Village Schools of the Bible

THE ROMANCE OF REDEMPTION
A Devotional Study of Ruth
by Max Frazier, Jr.

WHAT IS A REDEEMER?
Ruth 4:1-22

Here, in this fourth chapter, we have one of the clearest descriptions in all of the Old Testament, and perhaps in all of the Bible, of the requirements and duties of a redeemer. In the person of Boaz we find a picture of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer.

As a person carefully studies this chapter, a discovery is made of five traits which a person had to possess in order to be called a redeemer. Each day this week we shall look at one trait.

The first requirement was that the redeemer had to be a close relative. Ruth 2:1 and Ruth 2:20 both state that Boaz was a close relative of Elimelech. Tradition claims that Boaz was a nephew of Elimelech. Tradition also states that the "barefoot kinsman" was probably a brother of Elimelech. Boaz had no relationship by blood to either Ruth or Naomi. It was the family estate of Elimelech and his son, Ruth's husband, which was in need of a redeemer.

Ruth was excluded by the Law from being a part of the family of Israel. We read these words in Deuteronomy 23:3, No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord. The only way Ruth could become a part of the family of Israel was through the act of being redeemed. And that act could only be accomplished by a close relative.

Friends, Jesus Christ is our close relative. Listen to these words from the pen of the Apostle John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14).

Then, here are similar words from the Apostle Paul: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8).

These verses declare that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. In the Garden of Eden, man sought to be like God and failed. In the sinful world, Christ sought to be like man and succeeded. God became a close relative to us that He might redeem us.

Friends, there could have been no real redemption if Christ had not become our close relative after the flesh. An angel could not have secured our redemption. An ordinary man could not have done it either. It took God in the form of man to make it available to us.

Father, We echo the words of that song writer: There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son. Precious Lamb of God, Messiah....We praise You for sending Jesus to be our Redeemer. Thank You that He was willing to empty Himself and to come to this earth to die for us so that we might have Your salvation. Thank You for giving us Your Son. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

WHAT IS A REDEEMER? Part 2
Ruth 4:1-22

In our last study we acknowledged that in order for a person to become our redeemer, he had to first be a close relative to us. Boaz was this for Ruth, and Jesus Christ became this for us.

The second requirement was that the person had to be willing to act as a redeemer. It is obvious from reading this fourth chapter of Ruth, that Boaz was very eager to redeem Ruth. The other closer relative never exerted any initiative in the matter of redemption. He knew that Naomi was back from Moab. He knew that the property of Elimelech needed redeemed. But the text tells us that he was only willing to redeem a portion of that which belonged to Elimelech. He was not willing to redeem Ruth, for we read in verses 5 and 6, Then Boaz said, "on the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man's widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property." At this, the kinsman-redeemer said, "Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it."

According to the Old Testament Law, there was no compulsion placed on the redeemer. The act of redemption was solely in the hands of the redeemer. The only motivating force was the attitude of the redeemer to those being redeemed. The closer relative had no strong desire to fulfill that role, but Boaz did.

Jesus Christ was willing to be our redeemer. We read these words from the Gospel of John, No one has taken it (speaking of His life) away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father. (John 10:18). In Matthew 20 and verse 28, Jesus told His disciples, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

The message which echoes loudly and clearly from these verses is that Jesus Christ willingly laid down His life for us. He was a willing redeemer. Why did Christ die for us so willingly? It was because of His great love for us. Why not recite with me those familiar words from John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Christ redeemed us because of His love for us, just as Boaz redeemed Ruth because of his great love for her.

Father, How can we not praise You for Your love. We are reminded of the great demonstration of Your love as we see Jesus dying upon a cross for us. He bore the penalty which was due us. He died that we might live. We sing with the hymn writer, "Amazing love, how can it be? That You, my God, should die for me?" For this we give You praise in Christ's name. Amen.

WHAT IS A REDEEMER? Part 3
Ruth 4:1-22

So far in our study of this great chapter, we have observed that in order for a person to become a redeemer, two conditions had to be met. First, he had to be a close relative; and second, he had to be willing to become a redeemer. Boaz met both of these requirements in his becoming Ruth's redeemer, and Jesus Christ met both when He became our redeemer.

But there is a third requirement which had to be met as well. The person seeking to become a redeemer had to possess the ability to accomplish the redemption. Now Boaz was capable of being the redeemer for Ruth for the following three reasons. First, because he was a man of wealth, he could pay the price. Second, because he was a man of valor, he was strong enough to enforce his claim. And third, because he was a man of the law, he could fulfill all the legal requirements. Boaz possessed the power to redeem and he exercised that power on behalf of Ruth. The Law had kept her out, but he used his abilities as a redeemer to set her free from the power of that Law.

Jesus Christ was capable of being our Redeemer. Let me share some verses from John 10: I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep....I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one Shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I have received from My Father...My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:11, 14-18, 27-30).

In these verses, Christ is set forth as the Shepherd who has the ability to redeem. At least three times He emphasizes that the Shepherd will die for His sheep. He also emphasizes the fact that His death for the sheep will not only be a willing death, but a death over which He has the power. Furthermore, the redemption is a mighty redemption in that the sheep will never perish. This passage reveals the extent to which God is willing to go to redeem lost sinners - it is an infinite extent.

Father, We must praise You that Jesus was not only willing to die for us, but that He had the means to accomplish our salvation. The prophet Isaiah states that You were pleased to put Him to death so that many might be drawn to You. Father, help us to never forget the preciousness of our redemption. In the wonderful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

WHAT IS A REDEEMER? Part 4
Ruth 4:1-22

This fourth requirement in order for a person to become a redeemer is one that is often overlooked, and yet it is vitally important for the success of the redemption. It is the requirement that the person seeking to become a redeemer must be free himself. He could not be encumbered with the same problems which plagued the person being redeemed.

In the case of Boaz and Ruth, that meant that Boaz had to belong to that part of the family which was not in trouble. Yes, indeed Boaz was free to become a redeemer. He was free according to the Law. He had done everything which the Law had specified. He was free according to his character. He was already a member of the family of Israel. He was free according to his wealth.

Whereas Ruth and Naomi were encumbered with debt, Boaz had none. Whereas Ruth and Naomi were saddled with cares for which little relief could be found, Boaz could provide the relief for those cares. And act, he did.

This fourth requirement sets forth some of the greatest truths concerning the Lord Jesus. He was truly free from the curse of the law. Jesus Christ knew no sin. He was never implicated in man's sin in any way. Listen to these words from Jesus as He shared some closing thoughts with His disciples that evening before He was betrayed. He said to them, I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me (John 14:30). There were no skeletons in Jesus' closet. There were no rumors which He sought to avoid. There were no errors which He had done in His ministry. As hard as Satan could, there could be found no fault in Jesus.

The writer to the Hebrews also echoes that same thought when he writes, For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Was Jesus ever confronted with temptations similar to the ones which attack you and me today? This text assures us that those temptations did occur, but Jesus never succumbed to them. He never yielded to sin. He was victorious over sin every moment of His life.

Friends, Jesus Christ is the only person who could accomplish our redemption. I could not have redeemed you, because I am in the same boat you are - the boat of a sinful nature. A sinner cannot redeem a sinner. Only the perfect, sinless, spotless Lamb of God could take away the sins of the world. Let's take a few moments just to praise Him for His sacrifice.

Father, We pause to give You praise for the sacrifice of Your Son. Thank You for Your unspeakable gift. Thank You that You made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. For all of eternity, we will never cease to be amazed at Your love. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

WHAT IS A REDEEMER? Part 5
Ruth 4:1-22

Today we come to a close in our study of this great love story. There is yet a fifth requirement for a person to become a redeemer and that is the ability to pay the price required for the redemption to take place.

Boaz was able to pay whatever the price was in order to redeem Ruth and the property which belonged to Elimelech. His bank account contained sufficient funds to make the transaction a reality.

Jesus Christ was able to pay the price which God demanded for redemption. Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). Peter expressed this similar thought with these words: knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Redemption by blood has been abhorred by the natural man since the time that Cain brought the lovely fruit of the cursed ground as a sacrifice for his sin. It is continued today by the modernism which states all that is necessary is to strive to be like God.

But Leviticus 17:11 informs us that it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. And the writer of Hebrews proclaims that without the shedding of blood there can be no redemption (Hebrews 9:22). The shedding of the blood of animals is a substitution for the one making the sacrifice.

But why do we need a substitute? The Bible tells us that the soul that sins shall die. This places every man under the sentence of death because the Bible also states that the wages of sin is death. The only hope for man is to get someone to pay the penalty for him which would be satisfactory to God. No man can redeem himself. The price is too great. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can and did purchase our redemption.

Boaz not only redeemed Ruth, but married her and the offspring borne to them became the ancestors of the great King David and of the greater King, the Lord Jesus. And, friends, not only has Christ redeemed us, but He, too, has married us and through us raises up offspring who also will come to know the name of Christ.

For our closing time of prayer today, let's use the words of the hymn writer who states: Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it; Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through His infinite mercy; His child and forever I am. Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Thank You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Ruth 3 Return to Introduction