Christ in the Old Testament

Ruth 4:14

The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!” (NIV)

Today’s Reading: Ruth 4:1-17

A redeemer is a person who rescues someone by paying a price. A kinsman-redeemer was a male relative who was responsible for acting on behalf of their relative who was in trouble or need. The law specifically says, “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold” (Lev 25:25). This law would set the stage for the book of Ruth.

Ruth was a Moabite and the daughter-in-law of a Judean woman named Naomi. Both were widowed and Naomi was selling her late husband’s property in order to make ends meet. Ruth met Boaz while she was gleaning in his fields and Ruth recognized him as a close relative. Ruth knew Boaz was a potential kinsman-redeemer.

So Ruth asked Boaz to become their kinsman-redeemer and Boaz was willing. This would mean that Boaz would be required to purchase the property, marry Ruth and provide the support for both Ruth and Naomi. However, there was one closer relative who was first in line as their kinsman-redeemer. Boaz publicly asked this relative to redeem Ruth and Naomi and he declined leaving Boaz as their rightful kinsman-redeemer. Boaz would marry Ruth and they would have a son who would be the grandfather to King David.

Boaz is a type of Christ. We can see Jesus in the actions of Boaz. I find the following connections between Boaz and Jesus:

1. Both are from the Tribe of Judah (Ruth 2:1 and Matt 1:2-3).
2. Both were from Bethlehem (Ruth 1:1-2 and Matt 2:1-6).
3. Boaz redeemed Naomi and Ruth. Jesus redeemed humanity (Rom 3:24).
4. Boaz married a Gentile as Ruth was a Moabite. Jesus’ bride – the Church – would include the Gentiles.
5. Boaz was full of compassion and kindness to Ruth even before he knew she was the daughter of a relative. Ruth was a poor foreign widow in need with nothing to offer. Jesus was the definition of kindness and his ministry would touch the poor, fatherless, foreigners and widows and heal them physically and spiritually (Matt 15:21-28).
6. Boaz kept the law that required him to permit Ruth to glean in his fields. But he was also merciful and kind going above and beyond the law to provide her more than just gleanings. Jesus would also keep the law but then go above and beyond to raise the bar for us to do better than what the law requires and then he would fulfill the law through his obedience, mercy and grace (Matt 5).

The genealogy of Jesus would trace back to the story of Boaz and Ruth through their son Obed. Because of Boaz’s obedience, kindness and grace, he would be in the lineage of the Messiah. Boaz was a redeemer. However, Jesus would be both redeemer and king.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, help me to have the heart of Boaz – kind, gentle, merciful and generous especially to those who need it most and have nothing to offer in return.