July 24, 2008
The KinsmanRedeemer in Torah
Read Ruth 2:17-23
The verse that particularly grabs my attention in today's reading is verse 20; and
the wording from the English Standard Version of this verse seems to render more
clearly who it is that has not stopped showing kindness to the living and the dead,
namely Yahweh:
And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the
LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!"
With this verse we see the beginning of Naomi's bitter sadness turning to joy and
hope as she realizes that Yahweh has not forsaken the living (her and Ruth) or the
dead (their husbands), as evidenced in the kindness he has shown through their
near relative, Boaz. God is behind this good fortune. Upon learning where her
daughter-in-law has been working, Naomi sees the Lord's plan and provision
unfolding. There is hope!
How is it Naomi knows that Yahweh is the provider here and that this is not solely
the generosity of a kind relative? She knows God's Word. She knows that Boaz is
not only a near relative (a kinsman) of her husband and therefore a kinsman to Ruth
as well; but he is a kinsman redeemer. Naomi is aware of Yahweh's provision
through his Word, the Torah.
She knows the Lord's instruction regarding the land -- it was not to be sold
permanently. At the jubilee year (every 50 years), any land that had been sold was
to revert to the original owner. If, during the years before the jubilee, someone
became poor and had to sell his property, a close relative (kinsman redeemer)
could redeem (buy back) the property for the one who had fallen on hard times.
(Leviticus 25) Scripture does not tell us whether Naomi's husband had sold their
property before moving to Moab;however, since they had left Bethlehem because
of a famine, chances are they would have sold it for money, as provision while in
Moab. It's a pretty safe bet that Naomi no longer had property. The appearance
of a kinsman redeemer on the scene would have been indescribable cause for hope!
Moreover, the kinsman redeemer would sometimes do more than redeem property.
He was also one who made sure a son was raised up in his relative's name. This
practice was called "yibbum" in Hebrew, otherwise known as a levirate marriage;
and was practiced not just in Israel but also among other cultures. According to
God's Torah, if a man died childless his brother was to marry the widow, in order
that she might bear children. (Genesis 38 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10) The first
son she bore would be the deceased husband's successor. In this way his name
would continue in Israel. As we will see in days to come, Boaz will perform the
duties of the kinsmanredeemer for the property and the levirate marriage. Ruth will
become one of the matriarchs in the Messianic line leading to the ultimate Redeemer:
Jesus, God in the flesh.Take the time to read the following short verses from
Isaiah: 44:6 & 24; 47:4; 48:17 as well as 54:5 & 8; 59:20; 63:16.
The concept of God as our Redeemer is not new to us, but what grabs my attention
is God as our kinsman Redeemer. Kinsman signifies a familial relationship. The
God of the universe is our Father and Jesus, his Son, is our brother. (Romans 8:29)
Jesus is our near relative! Perhaps this is striking to me because close relatives are
not the norm for me. I am an only child, raised by a single parent, and never knew
any of our relatives. I grew up with only my mother, so what are relatives? The fact
that Jesus would claim me as a close relative touches my heart in a way I cannot
explain. He has chosen all of us to be his relatives. The truth to shout from the roof
top is that Jesus claims us all as his close family, if we will claim him. Jesus is our
kinsman, and he is our Redeemer. He has redeemed us from slavery that we might
be free in him; and he has redeemed the poverty of our souls that we might be rich
in him.
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his
people." Luke 1:68
Cheryl Gonzales
