by John O’Malley
“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” (Ruth 4:5).
Boaz made known to the nearer kinsman the extent of this particular redemption. The childless marriage of Mahlon to Ruth, along with her adoption of the God of Israel and her return to Bethlehem-judah, made this redemption unique. This would not be a simple redemption of property; it would involve someone willing to take a Moabite wife.
Yes, Naomi owned the land, but the land by inheritance would belong to Ruth. There could be no ordinary redeemer for this multiple redemption. There must be someone who was qualified and willing to step in, forsake all self-interest, and become kinsman-redeemer. Boaz was that man. He shared with the nearer kinsman that the redemption was more than just land; there was a special lady who needed redemption too.
Boaz knew that this would filter any “typical” redemption. Ruth could not be ignored in the redemption. The kinsman-redeemer in this case would have to see Ruth as the object of his redemption. He would have to overcome her nature as a Moabite and give her a new name. A kinsman-redeemer would have to see Ruth as the reward in this redemption.
Ruth had none to carry on the family name of her husband. God’s law stated that no Israelite family should be extinguished. This made a way for families to keep their inheritance within a family. Deuteronomy 25:6 establishes this principle: “And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.”
The child of God can fully identify with Ruth’s status as we consider our own pitiful state. Our birth and background was marred. We had nothing to offer our Eternal Boaz. However, because of His love for us, we became the object of His redemption. He has given us rewards abundant since then, all by His grace. Because of Calvary, we know how Ruth must have felt all of her days after this one.
Think about it...