Where Is Boaz?
“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.’
At this, the guardian-redeemer said, ‘Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.’”
Today’s Text: Ruth 4:1-6 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
Among other things, a guardian-redeemer in ancient Israel was supposed to buy the property of any relative in the clan who was struggling financially, with the intent of returning that property to the original family during the Year of Jubilee. A guardian-redeemer was also to marry the widow of a deceased relative who had no heirs, with the intent of providing an heir for the deceased relative. Then, the inheritance of the deceased relative could stay within the family.
God’s justification for the guardian-redeemer are given in the law:
“ ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.’ ”
— Leviticus 25:23-24
Among the people of God, I believe that we find way many more people like the guardian-redeemer in this account. It’s not that he did anything wrong. But when he realized that he might not be able to keep the property and that, somehow, marrying Ruth and having a child with her “might endanger” his estate, he refused the offer. He was simply acting in his own and his family’s self-interest.
But clearly, God does not want us to model the guardian-redeemer of this account. God wants us to model Boaz. Whatever “might endanger” the guardian-redeemer’s estate might certainly endanger Boaz’s estate too. And yet, Boaz was willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of Naomi, for the sake of Ruth, and for the sake of the clan of Elimelek (Naomi’s deceased husband), and for the sake of either Mahlon or Kilion (whoever Ruth’s husband was).
And that is why Naomi said of Boaz in 2:20, “The LORD bless him! He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” Materially speaking, the story says nothing about how the LORD blessed Boaz. But the LORD did bless him, because he ended up becoming the forefather of David, and eventually Jesus Christ.
Of course, Boaz had none of those blessings in mind when he did what he did. Boaz did what he did simply to do what was best, which is to bless others. And so for us, Boaz becomes an object lesson of how God’s covenant promises given to Abraham would be fulfilled:
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
— Genesis 12:2-3
We should all be like Boaz, not like that no-name guy. We should strive for greatness, not no-name-ness. Because in striving for greatness by blessing others, God’s greatness will be revealed through us, and God’s salvation will unfold through us.
Father, You know that end from the beginning. We cannot even see one second into the future. Forgive us for chasing “greatness” on human terms, which is no greatness at all. It’s selfishness. Teach us Your ways so that we can see the glory of living according to Your word, and in that way, may You bless us. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
