Ruth 2:14-23

The Kinsman Redeemer

Sometimes it’s not what we do, but rather what we are willing to do. This is an old saying, and in Ruth and Boaz's situations it is all together true. In today's study we see Ruth taking the advice of her mother-in-law ,Naomi, by heading out to the fields to glean for food. In those days, anyone who was destitute and out of sorts had few options, and this is why GOD set up the law of gleaning. Ruth was a willing student of Naomi in how she should present herself in her new home of Israel  Boaz, a highly respected, and wealthy man, saw Ruth work hard and respected what she had done for Naomi. This is where we pickup our study in chapter two of Ruth.

1. Briefly go over Ruth 2:14-19

Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. And when she rose up to ]glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

So she gleaned in the field until evening, and beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. Then she took it up and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. So she brought out and gave to her what she had kept back after she had been satisfied.

And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.”

Ruth 2:14-19

2. Leviticus 25:23-25 Explains what the Kinsman Redeemer law is

 ‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the land. ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold.

Leviticus 25:23-25

3. The Law gives four requirements a kinsman redeemer needs to meet in order to redeem one's property

1. He must be near of kin or a “Goal”

2. He must not be in need of redeeming himself, a slave cannot purchase the freedom of another slave

3. He must be willing to redeem, one cannot be forced against his will to purchase ones freedom

4. Redemption was completed when the price demanded was completely paid

4. Just as the Ruth’s life has gone to this point, so too has the fate of mankind

1. Look how the fate of humans has fallen

2. Like they asked of Naomi when she returned one could ask of Adam and his descendants the same

"Is this Adam?" Can these poor, dying, corrupt creatures called men be the sons of Adam, who was created in the image of God? Man was created a prince, but now he is a pauper. He who was created a king in the garden, is now just a beggar. Man, who was created in pleasantness, has fallen into bitterness. Adam was given fullness; but his sons are emptiness. In the beginning, the race was blessed; but now Adam’s fallen race is cursed.

3. Like Elimelech, Adam sold us into slavery

4. Like Boaz, Christ fulfilled the role of a kinsman redeemer

5. Well the requirements to redeem us from sin is the same as Naomi needed to redeem her land

1. In Hebrews 1:2 we read

“In these last days God spoke to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things,

2. Christ lived a perfect life without sin

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15

3. Jesus tells us;

"Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."

John 10:17-18

4. John tells us that Jesus paid the full price for our redemption on the cross

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said,"It is finished!"And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

John 19:30

5. Then in Revelation we read that about the angels singing of Christ's fulfillment of the Law

And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 

Revelation 5:9

6. Like Naomi, we too need a Redeemer like Boaz, who can help us get back to our rightful place

1. Just like the fields of Bethlehem belonged to Boaz, so too does this World belong to Jesus Christ.

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Colossians 1:16-17

2. As Ruth’s just happened to glean from the field belonging to Boaz,God graciously nudges each one of us into a position to either accept or deny His gift of eternal life

3. Just as Boaz commanded his young men not to touch Ruth, so the Lord Jesus Christ has given a commandment to all creation, saying, "touch not mine anointed!"

4. Just as boaz ordered his men let fall extra grain for Ruth, so to our Savior takes care to provide for his us, even throughout the days of our rebellion and unbelief

5. As Boaz paid the full price to redeem Naomi's inheritance, Christ assumed our debt and paid with His life

7. Conclusion

1. In this chapter we have seen two noteworthy examples of righteous character

1. Ruth's humility and willingness to minister to the needs of her mother-in-law

2. And the kindness of Boas in how he respected and treated a foreign woman in his field

2. We also saw Naomi's faith in God's care reassured

1. Even though she believed her earlier loss was due to God's discipline

2. She was convinced that God had not forsaken His kindness to the living and dead