How does Ruth 2:20 connect to God's covenant faithfulness in Scripture? Ruth 2:20 in Front-Row View “Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘May the LORD bless him! He has not withdrawn His kindness from the living or the dead.’ Then she added, ‘That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers.’” Spotlight on “Kindness” — the Covenant Word - “Kindness” translates the Hebrew ḥesed, the same word God uses of Himself in Exodus 34:6: “abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.” - ḥesed is never mere sentiment; it’s covenant loyalty, love that keeps promises even when it costs. - Naomi sees Boaz’s act not as random charity but as the tangible, present expression of the LORD’s perpetual ḥesed. Legal Safety Net — the Kinsman-Redeemer - Leviticus 25:25, 47-49 and Deuteronomy 25:5-10 set out the “go’el” role: a near relative who: • buys back land to keep it inside the family, • frees enslaved kin, • raises up offspring for a deceased brother so the name is not erased. - By identifying Boaz as “one of our kinsman-redeemers,” Naomi links Ruth’s personal need to God’s larger covenant structure. The law itself is an outworking of ḥesed; Boaz is stepping into a God-ordained office of rescue. Echoes through Israel’s Story - Genesis 24:27 — Abraham’s servant praises God for “His loving devotion and faithfulness” (ḥesed) in guiding him to Rebekah, securing covenant continuity. - 2 Samuel 9 — David shows ḥesed to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, mirroring God’s covenant grace. - Psalm 136 — “His loving devotion endures forever.” Every line celebrates historical acts proving ḥesed. - Throughout, God’s faithfulness unfolds by using willing human agents; Boaz stands in that trusted line. From Boaz to the Ultimate Redeemer - Ruth 4:13-17 traces the line from Boaz to David, setting the stage for the Messiah. - Luke 1:68 identifies Jesus as the climactic “Redeemer” sent “to remember His holy covenant.” - Galatians 4:4-5; Titus 2:14 — Jesus purchases freedom for His kin, fulfilling the go’el pattern perfectly. - Revelation 5:9 — Heaven’s song hails the Lamb who “purchased for God persons from every tribe,” crowning the Bible’s redemption theme. Take-Home Connections - God’s covenant faithfulness is not abstract; it shows up in concrete acts of rescue for real families. - Naomi’s blessing recognizes that God’s ḥesed spans “the living and the dead,” covering past loss and present hope. - Every believer, like Ruth, stands under that same faithful love, secured finally in Christ, the greater Boaz, whose redeeming work will never be withdrawn. |
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