Love Story of Redemption

April 14, 2013
Love Story of Redemption
Book of Ruth
Scott Howard

Kinsmen Redeemer: close relative, in close kinship, one who will purchase, restore and provide for

He said, "And who are you?" She said, "I am Ruth, your maiden; take me under your protecting wing. You're my close relative, you know, in the circle of covenant redeemers - you do have the right to marry me."    --Ruth 3:9 (The Message)

The book of Ruth is only 4 chapters long, read it to enjoy a beautiful love story that parallels what Christ did for us.

1.      Ruth realized the need for her redemption.

• Ruth’s past was not clean – she was a Moabite woman.  Moabites were known for their immorality and idolatry.

• Ruth’s future was not certain – she had no family, no heir, she was a widow

2.      Ruth trusted in the love of her redeemer.

• The Kinsmen Redeemer had 3 qualifications

1.      He must have the right to redeemer.  He had to be in very close relation to her.

2.      He must have the resources to redeem her.  Needed to be able to provide.

3.      He must have the resolve to redeem her.  He had to want to.

However, there was another who was in closer kinship than Boaz.  So Boaz gave that man the right to choose to be Ruth’s redeemer.   When that man heard she was a Moabite woman, he did not have the desire to redeem thus allowing Boaz to be the only redeemer for Ruth.  (see Ruth 4:1-11)

After their marriage, Boaz and Ruth had a son named Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David who became King.  This is the family line in which Jesus was born.

Which brings us to how the love story of Ruth and her redeemer parallels our redemption through Jesus.  He came to a world filled with people whose past is not clean and whose future is dangerously uncertain.

 How can a sinful world be reconciled to a God that is Holy?  We needed a Holy Redeemer.  One who can cover our past and secure our future.  And we need to trust in the Love of our Redeemer.  (see Ephesians 1:7-8)

1.      Jesus alone has the right to redeem us.  He is both God and Man—He has kinship to us

• He is Devine over us

• He is human like us

2.      Jesus alone has the resources to redeem us.

• He has power over sin—He is set apart as sinless.  In order for one to redeem from sin, one must have no sin.

• He has authority over death—He is set apart because He arose and lives again

3.      Jesus alone has the resolve to redeem us.

• He seeks us as His own (stepped off His throne in Heaven to come to us)

• He saves us by His mercy (God is infinite in His goodness, He has Holy wrath and judgment against sin.  God is dead set against anything that will hurt us, so He is merciful to send us a Savior.)

• He serves us at His table (we are invited into His eternal home, not as guests, but as family, and His home becomes ours!)

Romans 3:23-25

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood.  He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.”

Choose eternity with God and partake in the riches of His goodness.  It is way better than anything this world can offer.  He will never fail to satisfy the deepest longings of your heart.