Sunday, November 12, 2000   

INTRODUCTION: A series of messages on Ruth, the Romance of Redemption, would not be complete without a sermon on Boaz, the kinsman redeemer as a type of Christ.

C. I. Scofield said: "A type is a divinely purposed illustration of some truth" (Schmidt 3). Types are object lessons or pictures that God uses to teach His people about His mercy and grace.

In Boaz, we have a picture of Biblical redemption. The word "kinsman" is found fourteen times in the book of Ruth. Two times seven is fourteen speaking of double perfection. Truly Ruth is the Romance of Redemption.

I. 2:1, BOAZ A TYPE OF CHRIST THE KINSMAN REDEEMER

      A. For Boaz to be redeemer he had to first be a relative of Ruth for the word "kinsman" means "a relative."

      B. For Christ to be our redeemer, He had to be born of a woman to take upon Himself the seed of Abraham.

            1. Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

            2. Hebrews 2:16-17 "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.......

            3. Because of the incarnation, we can say as Naomi: "...The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen."

      C. That Christ might be our redeemer three things were necessary:

            1. He had to be made flesh (John 1:14).

                  a. The flesh speaks of the mortality of man.

                  b. Becoming flesh enabled Christ, the Son of God, to die as a man, the God man, for sinful man. I Peter-5:18 says, He was "put to death in the flesh......”

            2. He had to be made sin for us. He did not become a sinner, but He took our sins upon Himself (II Corinthians 5:21).

                  a. Isaiah 53:6 says: "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." In the Old Testament, we read of how the sins of Israel were laid upon the head of the scapegoat. Just as the sins of Israel were laid upon the scapegoat which bore their iniquity, our sins are laid on Christ our sin bearer.

                  b. I Peter 2:24 says: "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree...."

            3. He was like unto us as Hebrews 2:17 says: "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren..."

                  a. He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15b).

                  b. He knows our hurts, our pains, and our temptations because He has been through it for us (Hebrews 4:15a). He has walked this way before.

      D. The scriptures teach that:

            1. He was made flesh- His incarnation.

            2. He was made sin- His crucifixion.

            3. He was made like unto us His brethren- His intercession as High Priest.

II. BOAZ A TYPE OF CHRIST AS THE PURCHASER AT THE GATE

      A. 4:4, In this verse, we see that the words "redeem it" are repeated five times. Five is the number of grace, and so we find that Ruth four is the chapter of grace in redemption.

      B. This is a rich chapter in which many pictures of the grace of redemption are shown. We shall only look at a few of these pictures.

            1. A picture of personal redemption.

                  a. Boaz had to purchase Ruth personally, and he had to redeem her personally (4:10).

                  b. There is no universal salvation. Salvation is individual (Revelations 22:17).

            2. A picture of public redemption.

                  a. Boaz did not redeem Ruth behind closed doors. He did it openly at the city gate in the presence of the elders (4:10-11).

                  b. In Exodus 17:5, we read that Moses smote the rock in the presence of the elders. The rock being a type of Christ the Rock of Ages.

                  c. Christ, our redeemer, was smitten openly in the presence of the elders (Matthew 27:41).

III. BOAZ A TYPE OF CHRIST THE LORD OF THE HARVEST

      A. 2:3-4, Boaz was the Lord of the harvest of barley. Christ is the Lord of the spiritual harvest (Matt 9:37-38).

      B. Christians are labors in the harvest. Boaz had his laborers; Christ has his.

            1. I Corinthians 3:9, "For we are labourers together with God

            2. The field is the world, and we are to get the seed, the Word of God, to the world (Mark 16:15, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel..."

            3. John 15:16 says: "I have chosen you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit."

            4. Psalm 126:6: "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed.

IV. BOAZ A TYPE OF CHRIST THE RESTORER OF LIFE

      A. 4:15, Through the marriage of Boaz and Ruth, Naomi found a restoration of life. Boaz was the instrument through which life was restored.

      B. Those who are in Christ have new life, a life worth living (II Corinthians 5:17).

            1. Believers have passed from death to life (John 5:24-25).

            2. I John 5:12 says: "He that hath the Son hath life

      C. Jesus said: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). The Christian life is the richest of all.

            1. The lonely have a friend in Jesus.

            2. The down trodden are lifted up by Jesus.

V. BOAZ AS A TYPE OF CHRIST THE GIVER OF GRACE

      A. 2:2, The word "grace" is found three times in Ruth chapter two.

            1. Ruth 2:2 speaks of Ruth finding grace. To get grace, one must provide it. Boaz provided grace for Ruth. Christ provides grace for us.

            2. In Ruth 2:10, we have the marvel of grace as Ruth says: "Why have I found grace in thine eyes…”

                  a. I, like Ruth, have marveled at the provision of grace, unmerited favor.

                  b. Many of us who are God's children, marvel at His grace. Why did he save me when my former friends and associates are still lost without God?

VI. BOAZ A TYPE OF CHRIST AS BRIDEGROOM

      A. 4:9-10, Boaz loved Ruth, and he bought her to be his bride, to love, to cherish, to fellowship with.

            1. Boaz, the wealthy man of Bethlehem Judah takes Ruth, the poor outcast, to be his wife.

            2. Jesus has purchased His bride with His own blood. He has taken to Himself the stranger and outcast (Ephesians 2:13).

            3. The Lord loves His bride, the church, and has purchased her with His blood (Ephesians 5:25; Acts 20:28).

      B. Ruth 4:13 tells us that Boaz took Ruth to himself.

            1. One day the Lord Jesus is coming to receive the church to Himself (John 14:3). There will be a wonderful wedding feast in heaven.

            2. After the marriage, there will be a wonderful one thousand-year honeymoon, which will be short in light of eternity.

CONCLUSION: Do you know the Redeemer?