I Stand In Awe of You

Boaz Marries Ruth

While in Chapter Three, Ruth acted in the dark, not to be seen, Chapter Four opens at the city gate, in a broad day light, a public space where trade and litigation take place. This is the men's world, and women have to make way, but their fate is here legitimized.

Life and Blessings Are From God

Naomi’s prediction is right. The very same day Boaz goes to the town gate waiting for the nearer kinsman redeemer, the one who is more closely-related to Naomi than Boaz himself.

That person "happens" to walk past and Boaz immediately called out: "Mr So and So, come over here, and sit down.”

So the man went over and sat down. Boaz also took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.

Boaz said to the man: "Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these people seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

Naomi is about to sell the family land. Boaz asks the nearer kinsman to buy the field. A widow has no right to the estate. The land must be sold, and then the money would be given to the widow. The nearer kinsman jumps at the opportunity, so he immediately said, "I will redeem it.”

But Boaz continued: "On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabites, you also acquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

So Boaz is actually linking up the redemption law described in Leviticus 25:25 and the levirate law in Deuteronomy 25:5-10.

The nearer kinsman replied:"Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”(v.6)

He gives his sandal to Boaz, which is symbolising the legal transfer of the property. Then nearer kinsman immediately disappears from the scene.

This man is very calculative. If he accepts the deal, he would have to pay for the field, and look after Naomi and Ruth. He would have to produce a son, and then pay child support. And worst of all, when the child grew up, he would inherit the property in the name of Elemelech family line.

On top of this, Ruth could well be an infertile woman, there is no point marrying her!

Boaz seizes the opportunity and announces, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabites, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!” (v.9)

In kindness, Boaz is willing to pay the price for another in need. The nearer kinsman only cares for his own benefit. He has no mercy to poor relatives, and refuses to take up responsibility toward close relatives. Ironically, in his attempt to maintain his own name and refusing to retain name for the dead, he is left nameless.

His name is not mentioned in the bible. The lack of mention of his name sticks out like a sore thumb in this chapter of the story, which is talking about preservation of names. He lives thinking of not losing, yet he dies in God’s redemptive story.

We maybe just like him, being calculative to protect own interest, but we may never know how much a blessing we could have missed! Jesus had sacrificed His own life on the cross for us so that our sins are forgiven and we could receive a new life. God vindicates him, subsequently raises him up from death and ascribes to him the highest honours!

Are you willing to pay the price to save the needy for the building of God's house? The world will be transformed when we all are willing to take up our own crosses to help people in need. And God will honour you for what you do.

The people and the elders at the gates, all testified and simultaneous said: "May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home, like Rachel and Leah, who together established the house of Israel ...... May the Lord give you descendants make this young woman make your family like Judah born to Tamar, Perez's home.” (vv.11-12)

Ruth, a Gentile woman placed among the Patriarchs like Rachel, Leah and Tamar, is a great honour.

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son (v.13). Boaz and Ruth, a love story has a happy ending. God even comes to the party by granting Ruth, who was previously infertile, a son.

New life is a gift, especially in the shadow of death and infertility, becomes even more precious. The narrator affirms that the son is ultimately a gift from God. God has given the pregnancy, and transformed the curse to a blessing.

It is also a happy ending for Naomi, as we hear the women say to her, echoing 1:33, when Naomi had just returned to Bethlehem. She once complained the Lord has afflicted her, making her empty.

Now the women refuted Naomi saying, "Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”

Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. From being empty formerly, Naomi is now full. This happy ending depicts women's hard work, mutual love, and courage and also the gracious hand of God prevailing in the midst of human sufferings.

We struggle in life, work very hard, but it is God who makes sure that things are done. God works with hidden hands in our everyday life. Life and fortune are from the Lord. We have to give thanks to God, intercede in His name and constantly rely on Him.

We examine ourselves today; are we close to the Lord, relying on Him? Or we are distant from God, relying on own money and talent?

Let’s commit all things to the Lord, give thanks to him; desire after the Word of God, respectfully and humbly serving Him.

Ordinary People Achieves the Extra-Ordinary Things

The neighbourhood women said: "Naomi had a son, he is called Obed. "(v.17) and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.

The story of Ruth is set in the time of the Judges when Israel was repeatedly rebellious and unfaithful towards God. It was a time when Israel had no king, and everyone did what as they saw fit. But God is still being faithful to Israel. Through this one family in Bethlehem, God would raise King David, who would later restore peace to the land of Israel.

Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi has not only brought happiness to Naomi and the family, but restored the entire nation of Israel. Not only that, the New Testament Gospel of Matthew begins with the genealogy of David, delineates Jesus Christ is the descendant of David (Matt 1:16). In this genealogy, Ruth’s name is mentioned for she plays an important role in the birth of Christ.

Who would have thought that Jesus would descend through a destitute widow retuning from Moab and her foreign daughter-in-law? Ruth's faithful act contributes to God’s salvation for Israel, as well as for the whole mankind.

Ruth gives birth to Obed, brings God’s blessing to a family in Bethlehem; David led the whole Israel to be blessed; Jesus Christ accomplished salvation for the whole earth. We see a chain of transcendental wonders of God, His salvation and blessing through the participation of ordinary people.

God uses the ordinary people to achieve the extra-ordinary!

In fact Ruth and Naomi are more miserable than the ordinary people.  They are deeply afflicted by suffering and death. But God can bless them, using them to accomplish the extraordinary.

The book of Ruth does not mention explicitly about God speaking a word or performing a miracle. However, through the struggles of ordinary peoples, undertaking selfless sacrifices and obedience to God’s law, lives are transformed from bitterness to blissfulness.

You and I are mortal and ordinary people, but we cannot slack and give up easily. The reason is because our God is divine and great. It is so difficult to fathom God's work. We must not underestimate the power of God. When we step forward to partner with God, surely it will bring redemption, renewal and reconstruction among us.

Today we are to remain watchful and committed to partner God to accomplish the extraordinary things.