The Reward of Faithfulness

Boaz has a plan to make Ruth his wife and become the "Goel" (kinsman redeemer) of her and Naomi as well. He heads to the gate in Bethlehem where all official proceedings occurred and the relative with the higher redemption right comes by. In front of a panel of elders and witnesses Boaz relays the situation of Naomi's land and the need to redeem her. The relative accepts the role of Goel. But there is a catch. Although not required by law, in front of everybody Boaz demonstrates the right thing to do would also be a form of levirate marriage, to marry Ruth the Moabitess to raise up the name of the deceased. This is not in the letter of the law but the spirit of the law. This would be to love God and love neighbor in an extraordinary way but the may cannot risk his name and his inheritance. Boaz would gladly have his name forgotten and his inheritance to go to someone related to the Elimelech bloodline than to leave this woman with a husband and redeemer. When the relative forfeits his rights Boaz says he will make Ruth his wife. She was a foreigner, a slave girl, a widow, a follower of Chemosh but now she is a child of God, an Israelite by deeds, a woman of excellence, and now the wife of Boaz. This is a reversal of the Genesis 38 levirate marriage story with Judah and Tamar. Boaz and Ruth right the wrongs of his ancestors. The townswoman call for Yahweh to bless Ruth with fertility and prowess like Rachel and Leah. For Naomi, she is no longer empty or bitter. The Lord has filled her cup to the brim. She will be well taken care of and the baby boy that is born to Boaz and Ruth becomes like her own. God has not left them without a redeemer today.