Guardian Redeemer

Watch this small video before you read this Blog, if you know the story of Ruth you make skip this video.

Ruth and Naomi is a story from the Old Testament of the Bible about a woman named Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth. After Naomi's husband and sons died, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth, who refused to leave her side. Ruth worked in the fields and caught the eye of Boaz, a wealthy landowner who married her. They had a son named Obed. There are many spiritual lessons from this story.

We read a woman say to Naomi that God had made Ruth her Guardian-Redeemer.

Ruth 4:14 (NIV) 'The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord , who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! '

What do you mean by this Guardian-Redeemer ? How does this relate to us Spiritually?

History of Guardian-Redeemer

A guardian-redeemer was a relative in the Old Testament who had the responsibility of redeeming lost property or rights. Its as per the Laws that God gave to mosses in Leviticus 25:25 - '“ ‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold. '

How did God give them Guardian-Redeemer ?

To understand this we need to Read all the four chapters of Ruth 1 to 4

1. Naomi’s State of Desolateness

When you read Ruth 1, we learn a lot of things about Naomi on her state and how she reacted to her situation

• Desolateness - Naomi was in a Desolate state after loosing her husband (Elimelek) and two sons (Mahlon and Kilion) as they lived in Moab. She was a widow. Due to the drought condition, she was Desolate looking for help, She heard of God’s hand was there to help her Ruth 1:6-7 - 'When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah. '

• Bitterness - Naomi considered her life bitter and asked her daugter-in-law to call her Mara, there are two instances we read about her bitter heart (Verse 13 / 20) Ruth 1:20 - '“Don’t call me Naomi, ” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. '

• Kind heart - Naomi was filled with kindness to her two daughter-in-Laws(Ruth & Orpah) in her bitterness Ruth 1:8-9 - 'Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.” Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud '

2. Love from Ruth & Boaz

Even though Naomi insisted her Daughter-in-laws to leave, Only Orpah left. How ever Ruth stayed with her in her desolate state.

• Ruth showed love to Naomi in her bitter state and committed to stay with her and urged not to leave. She was serious to say “Your people will be my people and your God my God” and “Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried” Ruth 1:16-18 - 'But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. '

• Boaz was a Godly person, have you ever seen any one greet “The Lord be with you!” at work ? Ruth 2:4 - 'Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!” “The Lord bless you!” they answered. '

• Because of the Love that Ruth showed, God showed the Kindness thru Boaz to Ruth Ruth 2:8-10 - 'So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.” At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” '

• Boaz Showed his kindness and love to both Ruth and Naomi due to their desolate state as he gave Ruth six measure of Barely for the work she did and not allow he to go empty-handed Ruth 3:16-17 (NIV) - 'When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ” '

3. Sincerity & Humbleness of Ruth

• Ruth did not take advantage that Boaz was a distant relative of Naomi, she was very sincere at work, She worked hard to get about an ephah (Equivalent to 22 litres) Ruth 2:17 (NIV) - 'So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. ' Ruth 2:23 (NIV) - 'So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.'

• Ruth did not take advantage when she spoke to Boaz. She considered him Master and herself a servant and humbled her lower than any. Ruth 2:13 (NIV) - '“May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.” '

God’s reward for Ruth

• Because Ruth and Boaz played the role of guardian-redeemer, she had a son Obed who was the Grandfather of David Ruth 4:17,22 - 'The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.'

• When we read the Genealogy of Jesus we read about Ruth and Boaz as well. They were rewarded to be God’s chosen generation. Matthew 1:5-6 - 'Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, '

Spiritual learning for us

• Jesus serves as our Guardian Redeemer, as his name "Jesus" means "Savior," and he came to save people from their sins. He is the only path to redeeming our sins. Matthew 1:21 - 'She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” '

• Similar to Naomi's situation, we may find ourselves in a desolate state where the world judges us based on our character or appearance. However, as believers in Jesus, we have the assurance that he does not condemn us. Instead, he frees us from the consequences of our sins, which ultimately lead to death, if we seek forgiveness sincerely from our heart. Romans 8:1-2 - 'Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. '

• Just as Ruth's humility was rewarded by God, he also extends his grace to us when we humble ourselves before him and others. This grace is an immeasurable and abundant reward from God, reserved for those whom he loves and is a result of our humility. James 4:6 'But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” '

• In the same way that Ruth followed Naomi's instructions, Jesus expects us to obey him. If we do, his love will abound towards us, and he will reveal himself to us. John 14:21 - 'Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” '

• Similar to how Boaz gave Ruth six measures of barley, our Redeemer gives us the first fruits( Holy Spirit / Love and Peace) that helps us become righteous through the fruits of the Spirit. John 14:26-27 - 'But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ' Galatians 5:22-25 - 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. '

• Similar to Ruth and Boaz, once we are in Christ, we share God's love, and through this love, we receive our inheritance as "children of God." Just as Ruth and Boaz shared in the genealogy of Jesus, we too become part of God's family and heirs to his kingdom. 1 John 3:1 - 'See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. '