Ruth: God at Work in Our LivesSample

True Redeemer 

In Ruth 2:12, Boaz prays that Ruth will receive God’s reward as she has come to take refuge under His wings. In 3:9, when she asks him to be God’s wings of protection over her, he becomes an answer to his own prayer. 

Boaz was a wealthy man and Ruth was a poor foreigner. Boaz was not obligated to marry Ruth. And Ruth could have sought any young man to marry. That would have jeopardized Naomi’s future and her land permanently. In order to protect Naomi and raise a child for her, Ruth is willing to set aside her desires and offered herself in marriage to Boaz. 

Boaz could have rejected Ruth. But he praised Ruth for her selfless act and graciously offers to act as a Redeemer. This means that he will have to raise a child for Naomi’s family at the cost of his own finances and resources. He does it anyway. 

Boaz is a picture of our ultimate redeemer, Jesus Christ who came to save and redeem us. It cost Boaz financially to be a redeemer for Naomi. It cost Jesus His very life to redeem us. Oh what a Redeemer!