Okay, this evening we want to
take a look at the last part of Ruth chapter three. And I'm
taking the title from the words found in verse 12. And now it
is true. It is true. These are the words
of the Kinsman Redeemer. It is true. It is true. I am a near Kinsman Redeemer. It is true that I am thy near
Kinsman, albeit, although. There is a kinsman that's never,
never than I. Now we're gonna see about that
in chapter four, verse one, and I meant to read that while we
did the reading, but we'll talk about that in a minute. So from
the words found in verse 12, the title will be, it is true.
The Lord Jesus Christ is our kinsman redeemer. Aren't you
glad it's true? Aren't you glad he's able to
redeem? He is the one who has the right
to redeem, being near kin to us. He is the one who has the
willingness and will to redeem. And he is the one who has the
power to redeem. He's able to redeem. redeem us
from all our sin debt. He paid the price in full and
set us free, as we sang a moment ago. Now, we studied last time
the willingness of Ruth to follow the instructions of Naomi. She
said in verse 5, all that you say to me, that's what I'll do. That's what I'll do. That's the
obedience of faith. All that God says to us, in His
words of instruction to come unto the Lord Jesus Christ. By
His grace, He gives us faith to bow to His Lordship. We also
read the words of Boaz in verse 11. He said, I will do to thee
all that thou requirest. Look at verse 11. And now, my
daughter, fear not. Fear not, for I am thy God. There's none beside me, as we
read in Isaiah. I will do to thee All that thou
requires, for all the city of my people doth know that thou
art a woman that is a believer, virtuous, a virtuous woman by
the Lord's grace. The Lord's people are made willing
in the day of his power to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and
bow to him. He draws us irresistibly to himself. How does he do that? He makes
himself irresistible. You remember in the song of Solomon,
where we read that statement, he's all together lovely. My beloved is mine and I am his.
The Lord Jesus Christ is most willing and able to save us by
his grace and to give us all that we need in saving mercy
according to the riches of his glory, the riches of his grace
in the Lord Jesus Christ. He gives us all grace now and
glory forever. I've been thinking about a statement
in the last week or so, in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7, and other
places it says, and whom we have. in whom we have, what do we have? In whom we have redemption, in
whom we have salvation, in whom we have all spiritual blessing
in the Lord Jesus Christ. God who spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely
give us all things? All spiritual blessings are ours
in Christ, freely given unto us. The gracious words and promise
of Boaz in verse 11, all that is required, that's what I'll
do. All that's required. There was
no hesitation, no unwillingness, no reluctance on his part to
perform the part of the kinsman redeemer. Boaz promised to do
all that Ruth requested and he declared her to be a woman of
faith. A virtuous woman, a woman of
faith. Now, she was not that by nature,
was she? She was an idolater, just like
her sister-in-law, Oprah, who decided to go back to her people,
back to her gods. But grace made her to differ.
Grace made Ruth to differ. Remember, she said, your God's
my God. Will you go? I'll go. Will you
die? I'll die. That's a commitment
of faith, isn't it? Grace has made her so. Grace
brought a change in her. Grace always does. The grace
of God. I am what I am. Remember? The
Apostle writes, by the grace of God I am what I am. It is the grace of God that made
us to differ. Who made you to differ from another?
What do you have that you don't receive? Consider how many people
there are in this world. In the Los Angeles County area,
there's 10 million people live in that one county. In the county
that we were in, in Orange County, I think there's almost four million
people that live in that county. How many people out there in
those millions and millions of people and billions of people
in this world has God chosen and given them and granted them
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see how blessed we are? All
the multitude, millions of people around this world and yet we
have the gospel right here and the Lord has revealed himself
unto us, nobody else. Nobody else out there is interested.
Those people out there speak a different language. I couldn't
understand what they were saying. When we went through that airport
out there coming back and even going, but coming back and I'd
ask a question, they'd say something. I had no idea what he was saying. I said, can you help this poor
old man? I don't know what to do or where to go. But they speak
a different language. They have no interest in the
God of all grace. Now this certainly speaks of
the willingness and ability of our Kinsman Redeemer. There's
no reluctance on his part to be our surety. You remember we
studied in the book of Hebrews, he's a surety of the everlasting
covenant of grace. There was no reluctance on his
part to be the sacrifice for our sin. He said, I lay down
my life for the sheep. No one takes my life. I lay it
down. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my father. There's no reluctance on his
part to save us by his grace. For he came for that reason.
This is a faithful saying. Worthy of all acceptation, the
Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners. And every sinner can say with
the Apostle Paul, I'm the chief one. Our blessed Savior came
to seek and to save the lost. He didn't come to call the righteous
but sinners to repentance. Call His name what it is. Jesus
saved her, for He shall save His people from their sin. The Lord Jesus Christ is to His
people all that Boaz was to Ruth. She had no hope of being redeemed
but in Boaz. And she acknowledged that. You
have the right to redeem me, if you will. Like that leper
who came to the Lord, covered with leprosy, said, Lord, if
you will, you can make me clean. The Lord said, I will, and be
thou clean. The Lord Jesus Christ says to
His people all that Boaz was to Ruth. Let us therefore give
ourselves to him, the Lord Jesus, as Ruth gave herself to Boaz
in complete submission. Let us live together for his
glory who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. I love
the fact that she came to his feet. Brother Bruce Crabtree
had a good message in Kingsport in that conference about the
Lord's feet. And he gave many examples of those who fell at
his feet to worship Him. And that's what He does for us.
He makes us to know that we are nothing, that He is everything.
He's translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the
kingdom of God's dear Son, and He did it all by His grace. I want you to take a close look
there at verse 12 and verse 13, and look at the statement that's
found there. The whole purpose of the book of Ruth is to teach
us about redemption in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Now just
reading the story, it's an interesting love story. It's just an interesting
love story, but we must remember that the whole word of God has
given us to teach us the gospel. and show us the gospel of our
King and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember in the book
of Acts, to him give all the prophets witness. And then our
Lord said, the risen Lord said to his apostles, all things must
be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses and in the
Psalms concerning me, concerning me, the Lord Jesus. Whatsoever
things are written aforetime were written for our learning
that we through Patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope, might have hope. Now, I thought about this and
I tried to read several of the old writers, John Gill and Matthew
Henry. And a lot of times in their introduction,
these different books, they give some information about the one
who they think was the writer in different psalms or different
books. No one knows who wrote or pin
the words of the book of Ruth. As far as I know, there's no
information about it. But we know this, all scripture
is given by inspiration of God. A lot of people make a big deal
about who wrote this particular song. And my answer is always
this, God wrote the song. All the word of God is God inspired,
God inspired. So it doesn't matter who the
writer is, we know who the author is. The Lord Jesus Christ. And this whole book is given
to us. I mean, this is a beautiful love story. But it's all about
Christ and his bride. How he chose her and bought her
and loved her. He bought us with his own blood,
didn't he? We are redeemed with the precious
blood of Christ. Now, notice this statement in
verse 12. And now it is true. Boaz says,
I am thy near kinsman. I am one of them. But how be
it, that is, although there is a kinsman nearer, nearer than
I." Now, some think that he was referring to the father of Lamelech,
or the father of Boaz. Look at verse 1 of chapter 4.
Then went Boaz up to the gate, and set him down there. And behold,
a kinsman, of whom Boaz spake, came, unto whom he said, Ho,
such a one, turn aside, sit down here, and he turned aside and
sat down. So there was someone, actually,
that was a nearer kin, nearer relationship to Naomi and Elimelech
than Boaz was. Now, who is this kinsman-redeemer? We're not told. Some of the old
writers think it was the father of Boaz who was a closer kin
to Elimelech than Boaz was. Boaz wanted to take Ruth to himself,
but he also knew that he had to do in a way that was honoring
to the law of God. He said, I want to be your kinsman
redeemer, but the law of God, there is someone that is nearer
kin to you than I am. So the law of God, he wanted
to honor the law of God, and that speaks also of Christ, right? Honoring the law of God for us.
Now, who does this near Kisbun represent to us in the way of
the gospel? And some of the old writers say
this. Some have said this close relative represents The angels
of God. The angels are near akin to us
in the fact that there are created creatures like we are. In Job
chapter 1 they're called the sons of God. Like us, angels
were created to be the servants of God, but as part of the kingdom
of the Redeemer, they could not perform, they could not be formed.
Performed by an angel, for an angel cannot die and shed his
blood to put away our sin. Angels are holy creatures, but
they're not almighty to save. They could never suffer the wrath
of God to put away our sin. They could never bring in everlasting
righteousness and impute that freely unto us, nor could they
honor the law of God for us. They have no power, they have
no ability to save us from our sin. They are called ministering
spirits, you remember, from Hebrews chapter 1, sent forth to minister
to them who shall be the heirs of salvation, but they're not
our saviors. We don't pray unto the angels, do we? So it couldn't
be the near kinsmen, couldn't be angels. Some are of the opinion
that the closer relative represents the old Adam nature, that is
a fallen sinful nature. Remember the law of God in Leviticus
25 and verse 25 and 26 says if a man has lost everything that
his near kin could If he was willing and able, he could buy
back and pay all his debt off. Or if the man was able to pay
his own way out of debt, he could do it. Either the kinsman or
the man could out of bondage, if he were able. But that's a
mighty big if, isn't it? If you're going to redeem yourself
three things, you must do. You must perfectly obey the law
of God, curse it as every one that continues not, and all things
which are written in the book of the law of God. You must make complete atonement
for your sin, past, present, and future, original sin, actual
sin, sin of omission, sin of commission, all sin. We know
that by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.
You must give yourself not only make complete atonement for your
sin, we know that's impossible, or give yourself life from the
dead. We know that's impossible. And
you must give yourself a new holy nature that's given in the
new birth. We know with men that's impossible. We rightly conclude that redeeming
yourself or saving yourself is another impossibility. But yet
men are so depraved and so sinful in their thoughts and actions
that they think they can actually redeem themselves. by their goodness. No mere man can obey the law
of God, put away sin, or make himself a new creature, or raise
himself from the dead. Only God can do that. Redemption
requires an infinite Savior with infinite power, with an infinite
payment for sin. And that's what the Lord Jesus
Christ has done for us. The gospel is the power of God
unto salvation to everyone that believes, for therein is the
righteousness of God revealed. Now, another closer relative
represents, some say, the holy law of God. For it was made for
man, from God, it is holy and just and good. But the law of
God was never given to save sinners, but to expose our sin and drive
us to the Lord Jesus Christ. The law curses, but it never
cures us, does it? The law provides punishment,
but not propitiation. The law bruises, but it never
blesses. The law of God condemns, but
it never justifies, does it? The law reveals the terror and
the wrath of God, but it doesn't bring peace to the sinner's heart. By the deeds of the law, we've
read it so many times, by the deeds of the law shall no flesh
be justified, for by the law is the knowledge of sin, not
the putting away of sin. One of my favorite song verses
I like to quote from one old preacher of the past Run, run,
the law demands, but gives me neither feet nor hands. The gospel
bids a sweeter song, it bids me fly and gives me wings. That's
the gospel. These three closer relatives
cannot and are incapable of redeeming our soul from sin. Ruth, near
Kinsman, Ruth, nearer Kinsman, was unable, unwilling to redeem
Ruth, as we are going to read in chapter four, look at verse
six. Boaz presented the case before this nearer kinsman redeemer,
and he said in verse 6, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I
mar my own inheritance. Redeem thou my right to thyself,
for I cannot redeem it. He was a near kin, but he wasn't
willing or able to do so. but bless the Lord. God has provided
for us the only perfect and complete Redeemer of our soul. Our Boaz,
the Lord Jesus Christ, is our near akinsman to us and he's
fully able, fully willing, has all power to redeem us from all
our sin. Someone said, and I've repeated
this often in the past and I hope to repeat it again in the future,
God alone could not suffer, and man alone could not satisfy,
but the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, both suffered for our
sin and fully satisfied God for us to enable God to be a just
God and Savior." That's the mysteries of the gospel, isn't it? The
Lord Jesus Christ did come in time, in the fullness of time,
He did come, the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. In
the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman,
made under the law to redeem us. That's the mystery of the
Gospel, isn't it? The Lord Jesus Christ, God eternal,
God the Son, took upon Himself humanity. and dwelt among us,
tabernacled among us. He did come as a willing Redeemer
to honor and satisfy His own law of God for us. Remember the
Lord said, I didn't come to destroy it, I came to honor it. And He
did that, not for Himself, but for His people. His people. He did come and put away sin.
Not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with His own blood
He obtained for us. I love that verse in the Hebrews
that we've been studying. Hebrews 9, verse 12. He obtained for us eternal redemption
with His own blood. He is the able Redeemer of His
people, is He not? He's able to save. Able to save
to the uttermost all that come to God by Him. Now, I love that
word, and I love to study that word, able. We have no ability to please
God, satisfy God. The Lord Jesus Christ has all
ability. He is able. He's the willing,
able Savior. Remember from Hebrews 7? I quote
this verse all the time. But it's such good news. He's able to save them to the
uttermost. He is able to save them. To the
uttermost that come to God by Him, He's able to save every
one of them that come to God by Him. I love what Abraham said. Abraham was fully persuaded that
all that God had promised, He's able to perform. And then the
Apostle Paul writes in the book of Acts, when he gives his concluding
word to the brethren there from Ephesus. Now, brethren, he said,
I commend you to God and the word of His grace, which is able
to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that
are sanctified. We've been made heirs of God
and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. And I quote this
one all the time, too. I know whom I have believed and
I'm persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed
unto Him against that day. Nothing can separate us from
the love of God which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. He's able
to keep us by His grace, isn't He? that is able to do exceeding
abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the
power that worketh in us. That's Ephesians 3. In Philippians
3 it says, who shall change our body that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is
able even to subdue all things unto ourselves. You take that
body that's been buried in the ground for thousands of years
And that believer there is resting in the Lord Jesus Christ. But
one day, the Lord's coming back, and that body's going to be resurrected.
Those little specks of dust, God's going to take those little
specks of dust and make a glorious body like unto His glorious body,
whereby He's able even to subdue all things unto Himself. Change our body that may be fashioned
like unto His glorious body. And then I read this one all
the time, I quote it to you. In the book of Jude, now unto
him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you
faultless before the presence of God's glory, to the only wise
God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and power. Aren't you
glad our God is able? Boaz was able and willing and
near kin, and our Lord Jesus Christ is so much more than Boaz
was. Something else in closing, let
me give you this, in verse 14. And she laid his feet in the
morning, and she rose up before one could know another. And he
said, let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
He's protecting her. He's watching out for her. Also
he said, bring the veil, that is her apron, that thou hast
upon thee, and hold it out. Imagine you women with an apron,
holding that apron out. And he's going to fill it up
with barley. He's going to fill it up with wheat. And he measured
six measures of barley. I think six is a significant
number. It's the number of man. Salvation
for sinners. And he gave her the measure of
salvation and laid it on her. And she went into the city. And
when she came to her mother-in-law, Naomi said, well, who art thou?
Remember, it's early in the morning. It's dark. She doesn't know who's
out there. And Ruth told her all that the
man had done to her. I like that statement. She didn't
talk about what she had done. She talked about all that the
man had done. And that's what we talk about
when we talk about salvation. We talk about the doing and the
dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. And she said these six measures
of barley, gave him me, and he said unto me, Go not empty. unto
thy mother-in-law, then she said, that is Naomi to Ruth, sit still,
my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall, for
the man will not be in rest until he have finished the thing this
day." Now just a couple minutes, and I'll let you go. Boaz protected
Ruth and provided for her secretly even before he married her publicly. The Lord has always had an eye
upon His bride and His church, collectively as His body and
privately as each member of His body, and has kept us and provided
for us even before we were granted faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Even before we knew Him, He knew us, didn't He? He watched over
us and protected us. And one day, He brought the gospel
to us and revealed Himself to us and caused us to know His
love toward us, that we needed Him to be our Redeemer. You see,
of His fullness have we all received grace for grace. And to every
one of His people is grace given according to the measure of the
gift of Christ. My God shall supply all your
need according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus.
And Boaz is always providing for her. And the Lord always
provides for us. When Ruth came home to Naomi
again, Naomi gives good instruction to Ruth. Boaz will not be at
rest until he has finished the work that he started to do. He started to do the work of
the King and Redeemer, and he won't be satisfied until it's
finished. Naomi told Ruth of the rest in
him. This is the rest of faith, sinners
coming to Christ, cease from their own works and rest in him. Didn't our Lord say that? Come
unto me, all you who are laboring, heavy laden, come unto me and
rest. In Isaiah 28, we read about that
rest. This is a rest wherewith you
may cause the weary to rest. This is the refreshing that he
gives us. And there was a rest for Boaz
too. For the man will not be at rest until he had finished
the thing. The Lord Jesus Christ, once he
finished the work of redemption for us, entered into his rest,
didn't he? When He by Himself purged our
sin, He sat down on the right hand of the throne of God. He
sat down because the work was finished. Redemption was done.
Salvation complete. He said on Calvary 3, it is finished. It is finished. God who has begun
a good work in you will finish it, won't He? Now here's what
I'll give you in closing. Here's that statement I mentioned
about Robert Hawker. He said this on verse 18. He
said, I do not know any passage in the Bible more interesting,
considered in reference to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ
and his love and attention to his people than this, in which
Naomi saith, a man will not rest until he had finished the thing
this day. A word which every true believer
may use. The God-man, Christ Jesus, will
not cease does not even now in glory remit one moment in his
priestly office in carrying on and completing that redemption
for his people and in his people, which on earth he finished for
his people when by righteousness he justified them, by his righteousness
he justified them, and by the one offering of himself One offering
He perfected forever, them that are sanctified. You see, it always
points back to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was always about His
Father's business, wasn't He? You remember what He said even
as a 12-year-old? I must be about my Father's business. And then He prayed, Lord, I thank
You. I thank You, Father. I finish the work You gave me
to do. We have redemption complete in
the Lord Jesus Christ. They often say in religious circles,
I'm trusting the finished work of Christ. And that's really
not a good statement, because I'm trusting the Lord Jesus Christ
who finished the work for us. You see the difference? There's
a difference there. We're trusting Christ. We're
not just trusting what He did, but we're trusting Him who performed
all things for us by His grace.