To Purchase or Not to Purchase

O. T. #568  "To Purchase or Not to Purchase"
July 30, 2015
Ruth 4
If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. Ruth 4:4b

LET IT GLOW

Have you ever been in dilemma of whether to purchase an item or not to purchase an item. There are times that it can be a difficult decision. That is especially true whenever it is a high-priced item, such as a new car or house or a business investment. Such was the case when we purchased our business, we considered the pros and cons for a while. Boaz made a decision to purchase something, rather quickly. Shall we find out the results?

Our scenery changes again to the city of Bethlehem. We left Ruth sitting still and drawing strength from God, as we should do at times (Ex. 14:13; Ps. 46:10). The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still. What comforting and encouraging words.

As Boaz waited to discern God's will, Naomi and Ruth waited to discover it. (D. Jeremiah)

Boaz is true to his word spoken to Ruth-he would seek her kinsman that morning. So Boaz left the threshing floor to sit at the city gate so he could get 10 witnesses to his ordeal. These 10 men served as official witnesses and a quorum necessary for Jewish transactions.

Then this nameless kinsman, who was a relative of Elimelech, Ruth's deceased father in law, passed closely and Boaz grabbed him, pushed him down to sit with the group, well maybe not that dramatic.
Then Boaz began to inform this kinsman that Naomi selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's. (This nameless man may have been Elimech's brother and Boaz may have been his cousin. We aren't told for sure.) 

Selleth, in the Hebrew language, refers to sell, as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery; to surrender. (Strong's Concordance)
Here are some views on this word:
Falwell explains that selleth, in this form of the Hebrew verb is in the perfect tense and normally describes completed action.
MacDonald's opinion is that Naomi had already sold the land upon her return, and now it had to be redeemed fro the purchaser.
Morris views the verb form as a "perfect of certain," indicating that Naomi is imminently about to sell the property, which either of them may buy. He notes that in verse 5 the sale is still viewed as future.

Boaz told the kinsman:

• to redeem the land, but it he chose not to do so, tell Boaz so he could redeem it.
• There is no other relative to redeem it.
• Buy it back in the presence of these witnesses.
• On the day he buys the land from Naomi, he must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.

The Jeremiah Study Bible states:
To redeem during the period of the judges had three meanings:

1. to free from bondage (Lev. 25:47,48),
2. from poverty (Lev. 25:25),
3. or from death (in the case of a widow who needed an heir to carry on the family line and provide for her (Deut. 25:5,6). Boaz redeemed Ruth and Naomi in all three ways, portraying the redemption Jesus offers from slavery to sin, poverty of spirit, and the consequences of death.

Jesus is our Kinsman-Redeemer. He purchased our salvation so we would not have to pay for our sins. Sin must be paid for with a blood sacrifice, as Jesus did. Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and be your Savior? Today is a perfect do to do so.

LET IT GROW

What was the answer of the kinsman? He could not redeem it for himself, lest he ruin his own inheritance. He told Boaz to redeem his right for him. (The kinsman would never actually own the land itself, but would actually hold it in trust for the son of Ruth in order to raise up the name of the dead.) The man would have nothing to gain by the purchase. He may have had to invest some of his own estate to do so. Perhaps it was because Ruth was a Moabitess. We aren't told the reason for the decline.

During this time in history, to remove one's sandal and give it to another confirmed a transaction of property from one to another. The kinsman was indicating that he would no longer step foot on Boaz's property or your belongings (Deut. 25:8-10). The relative transferred his right to all that was Elimelech's, Chilion's, and Mahlon's, both the land and marriage to Ruth.

Boaz exercised his legal option to redeem both the land and Ruth before appropriate witnesses. (MacArthur) verse 9

Aren't Boaz and Ruth a beautiful picture of the love of Christ for His Gentile bride-the church? Boaz must love her with pure grace and undeserved favor. He extends the opportunity of redemption because of his loving kindness.


LET IT GO

Thank and praise Jesus for being my Redeemer.

Share with others His redemption.