In the story of Ruth, redemption is restoring the name of the dead to his inheritance.
Boaz gathered 10 town elders at the city gate, a spot for business and justice. He told the man who had the first right of redemption about a piece of land for sale that he may want to redeem. The man agreed, but then discovered he also had to take Naomi as part of the deal.
Notice how redemption maintained the name of the dead.
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property” (Ruth 4:5).
The Importance of a Name
The name matters. Jesus revealed the Father’s name, and salvation comes only through his name.
“I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26).
“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Similarly, Ruth told Naomi the redeemer’s name.
Her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz” (Ruth 2:19).
Knowing the Redeemer’s name is essential to being among the redeemed. Redemption involves knowing and being known by a name.
Boaz is Free to Marry Ruth
The man didn’t want to take Ruth along with the property, so he took off his sandal to show he was refusing Boaz’s offer. We’re not exactly sure what taking off the sandal means, but it might signify not claiming the land as his own.
Because of this, Ruth became available for Boaz to marry.
Boaz said, “I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance, in order that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his kindred and from the gate of his native place; today you are witnesses.”
Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem;
And, through the children that the Lord will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah” (Ruth 4:10-12).
When one person finds redemption, it impacts the entire nation. Salvation isn’t just about individuals; it’s about people in a faith community.
The union of Boaz and Ruth brings fame to Bethlehem through their descendant David and, even more so, through Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, the city of David.
Through Jesus, redemption reaches the whole world.
The Name
The opening words of the Lord’s Prayer are: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9).
Why is God’s name so important that it needs to be set apart as holy? God’s name represents his character, nature, reputation, and presence. So, when we think about who God is, we honor his name.
Human names matter to God. The short story of Ruth, found between the books of Judges and 1 Samuel, involves ordinary people. Yet, God noticed them. Each person had a name, dreams, hopes, desires, and plans. God worked quietly in their lives, not just to care for them but also to bring forth a Redeemer.
Our names matter to God, but they become fully realized when we recognize the name of Jesus, the name above all names. By inviting him into our lives and seeking to emulate his character and nature, we find true meaning.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I finished our study of Ruth today on YouTube.
Real Voices 