Ruth

"Every man did that which was right in his own eyes" between the years of Joshua’s death and the formation of
the kingdom of Israel (Judges 21:25). That is not to say that there were none in the land of Israel who sought God
and worked righteousness, but simply that, when there was no authoritative presence, complete chaos and
debauchery reigned. When people are not held to an ethical standard, there can be no limitation to the depths of
wickedness into which society will plunge. One exception to the norm in those days is the history recounted in
Ruth. It is set against the backdrop of the period of judges, during those dark days in Israel (Ruth 1:1). It is a stark
contrast to the picture presented in Judges, and gives us some insight into how godly Israelites lived in this and
other periods of wholesale national unrighteousness.

SUMMARY

A famine in Israel led Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons to travel eastward from Judah to Moab for relief. While
living there, the two sons married Moabite women. Elimelech and the two sons died within ten years, leaving
Naomi alone in a foreign land with her two daughters-in-law. Hearing that the famine in Israel had passed, Naomi
determined to return to her homeland alone. One daughter-in-law, Orpah, parted ways with her, but the other,
Ruth, would not leave Naomi’s side. "And Ruth said, Do not urge me to leave you, or to return from following after
you: for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your God
my God; where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but
death part you and me (1:16-17)."

So, Ruth the Moabitess and Naomi the Israelite traveled together to Bethlehem in Judah. Without work and without
husbands or fathers to provide for them, the two found protection and provision in the law of Moses. The law
commanded the children of Israel, "When you reap the harvest of you land, you shall not make clean riddance of
the corners of your field when you reap, neither shall you gather any gleaning of your harvest: you shall leave
them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 23:22)." Again, "when you cut down
your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to fetch it: it shall be for
the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your
hands (Deuteronomy 24:19)." Naomi and Ruth, as poor widows, certainly qualified for this sort of help.

The particular field in which Ruth gleaned "happened" (2:3) to be owned by a relative of Naomi’s (more
specifically, of Elimelech’s), named Boaz. Ruth made an immediate impression on Boaz, so much so that he
ordered his men to take special care of her and to make special provisions for her. He was not only impressed
with her, but was also sympathetic for what she had recently gone through. Naomi was excited to discover that
Ruth was gleaning in Boaz’s fields, and explained to her that Boaz was "near of kin unto us, one of our next
kinsman (2:20)." The excitement was not simply that they had rediscovered family in the area, nor simply that
Boaz would undoubtedly continue to allow Ruth to glean on his property. Much more, Naomi was hopeful that Boaz
would play the part of kinsman-redeemer and both purchase her ancestors’ land inheritance in Bethlehem and
take Ruth to be his own wife. The background for this concept lay in the law of Moses.

The law of Moses was authored by God, and, so, reflected compassion, mercy, and equity. Laws regulating
property sales, indentured servants, the avenging of wrongful deaths, and other matters were designed in part to
keep scheming, covetous, bloodthirsty men from taking advantage of the helpless and having their way in society.
If society on a wide scale kept the law, it would ensure that family lands were protected, provisions were made for
widows, and violence did not go unchecked. These provisions were to be enforced first by the subjects' own
family, their nearest kinsmen. In the event that an honest but unfortunate man could not produce the money to
free himself and his family from servitude at the appointed time, a kinsman was to step in to help (Lev. 25:25ff).
Should a widow be left without children, the nearest suitable kinsman was to secure her through marriage (Deut.
25:5ff). And, so on.

The word common to all of these laws is the Hebrew word gawal, translated "kinsman" in Ruth 2:20; 3:8-9,
12-13; and 4:1, 3, 6, and 8. It is translated "redeem" in Ruth 4:4-6. In other instances, it is rendered "ransom"
(Jer. 31:10-11), "avenger" (Deut. 19:6), "deliver" (Ps. 119:154), and "purchase" (Lev 25:33). Its primitive meaning
is "to redeem." Because of the role of near kinsmen in redemption, "redeemer" was used interchangeably with
"kinsman," and to "act as a kinsman" was to "redeem." Should a close relative have slacked in his duty to take
care of his deceased brother's wife, for example, a conscientious neighbor would have told him: "Get over there
and act like a kinsman;" meaning, "Quit ignoring your responsibility; redeem her and take care of her."

So, Ruth and Naomi were hopeful that Boaz would live up to the role of kinsman-redeemer. It was revealed to
Ruth that there was actually a kinsman nearer to her than Boaz (3:12); but, that kinsman chose not to exercise his
privilege and duty, and Boaz was happy to step in (3:13; 4:1-12). They became the loving parents of a son whom
they named Obed. Obed would become the father of Jesse and grandfather of David…whose son Christ was (Matt.
1:1).

It is easy to see this as a story of unsurpassed love and devotion between two of God's children. More than that,
however, it is a glimpse into the relationship that Jesus Christ sustains with us. The Son of man--our God and our
brother--is alone suitable to redeem us from sin we could not otherwise escape. A fellow-human being, God in the
flesh, paid a debt we were drowning in and could never have possibly risen above. He ransomed us from certain
doom. He provided for us when we were helpless. He rescued us from death by giving his own life. Thank God for
our Kinsman-Redeemer.

Read Hebrews 2:5-18; Galatians 4:3-7; Romans 5:6-8