1.
The
Story So Far …
Naomi with her
husband and two sons had previously moved from Judah to Moab because of a
famine. First Naomi’s husband dies, followed later by the death of both her
sons. Naomi is just left with her two Moabite daughters-in-law, and is in
desperate grief. The famine ends in Judah, so Naomi sets off home to Bethlehem
in Judah, with her daughter-in law Ruth determined to “cling” to Naomi. We
reflected on the “loving-kindness” that was so extensively expressed in chapter
one, especially in Ruth’s strong commitment to the well-being of Naomi.
Then when the
young foreign woman Ruth is seeking food, and finds her way to the fields
gleaning leftover grain, she is discovered there by a prosperous and
well-regarded landowner in Boaz (who also happened to be a relative of Naomi).
For Ruth, Boaz remarkably provides protection, wise advice and more access to
food in his field than would ever have been expected. This was truly a blessing
for Ruth – a sense of coming under the refuge of God’s wings. We reflected in
chapter two, about the generous welcome and awesome hospitality that Boaz
provided for this newly arrived foreign woman.
In both the
“loving-kindness” of Ruth, and the extraordinary generosity of Boaz, we
reflected that such attitudes and expressions come right out of the heart of
God. And as we are called to be agents of God (and followers of Jesus),
“loving-kindness” and warm generosity are attitudes and expressions that we are
meant to emulate. And sometimes, as we have seen in the early chapters of Ruth,
such expressions of love are often needed as against what might have become
normal practice (i.e. fear, selfishness and exclusion).
2.
The
Dilemma
Yet, Naomi,
having moved back to Bethlehem, following the death of her husband and two
sons, was still a destitute widow. Despite the kindness of Ruth, in returning
with Naomi and providing food for her … Naomi’s life was still in tatters.
Ruth, despite
having the love of her mother-in-law Naomi, and now the extraordinary
generosity of Boaz, in allowing Ruth unlimited access to his fields and their
bounty … Ruth remains another widow in limbo.
Is there a real
way forward for either Naomi or Ruth? Given their respective losses, is there
any way that life can feel fully blessed again for them??
What about any
sense of human depletion? What about any of us? Can there still be a future
when life has hit a brick wall??
3.
The
Kinsman-Redeemer
Underlying
chapters 3 & 4 is this role of the ‘next-of-kin’. Understanding all this is
a little illusive – it’s not fully clear and things changed over time. It seems
there was a parcel of land in Judah to be inherited from Naomi’s husband
Elimelech. Because Naomi and Elimelech had been in Moab up until the time of
Elimelech’s death, that land in Judah may have been sold off or leased out for
someone else to farm (or otherwise surrendered and utilised by others). One
could not leave land idle having moved away. Different to our time, such a sale or arrangement only
applied until the time when a family member could buy this land back i.e.
redeem it. Alternatively, this land may be, due to Naomi’s current poverty, up for
sale now, but with a preference for a relative to purchase it (rather than
having to be redeemed from another in the future). In any case, family property
was never sold off permanently, ownership ultimately rested within a certain
family line, who had the right to buy it back (if it had been temporarily let
go).
A ‘next-of kin’
or close relative would be needed to do whatever it took to redeem that land
for its original owner. In this case, responsibility would initially be with
Elimelech’s closest known relative, and then if necessary pass down the chain.
This role had become known as the ‘kinsman-redeemer’. There was also another
role to perform for this so-called ‘kinsman-redeemer’ – a far more personal
role. This ‘kinsman-redeemer’ could also make arrangements for the line of his
relative/s, in this case Elimelech and Naomi, to be continued. As Naomi would
have been too old to bear children, this ‘kinsman-redeemer’ could still fulfil
this role by marrying Ruth, taking the role of Ruth’s deceased husband who had
been Elimelech and Naomi’s son. Culturally speaking, any child from this
marriage would be seen as providing an heir for Naomi.
4.
Overview
of Chapters 3 & 4
Naomi thought
that Boaz might be that “kinsman-redeemer”; she clearly hoped this would be the
case. Naomi, then, thought that it would be a good idea for Ruth to make Boaz
understand that, if he was of such a mind, she [Ruth] would be happy to have
Boaz as her husband. Certainly Naomi had a scheme going to attract Boaz to Ruth
… we might raise our eyebrows a bit, but her heart was in the right place, and
Ruth was willing to go along with it (trusting Naomi’s judgment). This was
something akin to throwing herself at Boaz; yet Boaz didn’t need too much
convincing, while at the same time having honourable intentions. From Ruth’s
side, she certainly wanted to do what was best for Naomi, and provide some
security and descendants for her (if that was at all possible).
So not any man
for Ruth, but rather the right man (for all concerned)! Ruth could have
provided her own descendants through marrying any young man willing and
available, but she could only address Naomi’s need of a male heir to inherit
her deceased husband’s responsibilities, if she married a close relative of
Naomi. This level of loving concern and kindness is behind Boaz’s comment to
Ruth in 3:10: “May you be blessed by the Lord; this last instance
of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men,
rich or poor”.
Often being kind on a one-off basis is not that much of an issue,
but continuing on with that kindness through challenging and self-sacrificing
circumstances can really mark a person out. Ruth’s level of loving-kindness is
crowned with this sense of loyalty (or selfless devotion)! Ruth continues to
respond to Naomi’s feelings of emptiness, in the most active of ways.
Boaz, ever the
gentleman, was NOT going to take advantage of the situation, as he was already
aware that there was someone else who was a closer relative, and that this
person may be prepared to be the “kinsman-redeemer”. There is no doubt that
Boaz wanted the role, and wanted to be Ruth’s husband, but he had to go through
the right channels. Boaz assures Ruth that he will act in her best interests,
and also protects her reputation from any accusation of impropriety.
Boaz didn’t waste
any time seeking to make contact, and again we see the hand of God in this, as
that ‘closer relative’ “came passing by” (4:1). When this closer
relative was unwilling to take on this “kinsman-redeemer” role in all its
implications and responsibilities, then the way was clear for Boaz. This other
relative was willing to redeem the land, but not take on the further
responsibility of Ruth and producing a descendant. It seems that the financial
implications, given his current situation, may have been too great (4:6). But
we know, as the reader, that Boaz was the man of God’s choosing!
5.
A New
Future
Boaz and Ruth
plan to marry, and despite Boaz marrying a Moabite women, the community are
able to add their blessing and celebrate (4:11-12). Perhaps this is because
both Ruth and Boaz have great integrity, and have expressed such caring
devotion to Naomi. Soon following their marriage, a son whose name was Obed was
born. And Naomi, who had lost her sons, was now given the opportunity of
participating in the upbringing of this new boy, who would be considered her
descendent (refer 4:16). And not only Naomi’s descendent, but
through the line of Boaz, Obed would be the grandfather of David, ultimately
leading to Jesus (through Joseph).
Boaz was no doubt
a very happy man. And Ruth would now have a secure future in Judah. But the
biggest turnaround of all … was for Naomi. She was deeply and desperately
depressed and grieving when she first returned to Judah. The community heard
her cries: I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty; why
call me Naomi when the Lord has dealt harshly with me, and the Almighty has
brought calamity upon me? (1:21). Naomi was at her lowest point, even
doubting the loving-kindness of God.
But now she has a
descendant! Her prior emptiness caused by the death of her husband and sons,
and the state in which this left her, has been alleviated. Life cannot actually
be put into reverse, former loses remain abiding tragedies – but a new future,
with new opportunity, can open up. We may need to live with the consequences of
our past actions, but we do NOT have to live as a prisoner to them. Praise God!
Naomi’s grief was displayed for the whole community to see, but now this same
community can celebrate a huge turnaround.
The
loving-kindness of God, sometimes doubted, has been made real through the
actions of Ruth and of Boaz. Naomi’s empty life has been filled. No longer “Mara”
(meaning ‘bitter’), Naomi is “Naomi” (i.e. ‘pleasant’) again!
When there was no other source of hope, and where human resources had reached
an end – God’s loving-kindness prevailed. As it turned out, God had NOT
abandoned Naomi, as she had thought, far from it! There is a new completeness
to Naomi’s experience of life (“Ruth is more to you than seven sons” – 4:15b).
Turnarounds in
our lives can indeed stir the community around us, and that is why we need to
tell the stories publicly of what God has been doing in our lives. Naomi’s
community said (4:14-15):
Blessed be the Lord, who has not left
you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in
Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a
nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is
more to you than seven sons, has borne him.
6.
Our
New Future
This is a model
for a turnaround and a new future that all human beings can experience. This is
especially the case in a spiritual sense, where, at the moment we think we
might have lost God, God offers us the grace that brings forgiveness and
defeats guilt and shame. We learn again that our home can be with God. This
is where we belong, this is where we are accepted, this is where we are valued.
When the criminal on the cross next to Jesus was at a complete loss, he humbly
sought the grace of Jesus, and Jesus responded to him, “Today you will be with
me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). There is another turnaround!
This spiritual
renewal can then travel to all aspects of our lives, meaning that those
troublesome facets of our lives … emotional, relational, behavioural and
physical … can all be touched by the transforming power of God. This is surely
a great model of the possibilities before us, right here and right now, as the
child born to Ruth and Boaz, named in their joy by the whole community as Obed
(meaning ‘servant’), was the grandfather of David, whose earthly line would
progress through to Jesus himself. As Boaz was “kinsman-redeemer” for Naomi; so
Jesus is “kinsman-redeemer’ for each of us.
Just like in
Naomi’s case with Boaz, our redemption comes through someone else’s faithfulness.
Jesus takes that role of closest relative, that no one else can or would
(take), and returns to us what has been lost. Jesus offers to redeem us. Jesus,
in a once-for-all loving sacrifice, buys back what was sold off to other
interests, or lost seemingly without hope of return. In this way, lives are
brought back to the heart of Creator God. In the case of Jesus, one act of
redemption leads to the redemption of the whole world.
Now this new
future, this complete turnaround can be our personal experience – it has been
mine, and I trust it has been yours. Yet, our new future doesn’t end there, it
is just the beginning. For our new future is (or, should be) a foretaste of
what each and everybody’s new future could be. When Naomi’s life was in tatters
the community around her in Bethlehem noticed. We have now seen the community
rejoicing when Naomi’s life became transformed and God-filled once again. They
were stirred! So it can be today!
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