Ruth 4:1-10
1 Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer] he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you[b] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said. Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the[c] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” 6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” 7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.) 8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal. Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
The story so far: Naomi has left Moab, where she had been living for ten years. She has now returned to Israel with her daughter-in-law Ruth. Boaz, a wealthy and influential man allowed Ruth to work in his fields. The gleaning period is now over, and Ruth, very boldly, brought her need of support to Boaz’ attention. Boaz, impressed by her integrity, treats her compassionately and generously and says he will seek help for her. If he can find none, he himself will be her “guardian-redeemer”.
Monday 27th February
Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer] he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so.
Boaz gets on with the task in hand. He has to make sure that Naomi and Ruth are well cared for. He has already shown himself to be a man of integrity who is willing to say that he might not be the right person to help Ruth. A younger man would be better for her. Boaz shows himself to be a man of integrity in that he does not take advantage of Ruth. He also shows great humility in his willingness to recognise that he is not the only one who can do things. He knows that there is a younger “kinsman-redeemer” – that is, another member of the family who has the right to buy the land, thus keeping it in the family, and so be able to ensure that the women are well cared for ( Lev 25:25-28). So he sets out to meet him, and discuss the matter with him.
It can be very tempting to think that we are the only one who can do something – whether because we think we are the only one who is competent, or because the work is important to our sense of who we are.. It can be hard to admit that others might be able to do something better than us, or that it might be more appropriate for us to take a back seat. Think about your own situation just now. Is there something that you are reluctant to let go of? How easy do you find it to take a back seat and let others do what you feel you could do better? It can be easy to become “precious” about what we think is our role in life. Do you trust others to be able to do as good a job as you, or do you feel you have to be the one always to do things? Take some time to pray about this today.
Tuesday 28th February
Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat down there just as the guardian-redeemer] he had mentioned came along. Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down. 2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. 3 Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you[b] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”
Boaz speaks to the younger man in a public space, and makes sure that there are people around. This is an important matter and it is important that there are witnesses. Whereas in our culture this would have been a private conversation, Boaz also summons the elders of the town to be part of the conversation. Modern, western society is highly individualistic in nature. This is quite different from the society reflected in the biblical literature. In the cultures represented there, community is all. We might think that this is something that could be something that is kept within the family – that it is no-one else’s business. In addition, there is an openness about Boaz’ behaviour: he cannot be accused of secrecy or wheeling and dealing behind closed doors. What kind of society are you used to? Individualism or a more communitarian ethos? Which are you more comfortable with? What are the disadvantages and disadvantages of each? Pray today for the leaders of your church community, our councils and government that they may be open and honest in their dealings with each other and make decisions with integrity.
Boaz’ purpose (according to the commentator R.L. Hubbard) is to restore “family wholeness”. Naomi has been robbed of her husband and sons, and Ruth, a widow, has no opportunity to have a family of her own. These women do not have what we today refer to as the “nuclear family.” In the ancient Near Eastern community in which this story is set, the idea of family is completely different. It is made up of much more than simply parents and children – the extended family is just as important and responsibility for family well-being lies with more distant relatives too.
Broken families have an impact not only on immediate family members but on society as a whole. We all know someone whose family is broken for some reason or other. The ancient legal codes which are preserved in our Bible provide evidence of the way society tried to protect itself and its people from the impact of fractured family relationships and neglected responsibilities. The legislators knew how important family units are, and they tried to legislate accordingly. Pray today for someone you know whose family is “broken” and where “family wholeness” has been lost. And pray too for our own legislators who make the laws with regard to our families in Scotland.
Wednesday 1st March
Then he said to the guardian-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelek. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.” “I will redeem it,” he said. Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the] dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” 6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
The guardian-redeemer, who remains nameless, says that he will buy the land. However, when Boaz says that part of the transaction will include taking responsibility for Ruth, he refuses. That is a step too far. He is happy with the purely business transaction, but he is not prepared to take on the care of someone who is potentially destitute. It is striking that we are not told this man’s name. He is a ”nobody”, who, compared to Boaz, lacks moral character and is concerned only for himself.
In your opinion, what points to someone being of good character? What character traits do you consider to be admirable? This (potential) guardian redeemer fails because his own financial security is more important to him than ensuring that the land stays within the family and a poor relative is cared for. His name is not worth remembering. He is just like all the rest – there is nothing that marks him out as special.
According to 1 Timothy 6:10, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-26) points to the fact that the love of money can make us miss out on all sorts of goodness in life – not least the joy of becoming a disciple of Jesus. In our materialist, consumerist society it can be so easy to get caught up with (trying to) make and hold on to money. We can be fooled into thinking that it is wealth which is the most important thing. Yet the message of Scripture is clear – this is to take the wrong path. Take some time today to think about your attitude to money and wealth. Is there something you are missing out on because you are more concerned with financial security than doing what God is asking? What might God be saying to you?
Thursday 2nd March
6 At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” 7 (Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.) 8 So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal. Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
The unnamed man gives the sandal to Boaz to indicate that he is relinquishing his right to buy the land. This is simply a traditional way to give a pledge. The man will not return later and contest the deal. And as we have seen, this is all done in public – there are witnesses, so there can be no dispute on the matter. Ruth is now Boaz’ wife. However distasteful we today might find the idea of “acquiring” a wife as part of a business transaction, we need to recognise that Ruth and Naomi are no longer at risk of destitution because of what has happened. In the terms prescribed by his culture, Boaz has acted nobly. And his conduct is contrasted with that of the other kinsman redeemer, whose name we do not know. He is a moral and spiritual nobody whose name is not important. Boaz, on the other hand, will be remembered for his kindness and integrity. He is the one who is able to ensure that Ruth and Naomi are well looked after, and that the family name is continued.
There is much talk just now about people’s legacies. When a celebrity or famous person dies, we often hear it asked – what will their legacy be? In other words, what will we be remembered for? Perhaps the more important thing is to ask ourselves, what do we want to be remembered for? Boaz is remembered as a man of integrity, Ruth and Naomi are remembered as women of courage. What do you want to be remembered for?
Friday 3rd March
Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!”
In front of witnesses, Boaz declares that he has bought the property, and become Ruth’s husband. It is interesting that in this passage, the women have been absent. In the custom of the times, the woman have no place in the business deliberations of the men. Lesser women might have tried to influence further and interfere with the proceedings, but they know when to step back. They have been hard at work behind the scenes, using their intelligence, courage and integrity.
In our culture, as in all, it is easy to think that the work only gets done by those in power and those who are seen in public roles. Those who find themselves in the background can be fooled into thinking that they have no role to play, that they have no influence at all. Yet these two women exemplify the theme which is present throughout Scripture, and modelled supremely in Jesus himself, that God works through the seemingly weak in society, through those who are not in positions of power. It can be tempting for us to value only those in positions of power, those who are in the public eye, or those who are obviously (or apparently) leaders, much more than those who are “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Whom do we value in our communities? How does this Biblical theme of “strength in weakness” help us to relate to other believers in our communities?
Saturday 4th March
Matthew 25:31-36
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Sunday 5th March
Matthew 25:37-46
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Marion Carson
Chaplain
