A Story of Redemption - Ruth Receiving
Notes
Transcript
Review:
Review:
We have been following the lives of Naomi, Ruth, & Boaz.
Naomi & Family move to Moab due to a famine in Israel and spent over a decade there.
Husband, and two married sons pass during this time.
So it’s just her and her two daughter-in-laws.
Naomi hears that things are better back in her homeland so she returns along the way Ruth promises to go with her all the way.
They arrive in Bethlehem just at harvest season and Ruth goes out gleaning to get some food to live on.
She gleans in the field of Boaz - which causes Naomi to start planning and thinking
Ruth Proposes to Boaz and we’ve had to wait to find out his answer -
Someone has jokingly said - Before this Boaz was ruthless....
Read: Ruth 4:1-8
Read: Ruth 4:1-8
1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.
The Summons Ruth 4:1-8
There has been quite a bit of talk about this word “kinsman” I want to look at that term a moment.
The Law of Redemption Lev. 25:23-25; Jer. 32:6-27
Israelites when given their land or when they transferred ownership they were given a scroll (title deed) that was often sealed. Another scroll was kept among the town records.
In the case of Naomi her husband the owner was gone - the land didn’t go to her it goes to the next man in line- but it had to be someone who was legally able to purchase or transfer the title to.
The qualifications of a redeemer
Had to be the previous owner or nearest relative (kin)
Had to be willing to redeem (In this case marry Ruth and pass the land to her first born son)
Had to be able to redeem the land - to pay the price of redemption.
The Flaw of Redemption
Ruth and Boaz had fallen in love - but there was a kinsman redeemer closer than Boaz who could potentially destroy everything.
That must have been a terrible night for Boaz, Ruth and Naomi. In fact listen to what Naomi says:
18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
The First Kinsman - He is left unnamed but shows great interest in the acquisition of the property and is ready and fully able to sign the deal.
Then Boaz gives him the small print. I think this was such a smooth move by Boaz.
Israel: From Conquest to Exile: A Commentary on Joshua–2 Kings A. The Legal Process (4:1–13)
Boaz, at this point, used some legal skill, for strictly speaking, the kinsman redeemer was not responsible to fulfill every legal obligation of the go’el. Boaz, however, connected the two and made one contingent upon the other.
I love how they seal the deal - the exchange sandals. Doesn’t that sound hygienic and sanitary.
It could have also been part of the law that spoke to men who did not fulfill their duty as nearest of kin to carry on a family line.
9 Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house. 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
The Finalizing of the Deal
The Finalizing of the Deal
Read: Ruth 4:9-12
Read: Ruth 4:9-12
9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. 11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth-lehem: 12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
The elders of the city all witness to the ritual and agreement of Boaz and the other guy.
But listen to this blessing they give in Ruth 4:11-12
Blessing Part 1: They pray that God would make Ruth like “Rachel and Leah” notice Rachel is mentioned first even though Leah was married first and had more children. And these elders would have been from Judah of Leah. -
The main point of this part is that Ruth would be like these two Mothers “Which two did build the house of Israel”
Blessing Part 2: Then they pray that Ruth would also be like the house of Pharez -
Notice this Pharez came from Tamar and Judah (of which Boaz descended) This is an interesting and embarrassing story found in Genesis 38
Tamar was Judah’s daughter-in-law whose husband died, and the brother didn’t perform his Levirate duty and died. Judah promised her his other son but never came through. anyway to make a long story short - Tamar and Judah had an affair and to that union Pharez and his twin brother was born.
But if it hadn’t been for these two the line of Judah probably wouldn’t have continued very far.
One of the most interesting things is that Pharez is also listed in the genealogy of Jesus -
The Family Fulfilled: Ruth 4:13-21
The Family Fulfilled: Ruth 4:13-21
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. 14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
And now we have established the Line of David who would later be King of Israel and though his line would come Jesus the true King of Kings.
A lot of ways this story could have gone sideways - but God was working. God has a plan a purpose and He is working it.
I like this quote:
I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.
James H. Taylor
1832–1905
PIONEER MISSIONARY