Redemption of Ruth

The Advising about the Redemption (vv1-4)

The Place of the Advising

During this time most business that was conducted was conducted at the gates of the city.

Boaz went to the gate to meet the one that was first in line to redeem both the property of Elimelech and marry Ruth.

There are a number of scripture passages that indicate this is how things of this nature are done.

Genesis 19:1 ESV

The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth

Genesis 23:10 ESV

Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city,

Genesis 34:20 ESV

So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying,

2 Samuel 15:2 ESV

And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,”

Nehemiah 8:1 ESV

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.

Psalm 69:12 ESV

I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.

This also shows more about Boaz’s character because he had to tell the one who was first in line for the redemption that it was available.

He could have redeemed it and never even brought it up to the person that was in front of him.

He was too good of a person to start his marriage out on a lie.

The Procedure in the Advising

The Summoning of the Kinsman

Boaz knew that he would be able to catch the one that was first in line for redeeming at the city gate because as we talked about in the 1st chapter even the farmers that lived in this town had their house inside the city walls but their fields were outside the city.

Boaz knew that the man would be coming out early in the morning to go to his fields.

The Selecting of the witnesses

This was the common practice during this time for the elders that governed the city and the tribes that lived in the city to gather at the gate because this is where all the business took place.

Their role in this was to witnesses the business dealing much the same as a third party would today.

These men were most likely older men that were thought of in high regard and were also thought of to be very wise and smart.

The Aversion to the Redemption (vv5-8)

After the nearer kinsman accepted the opportunity to purchase the land he was informed about the obligation that came with it and that was marrying Ruth.

When he learned of this he decides it was not possible for him to do this.

The Prompting of the Aversion (v5)

What made the nearer kinsman change his mind so quickly?

The fact that he would have to marry Ruth!

This was a Levirate marriage.

The land would not be his once he had a son with Ruth it would go to him.

This type of Redemption is not a sole ownership but it is a guardianship over the land until the offspring is old enough to claim it.

The Proclaiming of the Aversion (v6)

Reasons for the Aversion

The first reason for the nearer kinsman’s aversion to the marrying of Ruth was that it could harm his own inheritance.

How could this happen?

If they had a son then the newly acquired land would go to that son but not only that land but part of his fathers land as well.

The second could be that he had enough money to buy the land but feared he did not have enough money to buy the land and support a wife and her mother-in-law as well.

The third was that he could have been afraid that if he married a moabite women that his fate would be the same as Mahlon. Death for marring outside his own kind.

The Practice in the Aversion (vv 7-8)

Every culture has different was of marking business deals.

When we buy a house we sign papers in the presents of witnesses and lawyers to make it official.

When we get married we have witnesses sign the marriage licenses.

This was no different .

Here the nearer kinsman takes off his shoe had gives it to Boaz

He was showing that he was giving up his right to walk on the land and that he was giving that right to Boaz.

Ironically this negotiation really was not about the land it was about the Lady.

The writer never mentions the land again. In fact these verses are the only mention of the land the true prize here was the Lady not the Land.

The Acquiring in the Redemption (9-12)

The Promptness in the Redemption

Boaz did not wait till a later time to take up the redemption .

As soon as the nearer kinsman turned it down Boaz took it right then and right there.

I don’t think that the nearer kinsman fully understood what he was turning down.

Boaz was clear in what he was to do.

He most likely left the threshing floor right after Ruth to go and start gathering the elders and then sat waiting for the nearer kinsman to come along.

How many times has God given us clear directions and we not followed them, or not done them the right way?

The Praise after the Redemption

Favor

The witness that were part of this conversation understood what was happening hear and asked the Lord to bless Ruth as he did Rachel and Leah.

Rachel and Leah helped build up Isreal through their offspring.

They were asking for this same blessing to be put onto Ruth.

Ruth also shared something else with Rachel and Leah- she was also not native to the people and tribes of Isreal.

Fortune

They were asking the Lord to bless Ruth and Boaz in Bethlehem where they would live.

The word “Worthy” here means wealth it is the same word that is used to help describe Boaz back in Ruth 2:1

Ruth 2:1 ESV

Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

Fame

They also prayed that they both would be “renowned” in the town of Bethlehem.

They will go on to be some of the most famous people in Bethlehem because of the ones who come from their Marriage.

David

Jesus

Fruitfulness

Not only did the ask for fame in their descendants but they asked for many descendants.

As we have said before it was thought during this time that the more kids a family has the blessed they are.

I think during this business exchange the people of the town truly understood what was going on but the nearer kinsman really did not.

One of the things to take away from this is the thought of are we sensitive to when the Lord is doing something in our lives or are we like this guy and have no clue about the real meaning o things.

If you notice during the whole prayer in verses 11-12 not one word is mentioned about the land it is all about Boaz and his Marriage to Ruth.

May we never be this clueless!

Benedictions 047 Benediction

047 BENEDICTION

May that One, in whom we have redemption through His blood,

The forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of His grace,

Lavish on you all wisdom and understanding.

So that you might keep your heart on the right path. Amen.