AM Bible Study Group; January 26, 2011
Ruth 4:1-12
Theme: This chapter describes the Kinsman-Redeemer does for the needy sinner what the law cannot do.
This passage describes the out-working of the events that Boaz purposed in 3:12-13, and that Naomi promised in 3:18. Two special needs were involved: (1) the land that belonged to Elimelech needed to be redeemed by a relative; and (2) the widow of one of his sons needed to become married to a relative. Ruth’s needs were bound-up legally to the land; and so, the land could not be redeemed without her. The man who legally had the right to do this could not do it; and so, both needs were taken up willingly by one who did so by grace.
What a picture! This passage contrasts the law with grace; and shows us a picture of how the Lord Jesus—our Kinsman-Redeemer—lovingly redeemed us and did for us what could not be done for us by the law.
I. THE OFFICIAL CONFERENCE WITH THE CLOSE RELATIVE (vv. 1-2).
A. As soon as he could, Boaz went to the gate of the city and sat down. The gate was where official civic matters and important business was dealt with (Deuteronomy 22:15, 24; 2 Samuel 15:2; Proverbs 22:22; Amos 5:10, 12, 15; and especially Deuteronomy 25:7). Boaz expected that the close relative of Naomi would come by— probably while on his way out to work in his field.
B. Once he came, Boaz addressed him (in the original language) as “so and so”. This didn’t have the derogatory sense it has today; but was instead a way of identifying the man without specifying his name. The man’s name was perhaps unmentioned in the book of Ruth in order to protect his identity and reputation. When he came, Boaz called ten men of the elders to sit down with them. The proceedings took on the manner of an official conference.
II. THE PRESENTATION OF THE NEED FOR REDEMPTION (vv. 3-4).
A. First, Boaz informed the man of the need. He said that “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech”. The verb in the original language is in the perfect; and suggest more that she had a resolution to sell the land and was about to do so, rather than that she actually had done so. The New International Version rightly translates this, “Naomi . . . is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech” (see Genesis 23:11 for a similar use of the perfect tense). This transaction was much like that found in Jeremiah 32:6-12.
B. From the standpoint of the Old Testament law, the man was being called upon to do what was command in Leviticus 25:23-34. Since he was the closest relative, Boaz was presenting himself as one who would do what the law commanded if the close relative would not. He was discrete in making this offer, though; saying, “If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I ma next after you.” The man responded, “I will redeem it”—so long as he understood that it only involved the land.
III. THE INABILITY OF THE CLOSE RELATIVE TO REDEEM (vv. 5-6).
A. It was then that Boaz informed him that he would also be responsible for buying the land from “Ruth the Moabitess”—which implied taking Ruth as his wife; “to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance”. Boaz, it seems, wisely kept this information last so as not to manipulate the man’s answer; but also—no doubt—in hopes that it would result in the man offering the right of kinsman-redeemer to him.
B. As one commentator explains, “Buying Naomi’s land would cost [the close relative] some money, but it would enlarge his property holdings; and since the field eventually (after the deaths of Naomi and Ruth) would revert to Elimelech’s clan, i.e., to himself and perhaps partly to Boaz (see Numbers 27:8-11), his wealth probably would be increased permanently. If he were to marry Ruth and father a son by her, however, Mahlon’s inheritance would pass to the son; and he would lose both his money and the land. This he could not accept” (C.J. Goslinga, Ray Togtman, trans., The Bible Student’s Commentary: Joshua, Judges, Ruth [Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986], p. 548). And so, the close relative offered the right of redemption to Boaz.
IV. THE READINESS OF BOAZ TO ASSUME THE ROLE OF REDEEMER (vv. 7-1-0).
A. A custom of the people was that, in such exchanges, it was confirmed by the act of one man removing his sandal and giving it to another. It was not removed by the woman (as in the case of Deuteronomy 25:9-10); because that was an act of contempt. Rather, it was given by the man to Boaz as a willing act of the exchange of the right to purchase the land.
B. “Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, ‘Buy it yourself.’ So he took off his sandal.” The exchange of the sandal amounted to an official transaction of rights over land—just as a sandal would symbolize the foot that treads upon the land and lays claim to it (see Deuteronomy 1:36; 11:24; Joshua 1:3; 14:9; Psalm 60:8).
C. Boaz thus legally became the kinsman-redeemer not only of the land but also of Naomi and Ruth. Under the law, we are like Ruth—a liability to be avoided. But in the loving eyes of our Lord—and through His grace—we’re a precious treasure to be redeemed.
V. THE BLESSING OF THE TEN WITNESSES TO THE EXCHANGE (vv. 11-12).
A. The people and the ten elders responded by declaring that they were witnesses to this exchange. It had become official and was proceeded in accordance with the law.
B. A blessing from them then followed:
1. That the Lord would make Ruth like Rachael and Leah (see Genesis 29:31-30:24, especially 29:35). This was a prayer/wish that the Lord would bless Ruth with and abundance of children. How grateful we should be that this prayer/wish was answered; because our Savior Jesus came into this world as a result of the union of Ruth and Boaz (Matthew 1:1-17; especially v. 5).
2. That Boaz would prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem (see 1:1-2); which he clearly was through his divine offspring Jesus (Luke 2:4-7).
3. That Boaz’ house would be like the house of Perez (Genesis 38:1-30) who was Boaz’ ancestor (Ruth 4:18-21). The birth of Perez was a matter of scandal; and occurred at a time of hardship for Israel. And yet, Perez became a prominent man in the tribe of Judah. This was a wish that Boaz and his offspring—though coming from a time of hardship and through a woman of Moab—would nevertheless rise to greatness in God’s plan. And Boaz’ offspring most certainly did! What a marvel of grace that our Savior Jesus came into this world with a measure of Moabite blood flowing through His veins! The blood that was shed to redeem spiritual Gentiles like us was, itself, mixed with the blood of the Gentile Ruth!
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In his excellent commentary, Leon Morris cites these words from G.A.F. Knight; “What reading did the author put on this act of redemption by Boaz? Did he realize that if a mere man, a creature of God, could behave in the manner described, and had indeed by his action exhibited the power to redeem an outcast and bring her into fellowship with the living God, then two things could be said to the Creator of Boaz?—(1) God must feel at least as compassionate toward all the Ruths of Moab and of Babylon and of every other land as his creature Boaz felt towards Ruth; (2) God must actually be a God of redemption, with the desire and the power to redeem all outcasts into fellowship with himself” (D. J. Wiseman, gen. ed., Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Judges & Ruth [Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1968], pp. 309-10).
By the grace of our Kinsman-Redeemer Jesus, we will sing a new song with the throng in Revelation 5:9-10; “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”