Rut 4:5 | KingComments | STEP | Boaz explains to the redeemer, who so far has not shown any interest in Naomi, what is going on. He tells him that Naomi has sold the land of “our brother Elimelech”. He hereby acknowledges the right of the other redeemer to redeem. It is about the land sold being returned to Naomi. Naomi probably sold the land to get money to support her. Such a sale is regulated by law ( ). In fact, it is not the land that is sold, but the number of harvests. But because the land actually belongs to God, it can only be pledged. That’s why God has arranged that in the fiftieth year, the year of jubilee, the land returns into the possession of its original owner. This can make it appear that it is not as bad as having to sell your land, because you’ll get it back one day. But for the Israelite who appreciates God’s blessing, it is a great loss and a great sorrow, that he has been driven from his possessions until the year of jubilee and cannot enjoy the harvest. How great the appreciation is of the God-fearing Israelite for the inheritance that the LORD has given him we see with Naboth ( ) and Jeremiah ( ). If Boaz has declared the case to the man and reminded him of his obligation and at the same time of his right, he also presents the choice to him. The man feels obliged to redeem. He can’t get out of it because that means loss of face. That is why he promises to redeem the land. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing at all. If it pays more than he has to pay for it, he will gain a lot from it. In addition, Naomi and Ruth have no children. If this situation continues, he will ultimately become the owner of the land and not just of the harvests. Then comes Boaz with the decisive condition. The land cannot simply be bought, but the redeemer must also take Ruth with it. It seems that Naomi has made this a condition. Elimelech’s inheritance became the property of his sons after his death. However, his sons also died. But because both sons were married, the right of ownership has passed to their wives. Because Orpah wanted to stay in Moab, she has expressed no interest in the land of God. There can be no question of her right to land here. This means that Ruth is the sole entitled party. Naomi wants the land to remain in her offspring’s possession. This is why she will have bargained that the person who redeems the land should also take Ruth as his wife. Children born from that marriage are ascribed to the deceased Mahlon, and in this way the inheritance is preserved within Elimelech’s family. The additional condition, which Naomi as owner was allowed to impose, that the redeemer will also take Ruth to be his wife, makes it clear that it is not only about the redemption of the inheritance, but also about the begetting of an heir. The redeemer understands that any son will not be ascribed to him but to the deceased. He will then lose everything again. For those who are guided by love in these cases, this is not a problem. Love sees only the interest of the other person and does not look after its own interest. With the first redeemer, however, there is no love. The thought that he should marry Ruth the Moabitess is horrible to him. He feels too good for that. He quits. This is the language of the law. As mentioned earlier, the first redeemer represents the law. The law has the first rights to Israel. Israel has first voluntarily placed itself under this in order to receive God’s blessing in that way. But it has become clear that the law has no power to bring life out of death. The law can only condemn, but does not give strength to comply with what it says. The law cannot deliver those condemned by it. If the law could deliver, the law would no longer be the law. The law is rightly called “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation” ( ). This is not due to the law, but to man. Because of the weakness of man, the law, which does not take weakness into account, is powerless. Only those who keep the law, deserve and receive the blessing. This makes the human condition hopeless. The only solution is to acknowledge the judgment of the law. He who does so sees himself as having died by the law to the law, with the result that the deceased is free from the law ( ). Therefore, anyone who is connected to the Lord Jesus, the true Boaz, has nothing to do with the first redeemer, just as Ruth never had anything to do with him. Again: Whatever was impossible for the law, God did through His Son ( ).

‏ Ruth 4:5

Negotiation on the Redemption

Boaz explains to the redeemer, who so far has not shown any interest in Naomi, what is going on. He tells him that Naomi has sold the land of “our brother Elimelech”. He hereby acknowledges the right of the other redeemer to redeem. It is about the land sold being returned to Naomi. Naomi probably sold the land to get money to support her. Such a sale is regulated by law (Lev 25:25).

In fact, it is not the land that is sold, but the number of harvests. But because the land actually belongs to God, it can only be pledged. That’s why God has arranged that in the fiftieth year, the year of jubilee, the land returns into the possession of its original owner.

This can make it appear that it is not as bad as having to sell your land, because you’ll get it back one day. But for the Israelite who appreciates God’s blessing, it is a great loss and a great sorrow, that he has been driven from his possessions until the year of jubilee and cannot enjoy the harvest. How great the appreciation is of the God-fearing Israelite for the inheritance that the LORD has given him we see with Naboth (1Kgs 21:1-3) and Jeremiah (Jer 32:6-8).

If Boaz has declared the case to the man and reminded him of his obligation and at the same time of his right, he also presents the choice to him. The man feels obliged to redeem. He can’t get out of it because that means loss of face. That is why he promises to redeem the land. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing at all. If it pays more than he has to pay for it, he will gain a lot from it. In addition, Naomi and Ruth have no children. If this situation continues, he will ultimately become the owner of the land and not just of the harvests.

Then comes Boaz with the decisive condition. The land cannot simply be bought, but the redeemer must also take Ruth with it. It seems that Naomi has made this a condition. Elimelech’s inheritance became the property of his sons after his death. However, his sons also died. But because both sons were married, the right of ownership has passed to their wives.

Because Orpah wanted to stay in Moab, she has expressed no interest in the land of God. There can be no question of her right to land here. This means that Ruth is the sole entitled party. Naomi wants the land to remain in her offspring’s possession. This is why she will have bargained that the person who redeems the land should also take Ruth as his wife. Children born from that marriage are ascribed to the deceased Mahlon, and in this way the inheritance is preserved within Elimelech’s family.

The additional condition, which Naomi as owner was allowed to impose, that the redeemer will also take Ruth to be his wife, makes it clear that it is not only about the redemption of the inheritance, but also about the begetting of an heir. The redeemer understands that any son will not be ascribed to him but to the deceased. He will then lose everything again.

For those who are guided by love in these cases, this is not a problem. Love sees only the interest of the other person and does not look after its own interest. With the first redeemer, however, there is no love. The thought that he should marry Ruth the Moabitess is horrible to him. He feels too good for that. He quits. This is the language of the law.

As mentioned earlier, the first redeemer represents the law. The law has the first rights to Israel. Israel has first voluntarily placed itself under this in order to receive God’s blessing in that way. But it has become clear that the law has no power to bring life out of death. The law can only condemn, but does not give strength to comply with what it says. The law cannot deliver those condemned by it. If the law could deliver, the law would no longer be the law. The law is rightly called “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation” (2Cor 3:7 ; 9). This is not due to the law, but to man. Because of the weakness of man, the law, which does not take weakness into account, is powerless. Only those who keep the law, deserve and receive the blessing. This makes the human condition hopeless.

The only solution is to acknowledge the judgment of the law. He who does so sees himself as having died by the law to the law, with the result that the deceased is free from the law (Rom 7:3-6). Therefore, anyone who is connected to the Lord Jesus, the true Boaz, has nothing to do with the first redeemer, just as Ruth never had anything to do with him. Again: Whatever was impossible for the law, God did through His Son (Rom 8:3).