A Redeemer

(This is the continuation and conclusion of Ruth--Grafted In, and I originally wrote and posted it to my previous blog on 03/13/2007.)

Reading: Ruth 3-4

Rth 3:9 And he said, "Who are you?" And she answered, "I am Ruth, your female servant. Now you shall spread your covering over your female servant - for you are a redeemer."
Rth 3:10 And he said, "Blessed are you of יהוה, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, not to go after young men, whether poor or rich.
Rth 3:11 "And now, my daughter, do not fear. All that you say I do for you, for all the people of my town know that you are a capable woman.

I've always thought this was such a tender scene. Ruth, in obedience to Naomi, her mother-in-law, appeals to Boaz to be their redeemer according to Torah:

Lev 25:25 'When your brother becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and his redeemer, a close relative comes to redeem it, then he shall redeem what his brother sold.

Before leaving Beyth Lehem, Naomi's husband had sold his land. Now, after the widows, Naomi and Ruth, have returned from Moab, they are in need of a kinsman redeemer. Boaz is touched by Ruth's appeal because apparently she had younger men to choose from, but he lets her know that there is a nearer kinsman than he, though he assures her that he will be her redeemer if the nearer kinsman refuses, and that is what happens.

Rth 4:14 And the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be יהוה, who has not left you this day without a redeemer. And let his Name be proclaimed in Yisra'el!

The book of Ruth ends with the genealogy from Perets to David, Ruth being David's great-grandmother.

Rth 4:18 And this is the genealogy of Perets: Perets brought forth Hetsron.
Rth 4:19 And Hetsron brought forth Ram, and Ram brought forth Amminadab.
Rth 4:20 And Amminadab brought forth Nahshon, and Nahshon brought forth Salmon.
Rth 4:21 And Salmon brought forth Bo'az, and Bo'az brought forth Obed.
Rth 4:22 And Obed brought forth Yishai, and Yishai brought forth David.

This genealogy is also the lineage of Yeshua Messiah. These 10 generations include at least 3 women who were not born Israelites. In addition to Ruth, who was a Moabitess, Boaz's mother was a Canaanite named Rahab, the woman who rescued the Israelite spies before the fall of Yericho, and the mother of Perets was Tamar, a Hittite. These previously gentile women became Israelites and shared in all the promises of the covenant, including the honor of helping to bring forth the Messiah, our Redeemer.