The Kinsman Redeemer and the Book of Ruth

SERMON TOPIC: The Kinsman Redeemer and the Book of Ruth

Speaker: Gavin Paynter

Language: ENGLISH

Date: 4 July 2021

Topic Groups: KINSMAN REDEEMER, TYPOLOGY, RUTH

Sermon synopsis: In the Old Testament the kinsman-redeemer was the closest male relative who, according to law of Moses had the responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in need, danger, financial trouble or whose death needed to be avenged.

In the law it is made clear that only a kinsman could redeem his relative’s property, deliver his relative from slavery, avenge murder and raise up seed (children) on behalf of his relative.

This study is a look at the kinsman-redeemer in the Old Testament and the Book of Ruth and how this was a picture of the redemption brought to mankind by Jesus.
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KINSMAN REDEEMER

& THE BOOK OF RUTH

To save from a state of sinfulness and its consequences.

To restore the honour, worth, or reputation of. 1

1 www.thefreedictionary.com

DEFINITION

See NOTE 3

Some definitions of REDEEM:

To recover ownership of by paying a specified sum.

To set free; rescue or ransom.

The story is told of a little boy who built a toy boat. He loved that boat. It had a special place in his bedroom and he would sail it whenever he got the chance. One day, he was down by the lake playing with the boat in the water. But the wind suddenly changed and to his dismay, his boat was swept away.

REDEEMED

A few months later when he was walking down the street he saw his toy boat in the window of a pawn shop. “That’s my boat!” he told the pawn shop owner. “It may have been your boat,” replied the owner, “but it’s mine now and it will cost you R200.” The little boy went home and collected and saved until he had R200 and then he went back to the pawn shop and purchased the boat. “Little boat,” he said, “You are mine. I made you and then I bought you back. You’re twice mine.” God is our maker. But he not only made us, he also bought us and paid for us when we were lost. We are twice his.

1 Cor 7:23 You were bought at a price…

REDEEMED

English definition of a kinsman:

A blood relation or a relation by marriage

A member of the same race, tribe, or ethnic stock

Hebrew definition of a kinsman:

The Hebrew גאל (transliterated ga’al) came from the root meaning to redeem. The ga’al among the Hebrews was the nearest male blood relation alive. 1

Ga’al was used in the context of the Old Testament to convey concepts like redeem, deliver, purchase, buy back, rescue, ransom and avenge.

1 SOURCE: http:// dictionary.reference.com/ browse/ kinsman

DEFINITION

The kinsman-redeemer was the closest male relative who, according to law of Moses had the responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in need, danger, financial trouble or whose death needed to be avenged.

Translated words for ga’al (kinsman):

KJV (104) - at all, 2; avenger, 6; deliver, 1; kinsfolks, 1; kinsman, 13; kinsman’s part, 1; purchase, 1; ransom, 2; redeem, 50; redeemer, 18; revenger, 7; stain, 1; wise, 1

NAS (99) - Redeemer, 18; avenger, 13; bought back, 1; buy back, 1; claim, 1; close relative, 3; closest relative, 3; closest relatives, 1; ever wish to redeem, 2; kinsman, 2; redeem, 22; redeemed, 25; redeemer, 1; redeems, 1; relative, 2; relatives, 1; rescue, 1; wishes to redeem, 1 1

1 searchgodsword.org/ lex/ heb/ view.cgi?number=01350

USAGE IN THE OT

In the Old Testament, a kinsman redeemer was a close relative who could come to your assistance when you when you had lost your:

L AND (Property)

L IBERTY (Freedom)

L IFE

L EGACY (Ability to produce seed i.e. offspring)

In the law of God given to Moses it is made clear that only a kinsman could redeem his relative’s property, deliver his relative from slavery, avenge murder and raise up seed (children) on behalf of his relative.

4 THINGS TO LOSE

L

L

L

L

The land belonging to an Israelite could not be sold permanently. So in the year of the Jubilee (the 50th year, the land had to return to the original owner.

Only the use of the land up until the year of the Jubilee could be sold. If an Israelite sold the land, or rather the use of the land till the year of Jubilee, a kinsman could redeem the land if he paid the price for the remaining years. 1

Lev 25:25 If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold.

1 SOURCE: Kinsman Redeemer – Warren Paynter

1) LOST LAND

We have just such an example of redemption of property by the nearest relative found in Jeremiah 32:6-7.

The word of the Lord came to me: Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, “Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.”

We find another example in Ruth 4:2-4 where Boaz speaks to the kinsman redeemer in the presence of ten of the elders of the town.

Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. … 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.

Slavery was common in the ancient world. A man could become a slave in a number of ways:

He might have been born into slavery. The son of a slave was automatically a slave himself.

He might be captured by an invading army and be taken in chains to a foreign country to be sold as a slave.

He might fall into debt so that he was forced to declare bankruptcy. This involved selling yourself into slavery to pay off the debts that were owed.

2) LOST LIBERTY

In the Old Testament an impoverished citizen could sell himself into slavery, or he and his family could be sold by his creditors. We have such a case is recorded in 2 Kings 4:1-7 where the wife of a man from the company of the prophets begs Elisha for assistance.

Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.

Q: Could the slave ever regain his freedom?

A: Yes. But only if the full redemption price was paid.

Leviticus 25:47-50 If … one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the alien living among you or to a member of the alien’s clan, he retains the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his relatives may redeem him: An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in his clan may redeem him. Or if he prospers, he may redeem himself. He and his buyer are to count the time from the year he sold himself up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for his release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired man for that number of years.

2) LOST LIBERTY

If an Israelite was murdered it was the duty of his nearest kinsman to avenge that murder. The near kinsman had the God-ordained responsibility to execute the murderer. 1

Deut 19:11-12 But if a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities, the elders of his town shall send for him, bring him back from the city, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.

The term translated “avenger of blood” used in the above passage is the Hebrew word ga’al (the same word translated ‘kinsman’).

1 Ibid

3) LOST LIFE

If a man died without a son to carry on his name, it was the responsibility of his nearest kinsman to marry the widow. The first child would carry the name of the dead brother.

Deut 25:5-6 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

4) LOST LEGACY

Ruth 4:5 again gives an example of this requirement of raising up children for a relative who had died childless.

On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.

The Sadducees made reference to this law when they tried to trap Jesus with their question about the woman and the seven brothers (Luke 20:28).

Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.

The result of the Fall of man was that he lost his:

Land

Liberty

Life

Legacy

God gave the earth to man:

Psalm 115:16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.

When God created man, he gave him dominion not only over the earth, but also over all the animal creation:

Gen 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

1) LOST LAND

Yet man lost the dominion which God had entrusted to him. It is apparent that the result of the Fall was that Satan ‘stole’ man’s property. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness he offered Him “all the kingdoms of the world”.

Luke 4:5-6 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.”

Jesus didn’t debate the point that Satan was entitled to it. As a kinsman redeemer, Jesus (the Son of Man) was coming to redeem man’s property that had been stolen. Satan offered him a “short-cut” in this temptation in an attempt to achieve his own goal of being treated like God.

So it was through default that Satan took control of this world from man and became “the prince of this world.”

1) LOST LAND

Like Esau, Adam, the parent of all mankind, sold our inheritance for a bowl of stew. Esau sold his birthright and Adam sold our birthright by reason of his sin. 1 1 Ibid

Satan is not in hell at present, as some teach in error (due to the Amillennialism of the Middle Ages which taught that Satan was already bound).

Rather Satan roams the earth:

Job 1:7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

Note that Satan still does this in the NT; he is not bound yet (this will only happen after the Tribulation and will last for 1000 years during the Millennium).

1 Thess 2:18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us.

1) LOST LAND

Satan also has access to God’s presence:

Job 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

In Luke 22:31 Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.” Who would Satan need to ask for permission but God?

Jesus called Satan “the prince of this world” in John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11. He also said that Satan had a kingdom:

Matt 12:26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?

Satan also controls the world’s systems.

1 John 5:19 We know … that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

In his instruction about spiritual warfare, Paul indicates that the dark spiritual rulers exert power in this world.

Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

1) LOST LAND

Satan ‘rules’ over those who do not follow Jesus:

Eph 2:1-2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Paul calls Satan “the god of this world” (or “god of this age”). 1

2 Cor 4:4 … in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (NASB)

Paul twice refers to Satan and his cohorts as “the rulers of this age” in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8. The KJV translates this term “the princes of this world”. 1

1 According to Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon the Greek ‘aion’ can mean ‘world’ or ‘age’.

1) LOST LAND

Man lost his freedom or liberty at the Fall. Jesus said:

“I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34)

And Paul says:

Romans 6:16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Adam sold himself into slavery to sin and Satan. As children of a slave, we too are born into slavery.

2) LOST LIBERTY

In addition, Satan is the force behind sickness and demon possession:

Luke 13:10-11,16 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years… Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

Matt 12:26-27 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out?

2) LOST LIBERTY

In the Garden of Eden God had warned Adam of the consequences of disobedience (Gen 3:17).

3) LOST LIFE

… but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.

It’s clear that death is the consequence of sin:

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned

Man lost his life. He died spiritually the very moment that he disobeyed God. He died physically because God expelled him from the Garden of Eden thus denying him access to the tree of life. (Gen 3:24) 1

So as a result of the Fall:

Man died SPIRITUALLY immediately.

Man died PHYSICALLY ultimately.

1 SOURCE: Kinsman Redeemer – Warren Paynter

3) LOST LIFE

Jesus said of Satan, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

Why did Jesus call Satan “a murderer from the beginning”?

Man’s death was an act of murder perpetrated by Satan. Satan was the murderer of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and of every human being who has come into existence ever since. The death of all mankind stems from the Garden of Eden where Satan lied as to what would result from Adam and Eve’s disobedience. 1

1 Ibid

3) LOST LIFE

When God created man, He created him in His own image and likeness. “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” (NASB Gen 1:27) …

Given a commission to multiply and to fill the earth, man fell into sin before he could do so. 1

1 Ibid

4) LOST LEGACY

Man lost his ability to produce godly offspring in God’s likeness and image. “And Adam … he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image” (Gen 5:3).

Adam, dead in trespasses and sins, (Eph 2:1), alienated from the life of God, (Eph 4:18) and “alienated in his mind by wicked works” (Col 1:21) was unable to produce any seed in the image and likeness of God but only offspring like himself in his fallen condition. Adam, we are told, was created a “son of God” (Luke 3:38). We are brought forth into this world as “children of disobedience.” (Eph 2:2). 1

Adam therefore died without any spiritual issue but only such who were like him in all respects “dead in trespasses and sins.” 1

1 Ibid

4) LOST LEGACY

NEED FOR A REDEEMER

Three options were open to God as to what to do about man’s condition:

He could have caused Adam and Eve to die physically immediately. He didn’t. He provided a sacrifice for them and a covering of animal skins. (Gen 3:21)

He could have left them in their sin and thus they and all their offspring would be doomed forever.

He could set in motion a rescue operation to redeem those of Adam’s seed. Members of Adam’s seed who would submit to the conditions he set for their redemption. This was the course he chose to follow predetermined before the foundation of the world and the creation of man. 1

1 Ibid

Just considering a kinsman redeemer who was to liberate his relative from slavery, there were 4 qualifications necessary for a man to fulfill this role:

He had to be a kinsman (relative).

The redeemer had to be related to the one whom he was going to buy out of slavery.

He had to be free himself.

A slave was unable to redeem another slave. A kinsman redeemer had to himself be free of the debt and of the bondage which had fallen on the one who needed to be redeemed.

A RELATIVE & FREE

He had to be able to pay the price.

If he didn’t have the money to pay the purchase price, then he wouldn’t be able to redeem his relative.

He had to be willing to pay the price.

It was not enough to have a kinsman who was able to pay the price for redemption; he had to be willing to pay the price. There were quite likely a number of people who remained in slavery until the Year of Jubilee because their rich relatives weren’t willing to part with their money.

In Ruth 4 we have an example of an able but unwilling kinsman redeemer. When Boaz explained to the relative that he had the first right to redeem Elimelech’s land, initially the relative agreed to do so.

ABLE & WILLING

But when Boaz told him that buying the land obligated him to marry Ruth the Moabitess, he was no longer willing. Perhaps he was deterred by the fact that Ruth was a foreigner.

On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man’s widow…

Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.

Each of these 4 qualifications of a kinsman-redeemer was met by Jesus.

In order to redeem us Jesus had to be a kinsman (relative). He became our kinsman by being born as a man.

Heb 2:11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed call them brothers.

In order for Jesus to redeem us he had to become a man. He had to establish a relationship with us. This God accomplished by means of the virgin birth. After the Fall, God predicted that the “seed of the woman” (i.e. our kinsman) would crush the serpent’s head.

A RELATIVE

In taking upon himself our likeness, Jesus established the legal right to redeem us, a right which was not a fact while he remained in heaven. God had the power to redeem; he had the willingness to redeem but had to establish the legal right to redeem. This he could only establish by becoming one of us, and then, as man, to provide the means whereby he could effect our redemption. 1

1 Ibid

To redeem a slave, the redeemer had to be free himself. Now Jesus was free from the slavery of sin.

As a man Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” (Heb 4:15)

1 John 3:5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

Rom 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

FREE HIMSELF

A redeemer had to be able to pay the price. Jesus’ life was able to pay the ransom price for man because he was God.

1 Tim 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men

The redeemer had to be willing to pay the price. We see that Jesus was not only willing; he considered it a joy and privilege to redeem us.

Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame…

ABLE & WILLING

Satan is a usurper and through deceit became “the prince of this world” by taking what was rightfully ours. Jesus called him a thief and said that “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10)

Satan as “the prince of this world” was deposed by Jesus as “the Son of Man”. It was through Jesus’ death that he was defeated:

John 12:31-33 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

John 16:11 … and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

1) RESTORED LAND

Satan incited Judas to betray Jesus.

Luke 22:3-4 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.

John 13:27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

If Satan had understood that Jesus was redeeming not only our lives and freedom on the cross, but also the property he had stolen – he wouldn’t have instigated Jesus’ betrayal and murder.

1 Cor 2:7-8 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Jesus will return to reign over this earth as “king over the whole earth.” (Zech 14:9)

Gabriel said of Jesus:

“The Lord will give Him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and his kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:32-33)

God says to the Son:

“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” (Ps 2:8)

“The government will be on his shoulders” (Isa 9:6) and he will reign over the world “with a iron sceptre” (Ps 2:9 & Rev 2:27)

1) RESTORED LAND

Jesus will reign over the earth as a man:

Dan 7:13-14 In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an ever- lasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

1) RESTORED LAND

We will be able to fulfill the original command given to man to (along with Jesus) exercise dominion over the earth in the Millennium:

Rev 5:9-10 “… you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

This is why John records:

Rev 11:15 … there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

1) RESTORED LAND

In Leviticus 25:47–55 we read the following about deliverance from slavery:

“one of your countrymen becomes poor” v47

“sells himself to the alien” v47

“he retains the right of redemption” v48

“One of his relatives may redeem him.” V48 (Note that it says MAY redeem him not MUST redeem him. Jesus was not compelled to redeem us.)

“Or if he is able, he may redeem himself.” v49 (KJV) (We know that we are unable to redeem ourselves.)

2) RESTORED LIBERTY

Our kinsman redeemer (born of a woman) redeemed us from slavery:

Gal 4:3-5 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

We are redeemed from slavery to fear:

Rom 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.

2) RESTORED LIBERTY

In Luke 4:18 Jesus (in fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1) said that he had come “to preach deliverance to the captives”.

Those who follow Jesus will be set free from slavery to sin:

John 8:31-36 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants a and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

2) RESTORED LIBERTY

Romans 6:16-18 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Col 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

2) RESTORED LIBERTY

We are also freed from bondage to religious law:

In Gal 2:4 Paul, speaking of the liberty we enjoy in Christ, writes of false brothers who “infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.”

Gal 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2) RESTORED LIBERTY

Ultimately our physical bodies will be fully redeemed from their subjection to decay:

Romans 8:19-23 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

2) RESTORED LIBERTY

Luke 11:21-22 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

We were held in slavery by a strong man (Satan), but a stronger man (Jesus) has come to deliver us.

2) RESTORED LIBERTY

Death is one of the works of the devil:

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…

Our kinsman (who “shared in our humanity”) came to avenge our spiritual death by destroying “him who holds the power of death” i.e. the devil:

Heb 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

1 John 3:8 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

3) RESTORED LIFE

God demanded an accounting for the shedding of man’s blood because he was made in God’s own image:

Gen 9:5-6 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting… Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.

As part of the retribution for the spiritual ‘murder’ of mankind, Satan and his angels will be cast into the everlasting fire, specifically prepared for them.

Matt 25:41 … the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

3) RESTORED LIFE

Under the Mosaic Law, the kinsman could execute the murderer but he could not restore his kinsman to life.

Jesus will not only punish the devil, but he can do much more than the avenger of blood could do. He gives us everlasting life when we acknowledge him as our Redeemer.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

3) RESTORED LIFE

Remember death came into the world by sin (Rom 5:12) but by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus conquered death and took back the keys of death and Hades from Satan.

Rev 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Death only has claim to those who sin. So, being sinless, Jesus did not have to die. That is why he said that Satan had no hold on him:

“I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me…” (John 14:30-31)

As a kinsman redeemer he paid the price for our sin. So Jesus didn’t have to die because of sin, but laid his life down voluntarily to take our penalty (John 10:17-18).

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

3) RESTORED LIFE

We saw that if a man died without a son to carry on his name, it was the responsibility of his nearest relative to have children in the name of the dead brother. Thus Jesus was able to establish a new line using the name “the last Adam” - allowing a godly line to be established.

1 Cor 15:45-49 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

4) RESTORED LEGACY

The kinsman who redeems a relative is illustrated most beautifully in the book of Ruth. Naomi and her husband and two sons move to Moab.

There Naomi’s husband Elimelech, and both her sons, one now the husband of Ruth die, leaving both widows destitute and without a male protector.

Naomi returns to Bethlehem in Israel bringing Ruth with her.

Ruth gleans in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Elimelech (Ruth 2:3).

Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don’t embarrass her. Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.

Boaz shows kindness to Ruth ensuring that she has plenty of food from the gleaning (Ruth 2:16).

I have told the men not to touch you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.

He also offers protection by instructing his men not to touch her (Ruth 2:9).

In Ruth 3, Naomi tells Ruth that Boaz is a relative and advises her what do when he’s asleep at the threshing floor.

Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes… When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.

Ruth 3:6-13 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do…

Boaz … went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down.

In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

I am your servant Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.

Who are you?

Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I… if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing… I will do it.

When Ruth says, “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer” she was in effect boldly asking Boaz for a pledge to marry her. Note this same expression used by God to express his covenant relationship with Israel:

Ezekiel 16:8 “Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.”

4) RESTORED LEGACY

The concern Boaz shows for the widow reflects an aspect of God’s own nature. God is the redeemer of the fatherless and the widow and pleads their cause.

Prov 23:10-11 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.

Jeremiah 20:13 Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.

4) RESTORED LEGACY

God promises to defend and vindicate his oppressed people:

Jeremiah 50:33-34 “The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to let them go. Yet their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land…”

Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

4) RESTORED LEGACY

Boaz is also a type of Jesus because, as a man (our relative) he also redeems us from our dire situation.

In Ruth 3 we have a beautiful picture of a needy widow, unable to rescue herself, requesting the kinsman-redeemer to “cover her” with his protection, redeem her and effectively to marry her.

Just as Boaz responded positively to Ruth’s cry for help, Jesus is the true kinsman-redeemer of all who call on him for assistance.

And in the same way, Jesus will redeem those who put their faith in him from the curse, offer them his protection and make them his bride.

4) RESTORED LEGACY

Jesus started a new line of humanity with those who are “born again”:

Rom 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

How do we become part of God’s family:

John 1:12-13 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

4) RESTORED LEGACY

Now see the significance of the following prophecy. It shows the Redeemer will be sinless, will bear our iniquities on himself, will die, will rise again – and will produce offspring.

Isaiah 53:9-11 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

4) RESTORED LEGACY

There was a price to pay for salvation:

1 Cor 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.

REDEEMED

Matt 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

Our salvation is free for us, but it cost Jesus everything:

The redemption price paid was Jesus’ blood:

1 Pet 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Acts 20:28 Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

REDEEMED

Rom 3:21-26 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

REDEEMED

With that in mind, we can appreciate more what is meant when Jesus is called our Redeemer:

Luke 1:68 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.

Gal 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Titus 2:13-14 … Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness…

Heb 9:12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

REDEEMED

The Holy Spirit is a deposit given guaranteeing our ultimate redemption:

Eph 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

REDEEMED

COVER ME, COVER ME EXTEND THE BORDER OF THY MANTLE OVER ME BECAUSE THOU ART MY NEAREST KINSMAN COVER ME, COVER ME, COVER ME

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the NIV: THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB: New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. ( Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV: Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.




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