Christ Wesleyan Church
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Ruth 4:9-10 NLT
A. There was another family redeemer…
Ruth 3:12 NLT
1. Boaz went to the town gate. The town gate was where the esteemed and honorable men sat before they left for work for the day. It was like the city council or an outdoor courtroom for public meetings.
Ruth 4:1 NLT
2. Typically, the other family redeemer came by and Boaz invited him to a seat.
Ruth 4:1 NLT
3. Boaz convened the court with 10 witnesses, even though only two or three would be needed.
Ruth 4:2 NLT
4. The land rights for Elimelech were available and Boaz surprisingly offered this other family redeemer first right of purchase.
Ruth 4:4 NIV
5. The other family redeemer accepted his rights to the offer and wished to redeem it. Ever since Joshua, land was divided among tribes and family groups.
Ruth 4:4 NLT
6. Then Boaz told him that with the land, he would get the widow.
Ruth 4:5 NLT
7. The other family redeemer declined the offer and passed to Boaz.
Ruth 4:6 NLT
8. The deal was sealed with a sandal.
Ruth 4:7-8 NLT
Deuteronomy 25:5-10 NLT
B. The marriage was announced...
Genesis 2:24 NLT
1. Boaz confirmed his marriage announcement before witnesses.
Ruth 4:9-10 NLT
2. The witnesses confirmed the marriage announcement.
Ruth 4:11 NLT
3. A blessing was offered to the couple. It was a bridal benediction that is still practiced today.
Ruth 4:11-12 NLT
4. Boaz took Ruth as his wife and her barrenness was gone, as God provided a son.
Ruth 4:13 NLT
5. Naomi’s bitterness turned to joy as she became a nurse to her grandson. God’s blessing rested on Naomi.
Ruth 4:14-17 NLT
6. Boaz and Ruth were given the greatest honor in their son, Obed, for he became the grandfather of David!
Ruth 4:17 NLT
7. And through David...our Messiah!
Matthew 1:5-16 NLT
C. God worked powerfully through this story to prepare each of us for a "Redeemer"...
Isaiah 47:4 NLT
1. God brought Naomi back to the land of her God.
2. God brought Ruth with her.
3. God brought Boaz into Ruth’s life.
4. God prepared the way to join Ruth and Boaz together.
5. God brought Obed into their lives.
6. God included Ruth and Boaz in the birth line of Jesus.
7. Boaz, the family redeemer of Ruth, prepared the way for our Redeemer!
Ephesians 1:4-8 NLT
D. Our Redeemer lives...
"Naomi’s return to Bethlehem, and the roots of David in Bethlehem, going back to Ruth and Boaz, are why Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem to register in the census of Augustus (Luke 2:1-5). Ruth and Boaz are the reason why Jesus was born in Bethlehem!
But the consideration of Jesus in this book of Ruth doesn’t begin with the mention of King David; Jesus has been through the whole book, pictured by Boaz and the office of the kinsman-redeemer.
- The kinsman-redeemer had to be a family member; Jesus added humanity to His eternal deity, so He could be our kinsman and save us.
- The kinsman-redeemer had the duty of buying family members out of slavery; Jesus redeemed us from slavery to sin and death.
- The kinsman-redeemer had the duty of buying back land that had been forfeited; Jesus will redeem the earth that mankind “sold” over to Satan.
- Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, was not motivated by self-interest, but motivated by love for Ruth. Jesus’ motivation for redeeming us is His great love for us.
- Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, had to have a plan to redeem Ruth unto himself – and some might have thought the plan to be foolish. Jesus has a plan to redeem us, and some might think the plan foolish (saving men by dying for them on a cruel cross?), yet the plan works and is glorious.
- Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, took her as his bride; the people Jesus has redeemed are collectively called His bride (Ephesians 5:31-32; Revelation 21:9).
- Boaz, as kinsman-redeemer to Ruth, provided a glorious destiny for Ruth. Jesus, as our redeemer, provides a glorious destiny for us.
But it all comes back to the idea of Jesus as our kinsman-redeemer; this is why He became a man. God might have sent an angel to save us, but the angel would not have been our kinsman. Jesus, in His eternal glory, without the addition of humanity to His divine nature might have saved us, but He would not have been our kinsman. A great prophet or priest would be our kinsman, but his own sin would have disqualified him as our redeemer. Only Jesus, the eternal God who added humanity to His eternal deity, can be both the kinsman and the redeemer for mankind!
Isaiah 54:4-8 describes the beautiful ministry of the LORD as our goel – our kinsman-redeemer: “Do not fear, for you will not be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame… your [Kinsman] Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel...For the LORD has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit...with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you, says the LORD, your [Kinsman] Redeemer."
From eternity, God planned to bring Ruth and Boaz together, and thus make Bethlehem His entrance point for the coming of Jesus as our true Kinsman-Redeemer, fully God and fully man."
*David Guzik