Our Kinsman Redeemer

“And it happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet. And he said, ‘Who are you?’ And she answered, ‘I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are a close relative.’ Then he said, ‘May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence. And now it is true I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the Lord lives. Lie down until morning.’” Ruth 3:8-13

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a romantic one. Ruth, the Moabite widow of an Israeli, returned with her mother-in-law (also a widow) to the promised land. The family land had been sold. In that society these two women were in a precarious position. There was little they could do for themselves but to gather enough leftover grain from the field to avoid starvation. The only hope for Ruth and her mother-in-law lay in the Levitical law. If one of their relatives would pay the price to buy back the land and marry Ruth, they could have security and honor again.

Boaz, a man of integrity, was qualified to redeem Ruth and the land of her husband’s family. He was wealthy and able to afford the price. Importantly, he was a kinsman, related by blood. Motivated by love for Ruth, Boaz undertook all the necessary cost to make her his bride in order to restore dignity and honor to her.

This story demonstrates your redemption by Christ. God saw the need of men whom He loved. Christ became our kinsman, a blood relative, in order to qualify as our redeemer. Though Christ could afford to cover our debt - it was expensive.

Hebrews 2:13-15 says, “And again, ‘I will put My trust in Him.’ And again, ‘Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.’ Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

Through His death you were delivered from the power of sin. Christ’s purpose: to present you holy and unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight. Praise Him today.