A Deeper Dive Into the Book of Revelation - Part 43
After the unnamed kinsman redeemer rejected his responsibility to marry Ruth and to raise up children to continue his brother’s family line, Boaz gladly accepted this responsibility.
I believe that, in his heart, Boaz was very happy that the unnamed kinsman turned down the offer to marry Ruth. I believe that Boaz felt that he had won a great prize in Ruth. To Boaz, Ruth was his “pearl of great price.” This is the same way that the Heavenly Bridegroom looks at you!
“Then Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, ‘You are witnesses this day that I have bought everything that was Elimelech’s and everything that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s from the hand of Naomi. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife to restore the name of the deceased to his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the gate of his birthplace. You are witnesses today.’”—Ruth 4:9-10 (AMP)
Boaz was able to see beyond Ruth’s shameful past and not hold that against her. He did not see her faults. He saw “a woman of excellence” (Ruth 3:11).
And because Boaz stepped up to fulfill his responsibility as a kinsman redeemer to Ruth, Boaz received the blessings that the unnamed kinsman lost when he rejected this responsibility.
Any time that we obey the Lord and do the things that are pleasing to Him, our lives are blessed. We benefit in many ways that we may not even realize when we obey the Lord. Those blessings impact every area of our lives now, and the blessings go on eternally to benefit our children, our grandchildren, and many others in our circle of influence.
God-inspired blessings were showered upon Boaz from the elders and all of the witnesses who were at the city gate that day:
“All the people at the gate and the elders said, ‘We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, the two who built the household of Israel. May you achieve wealth and power in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. Further, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring which the Lord will give you by this young woman.’”—Ruth 4:11-12 (AMP)
Boaz received blessings of fruitfulness, wealth, and power … but why was Perez mentioned in these blessings?
Perez was one of the twin boys who was born to continue his family line after Onan (a kinsman redeemer) refused to fulfill his obligation to father children with Tamar. (See Genesis 38.) And as we learn at the end of the book of Ruth, without Perez there would have been no Boaz!
“Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz”—Ruth 4:18-21 (AMP)
Maybe the ultimate blessing that Boaz received as a result of stepping up to fulfill his family obligation was that God placed him in the family line of King David and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!
“Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David [the king of Israel and the ancestor of Jesus Christ].”—Ruth 4:21–22 (AMP)
God rewards us with wonderful blessings whenever we keep His commands and do those things that please Him.
“The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul; The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed]; In keeping them there is great reward.” —Psalm 19:7-11 (AMP)
**Reference: **
Cummins, D. (2021). I Am Ruth Thy Handmaid. Capitol Worship.
