The Story of Ruth Part 9: Boaz Marries Ruth.

Ruth 4:

“Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, “Buy it for yourself.” So he took off his sandal. And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, from the hand of Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, I have acquired as my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day.”

–

–

Law Of The Kinsman Redeemer.
According to Deuteronomy 25, if your relative died with no heir, the nearest male kinsman was to marry her and provide an heir for the dead.  This was done so that his name would not be blotted out of Israel.  Sounds like a good plan.  But what if you didn’t want to marry her?

Let’s read the rest of the law in Deuteronomy 25:7-10.

“But if the man does not want to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.’ Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him. But if he stands firm and says, ‘I do not want to take her,’ then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ And his name shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal removed.’

–

No More Spitting! 😁
Ruth and Boaz lived long after this law was written.  Boaz performed the first part by meeting at the city gates with the nearer kinsman, explaining that the conditions of buying the land that had belonged to Elimelech included marrying his widow, Ruth, the Moabitess.  

Upon hearing this the man declined to buy back the land because he didn’t want to marry the woman.  So far so they’re on track with this law.  But as you can see, the spitting part is no longer there nor is Ruth, the widow of the dead, present at the proceedings.
–

All the elders and the people had gathered at the gates, witness to the whole transaction.  Boaz proclaimed in the hearing of all everything he had acquired, leaving no doubt as to what…..and who…..now belonged to him.

–

–

In the same way Jesus, the greater Boaz, went to bat for us against the devil.  He defeated him with his own weapon, death, completely plundering him, and got all the spoils, which includes us!

–

Remember what God said to the serpent back in the garden?  “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”  Jesus did indeed crush the head of the serpent, but his heel was bruised in the process.

–

Tell me:  To what part of the body does the heel belong?  THE FOOT.  Jesus walked all over the devil demonstrating His right of ownership!  And who benefits?  Us, Church:  The Ruths!  His bride!  And since Jesus fulfilled ALL the Law, IT CAN NO LONGER WALK ALL OVER US!

–

–

Remember what we learned about the meanings of names?  Mahlon and Cheleon mean, “Sickness and Death,” respectively.  These things are also under His feet.  They no longer have the upper hand over us, either.

When a believer dies, even that is a victory because we go to be with Jesus!  The Bible doesn’t even call what happens to us, “Death.”  Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 15:18 & 20, that Christians who have died have “Fallen asleep.” So you see, we don’t really die when our physical life ends: They just relocate! 😁
–

–
Elders Happy For Boaz.
The Elders could have simply said, “Yes!  We are witnesses.  The land is yours, the woman is yours,” and left it at that.

Remember now, Ruth was a foreigner and a Moabite at that.  But that didn’t matter to the people of Bethlehem!  You can tell by their response that they are not only in agreement, but they are very happy for Boaz!  Look what they said:
–
“11 And all the people who were at the gate, and the elders, said, “We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the house of Israel; and may you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman.”
–
Their prayer for Boaz was that the LORD, YHVH, the covenant-keeping One, bless the woman, who is coming to his house and make her like Rachel and Leah, two of the most prestigious women in Israel, builders of the house of Israel.  They wished him prosperity and every blessing!

–
Notice they also respected Ruth?  They did not call her, “That Moabite woman,” but honored her for the virtuous woman they all knew she was.  Amazing!
–
You may continue to the exciting conclusion of this study on Ruth by following the link below: