How does Ruth 4:5 connect with Leviticus 25:25 on redemption laws? Setting the Scene in Leviticus 25:25 “If your brother becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his brother has sold.” • God establishes a family-based safety net: land is not to be lost permanently; the nearest blood relative (go’el, “kinsman-redeemer”) is responsible to buy it back. • The purpose: keep Israel’s tribal inheritances intact (Leviticus 25:23) and protect the vulnerable from permanent poverty. Boaz States the Obligation in Ruth 4:5 “Then Boaz told him, ‘On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.’” • Naomi is selling Elimelech’s field; the nearer kinsman has first right to redeem (4:3-4). • Boaz reminds him that redemption is two-fold: – Land purchase (Leviticus 25:25). – Levirate marriage duty to Ruth to preserve Mahlon’s line (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). • The nearer relative balks (4:6) because the combined obligations threaten his own estate; Boaz willingly assumes both costs. Shared Principles: Land and Lineage 1. Nearest relative responsibility – Leviticus 25:25: nearest kin redeems property. – Ruth 4: Boaz, as second in line, steps forward when the first declines. 2. Preservation of inheritance – Leviticus 25 stresses land. – Ruth 4 extends the principle to a seed for the deceased, intertwining land and lineage. 3. Costly, voluntary obedience – Leviticus 25:25 makes redemption a duty yet requires personal outlay. – Boaz’s acceptance models sacrificial love; he “redeems” at his own expense to bless Naomi and Ruth. How Boaz Applies Both Redemption Streams • He satisfies Leviticus 25:25 by buying Elimelech’s field (4:9). • He fulfills Deuteronomy 25:5-6 by marrying Ruth (4:10), ensuring offspring to inherit the very land he has redeemed. • Thus Ruth 4:5 shows the convergence of property redemption (Leviticus 25) and name-redemption (Deuteronomy 25), placing both under the single banner of the go’el. Broader Biblical Echoes • Isaiah 63:16; Job 19:25 – the Lord Himself is called Redeemer, foreshadowed by Boaz. • Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18-19 – Christ pays the ultimate price, securing an eternal inheritance for His people. Takeaway for Today • God safeguards families and the vulnerable through His laws. • True redemption is comprehensive—restoring both possession and person. • Boaz’s obedience foreshadows the Messiah who redeems completely, at His own cost, so that His people never lose their inheritance (Hebrews 9:15). |
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