THE FAMOUS ONE IS JESUS
The little book of Ruth illustrates the use of the Levitical law (found in Lev. 25) which provided for a woman who had no male heir to retain her family’s property. This provision in the law called for a close family member to become a “ga’al” (גָּאַל), which is Hebrew for “kinsman-redeemer,” or “family redeemer,” as the Holman Christian Standard Bible translates it. In Ruth, Boaz willingly takes on the role of the ga’al, a selfless act that enabled Naomi and Ruth not only to have an inheritance, but gave them a son to carry on the name of their dead son and husband.
It seems ironic that it was a foreign woman who activated this law. Yet, God often brings people that are far away, near to Him in faith. The story of Boaz and Ruth not only illustrates for us the love, beauty and self-sacrifice of the kinsman-redeemer practice. It prepares us for the appearance of the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who is the son of David, son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz and Ruth, and the eternal Son of God. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the women’s blessing.
Jesus is the “well known” one, the Famous One (I’m hearing the Chris Tomlin song by the same name in my head right now).
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for Jesus. He is our Kinsman-Redeemer. Because of Him we are adopted into Your family as children of God. Jesus is the Famous One! Empower us to make Him even more famous today as we bear witness of Him to all that we meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.