11.13.07
Until the Matter is Settled Today...
We pick up where we left off last week with the final chapter of Ruth. True to his word Boaz goes about settling the issue immediately. He waits for the kinsman-redeemer to come along and when he does, he makes his opportunity to the man known. At first, the man wants to buy the land - he is willing to take advantage of the opportunity. However when Boaz fully explains what the man would be getting (i.e. Ruth and the right to marry her) the man declines the offer. He says he would be "endangering" his own esteate. Since we are talking about more than simply buying land, but rather a set of rights and continuing a family line, I think this means that the man cannot accept the responsibility of continuing the dead man's name. For Boaz, this is great news! The other man officially declines the offer and Boaz immediately redeems it.
Noteworthy Blessing
v11 - As the elders and those at the town gate bear witness to the transaction, they also give a blessing first saying, May Ruth be like Leah and Rachel who together built up the hosue of Israel. I think this is essentially a blessing to have lots and lots ' babies.
v12 - The blessing continues on to say, May your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah. This is interesting - is it chosen because they are descendent from Judah? Or was it because their family too was fulfilled and blessed through a kinsman-redeemer of sorts? Like Tamar, Ruth is not an Israelite, she has been grafted in to God's family.
In both stories God's will is accomplished through the provision of widows. Ultimately, obedience lead to God's blessing. Redemption in both stories leads to God's blessing. In once case it is a moral redemption and in the other a material redemption. But in both cases God welcomes them to himself.
Ruth as a Whole
When you take a look at the whole book of Ruth, what would you say the overall theme is? When we started Ruth, we noted that though this book tells us a chapter of history, the main purpose was not historial; it was to illustrate God's love for ALL people. To remind the Israelites that their greatest king came from a heritage other than Israel. Not to glorify the other nation, but to demonstrate that it is obedience that he seeks. A true desire for HIS heart, not simply a following of rules.
Remember what God is teaching his people during the time of Judges? That no matter what you do, God is always willing to forgive you...if you'll just come back to him! He is the ultimate redeemer! He will buy you back from sin again and again and again....
The chapter ends on a very good note - a demonstration of God's blessing on their family, both in the immediate future (Obed), but also in the grander picture (the family line of David). So when we're looking for major themes, we see:
God rewards the obedient
God always redeems his people (and we saw this redemption take more than one form: in a moral sense with Judah and Tamar, a literal sense with Ruth and a spiritual sense with the natio of Israel.)
A Little Application, If You Will...
Each of us here has taken that step of humility and come to our savior's feet and asked for redemption, knowing we don't deserve it. We wouldn't call ourselves Christians if we hadn't. But are you doing it regularly? Like Israel, we forget what God has done for us and we greedily walk away from him...only to come back again. Is there anything in your life right now that you need God's redemptive love specifically for? Are you struggling with anything that keeps you from him? Is there anything you are unwilling to give him? Have you let him redeem you lately? Are you living in that redemption? Challenge yourself to honestly answer these questions with your Savior. It'll be worth it, I promise.