A few months ago, I watched a video about Ruth in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. It reminded me of a time maybe twenty years ago, when my friend, Rosemary, who lives near Pittsburgh, and I went to see “The Story of Ruth,” at the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was a lovely “live” performance-in-the-round, with beautiful music and colorful characters on the stages front, left, and right of the theater.
I already knew the story of Ruth and Naomi, and Boaz, but truly, this was the first time I had really understood the amazing references to the Hebrew custom of a kinsman-redeemer.
The book of Ruth is named for its central character, a Moabite woman who married the son of a Judaean couple living in Moab. After the death of her husband, Ruth moved to Judah with her mother-in-law, Naomi, instead of remaining with her own people.
You may be familiar with the passages that depict Ruth’s love and loyalty to Naomi after she instructed her daughters-in-law to return to their own families.
12 Turn back, my daughters; go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, even if I should have a husband this night and should bear sons, 13 would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” 14 Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you…
22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabite her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. (Ruth 1:12-17; 22).
Naomi and Ruth returned to Israel after God again provided food for His people there. Naomi was a survivor, but she was returning with nothing. Ruth left the gods of Moab behind and chose to put her fate in the hands of Naomi’s God and His people without any idea of how things would work out. For her, there was no turning back.
Naomi was deeply discouraged. She was certain that “the hand of the Lord” (Ruth 1:13) had turned against her. She believed that God himself had made her life bitter (Ruth 1:20). How could they have known that just the opposite was actually true? In the midst of their loss, God was orchestrating an amazing plan that generations later would affect all of humanity through the coming of God’s chosen Redeemer, Jesus Christ. [i]
People often describe the book of Ruth as a love story, and certainly it contains elements of two people growing in love in the unique way of their ancient Near Eastern culture. But as this love story unfolds, we realize that it is about more than the love shared between two people. Ultimately it is about God’s amazing love for all humankind, specifically His desire for His people to not only experience His love for themselves, but to reach out and display it in such a way that God is made known to His lost, hungry and hurting children.
So, as Naomi had suggested to Ruth, she lay down at Boaz’s feet.
8 At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! 9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” (Ruth 3:9).
Ruth was asking Boaz: “Protect me like a bird protects her young; be my redeemer as God commanded in the Torah so that in your actions, your provision and your family, I will find God’s protection. And take me as your wife, for in your protection I will find God’s provision and protection.”
This story portrays the love and faithfulness Boaz demonstrated for God who, out of His love for all humankind, commands His people to care for the poor and thereby make His name known. We also see Boaz display what is in Hebrew called hesed (a merciful, compassionate, grace-filled loving-kindness) toward a foreign Moabite widow. We see Ruth’s growing love and commitment to Naomi and to the God of Israel, whose amazing love was drawing Ruth into His beth ab, “the father’s house.”[ii]
To be a Kinsman redeemer there were four requirements that had to be met.
- You had to be kin.
The only way you could be a kinsman-redeemer was that you had to be of the same family. There had to be some relational tie. I like to think of it as you had to be of the same kind. Someone from another family could not bring about the redemption because they were of a different kind.
- You had to be willing.
In the Ruth and Boaz story the person who was the next redeemer in line was simply not willing to follow through with the redemption. If the person was not willing, they could not be forced to do it. Being willing is at the heart of what a kinsman-redeemer is.
- You had to be able to redeem.
Willingness alone was not enough to be a kinsman-redeemer. You actually had to be able to follow through with the redemption. If you did not have the financial means to make the redemption, then you could not be the redeemer. It did not matter how good your intentions were.
- You had to pay the price in full.
There was no such thing as partial redemption when it came to being a kinsman-redeemer. Unless the full price was paid, there was no redemption. It was truly an all or nothing proposition.
Why Is Jesus This for Us?
As you look closer at the story of Ruth, I hope you can recognize the parallels between her plight and ours. We were just like Naomi and Ruth, desperate and destitute. We had no hope, and we were all lost in our sinful condition. We needed someone who could step in and become our redeemer. Enter Jesus. Let me show you how Jesus met all the requirements necessary to be our kinsman-redeemer.
- Jesus Became Like Us
Because the redeemer had to be of like kind, Jesus had to become like us. If Jesus did not take on humanity, there would be no way of redemption for us. Since sin came into the world through one man, it would take another man to bring about our salvation and righteousness. This would require the infinite God to take on human flesh. This is what Jesus did, and in the Gospel of John we see this spelled out very clearly.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men…
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-4; 14)
Jesus became just like you and me, which put him in position so that he could redeem us.
- Jesus Was Willing to Do It
In Philippians we see the willingness of Jesus to become our redeemer.
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8).
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:18).
Jesus gave up his life as a sacrifice of his own free will. No one twisted his arm to do it – he was willing to be obedient and see this process all the way through to the end.
- Jesus Was Able to Redeem
Having the willingness as we said earlier means nothing if you did not have the ability to redeem. Thankfully for us this was not the case. The death and obedience of Jesus was everything that was needed to bring about our redemption.
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:18-19).
- Jesus Paid the Complete Price for Our Sin
14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:14).
The beautiful thing about our redemption is that it is a complete redemption. There is nothing else needed to complete it or bring it to pass. Well, I stand corrected, there is one thing that is needed. You must put your faith in the redeemer of your soul. When you do that, then the work is finished and the sin debt that was owed on your account will be paid in full.
Paid, Once and for All
When you think about what a kinsman-redeemer is, it is all about what was lost being found. You and I were lost and on the verge of losing everything, but Jesus stepped in. He restored what was lost and gave us a new identity in Christ. The beautiful thing is you never have to worry about having to be redeemed again. He paid the price of redemption once and for all.[iii]
[i] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Book-of-Ruth
[ii] https://focusonthefamily.com/marriage/ruth-and-boaz-a-romance-that-models-gods-love-for-us/
Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
Blessings, Sandra