Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends,
I presume all of us have had the experience of buying or selling something of significant value. An automobile or a home for instance. Probably, we’ve all been on both sides of those transactions. As the buyer, we’d like to pay the least amount possible and as the seller we’d like to sell for the highest price possible, and in both cases we want to walk away from the transaction with a sense that we have not been taken advantage of but have made a very wise financial decision. Right? I’m sure your mind has been racing back to both good and bad financial transactions you’ve experienced!
I left you yesterday sitting at the city gate of the town of Bethlehem in about the year 1100bc. We came to the city gate with Mr. Boaz because a very important financial
In Israel in those days, there was a God given guideline for how a family and community should care for widows in a God honoring, compassionate way. The brother of the deceased man should marry the widow and assume responsibility for her for the rest of her life. (Deut. 25:5,6) If the deceased does not have a brother, then the ‘next of kin’ male is considered a ‘kinsman redeemer’ and should he step forward to care for the widow and her future.
In the case of Naomi, as we’ve seen over the past few days as we’ve walked through the Bible book of Ruth, Mr. Boaz is a close relative of Naomi’s deceased husband, but not the closest. Boaz is a compassionate and generous man and had been watching over Naomi and Ruth since their return to Bethlehem from Moab, where Naomi and her family had lived for several years, and where her husband and both sons had died.
Boaz had allowed Ruth to collect grain in his fields during the harvest seasons of both barley and wheat, but now those harvests are nearing completion and Naomi and Ruth need a ‘kinsman redeemer’ to care for them.
Boaz came to the city gate to meet with the other man who was the closer relative to Naomi. In the presence of 10 other elders of the town, Boaz made the following statement to the closer relative: “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. I am bringing the matter to your attention… in the presence of these elders. If you will redeem the land, do so. But if not, tell me so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you and I am the next in line.’ The man replied, ‘I will do it’! (Ruth 4:1-4)
Now up to this moment it all seems like a nice, clean property purchase, doesn’t it? While they have not discussed the price, they have, in a God-honoring way, discussed who has first right of refusal so there is not a bidding war for the property which may elevate the price unfairly.
But it appears Boaz may have been more familiar with the God given guidelines for the matter of ‘kinsman redeemer’ in Jewish society and also the specifics of Naomi and her family. This transaction should be far more than simply the purchase of a field, so sensing perhaps the other man is only interested in the piece of property and not in caring for Naomi, Boaz makes a significant statement of clarification regarding the full scope of the ‘kinsman redeemer’ guidelines given by God to His people: “On the day you purchase the land from Naomi… you also acquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
Suddenly everything changed. Look around the circle of men. All are nodding in agreement. But the man who was anxious to buy the available land is rubbing his forehead, pulling on his beard, looking around with a furrowed brow. Finally, he speaks: “Then I cannot redeem it because it might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4:5,6)
What just happened here my friends? Perhaps you’ve had the same experience in a major financial transaction you’ve been involved with? First is the matter of “FULL DISCLOSURE”! Whether the other man did not understand the full concept of “kinsman redeemer” or he was simply interested in the land, Boaz did something of great integrity.
Boaz gave full disclosure to the man and the witnesses of all that should be included in this transaction. Have you ever been nearing the close of a financial transaction when the other party said, “oh, by the way, there is this other part of the deal…”?
Second is the matter of REALISM. As the other man contemplated the full scope of responsibility in acquiring not only a piece of land but the care of two widows, Naomi and Ruth, it seems he quickly came to the realistic conclusion that he simply was incapable of assuming such responsibility with integrity. We know nothing of the other man or his family or his financial obligations.
I salute the man for being honest. How terrible if he had agreed to move forward knowing full well it may cause him personal bankruptcy, or he may find himself unable to provide anything more than a subsistence life for Naomi and Ruth.
So Boaz was given the opportunity, as the next in the ‘kinsman redeemer’ line of Naomi’s family, to step forward, and thus Boaz made this profound statement to the elders. Listen carefully to his words, my friends: “Today you are witnesses that I have purchased from Naomi all the property of her husband Elimelech and her sons Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses.” (Ruth 4:9,10)
Because Naomi already had sons who were continuing her family name, Boaz focused on Ruth and her deceased husband’s need to have his family name continue since he had died without any children. Boaz would be bringing BOTH widows into his home. Naomi would be honored and cared for by Boaz, but Ruth would become wife to Boaz and the expectation was that before long she would bear children, especially sons to carry on their family name.
Now listen to the response of the elders, at the city gate of Bethlehem, who have witnessed this significant transaction: “We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you… be famous in Bethlehem…” (Ruth 4:11) I believe God gave these men a glimpse into both the short- and long-term significance of this remarkable transaction.
Tomorrow we’ll take a look at why I say that and what God did to bless Boaz, Naomi and Ruth in their future together. For today, may I invite us all to consider how we engage in business transactions? Do we honor God with our words, with our integrity, with our full disclosure? Do we think with objective realism or do we too often allow emotions to guide us into unwise decisions?
And finally, don’t you love how the elders at the city gate blessed Boaz with words that would call them all to remember the rich, God given heritage they had as Israelites, the people of God? Perhaps you remember Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife, and as she was dying giving birth to Benjamin, she was later buried near Bethlehem, as she died while Jacob and his family were moving from Bethel to reunite with his father Isaac in Hebron. (Gen. 35:16)
Let’s reflect on all this with this wonderful song that calls us to consider how God poured His love down on Bethlehem…
Today’s Scripture is Ruth 4:1-11.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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