Ruth
chapter 4 is the final chapter in this important book. Like every
great book, it has a terrific ending. Boaz had come to see the
kindness and compassion of Ruth. He had accepted her humble request
to take on all her debt by redeeming her as the Law specified. He no
doubt loved her, but there was another more near relative that Boaz
had to yield the right to. The chapter begins with Boaz immediately
going to the town gate. This is where all the people would pass by
and where this public act had to take place. When the more-near
relative came by (we are not even given his name) Boaz called out to
him, “Come
here my friend and sit down“.
Boaz also summoned ten of the town’s elders in order to make
everything legal and binding. Boaz began his sales pitch with a
summary. “Naomi,
who has come back from Moab, is selling… the land that belonged to
our brother Elimelech. I thought I should bring the matter to your
attention and suggest you buy it in the presence of … the elders of
my people.”
Boaz casually mentioned that he will do it, if the other man can’t.
The other man replied, “I
will do it“.
But Boaz then added there are a few “extras” that come along with
the land. “On
that day…you will also acquire the dead man’s widow in order to
maintain the name of the dead man with his property.”
With that, the other man said, “Then
I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You
redeem it yourself“.
And Boaz proudly announced to the elders and all that would hear,
“Today
you are my witnesses“.
This is how every man should feel at his wedding!
What
an unlikely paring of two people. Ruth probably felt unworthy
because she was not even from Israel. She had accepted the God of
Israel, but she could never pay off the debt on the land she
inherited. Boaz was wealthy and well respected and she probably
thought he could never love her. The people shouted, “May
the Lord make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and
Leah, who built up the house of Israel“.
Perhaps the reason Boaz was so kind to Ruth was the fact that his
mother was Rahab (Matthew 1:4). Remember Rahab was the harlot that
hid the two spies in Jericho. According to Joshua 6:25, “Joshua
spared Rahab and all who were with her… because she hid the men
Joshua sent as spies to Jericho- and she lives among the Israelites
to this day“.
The chapter continues, “So
Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife… and she gave birth to a
son“.
Praising God, Ruth presented the baby to Naomi saying, “He
will renew your life and sustain you in your old age“.
“Then
Naomi took the child, laid him on her lap and cared for him… and
they named him Obed“.
As if that wasn’t enough, the chapter ends by telling us, “Obed
was the father of Jesse and Jesse was the father of David“.
Faithful Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David! There is
no telling what God can do with anyone who simply comes to Him and
humbly asks that the debt we cannot pay be redeemed.
In
the dusty old genealogy of Jesus, in the first chapter of Matthew,
you will see along with the names of David and Solomon, Joseph and
Mary, the names of Rahab and Ruth. Jesus Christ is our near
kinsman-redeemer. We do not need to be perfect to be forgiven, in
fact Romans 5:8 calls all of us to salvation with this, “God
demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.”
Like Naomi, He will renew your life and sustain you too!