I appreciate Kevin leading or
singing tonight. I want to mention again the meeting
in New Caney this Friday and Saturday, 7.30 Friday evening
and 6 o'clock on Saturday evening. And I trust that we'll have a
good representation from our church to support the meeting
there. It'll be a blessing, I'm sure,
to hear both of those men preach the gospel of God's sovereign
grace. If you will, let's open our Bibles again tonight to the
book of Ruth. And this evening, let's turn
to chapter 3. Ruth, Chapter 3. Then Naomi, her mother-in-law,
said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that
it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz of our kindred
with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winneth barley tonight
in the threshing floor. Wash thyself, therefore, and
anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down
to the floor. But make not thyself known unto
the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. And
it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place
where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in and uncover his feet,
and lay thee down, and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.
And she said unto her, all that thou sayest unto me, I will do. And she went down unto the floor,
and did according to all that her mother-in-law bade her. And
when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went
to lie down at the end of the heap of corn, and she came softly,
and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. And it came to pass
at midnight that the man was afraid, and turned himself, and
said, Behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art
thou? And she answered, I am Ruth,
thine handmaid. Spread therefore thy skirt over
thine handmaid, 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. And she laid his feet until 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.
Also, he said, bring the veil that thou hast upon thee and
hold it. And when she held it, he measured
six measures of barley, laid it on her, and she went into
the city. And when she came to her mother-in-law,
she said, who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the
man had done to her. And she said, these six measures
of barley gave he me. For he said to me, go not empty
unto thy mother-in-law. Then said she, 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. We began bringing messages several
weeks ago from this small book of Ruth, only four chapters,
and I said at the first that no doubt the main lesson from
this book has to do with the kinsman, Redeemer. I assumed
that we were all familiar, all of us here were familiar with
this book. But I wanted to take some time
and bring out some messages as we have gone through it that
I see here in the Word. And tonight, from this chapter,
I want to speak to us from two sayings of two different people. I want us to look first at the
words of Boaz in verse 11. I will do for thee all that thou
requirest. I will do for thee all that thou
requirest. To what did his words refer? I will be to you the kinsman. I said last week that when Naomi
heard that Ruth had gleaned in the field of Boaz, that she began
to bless the Lord, to praise the Lord, for she knew the law
concerning the kinsmen. If you look back into chapter
two and verse 19, we saw this. And her mother-in-law said unto
her, where hast thou gleaned today? And where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did take knowledge
of thee. And she showed her mother-in-law
with whom she had wrought and said, The man's name with whom
I wrought today is Boaz. And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law,
blessed be the Lord. She began to praise the Lord
when she was told that she had wrought, that Ruth had wrought
in the field of Boaz. And the reason she did so is
because She knew the law, and Naomi knew that this man, as
it continues there in 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. Naomi began
to praise and bless the Lord when she heard that Ruth had
wrought in the field of Boaz. And I would just remind us that
we saw in that chapter, the scripture says it was her hap to go into
the field of Boaz. And I pointed out to us that
these fields were not marked. There were not signs over the
gates. There were no fences, there were
no gates. She just went into a common field, but her hat,
because we know that God was directing her steps. There was
an invisible hand directing her steps just as there has been
an invisible hand directing your steps all the days of your life. God's good providence. I had us turn and look at only
one aspect. of what the law commanded of
the next of kin, of what the next of kin should do. I had
us turn and look. I said that Naomi began to praise
the Lord when she heard that Ruth had wrought in the field
of Boaz because she knew the law and she knew that Boaz was
a near kinsman. And we looked at only one aspect
of that law of the kinsman And that aspect of the law was so
that a man's name would not die out in Israel. Today, tonight
rather, I would like for us to look at two other very important
provisions in that law that dealt not just with a kinsman. We saw
that last time. That aspect of the law which
dealt merely with a kinsman. But tonight, with a kinsman redeemer. A kinsman redeemer. Let's turn
back tonight to Leviticus chapter 25. Leviticus chapter 25. And beginning in verse 23. This is part of the law. Leviticus
25 verse 23. The land shall not be sold forever. Punto. This is God's law. The land. The land shall not
be sold forever. For the land is mine. This is
God speaking. This is God's land, the land
of Canaan. And actually we could say that
about all of the earth. The earth is the Lord's and the
fullness thereof. The land shall not be sold forever,
for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners
with me. That word with is very important.
You're not strangers and sojourners to me. Many people are, but not
God's people. We're strangers and sojourners
in this earth with him. We read just a few minutes ago
back in my office the Lord Jesus, His promise, and lo, I'm with
you always, even unto the end of the world, or the end of the
ages. And in all the land of your possession,
you shall grant a redemption for the land. If thy brother
be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his possession, And if
any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that
which his brother sold. And if the man have none to redeem
it, and himself be able to redeem it, then let him count the years
of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus. He was to count
the years to the year of Jubilee. In the year of Jubilee, all the
land was to be turned back to the owner. He shall count the
years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the
man to whom he sold it, that he may return unto his possession. But if he be not able to restore
it to him, then that which he sold shall remain in the hand
of him that hath bought it unto the year of Jubilee. And in the
Jubilee it shall go out. and he shall return unto his
possession. Let me just remind us that when
God brought Israel into the land of Canaan, it was a land flowing
with milk and honey, and the land was divided by lot. Every
tribe except the tribe of Levi received their portion, their
inheritance in the land. And the land was a prosperous
land, and with God's blessings, And that's important. With God's
blessings, every man would have been bountifully supplied every
needful thing. There would have been an abundance
to meet his needs, the needs of his family, and over an abundance
to give for the offerings of the Lord for the support of the
priests, the tribe of Levi, and the family of Aaron. But that
all was contingent. That all was depending upon their
obedience. They had to obey. And God would
water the land two times every year. God told them, this land's
not like the land that you came out of, the land of Egypt. That
land, he said, was watered with your feet. And I assume by that
it means that they would open those sluice gates so that the
water would flow in to their fields, the water from the Nile. But God said this land's not
like that. This land is dependent upon rain that I will give two
times in the year. But it is according to your obedience,
if you obey. Well, we know the history. We
know the story. They soon turned aside to idolatry. And as this book of Ruth opens
up, there was a famine in the land. Just as God provided the
Savior before man actually sinned, God provided in the law this
remedy for a man who sold his possession. Let me say that again. Just as God provided the Savior
before man actually sinned, before Adam was created, before Adam
disobeyed God, Christ already had a subsistence and we know
He was slain as a lamb from the foundation of the world. What
I'm saying is before there was a sinner, God had already provided
a savior. And before any man of the nation
of Israel became poor and had to sell his property, God had
already provided a way of redemption in the law. He established the law of the
kinsman redeemer. The word redeem in this case
primarily means to buy back. The land was already the man's
inheritance that had been given him of God. But because of poverty,
he had sold it. And the possession had passed
to another owner. But God had a provision in the
law. a provision made whereby the
man might redeem his property. but the land could only be redeemed
by a kinsman redeemer. The man himself, yes, he could
redeem the land if he were able, but no one else. I mean, just
a man come along and say, you know, that's a nice looking field
over there. I think I'd like to have that.
And I know that man that owns it, he sold it. I'm going to
redeem it. No, you're not. No, you're not. If you're not a kinsman, a near
kinsman, you're not going to redeem it. No, no. The word redeem, as I said, primarily
means to buy back. And the greatest example we have,
as far as I know today, is a pawn shop. When you take something
that's yours and you pawn it and you receive a ticket to redeem
that in so many days, if you pay what they have given you
plus the interest, then you get your property back. I want you
to look at an example in Jeremiah. If you turn with me to Jeremiah
chapter 32, In verse 47, I'm sorry, that's Jeremiah 32,
verse 6. Jeremiah 32 and verse 6. Now
remember, Jeremiah was a prophet who prophesied when Jerusalem
was being besieged by the Babylonians and it was going to be taken,
destroyed, burned by the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar and his army.
And Jeremiah said, the word of the Lord came unto me saying,
behold, Hannah Meal, the son of Shalom, Thine uncle shall
come unto thee, saying, By thee my field that is in Anathoth,
for the right of redemption is thine to bide. He was Jeremiah's
cousin, and his cousin came and told him of a field, and he told
him, You are the one who has the right of redemption. So Hannah
Meal, my uncle's son, came to me in the court of the prison,
according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me, by my
field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country
of Benjamin, for the right of inheritance is thine. and the
redemption is thine, buy it for thyself.' Then I knew that this
was the word of the Lord." Now, Jeremiah bought the field. Let's read on, verse 9. And I
bought the field of Hanameel, my uncle's son, that was in Anathroth,
and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.
And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses,
and weighed him the money and the balances. So I took the evidence
of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law,
and custom, and that which was open, and I gave the evidence
of the purchase unto Barak, the son of Neriah, the son of Masef,
in the sight of Hanumel, mine uncle's son, and in the presence
of the witnesses that subscribe the book of the purchase, all
the Jews that sat in the court of the prison." I like to call
these examples in the book of Jeremiah object lessons, object
lessons. And this is an object lesson. Here they are going into captivity. The nation's going to be overrun,
the capital destroyed, people carried into captivity. But God
is telling them through this example, they're coming back. This land, you're going to live
on this land again. That's the reason the purchase
of the land was sealed and registered and all of that. Look down to
the end of the chapter, chapter 32, verse 42. For thus saith the Lord, like
as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will
I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. And
fields shall be bought in this land, whereof you say, It is
desolate without man or beast. It is given into the hand of
the Chaldeans. Men shall buy fields for money,
and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses
in the land of Benjamin. and in the places about Jerusalem,
and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains,
and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south,
for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the Lord." An
object lesson. Yes, it looks hopeless. Why would you want to buy property
here? You're coming back. 70 years, 70 years in Babylon. But yes, I am bringing my people
back into this land. But the point is the right of
redemption. Jeremiah's cousin told him, the
right of redemption is yours. You have the right. That was
important. Not just anyone could redeem. It had to be a near kinsman. Now I want you to look at a second
example. That had to do with property.
The near kinsman redeeming property. But let's go back to Leviticus
chapter 25 again and see another case. Leviticus chapter 25 and
verse 47. And if a sojourner or stranger
wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor,
and sell himself. You see, this time he's not selling
his property, he's selling himself. He's selling himself into servitude. and sell himself unto the stranger
or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family.
After that he is sold, he may be redeemed again. So not only
a man's property could be redeemed, but a man could be redeemed.
One of his brethren may redeem him. Either his uncle or his
uncle's son may redeem him. or any that is nigh of kin unto
him of his family may redeem him. Now notice, or if, and this
is a big if, and if he be able, he may redeem
himself. Now, with any spiritual understanding
at all, we all should be able to see that this is one of those
shadows in the law of good things that were to come. That word,
I emphasize, if he be able, in verse 49, he may redeem himself. I said that's a very large word,
if. And many are deceived by Satan
and by false religion and by the flesh into thinking that
somehow they may redeem themselves. Not possible. How many people
think that by their good works, yes, or by their decisions, or
by religious rituals and religious traditions, that they are going
to be redeemed? Not so. Turn with me to Psalm
49. Psalm 49, verse 6. They that trust in their
wealth, boast themselves in the multitude
of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for
him. Now notice, for the redemption
of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever, that he should
still live forever and not see corruption. The New American
Standard Version translates those verses like this. Even those
who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of their
riches, no man can by any means redeem his brother or give to
God a ransom for him, for the redemption of the soul is costly
and he should cease trying forever. But I want you to notice in this
psalm, the psalmist knew who is the redeemer and able to redeem
the soul. No one else can, but look down
in verse 15. But God, God will redeem my soul
from the power of the grave. Let me read you a few verses
in Hebrews chapter 2, which show us why it was necessary that
Christ, to be our redeemer, he had to be our kinsman. The law
of the kinsman redeemer. In Hebrews chapter 2, verses
14 and 15, we read, for as much then as the children. What children? Whose children? His children. He is the everlasting Father.
He was given a bride, members of His body, a church, children,
His seed. And the writer says, for as much
then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself
likewise took part of the same. He became a man, God did, became
a man, that through death he might destroy him that had the
power of death, that is the devil, and notice, and deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage. How did he destroy him? How did
he destroy Satan and his works? He did so at the cross. He crushed
his head. When the Lord Jesus Christ shed
his blood and giving his life, he redeemed his people. The redemption of the soul is
costly. Look in I Peter chapter one. It's costly. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 18. For as much as you know, do you
know this tonight? I do. And I'm so thankful that
God has taught me. Aren't you? Aren't you thankful? For as much as you know, you
are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold. from your vain conversation received
by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious, costly
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. From what did he redeem his people? Well, first of all, he redeemed
us from the curse of the law. Galatians chapter 3 and verse
13. He redeemed us from the curse
of the law. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written,
cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. So He redeemed us
with His blood from the curse of the law. Titus chapter 2 and
verse 14 tells us that He redeemed us from all iniquity. Titus chapter
2 verse 14. who gave himself for us that
he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar
people zealous of good works. Christ is our near kinsman and
he redeemed us with his precious blood. That is his people. He
redeemed us from the curse of the law. He redeemed us from
all iniquity. And yes, my friends, he redeemed
us from the grave. Now a kinsman redeemer had to
meet these requirements. First of all, he had to be next
of kin. Second, he had to be a person
who didn't need to be redeemed himself. He couldn't be in debt. And third, he had to be able. And fourth, he had to be willing. Isn't that our Savior? Isn't
that our Savior? He became bone of our bone and
flesh of our flesh that He might be our near Kinsman, Redeemer. He didn't need redemption Himself.
He had no sin. He offered Himself, the Scripture
says, without spot unto God. He was able. The blood of the
Son of God, how do you put a price on that? And thank God he was
willing. He was willing. Well, those are the words, what
I want to say from the words of Naomi. Let me just mention
these words of, I mean, the words of, yes, Naomi, of Boaz. Let me just mention the words
of, of Naomi. Now in verse 18, if you look
here in chapter three of Ruth, we've looked at the words of
Boaz. He said to Ruth, I will do to thee all that thou
requirest. But look at the words of Naomi
in verse 18. 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. The man Boaz serves as a type
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a man, but he's also God. He came on purpose to redeem
his people. And the verse that we looked
at in the psalm said the redemption of their soul is precious. There's
nothing that is more precious than the blood of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Naomi said that Boaz would not
rest until he have finished the thing. What a picture of our
Boaz, our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke chapter
12 and verse 15, he spoke of having a baptism with which he
would be baptized. And he said, how am I straightened
until it be accomplished? And we know that baptism with
which he was baptized, immersed was a baptism of suffering and
dying. Yet he was straightened until
it was accomplished. He came on purpose and he was
eager to endure. Not that he looked forward to
the sufferings, but he did look forward to satisfying God's justice
and accomplishing salvation for his people. John 12, he said,
now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save
me from this hour, but for this cause came I unto this hour. The Lord Jesus confessed to his
father, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. Just
like Naomi said Boaz, he will not rest until he have finished
the thing this day. So the Lord Jesus Christ, he
finished, he accomplished redemption for his people. He finished the
work which the father gave him to do. Now, bear with me, but
I want to point this out. If you turn with me to Ephesians
chapter 1, that redemption is spoken of both in the past tense
and in the future tense. In Ephesians chapter 1, verses 6 and 7. To the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. in
whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins according to the riches of his grace. We have redemption. Hebrews 9, 13, by his own blood
he entered once into the holy place, having obtained, past
tense, having obtained eternal redemption for us. But also look
down in verse 13 and 14 of Ephesians 1. And here redemption is spoken
of in the future. In whom you also trusted after
that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
in whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until
the redemption of the purchased possession under the praise of
his glory. What does this have reference
to? It has reference to the day when
our bodies shall be redeemed from the grave. And we at that time shall receive
a new body, a glorified body, a body like unto his. glorious
body, this body of our humiliation, that's the way Paul speaks of
it, in which we now live, will turn back to the dust. But there's
a redemption day coming when all of his people shall be redeemed
from the grave, their bodies shall be raised and reunited
with their souls, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The
hymn writer said, redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the
Lamb, redeemed, redeemed, His child and forever I am. May the Lord bless His word to
all of us here this evening.