Fri.’s Devo - The Kinsman Redeemer

Read: Ruth 2:1-4:22; John 4:43-54; Psalm 105:16-36; Proverbs 14:26-27 Everyone loves the story of Ruth because it is the Cinderella story of the Bible. Today we see the pauper become the queen. Naomi and Ruth had come to Bethlehem at the time of the barley and the wheat harvest. It was customary for the poor to walk behind the reapers and pick up what they dropped. Ruth went to do this so she and Naomi could have food. She just happened to reap in Boaz’s field. Boaz was the son of Salmon whose wife was Rahab. Rahab had been the prostitute who hid the spies when they came into Jericho (Matthew 1:4). So his mother had been a Canaanite who chose to leave her people and become a Jew. Boaz saw his mother in Ruth and greatly admired her for giving up her people and her culture to take care of her mother-in-law and become an Israelite. He noticed her right away. I would think that her nationality made her look different from the Hebrews. He made sure his men didn’t tease her or abuse her in any way and Boaz spoke to her directly. He told her to continue in his fields and he would make sure she was protected. He even told her to reap along with his women and told them she would be doing that so there would be no problems. He also offered her their food and water. Ruth was amazed at his kindness and the favor she was getting. When she told Naomi everything Boaz had said to her, Naomi got on her match-making hat. She told Ruth exactly what to do to let him know she was available and interested in him as her husband. Since he was related to Naomi he would qualify as a kinsman redeemer. When Boaz saw her intention, he was thrilled. He had already found out who was next in line to redeem her and went to the city gate to transact with him. He told the man that he was next in line to redeem Elimelech’s property if he wanted to buy it. He did. Then Boaz told him that he would be obligated to marry Ruth, the Moabite and have children in the name of her husband. He was not willing to do that. Boaz gladly bought the land and redeemed Ruth as his bride. They married and had a son and named him Obed which means “serving”. He became the grandfather of King David. Naomi had a baby boy to love and care for to help the pain of losing her own husband and sons. Ruth got to experience the love of God and the love of a husband and the joy of a son. In John, Jesus was on his way back to Cana where he had turned the water to wine. This was near his hometown where they had a hard time believing he was anyone but Mary’s son. There was a government official who lived near Cana who’s son was very sick. He heard that Jesus was on his way so he went to meet him to beg him to heal his son. Jesus saw this man’s heart and said, “will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” I wonder if this man hadn’t told himself that if Jesus would heal his son, he would believe in him or if he was saying that to the people who were just wanting to see something spectacular. Jesus didn’t do anything spectacular. He just told the man to go home and his son would be healed. The man did believe and went home. On his way he received news that his son was healed the very hour Jesus proclaimed it. This was the second miracle that Jesus did in Galilee. He had done many miracles in Jerusalem but these two miracles were specific. Both the turning water to wine and healing this man’s son were miracles where Jesus didn’t do anything but speak. He told the men to fill the pitchers with water and he told the man his son would be healed. Jesus did nothing physical and wasn’t even in the vicinity for the son. Lord, thank you for showing us the power of the spoken word. When it is Your word it is filled with power and it reaps results. Thank you for being our kinsman redeemer.