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In the story of Ruth, Boaz plays the role of Redeemer. He is a Christ-like figure, Christ who is our Redeemer. And he not only redeems us, but he is also going to restore all of creation when we understand the text.
This is When We Understand The Text, a daily Bible commentary to help encourage your time in the Word. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we feature New Testament Study, an Old Testament book on Thursday, and our Q &A on Friday.
Now here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky.
And greetings, everybody. It is always a pleasure to be able to open up the Bible and go through the Scriptures with you. Today we conclude our study of the book of Ruth. It's only been a two-week study because it's a short book.
Last week we went through chapters 1 and 2. Today we will finish up with chapters 3 and 4. If you would open up your Bible there. While you're doing that, let's kind of recap what we've studied so far in the story.
So Naomi and her husband Elimelech, they go to the land of Moab. There was a famine in Judah, so they went to Moab. While they were there, their sons found wives among the Moabite women. Mallon married Ruth and Chilion married Orpah.
But then Elimelech got sick and died. And then so did Mallon and Chilion. So Naomi was a widow and her daughter's in-law were widows. But because they were young, Naomi tried to send her daughters back to where they came from.
Go back to your land, back to your people. Orpah went, but Ruth refused. She said, where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God. It's a very touching relationship that we see between Naomi and Ruth.
The kindness between them. In fact, that is a theme that just sings through the book of Ruth. This kindness that not only Ruth and Naomi have between one another, but also that Boaz will show to Ruth.
So then Naomi and Ruth, they return to Naomi's land. And it's there that they come into the company of a man named Boaz. And it's at his field that Ruth begins to work. But Boaz shows such kindness to Ruth.
He does not treat her as a foreigner, nor does he treat her as a widow. So as a foreigner and a widow, Ruth would have to stay on the outskirts of the field and wait until those who are harvesting are done.
And then the ones who are destitute are able to come into the field and kind of take what's left. But instead, Boaz includes her among the young women. He says, stay close to even the young men so that they will protect you.
And then he's also having sheaths bound for her and kind of set to the side. So she's not getting what's left over. She's taking even what's best of the crops. So this is the way that Boaz has shown her such great kindness.
And one of the ways that we connected this last week to our relationship with Christ is he does not treat us as a foreigner or one who is an orphan. Instead, we are adopted into the family of Christ. We have God as our father through Jesus Christ, the son.
And we also have become part of the people of God. So whereas before we were orphans and foreigners, it is in Christ Jesus that we have been adopted and we are part of God's people. As Peter puts it in first Peter chapter two, he says, once you were not a people, but now you are God's people and even calls us a holy nation.
That's who we are in Christ Jesus. So just as Boaz has done this for Ruth, so Christ does this for us. It's a beautiful romance. The book of Ruth really is a romance when we're talking about it as a narrative.
How is it classified? It is a romantic story between Boaz and Ruth, and we will see that romance all the more in this next half that we are looking at today. So the relationship between Christ and the church is a romance as well.
If you don't believe me, just go and read Ephesians chapter five, starting in verse twenty three. And you see very clearly there how Paul relates the relationship between a husband and wife to the relationship between Christ and the church.
And Paul even goes as far to say it's a profound mystery. It's it's crazy. The spiritual connection between Christ and his church. And we have this earthly relationship of a husband and a wife to kind of give us a glimpse, a picture of the way that Christ loves his church, laying his life down for her just as a husband is supposed to do for his wife.
The wife submits to her husband just as the church is supposed to submit to Christ. So it's a beautiful, earthly relationship that gives us a taste of this spiritual romance that happens between Christ and his church.
And so we kind of have that romantic story also playing out between Boaz and Ruth here and the obvious soteriological connections. I know I'm throwing in big theology words now, but soteriology is merely the study of salvation is simply what that means.
And so as we as we look at kind of the salvation implications here or connections here between Boaz and Ruth and us and Christ. Because Boaz redeems Ruth, whereas previously she had no husband and all that belonged to the house of Elimelech was going to be lost.
Instead, Boaz redeems it to himself just as Christ redeems us to himself. And Boaz also redeems the land to himself just as Christ is going to restore all things when he returns. We're going to talk about that further.
I'm kind of jumping ahead here, but that's what we're going to be discussing today as we look further into the story. So Ruth, chapter three. So after trying to make sure I got my recap right here. So after Ruth comes back to Naomi and tells her that she's been working in Boaz's field, Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz is one of our redeemers.
So here in chapter three, Naomi is going to play the role of matchmaker a little bit. So beginning in verse one, Naomi, her mother-in-law said to her, my daughter, should I not seek rest for you that it may be well with you?
Is not Boaz our relative with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Wash, therefore, and anoint yourself and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor.
But do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies, then go and uncover his feet and lie down and he will tell you what to do.
And she replied, Ruth replied to her, all that you say, I will do. Now, here's here's kind of some explanation as to what Naomi is telling her to do. So even though Naomi is playing matchmaker here, she is being fully transparent as to what she's telling Ruth to do.
And you see this at the at the beginning of the narrative here. My daughter, should I not seek rest for you that it may be well with you? Seeking rest means that she needs to find a husband. Should I not seek a husband for you?
That's what Naomi is saying to Ruth, that it may be well with you means that she wants Ruth to have children. OK, Deuteronomy, chapter six, verses one through four. Now, this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the Lord, your God commanded me to teach you that you may do them in the land which you are going over to possess it, that you may fear the Lord, your God, you and your son and your son's son by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you all the days of your life and that your days may be long here.
Therefore, oh, Israel, and be careful to do them that it may go well with you and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord, the God your father's has promised you in a land flowing with milk and honey.
And then verse four is here. Oh, Israel, the Lord, our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. OK, so it's it's there in verse three where Moses says here.
Therefore, oh, Israel, and be careful to do them that it may go well with you and that you may multiply greatly. So it's that same language that Naomi is using with Ruth when she says to her that I not seek rest for you, a husband for you, that it may be well with you, that you may multiply greatly in the land.
OK, so again, Naomi is being fully transparent with Ruth and that she's playing matchmaker here is not Boaz, our relative. So he's an eligible bachelor. He's a good man and one with whom we would remain in the family.
So we know that he is trustworthy and he is accountable with whose young women you were. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing at the threshing floor. Now, winnowing barley is blowing a wind through the barley so that it removes all the chaff, all the impurities.
You might even have some little, you know, critters or bugs or something like that in there that would get blown out in the winnowing process. And the winnowing was done typically on the east side of the city in Israel because at late in the evening after the sun would go down, the winds would blow in from the east.
And so the winnowing would be done on the east side of the city so that that that's where they would be able to get a good breeze for the winnowing process. So that's that's why she says he's winnowing tonight at the threshing floor.
So the threshing floor is a specific place. It's a designated location. And people knew where that was. But do not make yourself known to the man until he is finished eating, drinking, eating and drinking.
When he lies down, observe the place where he lies and then go uncover his feet and lie down. And he will tell you what to do. This was a courting custom that women could do to show themselves available to men.
It was almost kind of like she's going to Boaz to say to him that I find you desirable. Do you find me desirable? So this is kind of her proposal that she's doing to go lay down at his feet to show her submissiveness to him desiring to be his wife.
So in verse six, she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. And when Boaz had eaten and had eaten and drunk when he when he had his wine, but was not drunk.
OK, don't be confused there. And his heart was merry. He went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. At midnight, the man was startled and he turned over and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
So he didn't notice her when she came. It was kind of as he was moving. And then he kind of knocks into her and like, oh, there's a woman there at my feet. And he said, who are you? And she answered, I am Ruth, your servant, spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.
Now, here's where we have a scripture interpreting scripture moment within the book of Ruth, because we've already seen this spread your wings over your servant talk come up previously in the book. It's in chapter two where it says, the Lord, I'm starting in verse 12 here, the Lord repay you for what you have done and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.
That's what Boaz is saying to Ruth. So Boaz has used this language with Ruth. He has said that under the God of Israel, it's under his wings, you have come to take refuge. And so Ruth is saying to Boaz, spread your wings over your servant for you are, you're a redeemer.
So as I have come under the wings of the Lord, so I know that you can show this kindness to me, that God will show this kindness to me through you to spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.
And that's the other theme in the book of Ruth is redemption. I talked about kindness being one of the themes in Ruth. Redemption is the other theme. And here as Boaz is being described as a redeemer, this is in the legal sense.
Christ is our redeemer in the spiritual sense, Boaz in a legal mosaic law sort of a sense. So as a redeemer, it means that the land would belong to Boaz, and it would stay within the house of Elimelech instead of going to somebody outside of the family.
If it goes to somebody else outside the family, then the land is going to be lost. But Boaz is not the first redeemer in line. There is another. And Boaz is going to be very shrewd in the way that he deals with that particular redeemer, so that the land not only stays in the house of Elimelech, but he also is able to take Ruth as his wife.
There is somebody else who could claim Ruth as his wife first before Boaz does. And that's what he's going to explain to Ruth here. So in verse 10, he said, May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter.
You have made this last kindness greater than the first, in that you have not gone after the young men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask. For all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.
And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. Remain tonight and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good, let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then as the Lord lives, I will redeem you.
Lie down until the morning. And so he's saying to her that he's very flattered. And he does find her desirable, but he can't be the first to claim her because there's somebody else that's more closely related to Ruth than he.
And he can make the first claim not only upon Ruth, but also upon the land that belonged to Alimelech. The order of these relations, according to the Levitical law, is brother, uncle, cousin, and then after that, a close clan relative.
So this is according to Leviticus, chapter 25, verses 48 and 49. I think it's also mentioned in the book of Numbers. And so Boaz is not the first in line. There's somebody else that can redeem Ruth. And so that's where we're going to go in the story next, is the way that Boaz handles that situation.
So in verse 14, she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor. And he said, bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.
So she held it and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, how did you fare my daughter? And then Ruth told Naomi all that Boaz had done for her, saying, these six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, you must not go back empty handed to your mother-in-law.
She replied, wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today. So it could have gone on for a while, but Boaz means to hurry up this process because, hey, this guy's in love too.
He wants to marry Ruth. So in chapter four, now Boaz had gone up to the gate and he sat down there and behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken came by. We don't know the man's name, it's not given.
So Boaz said, turn aside, friends, sit down here. And he turned aside and he sat down and he took 10 men of the elders of the city and said, sit down here. So they sat down and he said to the redeemer, Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech.
So I thought I would tell you of it and say, buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, then redeem it. But if you will not tell me that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it and I come after you.
So, again, as we go through the line of succession, we've got brother, uncle, cousin or close clan relative. So we know that this man could not have been a brother because Chilian was the brother and Chilian died.
So then the other one would be uncle or cousin. So that's likely where this man comes in. He's either an uncle or a cousin. And then Boaz would be a close clan member. So then the man says, I will redeem it.
And then in verse five, Boaz said, the day that you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth, the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.
Then the redeemer said, I cannot claim it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it. So his concern was that he would have to share what he had already planned as an inheritance for his children with the with the children that he would also then have with Ruth.
So he already had children that he was going to consider his inheritance, and then he was going to have more children that would also be connected to the house of a limelight. And he just didn't want to go through all of that.
He had already had his inheritance all figured out, didn't think that this whole deal came with a wife with whom he would have children. And then they would also get a possession of his inheritance. So then he turns it back over to Boaz.
So in verse seven, now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging to confirm a transaction. The one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other. And this was the manner of attesting in Israel.
So when the redeemer said to Boaz, buy it for yourself, he drew off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, you are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belong to a limelight and all that belong to Chilean and Malin and also Ruth, the Moabite, the widow of Malin.
I have bought I have bought to to be my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place.
You are witnesses this day. Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, we are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.
May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem. And may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.
So quite a blessing that's being shared there by the witnesses talking to Boaz and Ruth and the names that they're using are significant. I mean, you have Leah and Rachel, of course, all of Israel descendant from those two mothers, but they previously were barren and the Lord opened up their wombs.
And so these witnesses are saying they hope the same happens also for Ruth, that the Lord would bless her in such a way. And then you have the connection to Judah and Tamar. Boaz, of course, is descendant from the line of Judah.
And just as there was an attempted Leverite marriage there between Judah and Tamar, even though this was before the Mosaic law. So you have Boaz and Ruth being married according to a Leverite marriage.
So that's the significance of the names that are being used there. Verse 13. So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife and he went into her and the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son. Then the woman said to Naomi, blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a redeemer.
And may his name be renowned in Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons has given birth to him.
Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. And the woman, the women of the neighborhood gave him a name saying a son has been born to Naomi. They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
And before I get to the conclusion here, the genealogy of David. So you have it being said to Naomi, the women said to Naomi, blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a redeemer. And may his name be renowned in Israel.
He shall be to you a restorer of life. So previously, Naomi was not going to have any other descendants. And yet the Lord opened up the womb of Ruth to have a son. And it is through this child that Naomi's line is going to continue.
And so in this way, the Lord is a restorer of life. And as we look at this as a spiritual connotation, we were dead in our sins and our trespasses, and it is Christ who has redeemed us and has restored life to us, has given life through his Holy Spirit that lives within us.
As we have it talked about in Romans chapter eight, the same spirit that brought Christ back from the dead is the very spirit that lives within us and has brought us from death to life. And so God is a restorer of life to us in this way.
Now, if you know something about the history and the story of Ruth and Boaz, you know that it is from the line of these two people that Christ will come. And we have a little bit of the genealogy given here at the end of the book of Ruth.
Now, these are the generations of Perez. Perez fathered Hezron. Hezron fathered Ram. Ram fathered Amminadab. Amminadab fathered Nashon. Nashon fathered Salmon. And Salmon fathered Boaz. Boaz fathered Obed.
Obed fathered Jesse. And Jesse fathered David. And, of course, it's from the line of David that the Messiah, Christ, would come. This portion of the genealogy here, Matthew also borrows at the beginning of his gospel in the genealogy that he's got showing the connection from Abraham to Christ.
So you have the book of Ruth, the genealogy that's mentioned there, quoted in Matthew. Now, I mentioned at the start, before we got to the story, that Boaz is a redeemer, not only of Ruth and her life, but also of the land, just as Christ is a redeemer of us, who we were once dead in our sins and trespasses, and now we've been given life and restored to Christ, who is our redeemer.
And he also redeems the land, just as Boaz did, because all things are going to be restored through Christ Jesus. We have this statement that is given to us in Ephesians 1, verse 10, that in the fullness of time, God plans to unite all things to Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.
And this is also mentioned in Colossians 1, 20, where it says that God is working through the person and work of Jesus Christ to restore all things to himself, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Later on in Ephesians 1, it talks about the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things, the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Now, here's here's the big one. Revelation chapter 21, when we do see the restoration of all things at the return of Christ, Revelation 21, verse one, that I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and first earth had passed away and the sea was no more.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them as their God. Sounds real familiar, doesn't it? When Ruth said to Naomi, your people will be my people and your God will be my God.
Verse four, he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for their former things have passed away. This is Christ restoring even all of creation to himself.
And he was seated on the throne and said, behold, I am making all things new. Also, he said, write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. And he said to me, it is done. I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end to the thirsty.
I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have his heritage and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.
And so part of that redemption that we see talked about in Colossians 1 20, where God is restoring all things to himself through the person and work of Jesus Christ, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Part of making peace means to remove all evil. Death shall be no more. Neither will there be mourning or crying or pain anymore, because the former things have have passed away. All things that have been subjected to futility have been restored.
So there's now no longer corruption. There's no more evil. There's no more death or dying or pain, which are results of sin, because God has removed all evil things, making peace by the blood of the cross of Christ.
And so all those who did evil will also be removed, and they will be put into the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. And so this is that gospel message, the good news that Christ is restoring all things to himself.
But part of understanding the good news is knowing the bad news. And that is all those who are in their sins and transgressions, who have not been forgiven by Christ, who do not know him as savior, as redeemer, will be cast into the lake of fire where they will experience eternal torment and punishment.
And so we must take the gospel to those who are perishing so that they would hear the gospel message, turn from their sin and be saved. Who knew that all of this was in the story of Ruth, right? Praise God for his goodness and his faithfulness that he has shown to all generations.
Our wonderful God, we thank you so much for these reminders that are given to us in scripture. We're able to see the whole story from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation. What a treasure this is.
And as it has been shown to us in your scriptures, may we take it, therefore, to those who need to hear the gospel truth that Christ, our redeemer, has come. He has died on the cross for our sins. By his blood, we are healed.
We are restored from death to life. And so, Lord, let us have the courage to take this gospel message to those who are dying that they may hear it and live. We pray and ask these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Gabriel Hughes is the pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Junction City, Kansas. Find out more online at www .utt .com.