Ruth 4: Only One Can Redeem

Last time we saw an intimate moment. Ruth, at the bidding of Naomi, approaches Boaz and asks for a covering. This is intimacy on a level not often seen in our time. Today intimacy is often just lust covered with good feelings. But Ruth approaches Boaz with integrity, and he responds in that same integrity.

Boaz plays the man. He does not take advantage of Ruth, showing a true desire for her welfare. Being a man of God is the manliest of manly pursuits, it not only requires you to stand firmly against the evils of this world but also the evils within your self. Boaz does both, not only does he not participate in the pagan harvest festival perversion happening around him but when he has a young woman that is alone, she is a stranger, she has come to him and said, I am your servant, please cover me, he is master of his lusts. She said he she is his servant but Boaz act quickly to honor her. He protects her dignity, he provides food and he act quickly on her request.

The picture from chapter 3 has manifold application. The husband and wife, his godly leadership and her loving submission (I know that is a dirty word today). The Christian and Christ, as the believer comes to the Lord and says I am your servant will you redeem me. The church with Christ as its head.

Transition

Tonight we conclude in Ruth with Chapter 4, Boaz does exactly as Naomi had said he would. Naomi said in chapter 3 verse 18 “ She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.” (Ru 3:18, ESV)

Before we go to Chapter 4 lets go to the Lord in prayer

Without a Moments Delay

Ruth 4:1–6 ESV

1 Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; 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 down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.” And he said, “I will redeem it.” 5 Then Boaz said, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” 6 Then the redeemer said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

Boaz directs himself to Ruth’s needs right away.

Just as Christ is every active and never late in his work, Boaz moves quickly

“for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.” (Ru 3:11, ESV)

Ruth is valuable

“You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men. (Ru 3:10, ESV)

Ruth is desirable

The gate is where the business of the day happened. The court house of the time, if you will.

“The redeemer,” interesting how this person remains nameless and faceless.

The writer seems to not wish to being an shadow over the person or his family and I think this is very important for understanding verse 6.

“I will redeem it”

When it is just the Land the redeemer is ready to redeem it.

“in order to perpetuate the name of the dead.” (Ru 4:5, ESV).

Are you ready to complete the mission?

“I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance,” (Ru 4:6, ESV)

This seem genuine to me

First the author providing anonymity for the person suggest that we are not to think of him badly.

Moreover, as we will see in verse 7 he does not get spit in the face.

“Take my right of redemption yourself.” (Ru 4:6, ESV)

Transition

Verse 7 - 12 conclude the transaction at the gate.

Blessing of Consistency

Ruth 4:7–12 ESV

7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself,” he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” 11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

“custom in former times in Israel concerning” … “he drew off his sandal”

The author wants us to understand this is not connected to the shoe-less one from. Dt 25:5–10

“5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’ (Dt 25:5–10, ESV)

Teachable moment about what God requires.

“learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isa 1:17, ESV)

“what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic 6:8, ESV)

Some treat this man harshly in their comments

I was one

I don’t see a reason to do that

Example of growing in biblical understanding

Love hopes all things the scripture says, I certainly hope that the reason he could not redeem Ruth was not a heard heart.

Notice how marriage is a pre-requ here?

I have bought to be my wife

There is another redeemer that bought a wife for himself.

“you were bought with a price” (1 Co 6:20, ESV)

In this story we are most like Ruth, we are the ones that needed redeeming, we are the ones bought as a bride, we are the redeemed.

“May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house”

“Rachel and Leah”

Zilpah and Bilhah

“Tamar bore to Judah”

Ruth was childless like Tamar

There are man traditions about Boaz and if he was married or not already.

Among all of them my favorite is that he was a widower without children. The end of verse kinda of hints at this.

“because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

Get Thee A Wife

Ruth 4:13–22 ESV

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

Shakespeare has man good lines, but none are more favorite to me than one at the end in much Much Ado About Nothing. Benedict a man that had sworn he would never marry and the being of the play at the end turns to the his friend the Don Pedro and says with a smile, “Prince, thou art sad, get thee a wife.”

Indeed the Bible says that getting a wife is a good thing and getting favor from the Lord. (Proverbs 18:22)

A lot of people

“Lord gave her conception”

Why was she held back from conception with her first husband?

“Then the women said to Naomi”

This farther reinforces the understanding that this story is about Naomi.

“who is more to you than seven sons”

All the sons.

“are the generations of Perez”

Can you see how all this points us to Christ?

The story of redemption

The details, for example, Lots daughters rape their father and the nation of Moab is born. Without that evil Ruth wouldn;t have existed. What those girls ment for evil God ment for good in the saving all his people.

The charter of Boaz and Ruth point to and display all of the attributes of Christ and his people.

The genealogy is listed here, for David, and Christ is the seed of David, the promise of Abraham, the head crushing redeemer.

Benediction

2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV

11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.