A Widow Meets Her Man, a Kinsman-Redeemer

O. T. #565  "A Widow Meets Her Man, a Kinsman-Redeemer"
July 27, 2015
Ruth 2-Part 5
And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day?
Ruth 2:19a

LET IT GLOW

My senior year in high school was going to be an exciting time, with the future only months down the road. Little did I know that my life was soon to take a turn in the road. I rarely dated the guys I went to school with 11 years. I knew them. But then there was this cute new guy that caught my eye. He often sat on the furnace watching the Ping-Pong game happening at lunchtime. I was curious about him. We didn't have any classes together, so I had to gather my information from friends.
I arranged a double date with my best girlfriend and his friend and HIM. That was all it took, one date. I met my man! Oh, he stole my heart. The rest is history-we married a year later. (Let me add that I had been praying for a godly man to be my husband before meeting him. We felt this was God's will for our lives.) We have been married almost 43 years.
I wonder if Ruth suspected that she would meet her man the morning she left to work in the field.

Here was a foreign, young, childless widow woman who went into a field to gather some grain for her mother in law, Naomi, and herself to eat. Obviously Ruth had become a believer in Israel's God somewhere along the way. She ended up in Boaz's field.(The Lord lead her steps there.) He was the land owner, noticed a stranger working in his field, had a conversation with her, and invited Ruth to join him for lunch. Because Boaz instructed his men of drop extra grain for Ruth to gather, she took home a half a bushel of barley, about a 5 day's supply of food.

We pick up the story in verse 18. What happened when Ruth returns home?

• Ruth brought Naomi leftovers of roasted grain (corn) from her lunch with Boaz. I wonder if she ate while Ruth told her about the day.
• Naomi was curious as to which field Ruth had gleaned. It turned out to be Boaz's field.
• Naomi blessed the man who took notice of Ruth.  Wait a minute. Is this the same woman who called herself Mara, meaning bitter, feeling God had dealt bitterly with her and with just cause of such? She perked up, didn't she?
• Naomi was surprised by the food, the leftovers, and the kindness of a kinsman named Boaz. Naomi identifies Boaz as being a near kin and one of their kinsmen.

In the Hebrew language, kin means relation; kinsmen refers to be the next of kin, (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.); ransom; redeemer.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary feeds us more information:
The great kinsman-redeemer theme of Ruth begins here. A close relative could redeem

1. a family member sold into slavery (Lev. 25:47-49)
2. land which needed to be sold under economic hardship (Lev. 25:23-28), and/or
3. the family name by virtue of a levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-10).

This earthly custom pictures the reality of God the Redeemer dong a great work by reclaiming those who needed to be spiritually redeemed out of slavery to sin (Ps. 107:2; Is. 62:12). Thus, Boaz pictures Christ who, as a Brother (Heb. 2:17), redeemed those who

1. were slaves to sin (Rom. 6:15-18),
2. had lost all earthly possessions/privilege in the Fall (Gen. 3:17-19),
3. had been alienated by sin from God (2 Cor. 5:18-21).

Boaz stands in the direct line of Christ (Matt. 1:5). Naomi's human emptiness begins to be refilled by the Lord. Her night of earthly doubt has been broken by the dawning of new hope (Rom. 8:28-29).

Have you surrendered to Jesus as your Kinsmen-Redeemer? He is offering all to you, dear one.

LET IT GROW

Boaz was one of the closest relatives of Elimelech in the line of redemption. This line of relationship included brothers, then uncles, then male cousins. (Falwell)

We aren't told how Boaz was related to Naomi's late husband, just that he was. Does it rally matter anyway? (The culture was different in Biblical times, Israelites married within their nationality, as God instructed, so their bloodline would remain pure. However, it was not always the case, as Ruth and Boaz.)

In verse 23, Naomi encourages Ruth to keep gleaning in Boaz's field with the maidens until the end of the barley and wheat harvest.

This would have been a period of about two months of intense labor, since the barley harvest began mid-April and the wheat harvest extended to mid-June. It usually coincided with the 7 weeks between Passover and the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost. (MacArthur)

Less than 7 weeks to prepare for a wedding? That is not much time, today. In our story, there is more that must take place before the wedding is even announced.

Isn't this a beautiful story, ladies? We don't have to buy romance books, just read the Bible. Yet, this actually happened. Such loving kindness is demonstrated by Boaz, in the same way God show us.
Hold out your apron and He will fill it.

LET IT GO

Remain faithful to what God has called me to be and do for His glory.

Leave the past behind, look to the future trusting God.