The kinsman redeemer. (The story of Ruth)    
Elimelech, with his wife Naomi and sons Mahlon and Chilion leaves his home in Bethlehem and immigrates to Moab. The two sons marry local girls, but the father and the two sons subsequently pass away, leaving his wife, Naomi, and her two daughters-in-laws destitute. Hearing that things are now better back home, Naomi decides to return to her native Bethlehem. She urges the two young girls to remain in their homeland and begin new lives, but Ruth refuses and insists on accompanying Naomi.

Naomi and Ruth have no means of livelihood, so they go out to glean after the reapers to the field of Boaz, one of the wealthy landowners. Boaz observes Ruth and arranges for his reapers to drop handfuls on purpose to assure Ruth an abundant gathering. When Noami learns of Ruth’s good fortune, she is especially delighted since it turns out that Boaz is a kinsman of the family. As a kinsman, Boaz wishes to redeem Naomi’s land but there was another who was nearer to Naomi than Boaz. So Boaz gives the other relative to redeem the land. He was willing to do so but when he learns that he should also take Ruth as his wife, the other kinsman backs off, he was ready to share the prosperity but not the responsibility! So Boaz redeemed Naomi’s land and also took Ruth as his wife.

We can see the redeeming work of our Messiah in his story.

We see in Ruth how a Christian should be. She came in and lay down at Boaz’s feet. This is the gesture of a servant, not an equal. We too should approach our Lord as his servant.  We should acknowledge our dependence upon Christ. She came to Boaz dressed and anointed. Symbolically, anointing might be prayer. We should approach our Lord with prayer and good works. She was obedient to him and did not leave him in the night, but at the dawn. So also we too should be obedient to our Lord.

We can see in Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, a figure of the Messiah.
He Quenched Her Thirst – He made sure she had access to the water supply! Jesus said,’ If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’ (John.7:37-38)
He Fed Her Hunger. Boaz made sure that Ruth was eating at his table. Jesus takes people from nowhere and seats us at His table.(Luke15:11-24) Remember the story of Mephibosheth (2 Sam.9:1-13)
He Filled Her Basket. Boaz instructed the reapers to pull some ears off the sheaves and drop them for Ruth. She left that day with far more than she bargained for. Everyone who meets Jesus gets their basket filled to overflowing! We always get more than we deserve. Luke 6:38; 1 Cor. 2:9.
He was related to Ruth. Similarly our redeemer is not an angel or spirit, but the Son of Yahweh who came down as a man Yahshua of Nazareth. He is approachable. There was no one to intercede on her behalf. Our Messiah is also accessible to all of us. There is no mediator between Him and us.
When Ruth asks him to spread the corner of his garment, the word “corner” is the same one used for “wings” in Ruth 2:12.By doing this, Boaz was  spreading the wing of his protection over Ruth. Messiah also takes us under His wings and protects us.

The name of the other kinsman is not known. Probably the author of Ruth did not consider him worthy of being included in the ancestral line of the Messiah. Why did this man decline the redemption? At first he was willing but backed out when he realized he would wind up with Ruth for a wife. He may have had many children, and the thought of having more might have discouraged him. It would have profited him financially but bringing home a new wife would discourage the existing one. He had the chance, declined it , and became anonymous. Many people are full of life when they first encounter the Lord. Then they realize that they have to forsake the worldly pleasures, and the cost of Messiah sets in, and suddenly they become lukewarm in their life.

Boaz is a picture of Yahshua. We can see some things that remind us of Messiah.
Boaz is a redeemer – not a purchaser. A redeemer must be rich. He could have just purchased the land and washed his hands off everything else. But he redeemed in an honest and just way because his main motivation was love. He “fulfills all righteousness” by doing this in the established way according to the law. . Everything Messiah did, He did by the book! He fulfilled all the Law and paid the price for sin and He did it legally, because He loves us

Our Lord was not required to redeem us – He did it out of love for us. He owed us nothing, but from his deep love for his people he did it. He did it at great cost, out of his incredible riches. He paid the price for us by His blood on the cross. Even the timing of the death on the Cross was done in accordance with the Law of Yahweh. As a result of this redemption we have eternal life. Our names are recorded forever in the book of Life. Our inheritance is eternal, for we are joint heirs of the kingdom of Yahweh with Yahshua Messiah. We are known by name to the Almighty. We are redeemed – not sold. Messiah paid the full price for our salvation.

There are many who pay lip service to Yahweh. But when the moment of sacrifice comes, there are many reasons they cannot come through. They have all the appearance of being Christian, they go to church every Sunday – to relieve their conscience. But they are lukewarm. They will not do what Yahweh commands. Because of this, their names are blotted out of the book of Life.

Ruth stayed close by the man who was blessing her life. There is a lesson here for every Christian who listens to the message of Yahweh! We have no business gleaning in another’s field! Yahweh has blessed us above measure and we have no excuse for straying so far away from Him!
There is nothing better than being saved by grace.  Wherever you may be today, Messiah can do more in your life than what Boaz did for Ruth. He can redeem you, bring you close to Himself and bless you beyond your wildest dreams. All He is waiting on is you! Will you come to Him today?