Alright, Ruth chapter 3, verse
8 through 13, the subject again, keep in mind, the Goel Kinsman
Redeemer. In verse 8, And it came to pass
at midnight that the man, that is Boaz, was afraid, and turned
himself, and behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said,
Who are you? And she answered, I'm Ruth, thine
handmaid. Spread therefore thy skirt over
thy handmaid. Watch for thou art a near kinsman. And he said, Blessed be thou
of the Lord, my daughter, for thou hast showed more kindness
in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followest
not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear
not, I will do to thee all that thou requirest, for all the city
of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And now
it is true that I am thy near kinsman, howbeit there is a kinsman
nearer than I. tarry this night, and it shall
be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part
of a kinsman, well, let him do the kinsman's part. But if he
will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part
of a kinsman to thee, as the Lord liveth lie down until the
morning. Now in chapter 4, let's look
at verse 9 and verse 10. Boaz said unto the elders and
to all the people, ye are witnesses this day that I have bought all
that was a limulex and all that was tillions and melons of the
hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess,
the wife of Malon, literally the widow, have I purchased to
be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance,
that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren,
and from the gate of this place. Ye are witnesses this day. Now, 13 and 14. So Boaz took
Ruth, and she was his wife. And when he went in unto her,
the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. And the women
said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee
this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel."
Now, flipping to the book of Hebrews, the second chapter,
reading verses 14 through 18, we see the antitype, Hebrews
2, 14 through 18, far as much then as the children or partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through
death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were
all of their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took
not on the nature of angels, but he took on the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to
make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he
himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that
are tempted." Now, we begin in the book of Ruth. We see the
type. Then we come to the book of Hebrews,
and we see the anti-type, or the fulfillment of the type,
the kinsman-redeemer in our Lord Jesus Christ. A little bit of
introduction and background. Ruth is one of two books that
we find in the Old Testament Scripture that bear the name
of a woman. And the other one, of course,
is the book of Esther. And they have this in common,
that both books are the namesake of a woman who is the main character and focus of that book. But Esther
was a Jew and Ruth was a Gentile, and the greater commonality between
the two is the way in which the providence of God carries the
day and sheds its light upon the two women respectively to
bless and to guide them. How divine providence so ordered
the events in both of those books, that many Jews lived and were
spared because of the providence of God through Esther, and Ruth,
a Gentile, came to be a worshipper of God and was in the lineage
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great grandmother of David, I
believe, if we count it. She became the wife of Boaz,
and by him, or them, was the name of the dead raised up in
Israel. So let's quickly outline the
events in the book. to bring us up to our text and
the work of a Goel Kinsman Redeemer in Israel at that time. I have
a little book by Philip Morrow. It's called Ruth the Satisfied
Stranger. And he explains that the book
is an account of an obscure Jewish family who left their land because
of a famine and went down into another land, the land of Moab. They were married there, their
sons were, married under Moabite women. Ruth chapter 1 verse 4
gives us that fact. Soon, however, the providence
of God carried them in a sorrowful way, and all three of the men
died. The father and the two sons died,
and left Naomi a widow with two heathen, pagan, Gentile daughters-in-law. Finally, by the providence of
God, word reached her in Moab that a famine was over in the
land of Judah, and she made plans to return. One daughter-in-law
stayed, went back to her people, to her God. But Ruth made that
great and wonderful profession. Thy God shall be my God. Thy
people shall be my people. And they made their way again
to Bethlehem. And by the providence of God,
they arrived there at the beginning or the time of barley harvest. And it is through Ruth that is
brought before us the Goel or the kinsman redeemer. where the work and results of
God opened up like a beautiful flower in its blooming, when
one of the Goel kinsmen redeemer is more closer and more blessed
type of Christ than some of those other ones in the Old Testament. Now, for a study of the law of
redemption and the work of a kinsmen redeemer, will ultimately lead
us to that passage in Hebrew, the second chapter that we read. And as we move along, let's notice
a statement given in Ruth. It is found in chapter 2 and
verse 1. Let's enter it now into the record. And Naomi had a kinsman of her
husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech. and his name was Boaz. Now this lays the groundwork
for a soon to develop relationship, an important relationship, between
Ruth and Boaz. Now Ruth, as we said, is a foreigner. She is a stranger, a Moabite,
a pagan, or was one, a Gentile, and now a destitute widow, reduced
to begging for her daily sustenance. is an Israelite. He is a mighty
man of wealth, that verse tells us. And this is important. Boaz was a kinsman of Naomi's
deceased husband, Elimelech. And the owner, Boaz, was of a
very productive barley field that the Lord God had blessed
in that season. And by means of debt, The house
and the family of Elimelech was in danger of extinction. No one to carry on. The father
dead, both of the sons deceased, and his two sons have died childless,
and that is important. That was a shame and a disgrace
in Israel for one to die childless and his name to die out among
the people. Now, Naomi, no doubt, being a
Jew, familiar with the law, guided Ruth to take advantage of a law
that was in place in Israel that allowed the poor, the stranger,
the orphan, that is, the fatherless, and so forth, to glean from the
fields of those who were harvesting their crops each year. And if
you want to turn, just to follow along, to Deuteronomy chapter
24, I'd like to read that law for us and how it worked in Israel. Deuteronomy chapter 24 and beginning
in verse 19 through verse 22. Here's what the law said, Deuteronomy
24, 19. When thou cuttest down thy harvest
in the field, and hast forgotten a sheaf in the field, thou shalt
not go again to fetch it. It shall be for the stranger,
for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the Lord thy God
may bless thee in all the work of thy hand. There is more. Look at verse 20. When thou beatest
thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the branches again. It shall be for the stranger,
for the fatherless, and for the widow. Verse 21. When thou gatherest
the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward,
It shall be for the stranger and so forth. Again, in Leviticus
chapter 19 and verse 9. When you reap the harvests of
your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of the field,
neither shall you gather up the gleanings of thy harvest. And notice something in Ruth
chapter 2 and verse 16. Boaz, who gave favor to Ruth
to glean in his field, Boaz instructed the young man, quote, to let
fall hands full on purpose for her, unquote. By the providence
of God, when Ruth went forth to glean that they might have
food upon their table, she gleaned in the field of Boaz, a kinsman
of the family, a rich man, an influential man, and Ruth found
grace or favor in his eyes. So now we see the significance
of what is said in chapter 2 and verse 1. For when Ruth went out
to glean, chapter 3 and verse 3, look at that. Her hap happened,
or her hap was to light. That is, her hap, or her providence,
or her steps away was to go to. She turned in. on the field of
Boaz. She entered into a part of the
field that belonged unto Boaz. Remember, who was a kinsman of
Elimelech. Now the word hap here is interesting,
we could say, it is something that she met with. Her half happened. It came to pass that she met
with. Now I know there are a lot of
people today who would call this a stroke. of good luck, an accident
of good fortune, some would say. A chance event is how some would
describe it. But some say the word hap as
being from the root word to light upon, to bring about. And it
was strictly the guiding providence of God that she turned into that
exact field which she did. Morrow said, there was nothing
to distinguish one field from another. Only the corner landmarkers
that the Israelites put down to mark their inheritance. But nothing else to mark one
field from another. There were no fences, there were
no walls about it, and there was no sign there in the front
of it proclaiming loudly, Boaz Barley and Mining Company. Boaz,
proprietor. Nothing like that to catch her
attention. It was strictly an act of providence
by a secret instinct or an inward impulse. Ruth turns in to the
exact same field belonging unto Boaz. And it was the beginning
of a great turning point and a great blessing that came unto
her in her life. Boaz extends her many kindnesses
when he finds out, who is that woman? Some said, oh, that's
the widow of Melon, that's the Moabitess Ruth that came back
with Naomi. Though she, like the woman at
Jacob's well, is not yet aware of the significance of the meeting
or the person with whom she speaks that gives her such bounty and
is so gracious unto her. But Ruth chapter 2 verse 18 and
19. When the young widow brought her abundance in that evening
unto Naomi, the older widow asked, Where did you glean today? In
whose field did you work? Where did you get that? Bless
the man who has showed you such a great kindness. And Ruth said,
The man's name where I work today, who took knowledge of me, is
Boaz. Where I gleaned is the field
of Boaz." And in verse 21 of that chapter, he even told me
that I could glean completely until the end of the harvest.
That I could stay by his workers. They were not to bother me. in
any kind of way. And it is likely that Ruth also
rehearsed the other favors that Boaz had extended unto her. She immediately found favor in
his eye. such as Ruth 2 in verse 8. He said to her, stay here among
my maidens. Stay here among these maidens
that are here working or gleaning in the field. In verse 9, chapter
2, the younger men were told not to harass her, not to affront
her, and that she could have all the fresh water she needed
from their pitcher that they had drawn. In verse 14 of the
second chapter, He invited her to eat at mealtime with His workers
and to take her full satisfaction of food. In verse 15 of chapter
2, to let her glean among the sheaves and not reproach her
and not embarrass her, that is, not make fun of her or be critical
of her because she is a beggar. And then, in verse 16 of that
chapter, the workers were told to drop grain on purpose. Now, let's go to Ruth chapter
2 and verse 20 and see the reaction of Naomi at the identity of Ruth
Benefactor. Chapter 2 and verse 20. And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law,
Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness
to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The
man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. Now let's notice a couple of
observations that Naomi makes concerning Boaz there in verse
20. First she said, blessed is he,
blessed is this man of the Lord who has not left off his kindness
to the living and the dead. Some think this involved a former
kindness which Boaz had shown under the family in the past. But secondly, Naomi says the
man that is meaning Boaz, is near of kin unto us. One of our necks are near kinsmen. Now, this word kinsmen is the
definitive word here in the book of Ruth. It is the Hebrew word
goel, I guess is how you'd say it, or goel, G-O-E-L, as we pronounce
it in the English. And it is at least 11 times used
here in the book of Ruth alone. And the word actually means redeemer,
our goel, our redeemer, our goel. It's in the margin of the King
James chapter 2 in verse 20. One that has the right to redeem. And this right to redeem stood
in the fact of his kinship. Because he was a kinsman, because
he was near of kin, he was a qualified Redeemer, and only one of a special
kinship could perform the work of a Goel. And I'm going to say
that again, and I want you to have Christ in your mind. Only
one of a special kinship could perform the work of a Goel. How did Christ take a kinship
unto us? Let's look, however, first of
all, how it is used here in the book of Ruth. Chapter 2 and verse
20. One of our necks of kin, said
Naomi. Chapter 3 and verse 9. When Ruth
lays at the feet of Boaz, she tells him, I am Ruth, thine handmaid,
spread thy skirt over me, for thou art our near kinsman. Boaz says, Chapter 3 and verse
12, it is true, I am a near kinsman. Chapter 3 and verse 13 again,
I will do the part of a kinsman unto you. Chapter 4 and verse
14, after Boaz had performed the part, of a Redeemer, redeemed
all that was Elimelech's and married Ruth and she had given
birth unto Obed. The women in Ruth 4.14 said,
Bless the Lord which hath not left thee without a kinsman,
meaning a Goel or a Redeemer. Now, concerning the rights and
the duties of a near kinsman, there are at least four cases
where a kinsman, a goel, a redeemer, was to act according to the law
in Israel. Number one, a kinsman or redeemer
could buy back the property of one of his brethren that had
fallen under mortgage. In other words, he could restore
the inheritance under the man who had lost it, who because
of poverty, mortgaged, lost, or sold his inheritance. And you can find that in Leviticus
chapter 22, I believe it is, and verse 25. Secondly, he was to redeem the
person, a person, who by circumstances had sold themselves into slavery. It could be that an Israelite
had become so poor that he had sold himself into slavery as
his only means of a meager existence. You can find that in Leviticus
25, 47 through verse 49. we see it here in Ruth, to raise
up the name of the dead, of a brother who died childless. And you have this in Deuteronomy
25 and verses 5 through verse 10. You have it again in play
in Genesis chapter 38, verse 8 through verse 10. Fourthly and lastly, a Redeemer
or Goel might act as an avenger of blood to execute vengeance
upon or against a manslayer who had slain one of his brethren
or his kinsmen. So, in Ruth chapter 3, And chapter
4, let us see how it is that Boaz promised to do all spelled
out in the law of Israel. Verse 13 again, if you will.
I will do the part of a kinsman unto you. By the way, this was
said privately unto Ruth in the winnowing floor around midnight
after Boaz was startled to find a person, yea a woman, lying
at his feet. But his promise was not made
rashly, and it was not made without regard to the cost or the consequences
that were involved. It was not a reckless, empty
promise that he would forget and walk away from. But then
we come to chapter 4. As Boaz sets in motion the necessary
steps to perform the work of a Goel. First of all, we notice
that he clears it, the matter, with the nearer Redeemer, one
nearer than himself. Ruth chapter 4, verse 1 through
6. Boaz stated in Ruth chapter 3
and verse 12, there is a kinsman nearer than I. But Boaz promised
If he will not perform the part of a kinsman, I will do so, and
I will put it about beginning in the morning. Now, with a question,
we just raise it and go on. Who the nearer kinsman was? I cannot tell you. Some have
surmised that it was the law that could not redeem one from
their misery. However, he recuses himself. He takes himself out of the picture,
chapter 4 and verse 6, opening the way for Boaz. In chapter
4, verses 9 and 10, Boaz publicly, openly, before legitimate witnesses
consisting of the elders of the city, and in the hearing and
the ears of a great crowd of people, declares his intention
to perform all the work of a kinsman toward Ruth, consisting in two
very distinct acts. And let's look at them. First
of all, in verse 9, I have purchased, acquired, redeemed, I have bought
the estate of Elimelech. Now let's note it. All that was
Elimelech's. all that was Elimelech's and
that fell under Margit. His Margit's property, which
may now have been under the control of another or lying empty and
fallow, may have been in the control of another, and Naomi,
being an impoverished widow, had no means to redeem it herself. And so Boaz called a mighty man
of wealth. He paid the full price into the
hand of Naomi and took possession of all that was Elimelech. Now, there was a law of redemption
in Israel whereby a rich kin could buy a poor brother's inheritance. For every Israelite was given
an inheritance in the land of Canaan. and it had fallen under
death, it could be redeemed again and put back into possession
of the original heir. Now, having said that, in Adam's
sin and in Adam's fall, mankind in entirety fell from their first
estate as it was in Adam and Eve, and they lost their original
righteousness with no means or ability to recover what was lost. Hopelessly enslaved, their soul
under the power of sin by that fault, their only hope being
if another might strike hands with them, pay their debt, and
restore them in a saving righteousness and fellowship with God, they
needed a true kinsman. So, look at chapter 4 and verse
10 again. Now Boaz purchased Ruth, to be his wife, the inn served
by it to raise up the name of the dead." And I believe the
direct reference seems to be unto Malon, as seen by the expression
in verse 10. for he bought and married the
widow of Mahlon and his inheritance, to this end that his name not
be cut off or his position at the gate be lost forever. The footnote in the New Geneva
Study Bible, New King James Version, on verse 10, has this observation,
and I'm quoting, quote, The disappearance of one's name in Israel was considered
to be an extreme misfortune You can see that 1 Samuel 24, 21,
2 Samuel 14, and verse 7. And there was a provision in
the law of Israel to prevent the name of a man dying out from
his family, his inheritance, his city, and the gate. That
plan or law was that a man was to marry his childless brother's
widow, and their first man-child was reckoned to be the child
of the deceased brother. the one dead, the first man-child,
was reckoned to be the child of the deceased brother, to keep
his name alive in Israel. Now, I'm not going to go there,
but this accounts for that behavior of Unan in Genesis chapter 38,
Verse 9 and 10, he knew that the child would not be his. Thus Boaz raised up the name
of the dead, performing the work of a kinsman-redeemer. And being
a very clear human type of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
we turn our attention now to that one which Boaz was a most
imminent type. what one called the renowned
type and noble one of a proper brother-redeemer." That is, God
provided, raised up a proper kinsman and redeemer for Naomi
and Ruth to redeem their inheritance into their possession again and
to raise up the name of the dead. Even so, has God given us a kinsman
redeemer? Let's say it from the housetop.
God has not left us without a kinsman redeemer. Now, notice, the first
and foremost necessary qualification of a goel is the feature of kinship. Kinship, near kin, that's so
important. A near kinsman was what Boaz
was unto them. In Deuteronomy 25, 5-10, it was
only a brother. that could assure that the name
of the dead die not out in Israel. And in Leviticus chapter 25 and
25, it was only a brother or any of his kin, quote unquote,
that could redeem the mortgage property of a man fallen into
poverty and becoming extremely poor. So that raises the question,
what was our case? How stood we in regard to a kinsman
redeemer? We lost our first estate and
our upright standing in Adam. We were cast under the universality
of debt and sold under sin. Our debt was great and we had
nothing to pay. No way at our disposal to redeem
ourselves out of our situation. Where shall we find one then? to come to our aid? Who is there that would even
consider assuming our debt? Who would libel himself for such
a debt as owed by mankind? We're kind of like Job in Job
chapter 17 and verse 3, when Job in his awful situation wondered,
and I quote, Who is he that will strike hands with me?" In other
words, who will stand with me? Who will take my part? Who will
take my side? Who will see and protect my interests? Who will be my guarantor in this
squabble that is going on? But the question is, how shall
we in our ruined condition, sold under sin, dead in trespasses
and in sin, in poverty of soul, with no means whatsoever at our
disposal to act as our own Redeemer, and all our friends and fellows
in the very same condition, unable to help themselves or to help
us or any other. So the question is, where shall
we then find a Goel? Where shall we find one who can
aid us? who can restore us, who can get
us our inheritance that God has marked out for us. Now that takes
us to Hebrews chapter 2. Remember what we just said, that
the first and the foremost qualification of a goel is the feature of kinship. One must be kin in order to act
as a Goel Redeemer for another. And in Hebrews chapter 2 and
verse 10 through verse 18, I want us to see how often the elect
are called as kin of Christ, our Goel. and the relationship
that they have unto Him. Now, we're going to kind of run
down through the chapter quickly. In verse 10, it is His purpose
to bring many sons, sons, S-O-N-S, unto glory. Verse 11, He is not
ashamed to call them brethren, brothers. Verse 12, my brethren. Verse 13, the children which
God has given me. Verse 14, the children again.
Verse 16, the seed of Abraham. Verse 17, again it is His brethren. All of those mentioned. And Christ
took a necessary kinship to His brethren in order to become and
to act as their Goel. And this is twice expressed in
Hebrews chapter 2. Let me read it again. First verse
14. Look at it carefully. More carefully
than ever. For as much then as the children,"
all of those mentioned in verse 10 through verse 16, the children,
the brethren, the sons. For as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood. He also, himself likewise, took
part of the same with a specific end, aim, or purpose that through
death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is, the devil. Then look at verse 17 again.
Therefore, in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his
brethren, to a certain end, that he might be a merciful and faithful
high priest in things pertaining unto God. Now, by his incarnation,
he became, as the old Puritan John Owen put it, quote, our
Goel, the next of kin unto whom belong the right of redemption."
And had the Son not become incarnate, had He not partaken of flesh
and of blood, had He not assumed this special and unique kinship,
He could not have acted in our behalf and performed the work
of a Goel it to our beneficiary. For had he not assumed flesh
and blood, he could not die as our sacrifice. For there were
certain things about the Goel, such as we have already shown. Number one, he must be a true
kinsman. Not a stranger, but a kinsman. Number two, he must be able and
both as to the means and the legality. Remember in Ruth chapter
4 verse 6, the nearer kinsman did recuse himself lest he mar
his own inheritance. But thirdly, he must be willing. Not only must he have a kinship,
not only must he have the means and be qualified and able, but
he must also be willing. For it is costly, consequences
are great to become or act the part of a kinsman. So he must
be willing. That means he must love them.
He must have a heart that is towards them, towards whose behalf
he acts as a kinsman. Now, the kinsman which God has
provided us has assumed the proper kinship by taking of flesh and
blood. In other words, Christ the Eternal
Son has assumed human nature in hypostatic union with the
divine nature that is of God, so that he was or remain divine,
but also was or is a true man, a true man yet without sin or
depravity. He took human nature, as John
Brown wrote, not in its primitive form. He did not assume human
nature in its primitive glory, but in the likeness of sinful
flesh. This he did, that he might give
himself a ransom for many, destroying him that had the power of debt. He performed the work of a Goel
redeemer. He removed the debt against all
the seed of Abraham. He paid off the debt of every
seed of Abraham in Hebrews 2 and verse 16. And preserve for us
an inheritance uncorruptible and undefiled. I said a while
ago that every Israelite had an inheritance. And every child of God has a
heavenly inheritance that fades not away and is reserved in heaven
for them. It is utter folly to reason,
as do some, that if Christ were really and truly a man, then
he could not really and truly be God at one and the same time. Just as it is folly to reason
that, verse 14, He took part of the same, and verse 17, made
like unto His brethren in all things, includes depravity, because
it does not, or even the possibility of depravity. Paul is clear in
Romans 8. He was made in the likeness of
sinful flesh. Not sinful flesh, but the likeness
of sinful flesh. We are only flesh and blood. We subsist singly as flesh and
blood while the Son took human nature in union with the Divine. Owen said the word likewise in
Hebrews 2.14 denotes a special, special identity. The whole is
that He took His own portion in his own manner unto himself."
Then comes the purpose clause in verse 14, in order that by
death he might destroy the one having the power of death and
deliver those held in bondage. Thus, our Goel Redeemer paid
our debt. He bought, that is, He redeemed
His children. He redeemed His brethren, the
children which God had given unto them. He bought them and
He brought them into a full inheritance which God had ordained for them.
His blood shed for the remission of their sin, and it freed the
children from their spiritual death and raised up the name
of the dead in the case of each and every one of them. As Boaz
acted a kinsman before witnesses. Not in a corner, not in private,
but in or before witnesses. So, our Goel Redeemer died in
a public place. Many were there. Many hooting
and jeering our Lord. But our Lord died on Mount Calvary
upon a cross there between Two thieves, one on either side,
performing all that was required of him as a goel for the remission
of our sin. May I say it this way? Buying
his bride, the church, with that blood and that death that he
experienced, purchasing with his own blood. the church to
be His purchased possession, as it is called in the Scripture.
All that pertains to the duty of a kinsman was performed by
our Lord Jesus Christ, and it all turned upon Him becoming
a near kinsman, taking a kinship with us. For though He took kinship
with us, we could never take kinship with Him. He could assume
our nature, we could never assume the divine nature. Owen said
that the Son of God should take part in human nature where the
children is the greatest and most admirable effect of divine
love, wisdom, and grace. that one may find. Yes, God has
not left us without a kinsman. One has taken a special kinship
that has allowed him to act the part of a redeemer. We had human
nature. He assumed it in union with the
divine. and died the death required to
redeem and to set us free and to bring us to an inheritance
everlasting. Thank God He has not left us
without a kinsman.