The Wedding of the Year / La Boda Del Año
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Introduction
Introduction
Throughout there have been many much anticipated weddings:
Diana and Prince Charles
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Kermit the frog and Miss Piggy
Weddings signify the coming together of two people to enter into a lifelong commitment.
Weddings are a serious affair.
Weddings represent the forming of a new family.
Weddings represent two people coming together to support each other in better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death.
We are in the last chapter of the Old Testament book of Ruth.
We have finally come to the highlight chapter - Ruth and Boaz will finally be married.
Ruth and Boaz will finally form a family.
…this is the moment where the princess and her prince live happily ever after - but there is one problem - Boaz is not the only guardian redeemer that can marry Ruth.
There is another guardian redeemer that has precedence over Boaz - it is very possible that the princess will not marry her prince after all.
Today we will consider:
Boaz at the gate of the city
Boaz as the groom
Mrs. Boaz
I. Boaz at the gate of the city
I. Boaz at the gate of the city
I. Booz a la puerta de la ciudad
I. Booz a la puerta de la ciudad
Ruth and Boaz cannot live happily ever after until the matter of the other close relative is settled.
Boaz, being a pious and godly man, has told Ruth that there is someone else that has the right to marry Ruth before he can.
He will do things the right way. He fears God and this is a testimony to that fact. Many people say they fear God but their actions contradict their profession.
Boaz goes to the gate of the city with the goal of settling the matter.
Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.
Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.
Booz, por su parte, subió hasta la puerta de la ciudad y se sentó allí. En eso pasó el pariente redentor que él había mencionado.
—Ven acá, amigo mío, y siéntate—le dijo Booz.
El hombre fue y se sentó.
Entonces Booz llamó a diez de los ancianos de la ciudad, y les dijo:
—Siéntense aquí.
Y ellos se sentaron.
Ruth 4
Old Testament cities did not have a town or city square. Therefore, it was very common to conduct official business at the entrance gate to the city.
In God’s providence, the other relative passes by - and Boaz calls him over.
Notice how we are not given his name.
Boaz has called ten of the city elders to witness his dealings with the other relative.
Boaz will explain to the other relative what is at stake - Elimelek’s land.
Boaz has given this very careful thought. He is not careless in how he approaches this matter.
His carefulness/thoughtfulness demonstrates his determination to marry Ruth.
Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”
“I will redeem it,” he said.
Ruth 4:
Booz le dijo al pariente redentor:
—Noemí, que ha regresado de la tierra de Moab, está vendiendo el terreno que perteneció a nuestro hermano Elimélec. Consideré que debía informarte del asunto y sugerirte que lo compres en presencia de estos testigos y de los ancianos de mi pueblo. Si vas a redimir el terreno, hazlo. Pero si no vas a redimirlo, házmelo saber, para que yo lo sepa. Porque ningún otro tiene el derecho de redimirlo sino tú, y después de ti, yo tengo ese derecho.
—Yo lo redimo—le contestó.
Boaz gives him a clear chronology of events. Naomi has returned from Moab and has had to sell the land that belonged to her husband.
Naomi would have had to sell the land out of her desperate need since she had no income.
The opportunity to redeem the land would have meant a significant increase to this relative’s own wealth.
Boaz is very transparent in his dealings and lets him know that both he and Boaz may redeem the land.
The relative seizes upon the opportunity and does not think twice - “I will redeem it!”
Boaz also explains that the wife of the deceased is also at stake.
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
Pero Booz le aclaró:
—El día que adquieras el terreno de Noemí, adquieres también a Rut la moabita, viuda del difunto, a fin de conservar su nombre junto con su heredad.
Ruth 4:
The close relative will not only acquire the land but will also acquire the deceased’s widow.
Boaz wants to make it clear that the intent of this transaction is not simply to acquire the land but to provide for the deceased’s widow. He truly understand God’s intent for the law of levirate marriage - the purpose was to ensure the welfare of the widows in Israel.
The law only required that the guardian redeemer purchase the land.
So, the deal is very simply. The close relative will have to acquire the land and also take Ruth as his wife. What will he decide?
The law of Moses does not indicate that the redeemer had to also marry the decea
The close relative gives up his right.
At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
Ruth 4:
—Entonces no puedo redimirlo—respondió el pariente redentor—, porque podría perjudicar mi propia herencia. Redímelo tú; te cedo mi derecho. Yo no puedo ejercerlo.
The words that he expresses are intended to shock us.
All that the close relative can think of is his own well-being. He can only think of himself.
He does not care for Elimelek’s name to be preserved in Israel. He does not care that the land belong within Elimelek’s family. He clearly does not care what happens to Ruth or Naomi - he could care less.
All he can think of is how he will endanger his own estate/wealth.
He knew that once he and Ruth had a child - this child would inherit Elimelek’s land and a portion of the land that he owned. In other words, part of his land would be passed on to Elimelek’s descendants.
He also knew that he would have to invest in the land all the while knowing that in the end its profits would be for Ruth and her child.
He also knew that during all this time he would have to ensure Ruth and Naomi’s physical welfare.
He gives up his rights through a symbolic action which included the removal of his shoe.
(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.
En aquellos tiempos, para ratificar la redención o el traspaso de una propiedad en Israel, una de las partes contratantes se quitaba la sandalia y se la daba a la otra. Así se acostumbraba legalizar los contratos en Israel. Por eso el pariente redentor le dijo a Booz:
—Cómpralo tú.
Y se quitó la sandalia.
II. Boaz as the groom
II. Boaz as the groom
II. Booz el novio
II. Booz el novio
The obstacle has now been removed - the path is free for Boaz and Ruth to marry each other!
Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
Entonces Booz proclamó ante los ancianos y ante todo el pueblo:
—Hoy son ustedes testigos de que le he comprado a Noemí toda la propiedad de Elimélec, Quilión y Majlón, y de que he tomado como esposa a Rut la moabita, viuda de Majlón, a fin de preservar el nombre del difunto con su heredad, para que su nombre no desaparezca de entre su familia ni de los registros del pueblo. ¡Hoy son ustedes testigos!
Ruth 4:9
Boaz goes into a speech expressing his commitment to:
Buy all of the property that belonged to Elimelek, Kilion, and Mahlon.
Acquire Ruth to be his wife.
Maintain the memory of the dead.
This is not a simple undertaking. We do not know much about the other relative who has given up his rights.
We do not know whether he was well off/wealthy.
However, we certainly know that Boaz was a respectable and wealthy man in Bethlehem.
He owned land. He had a thriving business - and yet he is not concerned with his great wealth or how this transaction could ruin his economic prospects.
What a contrast between Boaz and the other relative.
Boaz is not concerned with wealth or fortune - he is concerned with two things:
That God’s law of levirate marriage would be honored.
That Ruth and Naomi would have a secure future.
Boaz is truly a member of the people of God. The other close relative could have been of Israelite blood and yet he acted as if he did not know the law of God.
III. Mrs. Boaz
III. Mrs. Boaz
III. La Señora de Booz
III. La Señora de Booz
The marriage occurs somewhere between verses 10 and 11. Ruth and Boaz are finally husband and wife.
The witnesses of this beautiful marriage express their well wishes upon the newly married couple.
Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.
Los ancianos y todos los que estaban en la puerta respondieron:
—Somos testigos.
»¡Que el Señor haga que la mujer que va a formar parte de tu hogar sea como Raquel y Lea, quienes juntas edificaron el pueblo de Israel!
»¡Que seas un hombre ilustre en Efrata, y que adquieras renombre en Belén!
The first of these well wishes are that Ruth would be like Rachel and Leah - the mothers of the 12 tribes of Israel who practically built up their people.
They pray that Ruth would have many children and that would build of the people of God.
This is further expanded upon in verse 12 where they pray that she would be given many offspring as Tamar, one of the wives of Judah.
Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
»¡Que por medio de esta joven el Señor te conceda una descendencia tal que tu familia sea como la de Fares, el hijo que Tamar le dio a Judá!
They also wish that Boaz would be upstanding amongst their people. They pray that Boaz will be well known amongst the people of God.
Notice how we are never told the name of the other close relative.
He remains unnamed throughout the entire story.
He who was so concerned with his future/estate/security/wealth/and probably his good name - is forever forgotten.
His name is lost in the pages of hitory - whereas Boaz who was only concerned for God’s law and for these two helpless widows - his name will live on for now and into eternity.
T
Conclusion
Conclusion
Once again we are confronted with the reality that the intent of this historical account is to give us much more than a beautiful love story.
The purpose of the book of Ruth is to illustrate the love of God’s redeeming love for sinful humanity.
Jesus Christ walked according to God’s law.
He was faithful to God’s law in all respects.
He loved God’s righteous law.
He loved God’s perfect standards revealed in his Word.
Jesus Christ knew that we had broken God’s law and were utterly worthy of condemnation for our sin.
Jesus Christ knew that we were in a most miserable estate. We were lost and heading to an eternity of eternal torment.
Jesus Christ knew the price that it would cost him to redeem all those that would believe.
It would cost him to leave his throne.
It would cost him suffering upon earth as he took upon himself human flesh.
It would cost him to experience the treasonous act of one of his own disciples.
It would cost him to be abandoned by his own disciples when the authorities come to the garden to arrest him.
It would cost him to be rejected and hated by both jews and romans.
It would cost him to taste the bitter cup of death itself.
It would cost him his own life!
…and yet he was willing to do it.
…and just as Boaz’s name will forever be remembered - we are told of our precious redeemer:
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Fil 2:9
Por eso Dios lo exaltó hasta lo sumo
y le otorgó el nombre
que está sobre todo nombre,
para que ante el nombre de Jesús
se doble toda rodilla
en el cielo y en la tierra
y debajo de la tierra,
y toda lengua confiese que Jesucristo es el Señor,
para gloria de Dios Padre.
