Ruth Series: The Redeemer Who Reigns (Ruth 4:1–10)

Ruth 4:1–10

¹ Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 

² And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 

³ And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 

⁴ And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. 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 beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 

⁵ Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 

⁶ And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

⁷ Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 

⁸ Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 

⁹ And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 

¹⁰ Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

We’ve been studying together the book of Ruth.

We are reminded of the grace of God in our lives each day.

Elimelech and Naomi leave Bethlehem during a time of famine.

They head to Moab to try to find a better life. To run from their problems. 

Note: But things don’t get better for Elimelech and his family. 

Note: While they are in Moab, Elimelech and their two sons die. 

Naomi is now alone with her two daughters-in-law. 

She encourages them to stay in Moab.

She had heard of bread in Bethlehem. She had made up her mind that she was going to head back home. Pick up the broken pieces of her life. 

Ruth would not leave her. 

Note: She declares in Ruth 1 and verse 16, your people will be my people and thy God my God. 

Note: Where you die is where I will die, and where you’re buried, that’s where I will be buried too. 

Note: Ruth would find peace and security under the wings of the Almighty God. 

Note: Noami returns to Bethlehem and she is bitter. She is angry. She thinks in her mind that God had treated her unfairly.

Note: Our mind is a powerful thing. What we think in our mind, controls our actions. If you defeated in your mind, it won’t be long before you’re defeated in your action as well. 

Paul said,

Philippians 4:6–9

⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

⁹ Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Note: Paul said, think on these things.

In 1895, Rudyard Kipling wrote a short poem inspired by the ill-fated British military raid against the Boers in South Africa. When it was first published fifteen years later, it became an immediate favorite, and is still quoted often today. 

The poem is simply entitled: "If" I want to read to you a couple of verses:

If you can keep your head when all about you   
    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
    But make allowance for their doubting too;   
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   
    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
    And treat those two impostors just the same;   
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   
    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
    If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   
    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Note: The poem simply describes a person who isn’t affected by the circumstances their life. 

Note: Who doesn’t sink beneath the weight of life’s difficulties. 

Note: That’s hard to do. It’s easy to be affected by the storm around us. 

Note: Naomi is affected by the storm around her.

Note: She said I left full and now I am empty.

Note: But God wasn’t done with Naomi.

In the book of Ruth we have this wonderful picture of God’s grace and kindness.

Ruth becomes a believer.

Note: Ruth goes to glean corn because Naomi and Ruth didn’t have money to provide. 

Note: She go to a field, and God directs the steps of Ruth to the field of Boaz. 

Note: Boaz is the Kinsman Redeemer

Note: He is a beautiful picture of Christ.

Note: Jesus is our Great Kinsman Redeemer. 

The book of Ruth wonderfully illustrates our eternal salvation. 

As we step into chapter 4. The final chapter to this wonderful love story. 

We learn more truths about God’s love toward us.