What does Ruth teach us about redemption?
Famine and death strip Naomi down to nothing, and what restores her is loyal love: Ruth refusing to leave, and Boaz stepping forward as the goel, the kinsman-redeemer who had both the right and the means to buy back what was lost. The book ends quietly with a genealogy running from Perez to David, tying this small story of ordinary faithfulness into God's throne promise. And Boaz points beyond himself to Christ, our Redeemer, who was made kin to us and paid far more than a field.
This question arose from studying Why did God spare Rahab?.
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Loss does not get the last word
Naomi leaves Bethlehem full and comes home hollow, telling the women, 'the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.' Yet even her bitterness carries an unnoticed clue: she left because of famine and returned because 'Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.' God's provision arrived while she was still in Moab, before she felt anything but empty. The story never denies her grief; it just refuses to end there.
She said to them, “Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.
Hesed: love that stays when it could walk away
Orpah does the sensible thing and goes back to her mother's house. Ruth clings instead and swears, 'where you go, I will go,' and 'your people shall be my people, and your God my God,' calling down Yahweh's judgment if death alone parts them. This Hebrew covenant loyalty, hesed, is love that binds itself to someone with nothing to offer in return. By the end, the women of Bethlehem tell Naomi herself that such love 'is better to you than seven sons.'
Ruth said, “Don’t entreat me to leave you, and to return from following after you, for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God;And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
where you die, will I die, and there will I be buried. Yahweh do so to me, and more also, if anything but death part you and me.”Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.”And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
Refuge under His wings
When Boaz meets the gleaner in his field, he blesses her for sheltering 'under whose wings you have come to take refuge': the same picture Psalm 91 gives every believer. Then watch what happens. The man who prayed the blessing becomes its answer, feeding her at his table and covering her with his own cloak. Jesus reaches for the identical image when He longs to gather Jerusalem 'as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.'
May Yahweh repay your work, and a full reward be given you from Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
The redeemer had to be kin, willing, and able to pay
The law provided that a brother who lost his land could have it bought back by 'his kinsman who is next to him,' and levirate marriage kept a dead man's name alive. So redemption required relationship, right, and resources. A nearer kinsman has first claim, but he balks: 'I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance.' Boaz, kin through Elimelech's clan, stands ready and willing. Only such a man could redeem.
“‘If your brother becomes poor, and sells some of his possessions, then his kinsman who is next to him shall come, and redeem that which his brother has sold.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.
If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies, and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.
Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then I will do the part of a kinsman for you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning.”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.
The near kinsman said, “I can’t redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption for yourself; for I can’t redeem it.”And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.
Redemption bought publicly, ending at David's door
Boaz settles the matter at the gate before ten elders, saying, 'You are witnesses this day': he buys every field and purchases Ruth as wife, so the name of the dead is not cut off. The town cries 'Blessed be Yahweh' over a son who is 'a restorer of life,' and the book closes by naming Obed, Jesse, and David. Matthew shows that same line running through Rahab and Ruth to Christ, who did not redeem with silver or gold 'but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb.'
Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, “You are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi.And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi.
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day.”Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, 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 his place: ye are witnesses this day.
and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
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May Yahweh repay your work, and a full reward be given you from Yahweh, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead on his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. You are witnesses this day.”Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, 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 his place: ye are witnesses this day.
and Obed became the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
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