14 So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 Again he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured six measures of barley and laid it on her. Then she went into the city.
16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She said, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’” 18 Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he has settled it today.” (Ruth 3:14-17).
The 3:16 verse here is almost like an illustrated precursor of what Jesus the God-Man ended up doing for all mankind! The man spoken of here in Ruth 3:16 is Boaz, the great son of an even more amazing woman - Rahab! Rahab is known throughout all history as the former prostitute of Jericho who rescued the Hebrew spies sent by Joshua and was given a large measure of Faith in the one True God - Yahweh. Rahab went on into the Promised Land with the conquering Jews and eventually married a man named Salmon, the Father of Boaz. Boaz was the grandfather of King David...of whose lineage we have the Lord Jesus Christ (via Mary).
So Boaz was no ordinary man. He was also Ruth's Kinsman Redeemer. Under this strictest reading of God-given Torah, a kinsman redeemer was a rich benefactor, or person who frees the debt holder by paying the debt or "redeemed" cost owed. The book of Leviticus 25:25 says "If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold" . Boaz was Ruth's closest male relative and was financially sound to accomplish this task. Boaz was related to Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi.
Now, let us get this again, more clearly. Leviticus 25:25 says the following in essence:
- A poor person has nothing because he/she has to sell everything for whatever reason.
- The closest family member comes and buys back, or retrieves and restores, that which was taken.
Is this any different from what Jesus, the Son of God and the God of Heaven Who became Man, did? Of course not! He is Our Redeemer! And I know MY REDEEMER LIVES! Again going off Leviticus 25:25 and now looking at our own poor situation through God's Eyes:
- We are poor and worthless and destined for destruction because of our sin!
- We have nothing with which to redeem ourselves and in any case, a finite person literally cannot make ourselves right before an Infinite God.
- Our closest Family member is again, literally, God our Father.
- He used His own given Law to set the redemption process (the Great Buy-Back) in process and then God the Son stepped off the Throne to give His Life as a Ransom for many!
- Wow! Jesus did not consider equality with GOD a thing to be grasped and paid the Highest Price on the Cross for the Salvation of all the world for all time. He redeemed the Lost and called us His Kin- His Children - if we repent and put our faith fully in Him as Lord and Savior!
- Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer - the Ultimate Kinsman Redeemer!
So now, can you and I testify about all THIS MAN - God Who became Man - Jesus, has done for us? Let's pray the answer is YES! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. As for all Scripture - well, it's all about Jesus- from cover to cover!
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