Ruth 4:1-8, Grace of Redemption

Ruth 4:1-8, Grace of Redemption

1-8,
 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.
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.

<Sermon Summary)
 Who is the main character in the book of Ruth? A filial Ruth? Mother-in-law Naomi? It is God who provides them. God restores and reverses his life through Boaz. Let's meet Jesus the Redeemer through the role of Boaz. There are three things to be 'redeemed': inheritance (land), servants, and widows.

1. God redeems land.
 God is the owner of all the earth. When the land was sold because of poverty, his relative can pay for the land and return it to the original owner (Lev.25:23-25, 23 “ ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. 24 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land. 25 “ ‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold). Boaz decides to redeem her land.)

2. God also redeems servants. When a man is sold as a slave for debt, a relative pays for his freedom.

3. God also redeems widows.
 At that time, a widow became like a servant because she had no ability to live, but she was able to take her as a wife. When he gives up this right, fearing that the first-ranking relative will suffer loss(6), Boaz redeems her inheritance, takes Ruth as his wife, and restores the family line(10-12, 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.”).

 Then, who will be the redeemer to save Naomi's family? For slave to sin (Rom.3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God), who is our Redeemer? All three qualifications must be met.

1. He must be related.
Only a relative like Boaz can redeem her inheritance(3:2, Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours). Jesus is our kinsman, our Redeemer(Heb.2:11,14,15,17,...brother,...having flesh and blood(Jn.1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us). Let go of everyone... and atone for the sins of the people. Let's give thanks to Jesus who redeemed us.

2. He must have the ability to redeem.
 2:1(the mighty one...Boaz). Jesus redeems us as the Lord of heaven and earth. Mt.28:18, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me; Col.2:3,9-10, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority).

3. He must have a willing heart.
Relative who was ahead of Boas did not volunteer for fear of loss, so he ended up as ‘someone’ unknown. Boaz volunteers to redeem her inheritance. The loving Jesus paid the penalty for our sins by voluntarily giving his life. Jn.10:18(I forsake myself). However, those who shied away from responsibility missed good opportunity and became disgraceful. 7-8, Dt.25:7-10, 7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.

 Loving Saints, how are you going to live? Will you live as someone who shirks responsibility, or will you redeem her inheritance and live as Boaz, the noble man? Jesus paid a huge price for our sins.
Now, I hope and pray that we all imitate Christ and Boaz and become blessed saints who live as those who work for someone (redeemer). Amen.