Do you have someone who would sacrifice everything to redeem you?
Cameron is probably the most selfless person I know. It’s one of the things I love most about him because it reminds me of Jesus. It also reminds me of someone else in the Bible, someone who foreshadowed Jesus.
He plays an important role in the story of Naomi and Ruth, a mother and daughter-in-law who returned to Israel together after they both lost their husbands (read their story in the book of Ruth).
Do you know who I’m talking about?
… It’s Boaz! He was a wealthy relative of Naomi, known for his kindness (Ruth 2:1,20). He was also one of their kinsman redeemers.
“What’s that?” 🧐 I can hear you think.
The concept is a bit foreign to us now, but in those days, kinsman redeemers were responsible for helping needy family members. For example, they could re-acquire land that a poor family member had sold or redeem a relative who had been sold into slavery. Or, as in Ruth and Naomi’s case, they could provide an heir for a male family member who had passed away.
Being a kinsman redeemer often meant making a great sacrifice. Boaz knew that if Ruth bore him a son, the boy would not be considered his offspring, but he would be Naomi’s son and heir to her late husband and sons (Ruth 4:14-17).
Does this sound familiar? Someone who gave up His only son for the redemption of others?
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 3:16
As with many stories in the Old Testament, the Book of Ruth beautifully foreshadows the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Boaz redeemed Ruth, but years later, Jesus would become the Redeemer for all humanity. We have a redeemer, even more heroic than Boaz, who died for our sins and fulfilled our every need on the cross.
In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. – Ephesians 1:7
Let’s thank God today for His love and redemption by singing a song of praise.
