Redemption comes from God but through His instruments. Redemption from sin comes from Jesus but comes through the Gospel. That is the reason behind the Great Commission. The Gospel must be spread for the Redemption to be claimed.
The redemption sought by Ruth was not a spiritual redemption but rather a social one. Being a Moabite, married to an Israelite who died in Moab, Ruth's social relevance in Israel was limited. The redemption that she could avail, however, would not be solely for her, but also for her husband's family. Through her, there was a chance for Mahlon's name to live on.
Deu 25:5-6 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
Mahlon did not have a living brother to ensure that his name lived on. However, Boaz was one of the nearest relatives who could fulfil that purpose. Now it is up to Ruth to claim that redemption and for Boaz to provide it. Please note that this is the same Ruth who refused to stay back in Moab to find a husband and family among her own people. Whether it was due to her loyalty to her dead husband or her affection for her lonely mother-in-law, choosing to be redeemed by a man she barely knew made Ruth put power into a hand she couldn't fully trust. The question then arises that why did she do it.
Obedience-a way to Redemption:
Naomi instructed her in this matter. Ruth trusted Naomi and her judgement. Ruth knew Boaz to be a kind man, a man of authority among his servants. Was that truly enough of a reason to offer herself for marriage to him? Ruth's decision was never to go to Boaz for redemption but rather to obey her mother-in-law, her only immediate family.
Obedience plays a large part in God's plan for salvation. Our decision to obey God rather than our judgement often leads us closer to Him and His plans for us. Ruth had no way to know then that she would give birth to a line of Kings, nor could she imagine that she would be part of the family of the Saviour, the Son of God. At the critical moment, Ruth knew that God had given her the responsibility of bringing redemption to Naomi and her family by fueling the hope that Mahlon's name could live on through her offspring. In fact, it isn't Mahlon's name that we find in the genealogy of Jesus as much as we encounter the name of Ruth, a Moabite and a foreigner.
Mat 1:5-6 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
In a manner, Ruth's social redemption is directly linked with our spiritual redemption. God's salvation plan was never meant to be exclusively for the Israelites. God called Abraham to be a blessing for all nations. Ruth is symbolic of that foreign element in God's salvation plan.
Redemption as a path rather than an outcome:
The manner in which Ruth's redemption was achieved is however questionable. Ruth did not wait for her kinsman-redeemer to claim her redemption. She approached Boaz, a reputable man, known for his kindness and generosity to act on her behalf even though he is not the closest relation to her husband and does not enjoy the privilege of being the first to claim rights to redeem her. Ruth and Naomi understood that redemption is not a miracle that you wait for. It is a path that you need to walk on.
Naomi prompted Ruth into action who then obeyed and that forced Boaz into action. Action is an important part of God's plan. Salvation does not come by only believing. It requires the component of acting on that faith by confessing and living a transformed life. It is true that faith is the seed of transformation but without that transformation, the faith is not substantiated.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Naomi, Ruth and Boaz all acted to accomplish the act of redemption and only then did they partake in the promise of God that was yet hidden from them.
Redemption: a blessing for all
True redemption is not a ticket to personal joy or pleasure. Redemption serves as healing to all parties concerned. God did not design the plan of redemption to benefit one party and not the other. When the law is laid in the Pentateuch where a brother redeems the name of his dead sibling by taking the wife and bearing a child who is to carry on the deceased sibling's name, all parties involved are being blessed. The deceased sibling has his name carried forth, the wife gets home, a family and security and the brother get a wife and offsprings.
In Ruth's case, redemption has a few more aspects to consider. As a result of redemption, Naomi received a son she did not have hope of gaining because of her age and social position. Ruth, a foreigner, received a place in the history of Israel as the great grandmother of the second King of Israel and an ancestor to the saviour. Boaz received a place in the genealogy of the Messiah. The Redemption plan of God proved to be inclusive of foreigners. It is proved that God's redemption plan is flexible enough to reach out to the rest of the world.
Ruth 4:13-14 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son. 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.
The ultimate purpose of God's redemption plan is to bring Him glory. If we are not working for the glory of God then we are not working within His redemption plans. His redemption plan requires action, sometimes immediate action under absolute obedience. To those who are capable of such, He grants abundant blessings, sometimes unforeseeable blessings. Ultimately we have to first choose to act according to His plan because that is the purpose of free will. Ruth followed Naomi to Israel of her free will and obeyed Naomi of her free will. She was ultimately blessed beyond her expectation.
We never find out whether Ruth found out within her lifetime about the abundant blessings that her lineage was heading towards. In fact, before Samuel visited Jesse there is no mention of any indication by God that Ruth's family will be the chosen Kings of Israel. Often we never know what greater blessings our salvation plan will lead to or who may be blessed by our obedience, our witness, or our confession. We need to walk by faith and know that God will use our actions for His glory as long as we abide by His will.
