Imagine the state of mind and heart in Naomi and Ruth as they wait for Boaz to propose a transaction to community leaders. They knew anything could happen; but they hoped for the best that God would offer.  Ruth loved Boaz.  It was “love at first sight” for both.  So, could it be Boaz?  In the wait for decisions to be made that would affect their lives forever, what were they thinking and praying?  

• Who will be the person to save them from their current precarious circumstances and care for them with compassion?
• Who would be the One who would love deeply like Boaz loves Ruth?
• Who would be the One to redeem them and give them a life of love, protection and provision?
• Who will be the One who will transform their lives forever?

The first in line as guardian-redeemer must consider taking on the great responsibility for the lives and property of Naomi and Ruth.  The final decision is in the hands of the elders as witness to the transaction.  Boaz, being a man of noble character, knows what to do. He willingly and carefully presents a transaction that will change lives forever.

Ruth 4 

*The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty according to the Law given to Moses by God. Leviticus 25.

Boaz Marries Ruth

Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

² Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. ³ Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. ⁴ I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

⁶ At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

⁷ (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

⁸ So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

⁹ Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰ I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”

¹¹ Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. ¹² Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”

Naomi Gains a Son

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴ The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. ¹⁷ The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The Genealogy of David

¹⁸ This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, ¹⁹ Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, ²⁰ Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, ²¹ Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, ²² Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.

WHAT DO WE KNOW—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” Romans 8:28 But do “all things” include tumors and tests and tempers and terminations? The apostle John would answer yes. John would tell you that God can turn any tragedy into a triumph, if only you will wait and watch.  John is the one who didn’t leave, the one who stood nearby as Jesus went to hell and back for us.  Though heartbroken to see his Friend be beaten and tortured, John could not leave. John was at the foot of the cross with the women. Somehow John knew this was not the end. So he continued to wait and watch. 

We must ask ourselves, how good and diligent are we at waiting for God to do His good work of turning tragedy into triumph in our own lives as our Redeemer, Father, and Friend forever?

What we know:  Our Redeemer lives!

Jesus was sent to earth by God to secure a holy transaction to save us from all our sins!  This transaction was made complete by Jesus who became our Redeemer who would assumed our debt of sin and then pay our debt in full—with His life!  Ah, but it didn’t end there!  Three days later, just as Jesus said would happen; God’s resurrection power brought Jesus’ body back to life, as “proof of life” so all would know and truly believe Jesus as Savior while giving all glory to God!  Jesus’ resurrected life is the reason for our Hope of a forever resurrected life of eternity with our Redeemer. Our Redeemer lives!  And we will live forever with Him!  “

How we respond:  Living lives of hope with grateful hearts!

We wait and watch for our Lord to come back for His own. We also watch and wait for God to intervene in daily living.  We live in a troubled world where God does His best work of redeeming love, mercy and grace in and through us.  His Promise of peace comes and dwells within us as we believe, love, trust, and obey, with all our hearts, minds, and souls.  But let us go deeper still…

“Boaz is a picture of Jesus Christ, our Family Redeemer; and this scene is no exception to that. Like Boaz, Jesus wasn’t concerned about jeopardizing his own inheritance; instead, He made us a part of His inheritance (Eph. 1:11, 18). Like Boaz, Jesus made His plans privately, but He paid the price publicly. And like Boaz, Jesus did what He did because of His love for His bride.”—Warren Wiersbe, Wiersbe Study Bible

As we look more closely; we see the parallels of Boaz and Jesus.  We begin to understand more the great work God sent Jesus to do to redeem us!  The theme of this beautiful story of Ruth and Boaz is redemption. The words “redeem,” “buy,” and “purchase” are used most often in the transaction. No redemption comes without paying a price. From our point of view, “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Acts 2:21); but from God’s point of view, redemption is very costly—

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

In Old Testament times, not everybody could perform the duties of a family redeemer. To begin with, he had to be a near kinsman.  (Leviticus 25) Jesus was born through the line of David making Him related to us as Son of Man so He could redeem us. Ah, now we understand more why Jesus became flesh and blood so He could redeem us by His work on the cross! (Hebrews 2:14, 15)

The family redeemer also had to be able to pay the redemption price.  Ruth and Naomi were too poor to redeem themselves, but Boaz had all the resources necessary to set them free.  In the case of the redemption of sinners, nobody but Jesus Christ is rich enough to pay the price. The payment of money can never set sinners free; the shedding of the precious blood of Christ has accomplished redemption.

The family redeemer had to be willing to redeem. Boaz was willing and able to redeem Ruth.  We have redemption through Jesus’ sacrifice of His shed blood for us (Eph. 1:7), because He gave Himself willingly and obediently for us (Titus 2:14) purchasing eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:12).

The people wanted Ruth to be fruitful and famous and bring honor to their little town. It was the place where Rachel was buried (Genesis 35:19), but more importantly, it would be known as the place where Jesus Christ was born.

What wonderful changes came into Ruth’s life because she trusted Boaz and let him work on her behalf! Known now as the “wife of Boaz” she has been given a new life!  The past is gone.  The first child they bore was a son named, Obed, meaning “restorer of life.” Obed would bring blessing to Israel. Obed was the grandfather of King David, one of Israel’s greatest rulers.  This relationship didn’t “just happen;” God was in it all.

“Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.” Psalm 130:7

Jesus redeems and restores our lives as we believe, repent, love, trust and obey. Believing is knowing God is working consistently on our behalf as we grow in our intimate loving relationship with Him.

Lord,

Thank you for the story of Ruth and Boaz which is your story of redemption for us. Thank you for saving our souls, cleansing our hearts, renewing our minds, and restoring the joy of you in us and us in you.

In Jesus Name, for your glory, Amen!

“Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe” … Psalm 107:2