The Kinsman Redeemer - Part III

Open your Bibles, please, to the book of Ruth, that portion of the Word of God which we are studying together. We will not be making a great many references to the book of Ruth except as a basis of departure. We will be looking at quite a few passages of Scripture which will emphasize the point that we want to leave with you today. Keep in mind that we are studying the book of Ruth at the present time from the standpoint of soteriology. We want you to become familiar with this word. We speak of soteriology because the Greek word for "salvation" is soteria, and the word "ology" refers to the study of salvation, or redemption, as it is found in the book of Ruth.

We have suggested to you that the study of salvation and redemption in the book of Ruth has a peculiar quality about it that no other portion of the Word has in the detail that Ruth has, and that is the detail that is presented in relation to the study of redemption from the standpoint of the kinsman-redeemer. We mentioned to you that the near kinsman, the kinsman-redeemer, is mentioned twelve times in the book of Ruth. That word comes from the Hebrew word gawal, and it is translated by the word "ransom," and it is translated by the word "redeem." So we expect to find in our study of the book of Ruth illustrations of the kinsman-redeemer--the kinsman who is able to ransom, the kinsman who is able to redeem.

We suggested to you that just anyone could not be a kinsman-redeemer. There were five requirements of the kinsman-redeemer recorded in the Word of God. First, he must be a near kinsman--that is, related by blood to the person involved. Then there must be a willingness on the part of the redeemer to exercise his privileges of redemption. Number three, he must possess the ability to redeem. He might be willing conceivably and yet not have the ability to redeem the individual concerned. Then we discovered the fourth requirement--that he must be free himself. There must be no incumbencies which would keep him from doing the thing that his heart desired to do. The fifth thing is that he must have the price of redemption.

If you are thinking, you realize that there is somewhat of an overlapping in these requirements, and yet they are so distinctive that we will not be able to understand this doctrine of redemption in its entirety unless we consider each one of them individually. The last time we were together we considered how Boaz, in the book of Ruth, was the near kinsman of Ruth and exercised his right as a near kinsman, being a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who exercised His right as near kinsman when He became flesh and paid for our redemption.

Now we want to notice with you the second requirement of this kinsman-redeemer--that he must be willing. We are looking at Boaz as the type of the kinsman-redeemer. We suggested to you that he makes a very excellent type for a number of reasons. We want you to notice those reasons with us now because if we are familiar with them and have them fixed in our minds, I think we will be able to better understand. So let me say that the willingness of the kinsman-redeemer is exemplified in the conduct of Boaz in contrast to the nearer kinsman, about whom we have already learned but is brought to our attention again in Ruth, chapter 4, verse 6.

RUTH 4

You will remember that this near kinsman was nearer than was Boaz, but he wasn't willing. He wasn't willing to redeem Ruth and her inheritance because in so doing it would mar the inheritance that he felt was his. The fact that he was able to has very little bearing on the subject. He was not willing to. If you will notice there in Ruth, chapter 4, verse 6, he said to Boaz: "I don't want to. You do it." Boaz responded to the opportunity, as we are going to see, because Boaz was very definitely willing because of his love for Ruth. So we might say that the willingness of Boaz to redeem Ruth and her inheritance was in response to love.

Several illustrations are presented here in the book of Ruth. We might refresh your minds by noticing what is said in verse 5 of chapter 2.

RUTH 2

We don't take the time to read the whole story because we have read it and made references to it several times. You will recall that Boaz was gone away on business, and while he was gone Ruth decided that she needed to do something to help fill the family larder. The cupboard was bare. The pantry was bare, and so she went out to glean in the fields, which was the custom of the people of that day. After the harvesters had gone through the field, individuals could gather the grain that was left. As she went out to glean, as we learned, she happened to light upon the field of Boaz. As soon as Boaz got back, he noticed her. The whole implication of the story was that it was love at first sight. He inquired about her. He got her life history, figuratively speaking, and made provisions for her in a way that he would not have made in relation to any other person. Notice verses 8-10:

RUTH 2

This represents love's manifestation; and when Boaz carried through the procedure of redemption, he did so in response to love, which is further indicated in the paragraph which begins with verse 15 of chapter 2, where you read:

RUTH 2

That is, let her do her gleaning before you have done any harvesting and don't scold her for it. Then he said:

RUTH 2

The idea was that as you are harvesting, be careful that you leave some good amounts of grain that when she gleans, she will appear to be getting what harvesters have left. She wouldn't get near that much if he did not provide for her in the manner that I am suggesting. So you read in verse 17:

RUTH 2

This was enough for about five days of eating.

There is another indication of how Boaz exemplified the willingness of the kinsman-redeemer in regard to his restlessness until the work was finished. In chapter 3 of the book of Ruth, verse 18, you will recall that Ruth had gone home and reported to her mother-in-law, Naomi, all that had happened. The mother-in-law said, in verse 18:

RUTH 3

The words of Naomi to Ruth emphasize the restlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ in behalf of our salvation. Boaz exemplified the conduct of the willingness of a kinsman-redeemer by refusing to rest until the work had been complete.

We pointed out to you in the study of the book of Ruth that typical study is worthless unless you follow through with the study of the antitype. The study of the type will have very little value unless you can follow through with the study of the antitype. The type in our story is Boaz. The antitype is the Lord Jesus Christ. So we would like to suggest to you that which was exemplified in the conduct of Boaz was fulfilled in the antitype, which is the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are talking about the willingness of the kinsman-redeemer, so we notice the willingness of the kinsman-redeemer declared. Turn in your Bibles, please, to Psalm 40, which records very interestingly what I refer to as conversation in the corridors of Heaven long before this earth was ever created.

PSALM 40

You will notice that the word "LORD" in verse 9 has ever letter capitalized, which means it is the translation of the word "Jehovah" and a reference to God and not to the Lord Jesus Christ. The word "God" here is the translation of the word Elohim, which is always used in connection with God, never in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ. So the person addressed is God, and the person who is speaking, as we shall see in a moment, could be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

While we are still in this portion of the Word, I would like for you to notice what it is the Lord Jesus Christ says. In verse 6:

PSALM 40

Notice the first and third statements: "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire." In light of what we are going to say a bit later, the statement simply means that sacrifice and offering--animal offerings, burnt offerings, sin offerings, and animal sacrifices--were not sufficient to meet the demands of God. There had to be someone who would be a willing servant.

We find the first suggestion as to whom that willing servant was in the phrase, "mine ears hast thou opened." If you were to look at that phrase without reference to other Scriptures, you might think that the individual who is speaking here is simply saying, "I'm listening. My ears are opened." But the reference is, rather, to the Old Testament practice of recognizing the bondslave--the slave who received his freedom at the year of jubilee, but declined to take his freedom out of love for his master. His master then would take him to a door where there was a door jamb, and he would take an ordinary awl such as you might use to punch a hole through a piece of leather, and he would put the lobe of the person's ear up against the door jamb, and he would piece his ear. He would put a hole through his ear, and that would be an everlasting reminder that that individual could have had his freedom. He had every right to it, but he willingly surrendered that freedom to another.

I call your attention to that because we are speaking of the willingness of the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer. His willingness, I would point out to you, did not begin after man's sin when the Godhead got together, hypothetically speaking, and said, "What can we do to undo the work the Devil has done?" Long before man sinned, the Lord Jesus Christ became the bondslave.

I would like to digress long enough to say that all of us could learn that kind of slavery, not a legalistic servitude, not a service to God and Christ that we render because we are afraid we will go to Hell if we don't, not a service that we render because we are afraid something awful will happen to us if we don't, but rather, a willing service. We don't have to do it, but we do it because we are willing. Certain sacrifices that we might be called upon to make in order to do the service the Lord would have us do, we don't have to do those sacrifices. We simply do them because we are bondslaves. This is the beauty of a surrendered life.

Notice verse 8 of Psalm 40, which indicates the willingness of the Lord Jesus Christ again. We read:

PSALM 40

We notice the phrase particularly, "I delight to do thy will." My, if we could all say that! I wonder how many of us do the will of God because we have no choice really. But the Lord Jesus said, "I delight to do thy will."

HEBREWS 10

You may be wondering, and you would have every right to do so, why I am so bold as to declare that this is a conversation that was carried on between God the Father and God the Son in the annals of eternity. Our reason is found in Hebrews, chapter 10. We ask you to turn there to notice the similarity of the Scriptures, the conversations, so that you can realize that this is indeed a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ and not to David, the psalmist. If we had time to read chapter 10, we might recognize the insufficiency of animal sacrifices to take away sin, the inability of that occurring. Notice, please,

in verse 5:

HEBREWS 10

Only one person has ever come into the world for whom a Body was prepared so that He might enter that Body. That was the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in verse 5 is an interesting reference to the virgin birth. Here in this verse is another reference to how the near kinsman was able to be the near kinsman, how the Lord Jesus Christ became flesh. A Body was prepared for Him.

HEBREWS 10

He taketh away the first order--that is, animal sacrifice--that He may establish the second order. What is that? Complete obedience to the revealed will of God on the part of the bondslave.

Notice verse 10:

HEBREWS 10

There is no question but what this is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. You will notice, "once for all," is emphasized in verse 10. Your eternal destiny and mine is settled today on the basis of the fact that His Body was offered once and for all, never to be offered again.

Sometimes when we get to thinking about our unworthiness, and I think it is beneficial for us all to realize how utterly unworthy we are, we might be tempted to think perhaps we are not good enough to be saved. How could we be made fit to live in Heaven? We are not good enough, but our goodness doesn't enter into it. Recognize the truth of verse 10. By the will of God we are sanctified, the will performed by Jesus Christ, the offering of His Body once and for all.

There are other passages of Scripture which describe for us the willingness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I would like for you to notice them for our mutual blessing. Turn to chapter 10 of the Gospel of John. You will notice in verse 14, the story of the Good Shepherd.

JOHN 10

You will notice the emphasis on the laying down of life in verse 15: "I lay down my life for the sheep." Just a simple statement that He was going to die for the sins of mankind. The thought is further developed, in verse 17, to include the Resurrection where He said, "I lay down my life that I might take it again. I am laying down my life, and I plan to arise from the dead after I have died."

Then in verse 18 He reaches the climax of emphasis upon his willingness as kinsman-redeemer by saying, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."

Sometime when you have time, I would suggest that you read the crucifixion stories in each of the Gospels. Each of them are different in the manner in which He died. Oh, yes, they tell the story of His death upon the Cross, but the the difference is in the manner in which He dealt with His Spirit. When you die, when I die, we gasp our last breath and that's that. We have no control over our death. When we die, we die. But it is an interesting thing to notice in the Gospel of Matthew that when the Lord Jesus Christ died, there is no record that He gasped a breath as a helpless individual human might do. Rather, since the Gospel of Matthew presents the Lord Jesus Christ as King, you read in connection with the Crucifixion that He dismissed His Spirit just as a king might dismiss a servant that he had no more use for. The servant had performed whatever work there needed to be done, and the Lord Jesus Christ yielded up the Spirit. "I have no more need of Him." I would suggest that you notice the differences in each of the Gospels. It would be an interesting study, and you would come away from that study convinced that the Lord Jesus Christ died a willing sacrifice.

I think one of the most interesting references to the willingness of the Lord Jesus Christ is found in chapter 12 of the book of Hebrews. Go back there for a moment and notice verse 2. It might be wise to read the first verse for personal application:

HEBREWS 12

Notice the statement, "Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." He looked forward to the joy that was His in being able to redeem the world from sin. He despised the shame that was related to it, but willingly went ahead with the full plan of redemption.

I would ask you to look with me to chapter 26 of the Gospel of Matthew; and as you turn with me to that portion of the Word of God, I would like to remind you that the interpretation that I am going to suggest to you is one with which a great many Bible scholars will not agree. I have taught it this way for years, and in my opinion it is the only sensible interpretation of the passage. Notice the paragraph which begins with verse 16:

MATTHEW 26

The most common interpretation of His Gethsemane experience which we have read is that the Lord Jesus Christ was trying to get out of going to the Cross and that at the last minute, He had some second thoughts and He said, "Lord, take this cup away from me if it is possible, but if it isn't, well all right. I'll drink of the cup. I'll go on the the Cross." I do not accept that interpretation because I believe that it is inconsistent with the whole character of Christ. I believe it is inconsistent as well with this prehistoric scene at which we looked a bit earlier when He said, "Lo, I come to do thy Will, O God." I believe it is inconsistent with what we found in John and with what we found in Hebrews, chapter 2. I do not believe the cup that the Lord Jesus Christ was asking not to be made to drink of was Calvary. I believe it was an attempt by Satan in the Garden of Gethsemane to kill Him so He would not have to go to the Cross. I think the thing that burdened His heart was, "Satan may kill Me here before I can go to the Cross, and there will be no redemption." Limiting His deity to His humanity as He often did, He said, "Father, if this is Your will, all right; but I don't believe it is Your will. I can't conceive of it being Your will."

Now, again you have the right to ask my why I take such a position. I am going to ask you to turn to chapter 5 of the book of Hebrews, verse 5:

HEBREWS 5

Glance back at verse 7, and you realize there was a time in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ when He spend a great deal of time in anguish of soul--strong crying and tears. The reason there was such anguish of soul was that He was afraid that He was going to die, and He asked to be delivered from that particular death. We are told in this passage of Scripture that He was heard, and God did deliver Him from that particular attack of death.

If the cup in the Garden of Gethsemane is a reference to Calvary, then God did not hear Him then because He did die on the Cross; but if it is a reference, as I believe, to an attack of Satan to kill Him in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was able to do the will of God, then God heard Him. The story goes on to say that He became the author of our salvation through this time of testing which culminated in death.

Our human minds are such that we would like to think that the cup in Gethsemane was Calvary because sometimes after we make our promises to God, we would like to get out from under them. Sometimes we rationalize things so that we won't have to fulfill the complete will of God. The completely surrendered heart is disappointed if it can't fulfill the will of God. One way to test your surrender is to look at a difficult task which you know is the will of God and see how you feel if for some reason you are prevented from doing it. Are you relieved? Are you glad? The truly surrendered heart is disappointed if it can't do that which it knows to be the will of God.

We are talking about the willingness of the redeemer as it is fulfilled in the antitype of Christ, and we have been talking with you about the willingness of Christ which is described in all of these passages of Scripture.

I would like for you to notice now the self-denial that was necessary to be a willing kinsman-redeemer. The nearer kinsman than Boaz, whatever his name was, we don't know, could have denied himself and become that redeemer. But he said, "No, if I become the redeemer, then I will mar my inheritance. I don't want to mar my inheritance. I am not going to do it." There was no self-denial there.

I ask you to turn to Philippians, chapter 2, because there is the story of how Christ marred, at least for a time, His inheritance in order to become the Kinsman-Redeemer of the world. Notice verse 5:

PHILIPPIANS 2

Notice in verse 6 the statement, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." In the form of God, He was equal with God. this phrase, "thought it not robbery," is not a clear statement of the fact. Rather it could be read, "Who being in the form of God, did not consider it a thing to be held onto without relinquishing it." You see, hypothetically speaking, He could have said, "God, I don't want to go down there to the earth. I don't want to take upon human flesh. I want to remain here on equality with Thee!" Had He done so, He would have been speaking as the unnamed kinsman in the book of Ruth spoke. But no, He was willing to be made of no reputation and take upon Himself the form of a servant that He might perform the work of redemption. There was the spirit of self-denial in His willingness, and we remind you of what is recorded in verse 5: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

Are you getting that today? You should have the mind of Christ. It isn't important for you to agree with me. It isn't important for me to agree with you. Things might be easier if we all agreed always. It is very important for you to have the mind of Christ, and it is very important for me to have the mind of Christ. To have the mind of Christ is to be a willing servant of the Lord, recognizing the principle of self-denial to do the work that God wants us to do. If you follow where He leads, that principle of self-denial will be necessary.

We said that Boaz did what he did because of love and what was exemplified in the life of Boaz was fulfilled in the life of the antitype, Christ, so that our redemption is the result of love.

A number of illustrations might be used to emphasize that fact. We ask you to turn to Ephesians, chapter 5, which is a familiar passage of Scripture to many of you because of the emphasis that we often place upon the relationship that exists between husband and wife. We are not going to read the entire passage because our time is already gone, but you will notice verse 25:

EPHESIANS 5

Just as Boaz loved Ruth and gave himself for her redemption, Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it. You will notice in the passage further emphasis upon love in verse 27:

EPHESIANS 5

He loved the Church. He cherished the Church--a result of love.

The last fact that we want to call to your attention is related to the phrase we have used heretofore--namely, "the restless redeemer." You will recall that Boaz, the type, did not rest until everything was done related to the redemption of Ruth. And in the antitype, the Lord Jesus Christ, there are Scriptures which illustrate that He, too, was restless until His work was finished.

Turn, please, to chapter 9 of the Gospel of John, verse 1:

JOHN 9

I have read this passage of Scripture the way that it is punctuated in the King James translation. It is an unhappy translation because it levels an accusation against God that I do not like. It levels an accusation against God that is inconsistent with the Scriptures. Read in the manner of which I have read, you would be led to believe that God deliberately permits people to be born blind in order that He might show out. He permits people to be born in malformed condition in order that He might put on a show. That is the gist of the verse in the King James translation, but when the punctuation is changed according to the context--and you do understand, I trust, that there is no punctuation in the Greek language. The punctuation must always be according to the context--we might read the verse this way: "His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents: that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents. His illness hasn't anything to do with his sin or his parent's sin."

A new paragraph and a new sentence: "But the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." The example of restlessness is seen in that the Lord Jesus Christ refused to get involved in a theological controversy which was being batted about by the Rabbis of that day. The baby was born malformed. It must have been due to some sin the parents committed sometime somewhere. Jesus said, "That isn't the point. The point is let's do something. The point is I must work the works while it is day." Here He is not referring to a 24-hour day as you see in relation to verse 5. He was referring to the time He had upon the earth. "I haven't got time, three brief years, to enter into theological discussion. I have got to get done what I have got to get done while it is day."

Slip back to Matthew, chapter 16, with me for a moment and notice with me a reference to another illustration of the restlessness of Christ in relation to the redemption of the world.

MATTHEW 16

You see, Peter, inspired by the Devil, was going to keep Him from going to the Cross. The Lord Jesus Christ was so intent upon dying for the sins of the world, He would let nothing stop Him, not even a well-meaning one who loved Him dearly, Peter by name, and He placed the blame for Peter's false intention exactly where it lay: "Satan, get behind Me."

I pause long enough to say, Beloved, that if you look at this particular instance within its context, you would see that this would have been one of the few times that you could have expected Satan to rear his head. The atmosphere wasn't conducive to it, but he was there. When we least expect it is when Satan tempts us and tempts us in ways we don't expect. Who would have thought that Peter would have tried to keep Jesus from the Cross, but he did. Why did he do it? If he had been asked, "Why did you do this?", he probably would have said, "I don't really know." You know, Satan does get into us sometimes, especially when we are out of fellowship. I am not speaking literally of Satan's indwelling us, because of course that is an impossibility for a believer, but he can prompt us to do things that we can give no rhyme or reason for doing. The Lord Jesus, who looked upon the heart, knew what it was. He could have said, "Peter, why are you talking to me that way?" He didn't. He said, "Satan, get behind me. This is not Peter doing this, not Peter talking like this. It's the Devil." If you are looking for an explanation of why some things are done, Beloved, maybe you need to look beyond the situation, beyond the person, to the Devil. If he can do it to Peter, he can do it to you. You are not too old for it, either.

Notice one last passage of Scripture with me. Luke, chapter 9, illustrates the restlessness of Christ until the work was done.

LUKE 9

It might be wise for us to remember that. If he is not against Christ, even though we may not be able to endorse and we may not be able to sanction the details, if he is not against Christ, let's not stop him. He may get something done that we don't get done. Notice, please, verse 51:

LUKE 9

The references to the face of Christ in the Bible would make an interesting devotional study for you if you need something for your own private devotional time. Take a concordance and notice the references to the face of Christ.

We are aware that no one knows what the Lord Jesus Christ looked like. Artists have tried to capture His expressions, and I suppose that there is some question as to whether they ought to do that or not in the light of the fact that we should not make any image of anything in the Heaven above, but still we do appreciate the desire of their hearts. I have often wondered if an artist could capture this expression, "stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." I don't know what a stedfast face is, but I do know that when He stopped there in Samaria, even though His forerunners had made preparation for Him to stay, no one insisted that He stay. Peter said, "You can't go!" But there was something about the face of the Lord Jesus Christ in Samaria, "stedfastly set," that when they looked upon His face, they didn't say, "Why don't you wait another day?". They got out of His way.

Christ was restless until our redemption was finished. Boaz, an example, a type, of the willing redeemer. Christ, the willing Redeemer. Our hearts should go out in praise to Him for His willingness to die for us.

We thank Thee, Father, for this time we have had. Speak to our hearts in a real way that causes us to appreciate in a new and precious way the willingness of Christ to die for our sins. For we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.