Ruth 4:1-5: a reflection

1Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. Behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by. Boaz said to him, “Come over here, friend, and sit down!” He came over, and sat down. 2Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here,” and they sat down. 3He said to the near kinsman, “Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s. 4I thought I should tell you, saying, ‘Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem it besides you; and I am after you.” He said, “I will redeem it.” 5Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must buy it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance.”

At the city gate, Boaz sets about doing something for Ruth and Naomi that they could not do for themselves: he takes up the role of the kinsman-redeemer. Naomi's land is to be redeemed, and Ruth's future secured; and Boaz, a near kinsman, is willing to take on their cause, to redeem the land and marry Ruth, raising up the name of the dead on his inheritance. Two widows, poor and vulnerable, without power to secure their own future; and Boaz steps in as their redeemer, taking on their cause as his own.

Notice what Boaz does as kinsman-redeemer: he takes on the cause of the helpless as his own. Ruth and Naomi could not secure their own inheritance or future; they were poor, widowed, vulnerable. And Boaz, their near kinsman, was willing to take up their cause, to pay the price to redeem what they had lost, to bind their future to his own. He did not leave them to their helplessness; he stepped in as their redeemer, taking on their need and securing what they could not secure themselves.

That role of the kinsman-redeemer points beyond Boaz to Christ, our Redeemer, who took on our cause when we were helpless. Like Ruth and Naomi, we were helpless to secure our own future, unable to redeem ourselves; but Christ, becoming our kinsman by taking on our humanity, took up our cause, paid the price to redeem us, and bound our future to his own. He did not leave us to our helplessness, but stepped in as our Redeemer. Rest in Christ your Redeemer, who took on your cause when you were helpless to secure your own future, as Boaz took on the cause of Ruth and Naomi. Do not imagine you must secure your own redemption, which you cannot; Christ has taken up your cause as his own, redeeming you at the price of himself, as Boaz redeemed the helpless widows. Trust the Redeemer who took on your cause, becoming your kinsman to redeem you, as Boaz stepped in as kinsman-redeemer for those who could not help themselves.

Lord, at the city gate, Boaz sets about doing something for Ruth and Naomi that they could not do for themselves: he takes up the role of the kinsman-redeemer. Naomi's land is to be redeemed, and Ruth's future secured; and Boaz, a near kinsman, is willing to take on their cause, to redeem the land and marry Ruth. Two widows, poor and vulnerable, without power to secure their own future; and Boaz steps in as their redeemer. Show me what Boaz does as kinsman-redeemer: he takes on the cause of the helpless as his own. Ruth and Naomi could not secure their own inheritance or future; and Boaz was willing to take up their cause, to pay the price to redeem what they had lost, to bind their future to his own. He did not leave them to their helplessness; he stepped in as their redeemer. Let that role point me beyond Boaz to Christ, my Redeemer, who took on my cause when I was helpless. Like Ruth and Naomi, I was helpless to secure my own future, unable to redeem myself; but Christ, becoming my kinsman by taking on my humanity, took up my cause, paid the price to redeem me. He did not leave me to my helplessness. Help me rest in Christ my Redeemer, who took on my cause when I was helpless, as Boaz took on the cause of Ruth and Naomi. Keep me from imagining I must secure my own redemption, which I cannot; Christ has taken up my cause, Lord, redeeming me at the price of himself. Help me trust the Redeemer who became my kinsman to redeem me.