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| Ruth 4:1-8 |
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Lesson # Ruth. 4:1-8 Study Material - Ruth. 4:1-8 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Ruth 4:1-8 1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, 'Turn aside, friend, sit down here.' And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, 'Sit down here.' So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the closest relative, 'Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 So I thought to inform you, saying, 'Buy it before those who are sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am after you.'' And he said, 'I will redeem it.' 5 Then Boaz said, 'On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.' 6 And the closest relative said, 'I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeem it for yourself; you may have my right of redemption, for I cannot redeem it.' 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. 8 So the closest relative said to Boaz, 'Buy it for yourself.' And he removed his sandal. Typically in the redemption process there are two concerns. The first being the widow of a brother deceased. This is generally within a family. That is, when one son dies leaving no heir, then it falls upon the next son (brother) to take the widow as a wife (assuming he has not already married), and thus have a first son and heir for his brother, then all children after that are his own heirs. The concept here is used for the preservation of the estate, such that it would not be lost to outsiders due to the unfortunate death of a man when he has no children. The second concept pertains to the property of the deceased. To preserve the property, an inheritance lineage was established, thus property would go first to a son, then to a daughter, then to an uncle and so forth until someone was found that was related to the deceased and still alive. This remained true also for recovering property that has been financed and was otherwise encumbered. A redeemer (family member) could pay off the mortgage or loan and help recover the property for the family name. Otherwise the lender could foreclose on the property and sell it off to whomever for the payment of the debt, thus losing the property for the family. This first right of redemption was the foundation of property preservation. Boaz and the unnamed kinsman were not brothers per se of Elimelech, but they were close relatives in some fashion. This is apparent from the context, and it is not contested by anyone. Both Boaz and the unnamed kinsman reveal this relationship by their conversation. Since the unnamed relative was next in line before Boaz, then he is either older than Boaz, or one step closer in the family tree structure. Again the conversation implies that the unnamed party is older, possibly married or perhaps a widower, but certainly with children. He implies this when he eventually turns down the offer of redemption, being concerned with his own estate, and not wanting to dilute it with an additional wife and more children. By the way a second wife is taboo despite the fact that having multiple wives was practiced. Boaz goes immediately to the towns main entrance. This is generally the place where agreements requiring public notice are carried out and witnessed. Here is a property arrangement and also a marriage arrangement accompanying the property. Boaz collects the necessary witnesses, as well as the other unnamed kinsman. Boaz announces Naomi's intent to sell her property, and offers the kinsman the first right of redemption wherein he would be obligated to pay off any loans outstanding on the property and then pay Naomi her equity. On the surface, it probably appealed to the man to add the land to his own assets, but then there was the added condition. Ruth was also to go along with the land as a wife such that children could be born and become heirs of that land. This condition was refused, and the right of redemption was passed via the public notice, to Boaz, which Boaz acted upon. The man was concerned with any further breakup of that property which he already had. By taking Ruth as a wife, problems would arise. She would be in line for that which he already owned and thus any existing heirs would receive less. If there were more children, then that makes each slice of the pie even smaller, and this was not what the man wanted. The removal of the sandal was the gesture of passing this right to another person. If they had been actual brothers of Elimelech, then Ruth would have had to be present to take the sandal and spit in it thus symbolizing her disgust with the man who refused to carry out his responsibility. Of course this was not the issue here and Ruth's presence was not required. Their decision would not bind Ruth in any way. She could have looked to other younger men for a possible husband, as Boaz has already mentioned. Ruth instead had made her decision to seek Boaz, but wished also to preserve the redemption rights, such that no one could cry foul at some later time. Now for or spiritual application. God owns the universe. God gave man (Adam) title to the earth, which Adam lost to Satan and death through his single act of disobedience. Man cannot on his own, recover his former ownership nor recover his eternal life and relationship with God. While in the Garden, man was created with everlasting life. There is a distinction between everlasting life and eternal life. Adam could have lived in the Garden forever if he had not sinned. Of course he would have been confined to the Garden during his entire life. But of course Adam sinned and history as we know it has unfolded on earth. Man has no redeemer, no relative who will stand up for him to aid in the recovery of what man has lost. This is where God comes into the picture. Jesus Christ came into this world and became that redeemer for mankind, by paying the price which death required for salvation. God in turn gives us this redemption if we only believe in Christ. So the gift is just that, a gift. We cannot earn it. We cannot deserve it. God does all of the work on the Cross, just as Ruth waited at home for the out come of the Boaz negotiation. Furthermore, Ruth was a gentile, not an Israelite, so this provides further proof that God is God to all of mankind, not to just one race. Were it not for Gods work on the Cross, man would have no inheritance, let alone a destiny. Ruth was obedient to Boaz, though not his wife at the time. Likewise we need to be obedient to Gods Word, because one day in the future we will all become the Bride of Christ, and furthermore, after that day, we will not only have our resurrection body (received at the rapture of the Church), but we will also have our evaluations (Judgment Seat of Christ) and the appropriate rewards and blessings that accompany that evaluation (mature believers receive a lot, negative believers receive a little), and we will become the eternal home (residence) of God (all three members of the Trinity) indwelling inside of us. That will be the ultimate and final completion (marriage) of our lives which will lead us into eternity. Then the verse referring to our receipt of things exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond all that we could think (imagine) or ask, will apply.
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
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