Kinsman Redeemer
Text: Ruth 3-4
Audio Podcast
Introduction: There is an old hymn that we still sing “Blessed Redeemer”
by Alvis B. Christiansen written in 1920. It is the last song I heard my grandparents sing together before my grandmother passed away. The first refrain of the song says,
Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading,
Blind and unheeding—dying for me!
We understand that the word redeemer is synonymous with
savior but how is it different and what made Jesus the only one who could
redeem mankind. The answer is actually found not in the New Testatment but in
the Old and is most clearly seen in the story of a Gentile woman named Ruth and
her Jewish mother-law, Naomi. The story is told at three locations,
appropriately, in and around the town of Bethleham. Where 1300 year later
Jesus, our redeemer would be born. Turn
to Ruth 3.
I. At the Winnowing Field Ruth 3:1-5
1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter,
shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? 2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with
whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the
threshingfloor.3 Wash thyself therefore,
and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor:
but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and
drinking. 4 And it shall be, when he
lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou shalt
go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou
shalt do.5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.
A. Naomi Tells Ruth Where to Find Boaz
1. Boaz was
Naomi’s kinsmen. They were related and under OT law if a man died leaving a
widow his brother or other nearest male relative would take the widow to be his
wife to protect and care for her. This sounds odd to us but it was necessary in
a day of no public welfare, no real jobs for women and in a tribal agriculture
land surrounded by wilderness and enemy nations. It was also necessary to carry
on the lineage of the family and in God’s overall plan the lineage of his Son,
Jesus Christ.
2. The male
kinsman would take the widow as his wife but he also had to take on the burden
of any debts or obligations that the former husband had as well. So not only
did he have to be a kinsman he also had to have the ability to redeem the
widow. The word is ga’al in Hebrew and it means to buy back, to seek justice,
to avenge or to ransom.
3. Naomi a
Israelite woman of the tribe of Judah, understood all this and directed Naomi
to Boaz. She knew the place where he would be. She knew the way Ruth should
approach. She told Ruth who to look for.
B. Do you know where to find your Redeemer?
1. Just as
Boaz could be found working in the barley field, Jesus can be found in specific
places as well. Let me act as Naomi today and tell you where Jesus can be found
today.
a) He is in
a spiritual winnowing field, a place where the chaff is separated from the
wheat by the power of the Gospel. Today Jesus can be found in His Church. And
as that church preaches the good news of His death burial and resurrection we
are all separated by what we believe or refuse to believe.
b) He is
found in the pages of scripture, in every one of the 66 book and on almost
every page. Jesus himself said, “Joh
5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them
ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
2. But the
most important place a lost person needs to look for Jesus their kinsman
redeemer is at Mt. Calvary. It is their that they must see Jesus doing the work
of redemption for them. It is there that, just like Ruth, they must place
themselves at his feet.
C. Illustration: The Centurian at the Cross
1. Matthew
27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the
rocks rent; 52 And the graves were
opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his
resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were
with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done,
they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
2. In many
ways I must be like that Centurian, seeing Jesus dying, realize that He truly
was the Son of God but also that He died to redeem me from sin and the wrath of
God.
D. Ruth went to the Barley field but there was a more specific place she had to place herself, At the feet of Boaz.
II. At the Feet of the Redeemer Ruth 3:6-13
6 ¶ And she went down
unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and
his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and
she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. 8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man
was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered,
I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for
thou art a near kinsman. 10 And he said,
Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in
the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young
men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now,
my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the
city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. 12 And now it is true that I am thy near
kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning,
that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the
kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will
I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the
morning.
A. Ruth puts herself at the feet of Boaz
1. She could
not do this from afar, she must go to where Boaz was. She could not do this
with pride or arrogance. She was destitute broken and without any merit in
herself. She must go in utter humility and place herself at the feet of Boaz.
2. Nor could
she do this without asking Boaz to be her Redeemer.
a) “Spread
thy skirt over thy handmaid” means to take her into his provision and
protection.
b) In many
Jewish and Middle Eastern marriage ceremonies the bridegroom still will place
the skirt of his “talith” or outer garment over the head of his spouse
signifying his taking her into his protection.
(1) JFB- “To
spread a skirt over one is, in the East, a symbolical action denoting
protection. To this day in many parts of the East, to say of anyone that he put
his skirt over a woman, is synonymous with saying that he married her; and at
all the marriages of the modern Jews and Hindus, one part of the ceremony is
for the bridegroom to put a silken or cotton cloak around his bride.”
B. Are You willing to bow at the Saviors feet?
1. We can’t
stand afar off and hope to find Him.
a) A lost
peron must admit He needs a Redeemer, a protector, someone who truly will care
for him.
b) We must
acknowledge we cannot save ourselves.
c) Jer
13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin,
or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do
evil.
d) Isa 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have
taken us away.
2. We can’t
come near and then not ask of Him.
a) Jesus
said, Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it shall be
given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”
b) Jeremiah
29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me,
when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
c) Jeremiah
33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer
thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
3. We cannot
come with pride in our hearts and ask of Him.
a) We must
humble ourselves before the owner of the field, before our kinsman Redeemer
Jesus Christ.
b) Ps
34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that
are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
c) Ps
51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
d) Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that
inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place,
with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of
the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
4. And if we
will come to where Jesus is, if we will humble ourselves, if we will but ask,
then Jesus will spread his outer garment over us. He will place us under his
care and protection for all eternity.
C. Transition: Still there is one last location in our story before Ruth and Naomi can be fully redeemed, that we find in Chapter 4 at the city gates.
III. At the Gates of the City Chap 4:1-10
1 ¶ Then went Boaz up
to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz
spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here.
And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And
he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they
sat down. 3 And he said unto the
kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel
of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 4
And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants,
and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if
thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to
redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest
the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess,
the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem
it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to
thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 7 Now
this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and
concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and
gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it
for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 9 ¶
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses
this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s
and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.
10 Moreover Ruth the
Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the
name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off
from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this
day.
A. Boaz goes to claim his right as Ruth’s Kinsman Redeemer
1. At the
city gates a roofed but open walled building or at least a bench was erected
there for the purpose of business, covenants and justice. The elders of the
city would gather here if they had business and once a sufficient number were
assembled then they would get down to business.
2. Boaz also
went there becuae he knew another who had rights to be a redeemer would also
pass by. He calls for witnesses and then states the need for Naomi and Ruth’s
redemption according to the law of God. The other kinsman is willing to buy the
land but he is not willing to redeem the women. If you wanted to get in trouble
with your wife you could say “He wanted the profit but not the pain.” You could
say that but I wouldn’t say that unless you want to eat lunch by yourself this
afternoon.
3. The other
kinsman was not willing. He was more concerned about his own interest and
inheretence rather than helping Naomi and Ruth. But Boaz was. He had the ability
and he had the heart, for if we read between the lines of this story we can see
that Boaz loved the humble Ruth.
B. Our Kinsman Redeemer is Jesus Christ, both willing and able to redeem us from sin and death.
1. Jesus is
our kinsman because he came to earth and became a man.
a) Scripture
Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God: But made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made
in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
b) Gal 4:
4 But when the fulness of the time was
come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of sons.
2. He is our
Redeemer because he paid the price of our redemption with his own shed blood
and then had the power to overcome sin and death.
a) Acts
2:23-24 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath
raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that
he should be holden of it.
3. And
finally He is our Redeemer because he love us.
a) Ephesians
2: 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved
us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us
sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
4. Boaz
redeemed Ruth by his relationship and his earthy wealth but Jeus redeemed us by
becoming a man and paying with his own life poured out on the cross. We began with the hymn Blessed Redeemer let
us also close with it.
C. Illustration: Blessed Redeemer
1. Up
Calv’ry’s mountain, one dreadful morn,
Walked Christ my Savior, weary and worn;
Facing for sinners death on the cross,
That He might save them from endless loss.
2. “Father
forgive them!” thus did He pray,
E’en while His lifeblood flowed fast away;
Praying for sinners while in such woe—
No one but Jesus ever loved so.
3. Oh, how I
love Him, Savior and Friend,
How can my praises ever find end!
Through years unnumbered on heaven’s shore,
My tongue shall praise Him forevermore.
4. Refrain:
Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading,
Blind and unheeding—dying for me!
IV. Conclusion:
A. The importance of Ruth, a Gentile Moabitess, to God’s plan for salvation.
1. Boaz
redeems Naomi and Ruth
2. Ruth and
Boaz have a son named Obed
3. Obed’s
son is Jesse
4. And
Jesse’ son is David the King of Israel, though whom came our Redeemer and
Saviour Jesus Christ, who the Bible calls Son of God, Son of Man and Son of
David.
B. How important is your redemption to God’s plan?
1. So
important that he sent his only son the direct descendent of David, Jesus
Christ to suffer and die for you.
2. Will you
be redeemed this morning?
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