Ruth 4:7 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.
11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
God gave us further information regarding business dealings in the time of the Judges. The city gates were an important place for business dealings. Business dealings were not private dealings. There needed to be witnesses. As we have noted in this transaction, Boaz did not choose elders that would be on his side. He just chose ten elders to come and sit and listen in on the deal he needed to finalize with the nearer kinsman.
We have already noted that the nearer kinsman could not redeem the land because he could not marry Ruth. We might assume that he was a married man and thus could not marry Ruth. There were some morally upstanding men in Bible times. God told Adam and mankind that a man is to leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife. Jesus referred back to that same command in Matthew 19. A man is to leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife. Jesus further clarified what God told Adam, and He stated that what God hath put together, let not man put asunder.
We know that polygamy was a big problem in Old Testament times. Even king David, a man whom God regarded as a man after His own heart, had many wives. God never condoned multiple marriages.
Boaz had never been a married man. He had never found that woman that he believed would be the help meet for him. It seems the other kinsman was married and thus did not need another help meet for him.
We read that if a kinsman could not fulfil the law of God in these matters, he needed to pluck off his shoe and give it to his neighbour. The kinsman who could not or would not fulfil his duty, would leave that meeting with one shoe missing. All that would see him at that time would see that he had not fulfilled the law of God on this matter. This was a public testimony to this fact.
This man was not sinning in not fulfilling God’s law. He would have broken God’s law in another area if he would have fulfilled God’s law here. This is not confusion. This is understanding that God knows there could be a conflict on some of these things, and He had a way to deal with these situations. That is why Boaz was there. He could fulfil this law with regard to Ruth. God’s laws are designed to keep right order, not to cause confusion. The only way to be confused is when a person is not saved or untaught in the Word of God. The saved person has the Spirit of God in his heart and He will direct him to understand and accept the truth.
In verse 8 God gave us this point again just so that we know what was going on here. In verse 9 Boaz turned to the elders and to all the people that were there and reminded them of what they had just witnessed. He had just agreed to buy that which belonged to Elimelech, and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. He would purchase that all out of the hand of Naomi. Naomi did not need the land, but she could use the money to purchase things needed to eat and live. She of course would need to know how to manage the funds she would receive.
In verse 10 Boaz noted that he had also purchased Ruth, the Moabitess, who was the wife of Mahlon. That purchase was not as in owning a slave. He was taking responsibility for her well being and taking that responsibility off of Naomi’s shoulders. In marriage he was also entering into a relationship with Ruth that would give her the opportunity to be that help meet for Boaz and for Boaz to be the human instrument to protect and guide Ruth. He understood that with that purchase he would be responsible to raise up a seed for Mahlon. The name of Mahlon should not be cut off. It should carry on. Chilion’s name would not carry on because Orpah remained in Moab and thus could not be redeemed by a kinsman redeemer. Orpah may have married again, but the Moabites did not have God’s law. Elimelech’s name would carry on as would Mahlon’s name. Boaz reminded these elders and all the people that were there, that they were witnesses to the commitment that Boaz had just made. Boaz could not back out of this commitment. He had no intention of doing so, but he could not do so. He had called witnesses and they would hold him to account.
In verse 11 we see that the elders and the other people all agreed that they were witnesses to this event. They stated that they wanted the LORD to make the woman that Boaz was marrying be like the house of Rachel and Leah. They had several children each. These people wanted Boaz and Ruth to have many children. This was their wish. They were not God. They could not make this happen. They just expressed their wishes upon Boaz here. Rachel and Leah were vessels that God used along with their handmaidens, to build the basic building blocks of the tribes of the nation of Israel. God did not need to use four women to further develop His promise given to Abraham. God sometimes uses the failures of man to fulfil His Work. Man benefits most when he submits to God’s will, rather than choosing a path contrary to God’s will.
The witnesses at the gate further wanted Boaz to be famous in Bethlehem Ephratah. They wanted to see Boaz do well in his life. Boaz had done the honourable thing. He had already proved himself to be an honourable man. He had behaved himself in a very honest and moral manner. He dealt with servants and maidens, but he did not have many wives and he did not abuse his servants. He was an honourable farmer.
In verse 12 we see that the people referred back to another Bible character. Pharez was the son of an immoral relationship between Judah and his daughter in law. She deceived him by dressing like a harlot. Judah did not need to yield to her wickedness, but he did. Pharez was not to blame there. He was part of the family of the tribe of Judah. Boaz was given some words here that were designed to encourage him in the choice he had made. In both verse 11 and 12 we see the name of the LORD/Jehovah. These people were seeking to encourage Boaz and Ruth. These were good words that these people had for Boaz. It is a blessing when a person is submitted to the will of the self-existent God Who does not need our help and is well able to accomplish His will. He chooses to work through people and He is careful in making sure His hand is seen in all that He does.
God gave us these words to help us to see the blessing that is there for those who are born again. Boaz was a type of Jesus Christ. Boaz and Ruth would bear a son named Obed and he was the father of Jesse who was the father of David and on through to Jesus Christ. This was no accident. God knew all about this as Boaz dealt with the matter of the kinsman redeemer. Naomi did not know all about this but she assumed that Boaz was the key to Ruth’s needs. God knew all about this and He worked this out for His glory. He does this in all things.
It is important to know the true God. He is in charge.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Both Boaz and Ruth loved the LORD. Both of them were called by God and they responded to His call. There were others called as well, but they did not respond in obedience to God’s call. The same is true today. There are many who are called but few are chosen. Many are not chosen because they reject the call. It is not that they cannot accept the call. It is that they do not want the call. It is of greater importance to most people to love the world and the things that are in the world. That is a tragic choice to make and hold to. However, it is the choice that most people make.
The book of Ruth is there to help us to see the blessing of choosing wisely, even in a time when few are choosing wisely. Peer pressure did not negatively affect Boaz and Ruth. Peer pressure does not need to negatively affect us today either. We can know the truth and we can build our lives on the truth. We can have an impact on our society if we choose to know the true God.
Pastor Bartel
