Ruth 1 – The Book of Ruth – Redemption through the Kinsman [close relative] Redeemer — ‘Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:’

'Ruth 1:19-22 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi (Pleasant), call me Mara (Mary, bitter): for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.' - Ruth returned back to Bethlehem from her stay in Moab. At her return she was destitute her husband had sold the family land to go to Moab where he died and her two sons also died. In Israel the land does not belong to the people but to God so they can redeem is back from another person if the redemption requirements are met. Redemption is the practice of returning a lost possession or opportunity to the original owner. There is a strict legal system in place for the redemption process. 1. Only a near relative can redeem back property [land] for the original owner. 2. If a stranger returned the land it would be a gift not a redemption as the stranger would have to pay the current market price including being taken advantage of with a higher unreasonable price while the redeemer would pay only the correct original redemption price. 3. The Redeemer has to be a close relative, financially able and personally willing to perform the redemption. The redemption was not required to be performed it was up to the individual involved to make the decision himself.

Ruth 2-3 – Naomi and Ruth encounter Boaz a close relative near Kinsman Redeemer — ‘Ruth 2:4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem , and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.’ [Later King Solomon would name one of the two Temple pillars ‘Boaz’ after his forefather Boaz, 1 Kings 7:21]

'Ruth 3:15-18 Also he (Boaz) said, Bring the veil that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six [six represent incomplete, seven represents - completeness, rest] measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city. And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law. Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest [the seventh measure], until he have finished the thing [redemption] this day.' - The Biblical redemption process requires that the redeemer be a close relative otherwise it is not a return [redemption] but is just an outright transaction. Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of All Mankind and this is possible because 1. We are originally created in the Spiritual image of God (Jesus) so we are actually closely related to Jesus spiritually. In fact we are each more closely related to God spiritually than to anyone else even physically. 2. Jesus kept intact His close relationship [Kinsman Redeemer] status with all mankind in that Jesus was born of a Virgin without an earthly father. If Jesus had a earthly father besides Mary then Jesus would only be a Kinsman Redeemer to his close relatives. However Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and His Father is in Heaven who is our original Father when He created Adam and Eve in 'our' image [Genesis 1:26] therefore Jesus the Son of God is the eligible Kinsman redeemer for all of the direct descendants of Adam and Eve.

Ruth 4 – It turns out the Law of Moses although in the image of God and to some giving the appearance of the ability of redemption it cannot give life [raise up seed] and therefore cannot redeem — ‘Ruth 4:14-17 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a Kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he [Kinsman Redeemer] shall be unto thee *a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.’

'Ruth 4:1-13 Then went Boaz up to the gate [of Bethlehem], and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman [a closer relative, kinsman redeemer to Naomi] of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. And he took ten [ten - number of difficulty, a difficult task is taking place] men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's: And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. *If thou wilt redeem it [back to the family], redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee {this unnamed first in line redeemer is a type of the laws of Moses}; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, *to raise up the name of the dead {the law can own land but the law cannot give life or raise up life} upon his inheritance. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself {the laws of Moses cannot give life}, lest I mar mine own inheritance {cease to be the law and become something else}: redeem thou my right to thyself {in grace and love}; for I {the law} redeem it. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he {the law} drew off his shoe {When John the Baptist [Mark 1:7] said he was unworthy to unloose the sandel of Jesus this is what he was talking about, John was unable to redeem only Jesus is the Redeemer}. And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. *Moreover Ruth the Moabitess [Gentile Bride], the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine House like Rachel and like Leah [wives of Jacob], which two [and their two maids] did build the House of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman. So Boaz [the son of Rahab from the battle Jericho (Joshua 2:1)] took Ruth [a Gentile], and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son [Obed, he is the Grandfather of King David].' - The Law although in the image of God is unable to give life therefore doing what the Law was unable to do God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to redeem mankind and the world [system] back to Himself. - 'Galatians 4:4-5 4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.'

!!!Highly Recommended – Ruth: Chuck Missler Commentaries (Online Audio)

Mr. Missler is the chairman of Koinonia House (K-House), a non-profit organization which is dedicated to the development and distribution of materials for encouraging and facilitating serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. K-House was founded by Chuck and Nancy Missler, and moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in 1992. K-House now reaches tens of thousands through its monthly newsletter, radio shows, cassette tapes, and conferences. More than eight million study tapes have been distributed in the U.S. and in over 35 countries around the world. [link]

KHouse.org: Ruth – The Romance of Redemption by Chuck Missler – (MP3 Download $9.95)

What does this famous love story from the Old Testament have to do with the Feast of Pentecost? What critical element in Messianic genealogy is found in the Book of Ruth? The law shut out this Gentile Moabitess but grace took her in. Discover God's love for Israel, the Church and yourself through this beautiful love story of redemption. This key book of Bible prophecy highlights the role of the Goel, the kinsman-redeemer. Find out why the Book of Ruth is an essential study to understand the Book of Revelation! This briefing pack comes with: - two mp3 audio files - one notes file in PDF format - total file size equals 55 MB. [link]