Sunday, October 8, 2000   

On this very morning, Boaz is at the gate of the city of Bethlemen-Judah. He waits for and meets the unnamed nearer kinsman.

This will be a special day for Ruth the Moabitess; it is the day that Ruth will become the wife of the wealthy Jew named Boaz. Soon the widow’s garb will be gone and Ruth will be attired as a bride. It is also the day that Naomi receives her lost inheritance.

What a wonderful, happy day for Ruth and Naomi. Oh yes, on this day, Ruth becomes the ancestor of our greater Boaz - the Lord Jesus Christ who would be born in Bethlehem 1,300 years later.

I. VERSES 1-2, THE NEAR KINSMAN MET AT THE GATE

     A. Verse 1, Boaz goes to the gate of the city, sits down and waits for the near kinsman as the early morning sun dries the dew.

           1. The city gate was the place where important decisions and business transactions were made. The gate was much like our courthouse and courtroom today. There was a time in our history when folks would congregate at the court square. The folks in Boaz’s day met at the gate.

                 a. At the gate, judgment was made; the gate was the judgment place.

                 b. We are reminded here of Jesus who went out of the gate of Jerusalem and “suffered without the gate” (Hebrews 13:12).

                        1) Outside the gate, sin was judged (II Corinthians 5:21).

                        2) Outside the gate, Jesus sanctified His people with His blood.

                        3) Outside the gate, Jesus became our altar (Hebrews 13:10).

           2. When the man for whom Boaz waits comes to the gate, Boaz says, “Lo, such a one”.

                  a. Boaz knew the man by name, he just didn’t call him by name.

                  b. At the instruction of Boaz, the man turns aside and sits down.

      B. Verse 2, Boaz takes, “ten men of the elders of the city”. He asks them to sit down and hear the matter.

            1. The number ten is a number that has several meanings in scripture. One meaning of the number ten is witness; ten is the number of witnesses. Something important is going to be witnessed at the gate of Bethlehem.

           2. These ten men were, without doubt, honorable, honest citizens. These men represented the Ten Commandments (Romans 7:12). The law is good, but it cannot save.

                  a. As we saw in Romans 7:12, the law is good, but is is also weak – not in itself, but because of the flesh (Romans 8:3).

                  b. The inability of the other kinsman to redeem Ruth will be witnessed by these ten elders. As we shall see, he is unable to redeem her because of the weakness of the flesh.

II. VERSES 3-5, THE NEAR KINSMAN HAS THE CASE LAID BEFORE HIM

      A. Verse 3, when Naomi the widow of Elimelech, returned from Moab after ten years away from the House of Bread, she had nothing. The family property had fallen into the hands of another and could only be recovered by a kinsman redeemer. If it were not redeemed, she would have to wait until the year of Jubilee to get it back. That was a long way off, and she was old.

            1. Unless someone could be found to redeem the property, Naomi would die in misery and poverty.

                 a. Naomi was bankrupt; she was unable to redeem it herself.

                 b. Naomi was in no position to do anything about her situation. Someone else would have to step in someone else would have to do it or all would be lost.

           2. Lost sinners are bankrupt before God and are in no position to do anything about their position. Unless the redeemer pays it all, all will be forever lost (Romans 3:13, 23).

      B. Verse 4, Boaz lays out the situation concerning the property and shows his willingness to be the redeemer if the nearer kinsman would not.

            1. There are three conditions that must be met by the kinsman redeemer:

                 a. He had to be related to the person to be redeemed; or as Leviticus 20:49 puts it, he must be “nigh of kin”.

                 b. He must be wealthy enough to pay the redemption price (Ruth 2:1).

                 c. The redeemer had to be willing to redeem; redemption had to be a voluntary act.

                 d. Boaz met all the requirements.

           2. Jesus, our great Boaz, has met all the requirements to redeem his people.

                 a. Jesus our greater Boaz became flesh (John 1:14). He became our elder brother by taking on Himself the “seed of Abraham…to be like unto his brethren.” (Hebrews 2:16-17).

                b. Jesus had the wealth of grace to pay the redemption price (Ephesians 1:7; 2:7).

                 c. Jesus willingly laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:11, 17; Hebrews 12:2).

                 d. Jesus meets all the requirements to save the lost sinner.

      C. Verse 5, Boaz explains to the near kinsman that in the day he buys the field he must also take Ruth the Moabitess as his wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

           1. The idea of having to love, cherish and provide for Ruth does not appeal to this nearer kinsman.

                  a. Ruth being a Moabitess also hinders him.

                  b. Ruth is an outcast, a stranger and considered a heathen.

            2. Boaz knew Ruth; he loves Ruth and wants her.

                 a. He loves Ruth just as she is and is willing to give all to redeem her.

                 b. Jesus knew me, yet He loved me and gave His all (Romans 5:6-8).

III. VERSES 6-8, THE NEARA KINSMAN’S REFUSAL

      A. Verse 6, in verse 5 the nearer kinsman was willing to redeem the land. The land had to do with money, but here in verse size, he is unwilling to marry Ruth. Marriage has to do with the flesh.

            1. The thing that hindered the nearer kinsman from redeeming Ruth was the flesh. The flesh got in the way for he says, “Lest I mar mine own inheritance...”

                 a. He wanted the land but not the lady; he desired the money but not the marriage (Boone 170).

                 b. Selfish desires keep many men from communion with the bride of Christ, the local church. The self – life wants notice, pre-eminence, and hinders man from doing right.

           2. He, the nearer kinsman, was weak through the flesh.

                  a. Romans 8:3 tells us that the weakness of the law is the flesh. The law is holy and good; but man is weak and wicked.

                  b. The law shows us how weak we are. How we are unable to redeem ourselves (Romans 3:20).

            3. To have victory, the flesh must be dealt with. It must be crucified (Galatians 2:20).

      B. Verse 7, Deuteronomy 25:9-10 records the practice carried out there.

           1. The woman in need of redemption was to take the shoe off the foot of the kinsman who refused to redeem her and spit in his face.

           2. The nearer kinsman gave his show to Boaz.

                  a. Throughout this process, Boaz took the place of Ruth; he acted on her behalf. Jesus took our place.

                  b. In a sense, this man not only represents the weakness of the flesh, but the law and its inability through the weakness of the flesh to save.

            3. The shoe symbolized a possession that could be used to tread with one’s feet as he willed.

                 a. When the other kinsman gave his show to Boaz, he was saying that he surrendered all claim to the possession of the inheritance being considered.

                 b. At any time in the future, Boaz could settle any question about the inheritance by presenting the show it was like a receipt.

                 c. There is a permanent record, a receipt in heaven, of my redemption, the scars in the hands and feet of Jesus. My debt has been cancelled; I have been bought by His blood (John 20:27, Revelations 5:6).

      C. Verse 8, when the near kinsman handed the show to Boaz, it was an admission that he could not carry out the work of redemption. It was a disgrace.

           1. We are just like that near kinsman, disgraced and helpless. Helpless to save ourselves or our loved ones.

            2. We must admit our failure, out total inability to life even our finger toward our salvation.

CONCLUSION: The second verse of Rock of Ages by Toplady says:

Could my fears forever flow,

Could my zeal no languor k now.

Those for sin could not atone;

Thou must save and thou alone.

In my hand to price I bring;

Simply to the cross I cling.