman, he came in the flesh so that he would be able to identify himself with humanity.
Jesus Christ is truly God but also truly man.
Jesus Christ came to a sinful humanity to rescue from our miserable state, from our poverty, from the wrath of God.
We justly deserved to be condemed. We justly deserved to be left in our misery for we deliberately sinned against God.
But Jesus, came to us who were completely undesirable. We were his sworn enemies - and yet he died on the cross that we may have life.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Porque el Hijo del Hombre no vino para ser servido, sino para servir, y para dar su vida en rescate por muchos.
Ultimately this story does not intend to show us the love Boaz had for Ruth but it goes beyond that to show us the love that God had for sinful humanity.