The Kinsman-Redeemer

Ruth 4:1-22

The story of Ruth is one of the most beautiful in the whole of Scripture and we can only take a brief look at a small part of it.

Elimelech had taken his family to Moab to avoid famine. While there, he and his two sons had died leaving his wife Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah (1:1-5). Naomi decided to return to her land of Judah. Ruth vowed to go with her (1:16-18).

Ruth had very little hope for any sort of future, let alone a fulfilled, secure and happy one. Being a foreigner, she was an outsider. Being a Moabitess, she was a pagan and idolator. Being a widow, she was second-hand goods. Being childless (she had not conceived in nearly 10 years of marriage) she had no future security, either by having a son to care for her or by being a slightly more likely prospect for marriage. She had left everything to return with Naomi. And that included any hopes and dreams she once held.

However, she hadn’t bargained on Boaz! What a man! Chapter 2 describes his character, which was one of towering integrity and generosity even towards a vulnerable foreigner like Ruth. Chapter 3 describes Ruth’s beautiful and surprising marriage proposal to Boaz….and his acceptance! But chapter 4….!

Chapter 4 reveals that Boaz is a kinsman-redeemer. ‘Kinsman’ because he is part of Naomi’s family. ‘Redeemer’ because he had the power to act on behalf of any family member and rescue them from the situation they were in. These potential ‘redemption situations’ varied and included things such as the loss of a spouse, having to sell property for financial reasons or having to sell oneself into slavery in order to survive. In each of these instances the kinsman-redeemer could act, at their own risk and cost, to remedy the situation and restore the person.

That is exactly what Boaz does for Ruth. At risk to his own reputation, wealth and name he marries her in order to continue the family line and in so-doing rescues and redeems Ruth from a life of hopelessness and insecurity to one of hope and fulfilment. Read 4:13-17 - That is redemption!

The parallels between Ruth/Boaz and us/Jesus are astounding! We, like Ruth, were hopeless and helpless destitute foreigners who didn’t belong amongst the people of God (Ephesians 2:19). Jesus was a man from Bethlehem of great (spiritual) wealth which we inherited (see Ephesians 1:7-12). Jesus paid a price to redeem us (Ephesians 1:7). His redemption placed us, like Ruth, in the royal family (compare 4:18-22 and Ephesians 2:19) and we are ‘…justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 3:24).

Further reading:     Ephesians 1:3-14      Ephesians 2:11-22

Worship Video:

To think about:
Read through Ephesians 2:11-22 and list all the benefits we now have as a result of having Christ as our redeemer?

Creative response:

Journal page by Bernice

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