Who Is Your Redeemer?
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Introduction
As we come to the final chapter of Ruth, I want to give you an overview of the entire story because I know some of you may be hearing this for the first time.
because I know some of you may be hearing this for the first time. Here’s my 100-second
synopsis: A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…I mean in a country far, far away, an
I mean in a country far, far away, an Israelite family left Bethlehem in search of food.
Israelite family left Bethlehem in search of food. They traveled to the pagan land of Moab. The
They traveled to the pagan land of Moab.
The father’s name was Elimelech and Naomi was his wife.
father’s name was Elimelech and Naomi was his wife. It was supposed to be a short trip, but they
It was supposed to be a short trip, but they ended up staying 10 years.
ended up staying 10 years. The two sons married women from Moab, which was forbidden for
The two sons married women from Moab, which was forbidden for Jews.
Jews.
Tragically, Naomi’s husband, and then her two sons died.
After three funerals, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem.
decided to return to Bethlehem. She urged the two young widows to stay in Moab. Orpah stayed,
She urged the two young widows to stay in Moab.
Orpah stayed, but Ruth committed herself to Naomi and to Naomi’s God and returned with her to Bethlehem.
but Ruth committed herself to Naomi and to Naomi’s God and returned with her to Bethlehem.
When they returned, they were so poor that Ruth had to become a beggar.
She went into the field of a farmer named Boaz to pick up leftover grain.
of a farmer named Boaz to pick up leftover grain. Boaz was so impressed with Ruth’s diligence
Boaz was so impressed with Ruth’s diligence and character that he instructed his workers to leave extra grain for her.
and character that he instructed his workers to leave extra grain for her.
Naomi knew Boaz qualified to be their Kinsman-Redeemer.
This meant if Ruth married Boaz, they could legally reclaim the land that formerly belonged to Naomi’s husband.
they could legally reclaim the land that formerly belonged to Naomi’s husband. Naomi used her
matchmaking skills to coach Ruth on how to approach Boaz. One dark night at the threshing
Naomi used her matchmaking skills to coach Ruth on how to approach Boaz.
One dark night at the threshing floor Ruth courageously asked Boaz to be her kinsman redeemer and her husband.
floor Ruth courageously asked Boaz to be her kinsman redeemer and her husband. And Boaz
And Boaz said, “Fantastic!”
said, “¡Sí, señorita!”
But there was a problem: Another man was a closer relative and he had the first right to redeem the land.
the land. This other man wanted the property, but when he learned that a bride came with the
This other man wanted the property, but when he learned that a bride came with the deal, he said, “Never mind!”
deal, he said, “Never mind!” This allowed Boaz to marry Ruth and become her Redeemer.
This allowed Boaz to marry Ruth and become her Redeemer.
God blessed them with a son named Obed, who turned out to be the grandfather of King David himself!
himself! God redeemed Ruth from a life of poverty and loneliness and made her a woman of
God redeemed Ruth from a life of poverty and loneliness and made her a woman of honor who became one of the human ancestors of Jesus.
honor who became one of the human ancestors of Jesus. This is also a love story of how God
This is also a love story of how God redeems our lives.
redeems our lives.
A simple question for you this morning, “Have you been redeemed?”
If God asked you today, “Why should I let you into Heaven?” What would be your response?
Many people would say, “I have tried my best to live a good moral life.”
Some people would say, “I have gone to church all of my life. I even joined the church!”
Others may say, “I have always believed in you!”
Others may plead ignorance and say, “I have never known who to get to heaven.”
All these responses will not get you into heaven!
Only those who are redeemed by Jesus, and Him alone, will enter into heaven.
The story of Ruth is a love story between Ruth and Boaz.
His name is Satan.
It is is a story of God’s love for us and the extents He goes in redeeming us to Himself.
Let’s look at our passage today.
1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.
2 He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.
3 Then he said to the closest relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.
4 “So I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.”
5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.”
6 The closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.”
7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel.
8 So the closest relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” And he removed his sandal.
9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon.
10 “Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.”
11 All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem.
12 “Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman.”
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
1. A true redeemer goes through the proper channels to provide complete redemption. (vs. 1-10)
1. A true redeemer goes through the proper channels to provide complete redemption. (vs. 1-10)
In the first 10 verses we see how Boaz had to do the proper things in order to be Ruth’s Kinsman-Redeemer.
You see Boaz truly loved Ruth; he wanted to marry her.
However there was a barrier from that happening; there was a closer relative to Ruth than Boaz.
Boaz gave this closer relative a chance to redeem Ruth in front of witnesses, but he refused.
This gave Boaz the right to become Ruth’s Kinsman-Redeemer.
Just as Boaz went through the right channels to redeem Ruth, God went through the right channels to redeem us and satisfy Holy Nature!
God loves us and wants to have an eternal relationship with us.
However, our sins prevents us from being in his Holy Presence.
The barrier of our sins has to be removed and paid for.
God took care of that through His Son, Jesus.
Jesus lived a sinless life on Earth.
15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Jesus’ death on the cross pays for our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.
Just as Boaz had to pay for the fields of Elimelech to redeem Ruth, Jesus paid for our redemption with His shed blood on the cross.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
1 Peter
Jesus’ resurrection is God saying He is satisfied with Jesus’ death as payment for our sins.
It is the note from the bank, or lender, saying our sin bill is “Paid in Full”.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.
20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
The Bible clearly teaches us that Jesus is the only one can redeem us for God.
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
2. A flawed redeemer falls short in bringing complete redemption. (vs. 3-6)
2. A flawed redeemer falls short in bringing complete redemption. (vs. 3-6)
2. A flawed redeemer falls short in bringing complete redemption.
The one who was in line to redeem Ruth decided he didn’t want to be Ruth’s Kinsman-Redeemer.
This man was only interested in the land and not in Ruth.
The flawed redeemer in our world is Satan.
Satan will talk a good game and get you to believe anything and everything other than Jesus.
Satan’s goal is to keep you from being redeemed.
4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
Don’t allow Satan to use his resources to keep you from being redeemed by Jesus!
Also notice what the nearest relative says in verse 6
6 The closest relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.”
The price for Ruth’s redemption and Elimelech’s land was too great for this relative.
You see, nothing else in this world an redeem you.
Your family tree can’t redeem you.
Your good works can’t redeem you.
Your church membership can’t redeem you.
Your biblical knowledge can’t redeem you.
Satan may tell you that these things can, but they don’t.
Only Jesus can redeem you!
3. One who is truly redeemed receives full blessings from their redeemer. (vs. 9-13)
3. One who is truly redeemed receives full blessings from their redeemer. (vs. 9-13)
The things that Boaz provides Ruth, are the things that Jesus provides us when we put our faith and trust in Him.
Jesus claims us as His own.
10 “Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of his birth place; you are witnesses today.”
9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon.
When we put our faith in Jesus He claims us as His own.
We are now a child of God.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
We are an heir of God.
Ruth gets an inheritance after Boaz redeems her.
When Jesus redeems us, we get to be God’s heirs.
17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
We receive God’s richest blessings.
The people proclaimed blessings upon Boaz and Ruth for this event.
When we allow Jesus to redeem us we just don’t get general blessings from God, we get His richest blessings.
These are blessings that are reserved for those who are redeemed by His Son.
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
We experience God’s love every moment of our life.
Once Boaz redeemed Ruth and He took her as his wife, they were able to experience the deepest expression of love between a husband and wife in the marriage bed.
When we allow Jesus to redeem us, we experience God’s love fully and completely.
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Conclusion
He provides us
Conclusion
So let me ask you again, “Who is your redeemer?”
If you are relying on anything, or anyone, to redeem you other than Jesus, you are going to be disappointed.
Do you want to meet your true redeemer today?