by John O’Malley
“And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshing floor” (Ruth 3:2).
The very phrase “of our kindred” evokes a myriad of images, each portraying the sovereign hand of God. The significance of its placement in scripture must not be overlooked. From the first day Ruth came to the fields to seek an earthly benefactor, her eternal benefactor was at work in earlier generations to provide that benefactor.
The first glimpse of God working to provide Ruth a benefactor should be made in the Garden of Eden. Here, in a scene where sin had entered into the world accompanied by his fateful companion of death, God began to provide Ruth a benefactor. Man’s sin had brought both a penalty and a promise from God. The penalty was separation from God, yet the promise was salvation. The penalty brought death, yet the promise was of a Deliverer. The penalty affected Satan, yet the promise brought God’s Son. The penalty left mankind in a mess, yet the promise brought the Messiah. This one scene established that the Messiah would come from God into the family of man.
Another scene on which you should reflect to see how God provided Ruth’s benefactor is when God gave the law to Moses. His law established that a widow from a marriage without fruit would have a way to keep her husband’s name alive. God made it clear not to let a family’s name be extinguished in Israel.
The effect of this law would allow a widow without an heir to her spouse’s name to marry her husband’s brother to keep his family name alive. In God’s law, this is called the Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). When God established this law, it made it possible for Ruth’s kindred to redeem her husband’s and father-in-law’s names. This restoration provided Ruth an earthly benefactor in Boaz, and the family of man an eternal benefactor in Jesus Christ. The Levirate marriage of Ruth and Boaz restored the line of the Messiah broken by Elimelech’s disobedience.
A third scene in your consideration of God’s provision of a benefactor for Ruth should focus on the days of Moses and Joshua. God allowed Moses to send two faithful spies into the Promised Land. These spies met a woman named Rahab. She received the spies with gladness and became a recipient of God’s grace in His judgment on Jericho. She would later marry a man named Salmon and give birth to Ruth’s benefactor (Matthew 1:5).
God’s hand in providing a benefactor for Ruth and Naomi is seen clearly in Naomi’s words to Ruth: “Is not Boaz of our kindred?” Today, Ruth and Naomi had hope because of God’s promise in the garden, His provision in the law, and His protection in the Promised Land. Each of these shielded the family line for a Kinsman Redeemer to provide redemption for the family of Elimelech and the families of earth.
Friend, the hand of God, which has worked from eternity past, is working today in your life. Whatever may look bleak and beyond hope, take into account His commitment to you and to His Word. Take time today to consider gratefully His promises, His provisions, and His protection of you as you walk through the seemingly isolated events of a day. God used yesterday to prepare today’s blessing for you.