I Am Ruth: Christ Our Redeemer

Just like Ruth sought out Boaz for protection and promise, we are also seeking the Lord for everything that we need!

In the book of Ruth, we meet a young woman who has recently been widowed, and left alone with her mother-in-law Naomi and sister-in-law Orpah (Ruth 1). Despite Naomi’s conclusion that Ruth would have nothing if she traveled with her, Ruth showed unwavering loyalty to her mother-in-law and returned to Israel as an Israelite, renouncing her Moabite heritage (1:16-17).

After a while living in Israel, Ruth becomes a collector of the harvest wheat, and she works in the field of a very just and rich man named Boaz—who just so happens to be a family member to Naomi! During Ancient Israel, this meant literal salvation for the two women. With Naomi’s wise instruction, and Ruth’s gentle obedience, Boaz successfully claims the women as his new family, securing them a future in Israel (chapters 3-4). This makes Naomi a matriarch again, Ruth a loved wife, and Boaz the kinsman-redeemer.

After reading this story, I was able to fully understand the role of Jesus as our own Kinsman-Redeemer. His sacrifice on the cross is what saved us from eternal damnation, and the story of Ruth illustrates it in a beautiful way:

Like Ruth, we seek our Kinsman-Redeemer to save us. However, sometimes, there is another “kinsman who is nearer” (3:12-13) to us who might still have claim over us. In this example, that another kinsman is the Satan, who only wants one thing—to separate us from God. We are all inherently born into sin (Psalm 51:5) so it is true that the Satan is technically closer to us in a way.

Now, our true Kinsman-Redeemer says this, “…If he will be your kinsman, then let him do the kinsman part…But if he does not, then I will do the part of a kinsman…” This is the caveat. If the Satan really wanted us, then he would have to provide, protect, and allow us to be the best versions of ourselves…and he is not doing that anytime soon! So, he leaves us out all alone without protection, without love, without provision, like Ruth and Naomi (1:3-5).

But Jesus—who already knows about us, and knows about our situation, what we’ve been through, and has seen our loyalty—He hears our requests and is READY to redeem us, because He has already seen us from afar off (Ruth 2:8-12; Luke 15:20). Amen!

Christ our Redeemer is ready to save us when we call out to him and ask for help. Everytime. (Ruth 3:9)

-Sherry Amor