Ruth and the Closer Relative

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." - Rom. 3: 19, 20

As we study the Old Testament and divide it into two main portions - Law and the Prophets, we find the three books - Judges - Joshua - Ruth sandwiched between these two main portions. Now we know that Joshua in Hebrew means "God is Salvation" - the same as JESUS in the Greek. And so we see Jesus in the centre of even the Old testament! Just as He is the centre of all creation, and centre of time - dividing B.C from A.D (Anna Domini - Years of Grace Chapter over, close the Book .. :) we will come to that later).

On the side of the Law is also Judges, if you take Joshua to be the central book of the Old Testament - showing us that if we try to come to Jesus through the Law, we will enter into Judgement. And by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight... (Rom. 3:20 and Gal 2:16).

But thank God, you can approach the heavenly Joshua from the other side, what the Prophets foretold... and from the Book of Ruth.

Now Ruth is a Moabite - a foreigner - a Gentile! Disqualified in every way according to the law of Moses. But coming back to the place of bread (Bethlehem literally means "house of bread") along with Naomi, Ruth finds the kinsman Redeemer, who is willing to redeem and marry her!

But hark! There is a problem-there is a still closer relative! He should be consulted first! (Ruth 3: 12). To see if he could perform the dutiful redemption. Will he be able to perform the duty of a close relative? Redeem her... take her?

Now who does this unnamed close relative typify?

My friends, it is the law. The Law that demands perfection, calls for excellence in performance, no failures tolerated and would be quick to judge the error. The Law that says do this, don't do that! And when it comes to redemption, do you want to know what this close relative would say?

"I cannot redeem!" (I cannot SAVE!) Ruth 4: 6

Law that takes off the sandals, saying I cannot walk that path to redemption for you. Law that boasts of not missing even the dots and crosses of the letter; and still unable to justify even one person who does it. Law that shows how wrong you are, with all the right reasons, and still unable to make the wrong right! Law that subjects every one UNDER IT to a life of bondage - bringing up the Ishmael generation and the old covenant on Mt Sinai; persecutes the children of promise - the Isaac generation and those having the promises in the new and everlasting covenant on Mount Zion (Gal. 4: 24 - 28)

Thank God for GRACE. Grace that is greater than all my sin. Grace that would pardon and cleanse within. Grace that would pour till waters in deserts flow, and scorching heat of summer turns to spring time glow. There is a Redeemer kinsman. Jesus, God's own Son. Precious Lamb of God Messiah... O for sinners slain.

Yes, Boaz would redeem Ruth, marry her. And she who had been barren and a widow brought forth a son; Ruth also became the great grandmother to the sweet psalmist of Israel and a great king - king David!

How do we find grace? Or does Grace find us? This is a question like the "Which was first? The egg or the chicken?" question. Yes, Grace found me. Yes, I found grace. So then, brethren, we are NOT children of the bondwoman but of the free. (Gal. 4: 31)

Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a friend!

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother - JESUS MESSIAH.