In Ruth 3.10-13 we learn that Boaz blessed her and agreed to do whatever she asked. With us, we were lost sinners and filthy spiritual harlots yet Yeshua agreed to redeem us, too. But Boaz brought up a problem, he said there was another relative closer than he was. This alludes to the “works of the law” but this was going to be dealt with in the redemption that Yeshua will provide. So, she remained that night (type of spiritual darkness) and when morning came (truth and light) she got up before anyone noticed. This alludes to the bride of Yeshua (the Kahal) who is hidden from others, as in Eph 3.3-12 and Col 1.26-27.
In Ruth 3.14-18 it says that Boaz asked for the cloak that was on Ruth, and she held it out and he measured out six (number of man) measures of barley, alluding to God’s provision for man, and then she went into the city. Naomi asked how everything went and Ruth told her. She said these six measures of barley were to be a token to Naomi. This teaches us about the provision Messiah gives us to enrich our new relationship. Naomi then told Ruth to wait until she understood how this matter was going to turn out because Boaz was not going to rest until he settled the matter that day. We can only “rest” in Yeshua’s work, too, because it is for him to accomplish. There is nothing we can do to add to or detract from what he is going to do to settle our redemption.
Ruth 4.1-6 begins with Boaz going up to the gate and he sat down there. The gates were where business was taken care of and there were courts there. They will be a type of the heavenly courts (Dan 7.9-10) and God’s government planning our redemption in this chapter. The close relative of Boaz spoke about was passing by, and this close relative (the goel) symbolizes the works of the law and the flesh. Works will not provide true spiritual heirs.
Boaz asks him to come into the courts (gate) and sit down. He took ten elders of the city and asked them to sit down to conduct business. This alludes to all things being under the dominion of Yeshua (Dan 7.14; Zech 9.10; 1 Pet 3.22). Then Boaz said to the goel, “Naomi who has come back from the land of Moab has to sell the piece of land which belonged to Elimelech.” The earth belonged to Adam (Elimelech) but it was lost due to death and sin. The kinsman redeemer will redeem it (Boaz). Boaz wanted to inform the closest relative (goel) to buy the land before the ten elders who are witnesses. If he wants it, then redeem it, but if not, tell him because he was next in line to redeem it. The goel said he would redeem it, but he did not know about Ruth. We are going to see how this is very eschatological. Works (the goel) has been given every opportunity to show that it can redeem.
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.” Inheritance of the land is pointless without the one who it is given for, the heir (mankind). Rashi explained that Elimelech had two brothers named Tov (“good”) and Salmon (“robe man”). Boaz is the son of Salmon (4.21), which made him the nephew of Elimelech. As a result, Tov was the name of this goel and was closer, so he had first call.
After hearing about Ruth, the goel said he could not redeem it for himself, lest he jeopardize his own inheritance. He wouldn’t really, but he would be spending his own money on all this just to have it to the other heirs. There would be children to raise (money), and he would have to take care of the elderly Naomi (money).
Ruth 4.7-12 says that there was a custom in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchange of land to confirm any matter. A man removed his sandal and gave it to another, and this was the manner of attestation in Israel. In other words, he gave up his right to “walk” on this land as his possession. In Deut 25.5-10 we have what is called “Halitzah” meaning the taking off of the shoe. This was done when one brother dies but the closest brother refuses to raise up children in the name of his deceased brother with his sister-in-law. He refuses his duty to the family, so she pulls off his sandal and spits in his face. This is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house. This ceremony alludes to this ceremony in Deut 25 in some respects.
So, the goel told Boaz to buy it, and he removed his sandal. The goel wanted the land, but did not care about the girl, which is similar to what Satan desires. He wants the universe but doesn’t care about mankind. Then Boaz said to the elders, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon.” This was also done at Golgotha. Yeshua redeemed Israel (Elimelech) who was sick (Chilion) and consumed with sin (Mahlon).
Boaz said that he has “acquired (married) Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife (the night before in 3.9-13) in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased may not be cut off from his brothers or from the country of his birth place; you are witnesses today.” Ruth had a special place in his heart, being a Moabitess. She is brought in by grace (Deut 23.3-6) and she was the “treasure in the field” (Matt 13.44).
All the elders and the people said, “We are witnesses.” This alludes to when Pilate called on the elders and the people to be witnesses about Yeshua in Matt 27.24-25. Then they blessed Ruth and said that they wished her to be like Rachel and Leah, and to achieve wealth in Ephratah and become famous in Bethlehem. This blessing literally came true because both places are associated with Yeshua eternally. They also said, “May your house be like the house of Perez (the ancestor of Joseph, the husband of Mary-Matt 1.3).” His story is told in Gen 38.27-30. Tamar has twins by Judah, and when it came to give birth, one put out his hand and the midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread on his hand (a type of the blood), saying, “This one came out first.” But then he drew back his hand and his brother came out. She then said, “What a breach you have made for yourself” so she named him “Poretz” (Perez) meaning “the breach maker.” Afterward, his brother came out with the scarlet thread and was named Zerah, meaning “dawning, rising.” This is very eschatological.
Adam’s sin caused a “breach” and this first born is also Yochanon Ha Matvil (John the Baptist) who opened the way for Yeshua (Isa 62.10; Isa 40.3; Micah 2.12-13). The name Zerah is a form of the name Zeroah which means “arm” and a term for the Messiah (Isa 53.1). The name alludes to the “sun” (Mal 4.2; Psa 19.4-6) and it is also a term for the Messiah. It also alludes to the goel (Yeshua) who was coming after Yochanon (Luke 1.78, 2.34).
Ruth 4.13-22 then tells us that Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Yehovah enabled her to conceive and she bore a son. Boaz and Ruth bore fruit, which is a picture of the fruitfulness of those in union with Messiah (Isa 4.1-2). She blessed Yehovah for giving her a goel and being a restorer to life (like Yeshua) and Ruth was better than seven sons (a full blessing). So, Naomi took the child (Israel will take Yeshua as Messiah) and laid him on her lap, and she nursed him. The neighbor women gave him a name saying, “A son has been born to Naomi” so they named him “Obed” meaning servant. He became the father of Jesse (wealthy), who became the father of David, the king (beloved).
We also have something else interesting in Ruth 4.18. We have the generations from Perez to David listed, which is the messianic line. Here is a concept. In Gen 2.4 we have the account of how the universe was created. The word for “account” (NASB) is the word “toldot” in Hebrew (in the KJV it is translated as “generations”). The word toldot is written out fully in Hebrew. But after Adam sinned, the word toldot (Hebrew letters tav, vav, lamed, dalet, vav, tav) is never written out fully again until Ruth 4.18. One or both of the “vavs” is missing, and the letter vav is the number six in Hebrew, the number of man and sin. But, in Ruth 4.18, the messianic line from whom the Goel (kinsman redeemer) will come, the word for “generations” is written fully again (not seen since Gen 2.4).
The meaning is this. Man’s generations have been diminished by sin, but when Yeshua the Messiah comes and brings the redemption as our goel, man’s generations will be restored again. That is why toldot is written fully again in Ruth 4.18, Yeshua’s ancestors. In an ancient Hebrew text of Matthew 1.1, toldot is written out fully also (see “The Gospel of Matthew According to a Primitive Hebrew text” by George Howard, page 2).
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