Christ in Ruth: Our Kinsman Redeemer

Once upon a time in the little town of Bethlehem, there lived a woman named Naomi...

Many people see the book of Ruth as a romantic fairy tale, a story of the love between a poor widow and a prince who comes to save her.  The story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz is all that, and it is so much more.  It is not a fairy tale, but it is completely and perfectly true.  And the story of Naomi’s and Ruth’s redemption by Boaz is a beautiful illustration of our redemption by Jesus Christ.

I will not try to re-tell the story here – well, actually I DID try, but it got way too long, so I hit the delete key after working all day, trying to explain the details of the story.  So I would encourage you to read it for yourself.  It is only four chapters, and you can read it in just a few minutes.  Instead, I will try to show you here some of the many, many parallels between us and Naomi and Ruth, and also between Boaz and Jesus Christ, Our Kinsman Redeemer.

·   Naomi and her husband, Elimelech, were disobedient when they left Bethlehem during a famine, and went to the land of Moab.  As a result, their sons married women who worshipped idols, and they died at a young age without having had any children (at least there are no children mentioned in the Biblical text).  Elimelech also died in Moab.

When we are deliberately and continually disobedient, and when we do not train our children to worship the one true God, they are not likely to grow in obedience to Him and are likely to marry someone who does not worship Him.  We and our children will be punished for disobedience.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, King James Version)

·   Ruth was a Gentile, and she did not have the protection of the Jewish law or the provision that God had promised His people, Israel.

We are born in sin, at enmity with God.  We have a sin nature that rebels against Him and insists that we have a right to live our lives on our own terms.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23, King James Version)

·   Boaz provided for Ruth in ways she could see (by inviting her to harvest grain in his field) and also in ways that she could not see (by instructing his workers to deliberately drop grain for her to pick up).

God also provides for us in ways we can see and in ways we cannot see.

“Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish? As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! “(Matthew 7:9-11, Good News Translation)

·   Boaz obeyed every letter of the law.  He left the corners of his field un-cut; he first went to the closer relative before he redeemed Elimelech’s land and married Ruth.

Christ obeyed every letter and the intent of the law.  He was without sin.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”  (Hebrews 4:15, English Standard Version)

·   Boaz invited Ruth to eat and drink with him.

Christ is the Living Water and the Bread of Life.

“And Jesus said unto them, ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’” (John 6:35, King James Version)

·   Boaz gave Ruth more than she needed.

Jesus provides more than we could ever need.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, English Standard Version)

·   Ruth sought rest and refuge in Boaz.

Jesus is our Rest and our Refuge.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, King James Version)

·   Naomi told Ruth to bathe, to anoint herself, put on her best clothes, and to go to Boaz.

What Ruth did is a picture of our salvation – we are cleansed of our sin, anointed with the Holy Spirit, put on Christ (allow Him to be seen through our actions).  We go to Christ in faith, just as Ruth went to Boaz in faith, knowing that he was honorable and righteous.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, King James Version)

·   Boaz was much older than Ruth.

Jesus has always been, is, and always will be.  He is eternal.

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8, King James Version)

·   Boaz loved Ruth.

Jesus loves us so much that He gave His life for us.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, King James Version)

·   In order to legally qualify to redeem the land and the family of Elimelech, Boaz had to be a “kinsman” of Naomi.

Jesus was fully God, while at the same time He was fully man.  Only a sinless man, a “kinsman,” could legally qualify to redeem us from our sin.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (1 John 1:14, New King James Version)

·   The law prevented Ruth from being a part of the family of Israel.  When Boaz became her redeemer it was by his own choice, and because he was able to pay the price for her redemption, she was brought into the family of Israel through her marriage to him.

The law prevents us from fellowship with Holy God.  But when Jesus became our redeemer, it was by his own choice, and because he was able to pay the price for our redemption, we are brought into the family of God, through faith in Him.

“God has done what was impossible for the Law, since it was weak because of selfishness. God condemned sin in the body by sending his own Son to deal with sin in the same body as humans, who are controlled by sin. 4 He did this so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us. Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness.” (Romans 8:3-4, Common English Bible)

·   Ruth didn’t have to do anything to earn her redemption.  She only had to express her willingness to be redeemed by Boaz.

We cannot do anything to earn our salvation.  Jesus has done all the work of redemption, and we only have to be willing, through faith, to accept his gift of eternal redemption from sin.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, King James Version)

·   Since Boaz not only redeemed Naomi’s land, but he also married Ruth and gave her children who would then be her heirs, then their redemption was eternal.

Our redemption through Christ is eternal.  We did nothing to earn our redemption, and we can do nothing to lose it.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, New King James Version)

The end of the story is like a fairy tale ending.  The last few verses of the book of Ruth tell about the birth of Obed, the son of Ruth and Boaz.  Obed would become the grandfather of King David, and thus be a direct ancestor of Jesus.  What a wonderful ending to a story that began with such a bleak outlook for the poor Gentile woman, Ruth.

…And they lived happily ever after!

My prayer this week is adapted from Ruth 3:9, Amplified Bible.  I hope you will insert your own name into this prayer, and join me as I agree to be God’s servant, ask for His divine protection, and agree that He is my Heavenly Father (my next of kin):

“I am (insert your name here), your servant. Spread your wing of protection over your servant, for you are my next of kin.”