Jesus in the Old Testament 027: Jesus the Better Boaz

Jesus in the Old Testament 027: 

Jesus the Better Boaz

Thesis: Boaz went beyond what the law required of him as a kinsman-redeemer to show self-sacrificing love to Ruth and Naomi.  This brought shame upon him and cost him greatly.  He is a picture of Christ in this action.  However, Christ is a far greater example of costly redemption through His sacrifice on the Cross for us. 

1. Nutshell w/Kids

1. The law of God was concerned with keeping a family going and protect their property, and there were various things that were commanded to make this happen. 

2. Ruth and Naomi needed someone to obey the law and help them in this way. 

3. Boaz went much further, not only meeting the commands of the law but showing love for these women.  

4. His action cost him money that he would never recover and brought shame upon him and his family, but he did it out of love. 

5. In the same way, Jesus meets our deepest needs at great cost to himself, taking on the same of our sin, so that we can spend eternity with Him in heaven. 

2. Deeper w/Adults 

1. Levirate Marriage 

1. Historical Debut: Gen 38

2. Legislative description: Deut 25:5-10

3. Ransom of the indentured, impoverished: Lev 25:47-49

2. Requirements of a Kinsman Redeemer: 

1. Close relative

2. Able to pay the ransom price 

3. Must marry the widow 

4. Mus raise up children for the deceased. 

5. To refuse to do so was a sign of shame

1. God struck Judah’s first son dead for failure to do so. Judah shamed in the manner in which the act was finally done. 

2. Spit in the face in Deut 25

3. Boaz’s fulfillment: Ruth

1. Near relative: 2:19-20

2. But not the nearest: 3:8-13

3. Has the resources 4:

4. Willing to marry the widow, but it’s Ruth, not Naomi. 3: 8-13 above

5. Willing to raise up a child for the deceased (Elimelech) 4:13-17

4. Boaz and Christ (Ruth 4)

1. Vs. 1-3 Satisfying the requirement of a legal proceeding in the gate.  10 men comprise a legal court. 

2. The offer rejected (vs 4-58). 

1. Initially, the nearer redeemer accepts the opportunity to redeem.  He seems to be willing to redeem the land on behalf of Elemelech and marry Naomi. 

1. Naomi is a Jewess.  There is no shame in marrying her. 

2. Naomi has no children, and she is past childbearing age.  There is no danger that his children’s inheritance will be threatened by children from Naomi (vs. 6).

2. When Boaz stipulates that it is Ruth who will be the Levirate wife, The nearer redeemer backs out. 

1. Accepts willingly the shame of not fulfilling the Levirate law (removing sandal)  

2. Would rather have that shame than the humiliation of marrying a foreigner and having a child with her or threatening his children’s inheritance.  Whatever resources he would have used to buy that land would be money that his children would not inherit, and the land would continue on to Naomi’s (Ruth’s) child, so it would not benefit his own children. 

3. The Near Redeemer represents the Law. 

1. Works only rigidly—Naomi’s land, Naomi’s marriage. 

2. Works only for Israel, excludes Gentiles. 

3. Unable to actually solve the problem. Naomi’s heritage would have been a dead-end, even if her land had been restored to her and she had been married.  She is beyond childbearing. 

4. Boaz like Christ (vs 9-12)

1. Acted out of love and went beyond the requirements of the law in taking on the “shame” of marrying a gentile. 

2. Embraced the gentile in the provision of redemption that was, strictly speaking, meant for Israel.  Grafted in. 

3. Buys back and redeems everything that was lost.

4. Actually solves Naomi’s problem.  By marrying Ruth, there will be children, and the first of those children, Obed, is to inherit the land that was owned by Elimelech. 

5. Side Note: Elimelech likely not a grain farmer like Boaz but a shepherd, since it is Elimelech’s land that Obed inherits and then passes to Eli and later to David.  

5. Christ the Better Boaz. 

1. Boaz embraces the shame of marrying a gentile, Christ embraces the same of Crucifixion because of His love for us (Heb 12:2). 

2. Boaz brings one gentile into the blessings of Israel, Christ grafts all believing Gentiles into God’s people (Romans 11:11-12)

3. Boaz restored all that had been lost for one family, but Christ has done this for us in light of all that was lost in the curse (Rom 5:12-16)

4. Boaz raised up one child of promise for Naomi through which her inheritance would be realized.  Christ raised up a multitude of children who will inherit all of Creation (Gal 4:4-7).