Ruth chapter 4

[Irene]

Rth 3:1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?

Naomi is surely an example to us, her thoughts go to her daughter in law who is still a fairly young woman and her security, she does not selfishly think of her own widow hood but is concerned and shows love and affection for her daughter in law who has been so tragically, fairly recently widowed. The objective is to find rest” forRuth. In seeking a mānôa, “place of rest,” derives from the same root as mĕnûâ in 1:9 and speaks of the security and tranquility that women in Israel longed for and expected to find in the home of a loving husband.


H4494
מנוח
mânôach
maw-no'-akh
From H5117; quiet, that is, (concretely) a settled spot, or (figuratively) a home: - (place of) rest.


Rth 3:2 Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

Naomi says, “This man Boaz is your kinsman-redeemer. You have a right to claim him. In fact, Ruth, you must claim him as your kinsman-redeemer. I want you to go up to the threshing floor tonight and let him know.”

Rth 3:3 Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

Surely this is a picture of what happens when a believer comes to Christ.

1) WASHED- in the blood of the Lamb – the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
2) ANOINTED with the Holy Spirit
3) CLOTHING- we are clothed in new garments of righteousness
4) GET DOWN – We humble ourselves recognising our need before God, recognize that we are sinners and bow down before Him . We have to go down before we get up as new creations in Him, clothed in righteousness.

Rth 3:4 Then it shall be, when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies; and you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lie down; and he will tell you what you should do."

The Lord Jesus offers us the free gift of salvation, he tells us to come unto Him and we will find rest, He wants to be our kinsman redeemer but we have to accept this gift from Him. We need to claim Him as our Kinsman Redeemer.

Rth 3:5 And she said to her, "All that you say to me I will do."

Now we find that Ruth wants to establish a permanent relationship with Boaz..

Rth 3:6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law instructed her.

There was nothing improper about what Ruth was doing, she was not seducing Boaz, the threshing floor was a public place where families lay. The threshing floor plays a part in God’s redemptive plan for mankind.


2Sa 24:18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, "Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
2Sa 24:19 So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded.


2Ch 3:1 Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

The location where Solomon built the first permanent Temple for God to meet with His
people Israel was on the top of mount Moriah on the site of the threshing floor. The Presence or Glory of God abides with His people in the temple. God still abides with His people on the threshing floor in the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?


Rth 3:7 And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.
Rth 3:8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet.

So Boaz felt the cold—his covers had been pulled off his feet . He sat up, reached down, and felt around down there, and found a woman was at his feet.

Rth 3:9 And he said, "Who are you?"
So she answered, "I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative."

Ruth is saying, “I want you as my kinsman-redeemer, and I want to tell you so.”
Rth 3:10 Then he said, "Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich.
Rth 3:11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.

Boaz wants to immediately claim her as his wife, for this is what he has longed to hear. He really goes into action now because the way is clear and he is free to move; she has claimed him. Our Lord and Saviour too Longed for us to come home to Him and there was rejoicing in heaven on that day that we came home to Him.
If that is yet a decision anyone reading this still has to make, you need to know that He loves you and longs for you to come home to him, this is the reason that He died to bring you into relationship with Himself and His Father, that you might be secure in the knowledge of your sins forgiven and come to know Him as your Kinsman – Redeemer.
He calls her a virtuous woman, what a compliment!

Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.

Virtuous Godly women are hard to find, so when you find one her worth is worth more than all earthly treasures.

Rth 3:12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I.
Rth 3:13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you--good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the LORD lives! Lie down until morning."

There was a brother of Elimelech, an uncle of Ruth’s first husband who was the closest relative, whereas Boaz was probably a cousin of her first husband .Boaz is saying here, “I want to be your kinsman-redeemer, but first I’ll have to see how this other man feels about you.”
Boaz is not sure what he will do if the other man wants to act as kinsman, but he has a plan that he’s going to follow which he hopes will eliminate the other kinsman.


Rth 3:14 So she lay at his feet until morning, and she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, "Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."

The reason for this is fairly obvious. He did not want this other kinsman of Emilech to know, because if he had any ideas about claiming Ruth as his wife, this would be something that would cause him to eliminate Boaz immediately. Boaz wants to handle this case himself, and he moves into the situation.

Rth 3:15 Also he said, "Bring the shawl that is on you and hold it." And when she held it, he measured six ephahs of barley, and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.

Boaz makes Ruth a very generous gift.

Rth 3:16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "Is that you, my daughter?"
Then she told her all that the man had done for her.
Rth 3:17 And she said, "These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, "Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law."'
Rth 3:18 Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day."

Boaz would be determined, she had made a move towards him and now he would not stop until he knew for sure she was his. He was going to take care of this case. Ruth could rest in this man Boaz for he would indeed redeem her.
In Jesus we have a Savior in whom we can rest, and know that He’s our Redeemer. What a wonderful gift He is to us today! He has performed all the work of redemption. He like Boaz when longed for us to come to Him, He loved us and when we made that first move towards Him, He just had to have us come to that place of surety and rest in the knowledge of Him.

Rth 4:1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, "Come aside, friend, sit down here." So he came aside and sat down.

The gate served as the courthouse where the court convened. Bethlehem in Ruth’s day was the kind of place where everybody came in or went out. Boaz went to the gate for two reasons. It was where court convened, and he was going to take this other kinsman to court. The second reason is that he knows the other man will come in or out of that gate sooner or later that day. So he went to the gate, sat down, and waited there for him. Now I do not know how long he waited—it probably seemed a long time to Boaz—but finally the man he wanted to see came by. This man was a kinsman to Ruth and was nearer than Boaz although we so not know the specifics of that relationship, but he may very well have been a brother of Elimlech.
Rth 4:2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.

These ten men were elders,and they were the ones who constituted the judges. This is the courthouse, and court’s now in session.

Rth 4:3 Then he said to the close relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

The term brother used here in the original Hebrew mean’s close relative, they were not both brother’s of Elimelech. Nut notice how he opens this conversation by mentioning the land.

Rth 4:4 And I thought to inform you, saying, "Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and 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 but you to redeem it, and I am next after you."'

And he said, "I will redeem it."

The interesting thing is that this other kinsman responds in the affirmative. He says, “I will redeem it.” Apparently he was a generous men, and he was willing to perform the part of a kinsman in this connection.

Rth 4:5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance."
Rth 4:6 And the close relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it."

Now aside from the fact that Ruth was a Moabitess, I believe that this other kinsman had pronably already married and was now widowed. It’s quite possible that he had grown children the age of Boaz, and that his children were married. His property already would be allotted to his children. To marry this woman of Moab would jeopardize everything that he owned. He would be risking everything by marrying Ruth and bringing her into the congregation of the Lord. Very candidly, this other kinsman probably was right in what he said, that he could not redeem the property and Ruth because his own inheritance would be marred. Then he tells Boaz, “You go ahead and take my right of redemption to yourself if this is what you want to do.”

Rth 4:7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.
Rth 4:8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he took off his sandal.

The Gospel has put shoes on our feet for now our feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Because we have been redeemed we can now wear gospel sandals and take the message to the people out there in our communities or wherever the Lord takes us.

Eph 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Rth 4:9 And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi.
Rth 4:10 Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day."

We who were once enstranged Gentiles , those who were afar off have been purchased as the redeemed as the actual bride of Christ.

Joh 3:29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

Act 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."


1 Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1Pe 2:10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

We have been redeemed by our dear bridegroom Christ Jesus and now we who were once in darkness like Ruth have a revelation of the true God, Jesus paid the price for our sins by the blood that He shed for us, now we like Ruth becoming Boaz’s wife, have become His bride, the bride of Christ and the promise of salvation which He has given us are for us and our children, and our children’s children and for all whom the Lord calls and respond with an affirmative “yes.”

Rth 4:11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.
Rth 4:12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the LORD will give you from this young woman."

And what amazing offspring that was - Ruth was the great- grandmother of David. Boaz was the great- grandfather of David. Both were part of the ancestral line of Jesus.
Mat 1:5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
Mat 1:6 and Jesse begot David the king.

Rth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.
Rth 4:14 Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel!
Rth 4:15 And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."
Rth 4:16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him.
Rth 4:17 Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Naomi needed a kinsman to carry on the line of Elimelech. Now it was being carried on through Boaz and Ruth. This child Obed is Naomi’s grandson and he is precious to her.


Rth 4:18 Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron;
Rth 4:19 Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;
Rth 4:20 Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon;
Rth 4:21 Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed;
Rth 4:22 Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
The geneology here is what connects David to the tribe of Judah. I used to skip by genealogies when I was young because I had little understanding of their purpose, now though I can see the reason and purpose behind them, and those genealogies in the Old Testament and in the New Testament give us an understanding of the line of Christ.

Through Jesus Christ our lives can be changed just as Ruth’s was.

Ruth went from…
* Loneliness to love.
* Emptiness to wealth.
* Bondage to freedom.
* Worry to peace.
* Disgrace to glory.
* Fear to assurance.

Jesus is our Redeemer- We needed to want to be redeemed. Ruth had to want to be redeemed. She went to the person who qualified to be her redeemer, who could pay the price, and who would pay the price. For us, that is Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord I thank you for paying the price for my sins, for redeeming me, I thank you for the amazing love that you pour into me, I love you Lord, you took my brokenness and made me whole , thank you for the freedom that I have in you, thank you for the wonderful peace that you give me, even in the midst of turmoil. Praise You Lord that I who was once in darkness am now part of your glorious bride.In your precious Name Lord Jesus I pray. Thank you Lord, Thank you Father for sending Jesus. AMEN.


Kinsman-Redeemer
O.T. Qualification Christ’s Fulfillment
1. Blood Relationship Gal. 4:4, 5; Heb. 2:16, 17
2. Necessary Resources 1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19
3. Willingness to Buy John 10:15–18; 1 John 3:16
4. Willingness to Marry Rom. 7:4; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25–32; Rev. 19:7

NKJV