One of the first explorers who sailed to South America went around a cape on a stormy sea. His ship threatened to go to pieces; so he called the place the Cape of Storms. But Vasco da Gama, who came later, changed the name to the Cape of Good Hope, for he saw ahead of him the jewels and treasures of India. You can call this a life of storms if you wish. But if you can see the glorious redemption of eternity ahead of you, you can call it what it is only in Christ—a life of good hope. (Source: the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College).
Only Jesus Christ can redeem you. Rejoice in the glorious hope we have in Jesus!
Opportunities
The gate – Boaz has gone to where the action is. It is also harvest season, so the other kinsman would be passing by; this was also where the court house was located. So, Boaz has now seen right where he needs to be to take actions just as he promised.
“Ho such an one” & get the leaders as well to sit. This would indicate 10 elders would also be at this meeting. It was a very busy harvest time, but this request for a meeting is communication to the leaders that something else important has come up.
In a Berlin art gallery is a painting by German painter Adolf Menzel (1815-1905). However, it was only partially finished. Menzel intended to show Fredrick the Great speaking with some of his generals. So, Menzel painted generals and the background and chose to leave the king until last. Menzel was able to develop an outline of Fredrick in charcoal, but he died prior to finishing.
Many Christians come to end of life without ever having put Christ into his proper place...on the throne in their hearts. (Source: Karl Laney, Marching Orders, p. 45.)
Boaz was in a busy harvest season; however, the business of kinsman redeemer is a higher priority for him. Where do your priorities lie? Do they lie with your busy schedule, your long “to-do” list? Or do they lie first with the business of redemption?
Choices
Boaz presents the choice of land needing to be redeemed (curious these men haven’t come to this need earlier. Boaz brings this to their attention. Boaz’s Uncle says yes to redeem the land.
Boaz presents the choice of redeeming Ruth as well. This additional piece of information exposes where the Uncle’s true priorities lay. the Uncle says no, because it would jeopardize his own children’s inheritance.
Think of the Uncle in this account as the one who represents the “law”. The law cannot save us. We can also think of Boaz as the true redeemer. Only the true redeemer is willing and able to save! Only the true redeemer can:
…save from the penalty, power, and presence of sin!
…save you from your sin because He knows all about your sin and still cannot love you any more than He does right now!
…take your judgement in your place
…die in your place
…defeat sin, death, and hell in one bold move and rise from the dead
Reject the counterfeit gospel of good works (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)! Come to Jesus and LIVE!!
Excitement
Boaz accepts the position of the kinsman redeemer.
“The Old Testament law provided a way through which an inheritance that had been lost could be redeemed through a kinsman-redeemer. If a man through poverty was forced to mortgage his property, and then was unable to meet the payment on the date of maturity of the mortgage, then the man holding the mortgage could hold the land until the year of jubilee (which came every fifty years), at which time it reverted automatically to its former owner. But before this date a kinsman-redeemer, the nearest male blood relation could go into the civil court and by payment, recover the land for his relative. If the relation had died without an heir, then it became the duty of the kinsman-redeemer to marry his widow, and raise up the name of his brother.
In completing the transaction whereby the inheritance was redeemed and Ruth became his wife, an interesting old custom was observed. The account says: "Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe" (Ruth 4:1, 8). Boaz took off his sandal and gave it to the owner of the mortgage as evidence of completing his act of redemption. This custom was usual in the transfer of inheritances. (Source: Background Info from Customs and Bible Manners)
Boaz gives his shoe for the business transaction.
Remember, the Uncle represents the law. The law will never get us into heaven. Nothing is wrong with the law…something is wrong with mankind!
Boaz has to take off his shoe because he will redeem the land and the young foreign widow. The law will never enable us to walk all over heaven…we need the one true redeemer!
Can you imagine the excitement of Boaz at this point? Can you imagine Ruth’s last instruction (”sit still”) waiting for this uncertain situation to play out in real time? There was no shortage of excitement that day for the kinsman redeemer redeemed the land and the young woman Ruth! I’m sure that was a story they told their children and grandchildren the rest of their lives… “the day of redemption.”
Take time to rejoice in your day of redemption and share with someone this week!
3 Life Changing Truths to Never Forget
1. Never Forget WHO saved you.
It was God that sent HIS son for you (Jn. 3:16-18). It was God who loved you. It was God that showed His love for you while you were still an unforgiven, dirty, rotten sinner (Rms. 5:8; I. Jn. 4:10). It was God with which you were enemies (Rms. 8:7-8)! It was Jesus who suffered for you (Jn. 19; I Pet. 2:21; I Jn. 3:16).
2. Never Forget WHY He saved you
God saved you from everlasting judgment in hell because He is love (I Jn. 4:8)!
God saved you from everlasting judgment in hell because He needed to satisfy His own perfect justice and continue to show His love for you.
God saved you to offer forgiveness of sin…making possible a home in heaven through His sacrifice for you! Simply stated? God. Loves You. Even after all you have done, thought, and said – Jesus loves YOU! (Rms. 5:8; I Jn. 4:19)
3. Never forget FROM WHAT He saved you.
God saved you from everlasting fire (Matt. 13:42; 18:8).
God saved you from weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:41-42).
God saved you from complete darkness (Matt. 8:12).
God saved you from a lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 19:20).
God saved you from eternal punishment (Matt. 25:46).
You do not deserve your sin debt to be paid in full. You and I deserve this horrible judgment for our rebellion against God; HOWEVER, God intervened and sent His son, Jesus!
Never lose the joy of, the thankfulness for, & the motivation of your salvation – God loves you more than you can imagine.