Ruth 4:1-10: GRACE
1 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.
- That guy just happened to show up?
- Why the Elders and not the smart young guys?
- The Elders hung out there just for such matters, this was their legal system
- Boaz has serious clout or… is God’s Grace running things
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.”
- This guy knew he was 1st in line, that Elimelek’s estate should be redeemed…
- Lev. 25: The system of redemption & Jubilee (preserving people over property)
- Why had this guy not made a move to play his role of ‘Guardian-redeemer’?
“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.”
- Boaz is forthright, describing things as they are.
- He basically put his relative on the spot
“I will redeem it!” he said.
- Boaz’s heart must have crashed…but he came prepared
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.”
- Boaz knew all the Scripture said (Leviticus 25), seems like the other guys didn’t
- Family name tied to property : God’s way of keeping his people rooted in land
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.”
- Contrast to Boaz: This guy is concerned about his things, not his people
- He doesn’t see the ‘God Possibilities’ only the human ones
- God (and Boaz as a example of Godliness) is all about people not things
- Upon his refusal, the right / obligation to redeem passes to Boaz
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.)
- This sealed the deal
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.
- This is what Boaz wanted, but needed God to do…he could not earn it
- Boaz makes it a matter of public record (everyone knew the story)
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!”
- This is fulfilling God’s desire that His people would carry on in ‘The Land’
- Family is meant to take care of each other (together in Christ we are family)
- The Mosiac Law called for a earthly version of redemption to point to Christ
Grace: ‘Undeserved Favor’
Ruth & Namoi didn’t earn what Boaz did for them…
Just as we cannot earn what Christ does for us.
Just as Boaz bought them out of poverty and insecurity Christ buys us out of the poverty of sin and secures our eternity in HIS family
Application Questions:
Why is it important that Ruth is part of the deal?
Why does God choose to provide for and ‘Buy Back’ people like this?
Do you see God’s redemption of us all in this?