So we have come in our study to the last few chapters of The Book of Ruth. Ruth has gone to Boaz at the threshing floor as he lay sleeping. You can imagine his surprise to wake up and find a woman at his feet.
Then he realizes that it is Ruth.
WELCOME
Welcome to the COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY which is held at The IN SEASON Lifestyle blog every Thursday. Come and join our group as we continue walking through the scriptures one page at a time.
Today we are studying from The Book of Ruth; Chapter 4.
BOAZ LOVED RUTH
It seemed that Boaz was honored and pleased to be in the consideration for becoming Ruth’s kinsman redeemer.
Yet; Boaz had to attend to one more detail first. This one detail could make or break the possibilities for him. Ruth did not know until Boaz told her, but there was another kinsman who was closer than Boaz who had the first rights to redeem the property (as well as Ruth.)
ANOTHER ONE WITH RIGHTS
Up to this point, the other man had not made himself known or made any claims on Elimeleck’s land, but Boaz was aware that he could. The closer relative was already married. He had several children who were slated to inherit the great wealth which he had already acquired.
That night at the threshing floor Boaz had told Ruth to go home to Naomi and wait while he attended to the business of becoming the kinsman redeemer. He had filled Ruth’s shawl with grain before sending her home to wait.
Being a lawful man and a respecter of all, Boaz would have yielded his rights to Naomi’s land and all that he could purchase (including Ruth as his wife) if the other kinsman desired to make the claim. Though he was most likely in love with Ruth, he would do the honorable thing and encourage her to do the same.
AT THE CITY GATES
So Boaz went to the city gates where all legal business was conducted in an orderly and lawful fashion, which included the provision of witnesses.
Boaz respectfully addressed the other kinsman redeemer. First he asked that he meet with him and ten other elders at the gate for a business discussion. The elders at the gate were there to listen and witness their conversations. They would also witness any official business agreements or transactions between these two men.
COMPLICATIONS FOR ONE BRINGS BLESSINGS TO ANOTHER
At first the other kinsman wanted to purchase the property which Naomi was selling. He seemed to be unaware that it was available until Boaz informed him of the facts.
However; if he purchased the property Naomi had for sell, he would be obligated to marry Ruth and produce a son in order to keep the family name intact for that property. His heirs, or the children that he already had fathered, would then be obligated to share their inheritance with this new son of Ruth’s, making their shares of that inheritance not as much. When the closest kinsman redeemer considered that possibility, he ruled the purchase of Naomi’s land out.
Then he offered the purchasing rights to Boaz.
BOAZ CLAIMS HIS RIGHTS
All of this was done legally and properly in accordance to the laws of God. The ten witnesses agreed that Boaz had been given the rights of the next kinsman redeemer. Not only would Boaz buy the property from Naomi, now Boaz would have the right to marry Ruth.
The scriptures in Ruth, Chapter 4:7-9 describe this transaction in detail:
(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.) So the guardian redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal. Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon.”
With the giving of the other kinsman’s sandal to Boaz, the right to buy the land became available to Boaz. This happened. The very moment that it became legal for him to do so; Boaz purchased Naomi’s land. This made him married to Ruth. He became the kinsman redeemer.
A PERFECT ARRANGEMENT
The people of Jerusalem were standing at the gates and heard that this business was taking place.
An announcement was made for all of the town to know.
Boaz had married Ruth!
Everyone began to celebrate this perfect arrangement. They were happy for Naomi, their old friend who had done well to bring this highly-respected daughter-in-law back home with her. All of the traditional blessings were said over the marriage of Ruth and Boaz, even before he left the gates and returned to tell Ruth the good news.
When Boaz arrived back at Naomi’s house there must have been an even better and greater celebration.
RUTH’S SADNESS TURNS TO JOY
Ruth, who had walked into the city of Bethlehem a stranger and a broken woman had married one of the finest men in the land. Her new life was about to begin.
A wedding took place and that very night. The next heir to the land of Elimelek was sent down from heaven and safely into the womb of Ruth. She became pregnant with the son of Boaz right away.
Everyone was very happy to know the outcome of this beautiful love story that had started in a barley field.
When we review next week’s lesson, we will discuss all of the many ways God multiplied this happiness throughout many, many more generations.
We will also be discussing how the blessings of Boaz and Ruth on that night they were wed have traveled down through time and have come to affect our own lives today. There is still a lot more of this story to consider. We have so much to learn from this Gentile woman named Ruth.