Kinsman Redeemer

In the book of Ruth we read about Boaz who was a close kin to Naomi.  Naomi was from Bethlehem in the days of the Judges.  In those days the Israelites were very rebellious and there was a famine in the land.  So Naomi and her family left Bethlehem and ended up in Moab where there was food.  In the process Naomi’s husband died and she was left with her two sons who married two Moabite women.  Then both of her sons died so she was left with her two daughter-in-laws, Ruth and Orpah.  She decided to go back to Bethlehem because she heard that the Lord had provided food for His people there.  After some discussion with her daughter-in-laws Orpah decided to stay in Moab and Ruth decided to go with Naomi and take care of her because she loved her.  In those days the husband or sons took care of the mother and Naomi had neither.  Naomi must have felt cursed and completely forsaken by the Lord.  

This is what she said to the people that greeted her in Bethlehem, her hometown, check out Ruth 1:20-21, “‘Don’t call me Naomi,’ she told them. ‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.’”  

Many times believers think the Lord has forsaken them when things happen to them that they don’t understand.  Naomi left Moab empty but it wouldn’t be long and she would be full.  Sin separates us from the Lord and brings correction but the Lord never leaves us or forsakes us; you can stand on that promise, praise the Lord!!  Naomi didn’t realize that the Lord was working behind the scenes and the same thing happens to us.

Remember this verse in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your way acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Sometimes we need to be reminded of these things because we seem to easily forget.

The word love is thrown around a lot but demonstrated little but not in this case.  Ruth loved Naomi and she proved it by her actions.  She was willing to leave her hometown and even her gods and go to a strange place and be even more than a son to Naomi taking on a son’s responsibility.  This is what Ruth said to Naomi when they were leaving Moab in Ruth 1:16-17, “But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.’”  When Ruth said what she said to Naomi she meant every word of it also.  Ruth worked very hard to provide for her mother-in-law. 

This reminds me of what my wife said to me when we started going together.  I would tell her I loved her not really knowing what love really was and she would never tell me she loved me.  That bothered me as time went on so I asked her why see never told me she loved me and she said when I do I will tell you.  And believe me when she finally said she loved me she meant it, that was around 37 years ago, and she has demonstrated it every single day.  

There was a man living in their town that was a close relative of Naomi’s whose name was Boaz, he took it upon himself to be their kinsman redeemer when the nearer kinsman would not.  He married Ruth and took on the responsibility of taking care of Naomi also buying their property. This was done at the time to maintain the name of the dead along with his property.  So without Naomi knowing it, the Lord was working behind the scenes to provide for Naomi and Ruth as well as their children, because he loved them. 

This is what the women eventually said to Naomi about Ruth check out 4:14-17, “The women said to Naomi: ‘Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer.  May he become famous throughout Israel!  He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age.  For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.’  Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him.  The women living there said, ‘Naomi has a son.’  And they named him Obed.  He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.”  

True love wins every time, take Jesus as an example, He redeemed Israel from the Egyptians check out what it says in Exodus 6:6-8, “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’”

Jesus also redeemed all who have been born-again and it cost Him a dear price.  To redeem someone always costs something, but Jesus gave His all, His very life, what more could He give.  I have said this many times but it never gets old, “greater love hath no man than that He would lay his life down for a friend,” but Jesus took it a little further He laid down His life even for His enemies, now that should make you very excited.  I give you permission to shout if you feel like it, go ahead don’t hold back, God bless you and have a great day!!