Boaz at the Gate

[Read Ruth 4:1-12]

I decided to preach through the book of Ruth for a couple different reasons. We did a long series through the book of Revelation, which I really enjoyed, but it was pretty intense. The focus of the book of Revelation is on the battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. At times, the book of Revelation paints a dark picture of the world and its faithlessness. It also paints a picture of the church in the midst of this battle, fighting as we look forward to our reward. It was a good series, but it was pretty heavy. So, I decided to pick a series that was a bit “lighter” by going through the book of Ruth. 

Yet, there’s more to it than that. The book of Ruth is covering many of the same topics, but from a different light. So, while Revelation graphically shows the faithlessness of the world, Ruth begins reminding us that this story occurs during the period of the Judges, when faithlessness ran rampant—when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. While Revelation showed the church in the midst of this battle with faithlessness, the book of Ruth tells us a story about some faithful people of God, living in the midst of a faithless generation. This is how they are fighting the battle. The book of Ruth is answering one important question that each of us should be asking: How do we live out our faith in the midst of a faithless generation? 

In answering that question, the book of Ruth gives us one important thing to consider: We cannot measure our faithfulness against the faithlessness of those around us. If you live in a faithless generation—like we do—you cannot accurately measure your faithfulness according to their lack of faith. The bar is set pretty low. It’s EASY to LOOK like you're faithful when everyone around you is faithless. Yet, our faithfulness is never to be measured according to the people around us. We are to measure our faithfulness according to our God and what He has told us in His word. That’s the standard. We’ve looked at this contrast throughout the book of Ruth and we see it again in this passage.  

The beginning of chapter 4 shows us that Naomi was right. She told Ruth Boaz wouldn’t wait around, but would get to work right away. Now we see him getting to work right away—most likely as Naomi is talking to Ruth, or shortly thereafter. We read, “Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there.” (Ruth 4:1, ESV). The way things are worded, it seems like Boaz sent Ruth home with the barley, then headed to the gate and sat there…waiting for the redeemer. 

Then we read, “And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, “Turn aside, friend; sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.” (Ruth 4:1, ESV). This “behold” has the same effect as the other “beholds” throughout the story. It’s a pointer to God’s providence, saying, “Looky there. The Redeemer came by fairly quickly at the right time. I WONDER how that happened.” Again, it’s a reminder that God is at work. He’s working behind the scenes and on the edges of the story, bringing everything about in the proper time. 

Once Boaz finds the redeemer, he gathers some of the elders. We read, “And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.” (Ruth 4:2, ESV). This was a necessary step in doing business—especially family business. Since Boaz wanted to talk about redeeming Ruth and Naomi, and it was a family affair, he needed to gather the elders of the family. That’s how they did things. The elders were there to oversee the process, make sure things were done in good order, and to serve as public witnesses of what took place. 

Once Boaz gets everything in order, and everyone gathers in the right place, he explains why he’s gathered everyone. He says to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. So I thought I would tell you of it and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.’ If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you.”” (Ruth 4:3–4, ESV). So he explains everything…kinda. He lets the redeemer know that Naomi is “selling” her land. That’s not exactly right. There’s no money passing hands. Naomi needs someone to redeem her land. There are only two people who can rightly redeem the land. Either this man or Boaz. Since this redeemer is the closer relative, Boaz is talking to him first. Either way, someone needs to do the redeeming. So will it be this guy or will it be Boaz? The redeemer answers saying, “I will redeem it.” (Ruth 4:3–4, ESV). 

But Boaz has more to say. He says, “The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance.” (Ruth 4:5, ESV). There’s more than just a field at stake here. Ruth also needs redemption. This is a package deal. This causes the redeemer to change his mind and say, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.” (Ruth 4:6, ESV). 

Look carefully at the way the redeemer responds. He doesn’t say, “Oh, if that’s the case, I no longer want to redeem.” He says, “I CANNOT redeem it.” Some have presented the redeemer’s words as if he didn’t want Ruth, but that’s not quite accurate. He said he couldn’t do it if Ruth was part of the deal. Why? Because bringing Ruth into the picture was costly. It could possibly hurt the inheritance meant for his children. It was a costly commitment that he didn’t think he could afford. So, he says, “I can’t do it. You’ve got to do it Boaz.” 

There’s a lot of talk about the way Boaz presents this proposal. People wonder why Boaz doesn’t mention Ruth at the beginning. Isn’t that the reason he’s there? Why is he only talking about the land at first, and only brings Ruth into the picture AFTER the redeemer accepts the land? Many pastors and commentators believe Boaz is carefully presenting his case in order to get what he wants—Ruth. They see that he’s being clever and shrewd. That might be right, but I think something else is going on here. Boaz has repeatedly shown himself as a patient, Godly man who trusts God to fulfill his purposes, so why would that change now? Why would Boaz NOW start twisting things, playing games, and taking matters into his own hands? 

Here’s what I think. I think this is presented in this way to show us something. It shows us the EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS of Boaz. Think about it. It was totally reasonable to redeem the field. There wasn’t much risk involved in redeeming the field—only benefit for you and your family. But, redeeming Ruth and Naomi, that was a-whole-nother story. Redeeming Ruth and Naomi was risky—costly. It could damage the inheritance you had prepared for your children. Yet, Boaz was still willing to proceed with the redemption, DESPITE the risk and the cost involved. He was showing EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS. 

This is a similar contrast to what we saw in chapter 1. When Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to return home, Orpah did what was expected. We are never told she did something wrong. Yet, Ruth did something risky, costly—she showed EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS. We see the same thing here. The redeemer and Boaz are faced with a risky, costly decision. The redeemer does what is EXPECTED and avoids the risk. We’re never told he did something wrong. However, we see Boaz’s willingness to take the risk and bear the cost—we see his EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS. 

This is explicitly shown as Boaz makes his public vows to the elders AND to the others who gathered at the gate to watch what was happening. The redeemer removed his sandal and passed it to Boaz, saying, “Buy it for yourself,” (Ruth 4:8, ESV). As the passage tells us, this was the custom of their day. It was a symbol that possession of something was transferring from one person to another. Boaz takes the sandal from the redeemer to show his willingness to take possession, then publicly says—before the elders and everyone watching—“You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day.” (Ruth 4:9–10, ESV). Again, the language of “purchasing” and “buying” isn’t quite the right words because no money was exchanging hands. Think of this more as a public commitment. Imagine Boaz standing up at the gate, looking out at the elders and everyone gathered, saying, “You are witnesses to the fact that I have committed to caring for the land of Elimelech, Chilion, and Mahlon. You are also witnesses to the fact that I have committed to caring for Ruth and providing an heir for the family.” This is very much like the public wedding vows we make today. 

Before I move on to the final verses of this passage, I want to tie everything together. Don’t forget that Boaz is making this public declaration of EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS in the midst of an unfaithful people—in a time of unfaithfulness. I think the other redeemer—measuring himself against the unfaithful culture—could have viewed himself as faithful (at least he was willing to redeem the field). But that wasn’t going to be true faithfulness when measured according to God and His word. We’re called to EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS when we’re living in an unfaithful generation. And this EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS must be directed toward those around us AND toward our God. 

Yet, some people get squirmy when we talk this way. Didn’t the Pharisees talk like this? Weren’t they trying to live EXTRAORDINARILY FAITHFUL lives? Doesn’t this type of talk lead to legalism? Not necessarily. 

Sinclair Ferguson has a great illustration about this. He says, “In our day we, too, need to understand that obedience to the Lord’s commands is not legalism any more than learning the keys on the piano, or following the composer’s score, is a form of musical legalism. Rather, it is the means by which we learn to make music!” Following God’s commands means living the life He has created us to live—it means living according to the music God has written for your life. That’s not legalism. It’s actually the life of faith. 

Yet, it can fall off the rails if you lose your focus. I’m not sure how many of you have heard of Joshua Harris. He was a big name in youth ministry circles for a while. He wrote A LOT about the importance of taking your faith seriously—really seriously. He wrote the book called, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” talking about how he planned to be hardcore in his dating in order to honor God. He wrote a book called, “Dug Down Deep,” talking about why we should be hardcore in our understanding of God’s Word. These are all things I wholeheartedly endorse—all things you’ll hear me preach regularly. Yet, last year Joshua Harris walked away from the faith, rejected Jesus, and went “hardcore” with the current of our culture. 

What happened? How can someone who was so “hardcore” for Jesus walk away from the faith? I don’t know Joshua Harris’s heart, and I don't want to pass judgement upon him, but here’s my best answer. He was a Pharisee. He was focused on trying to live an EXTRAORDINARILY FAITHFUL life, but it didn’t flow from FAITH and he didn’t LOVE it. It wasn’t about living life to please and honor Jesus, it was about proving himself to everyone else around him. That’s what the Pharisees did. That’s why they were so bitter. They were constantly doing things they hated in order to impress the people around them—in order to prove themselves. They weren’t actually living a life of faith. That’s the root of legalism AND it’s the quickest way to walk away from Jesus. 

Yet, the answer ISN’T to stop doing the things that God calls us to do. The answer ISN’T to live like the unfaithful people around you. The answer ISN’T to lower the bar and stop trying to live an EXTRAORDINARILY FAITHFUL life. The answer is to TRUST our God and LOVE the life He’s called you to live. TRUST that He knows what he’s doing and LOVE the things He’s calling you to do. That’s what the life of faith looks like AND it’s the quickest path TOWARD Jesus. 

It’s also the pathway toward blessing. After Boaz makes his public commitment of EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS, everyone breaks out with prayers of blessing upon him and Ruth. Three blessings, in fact. The first blessing is a blessing upon Ruth, that she would be like the matriarchs of God’s people. Then they pronounce a blessing upon Boaz that his EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS would produce renown throughout Bethlehem. Then they pronounce a blessing over his entire household—both He and Ruth—that God would work to produce a fruitful and faithful home between Boaz and Ruth. In other words, May God BLESS the EXTRAORDINARY FAITHFULNESS of BOTH Ruth and Boaz.

This is another storied example of what we see in Psalm 1. We read, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” (Psalm 1:1–3, ESV). 

So, how are we to live the Christian life in the midst of an unfaithful generation? We are to joyfully live EXTRAORDINARILY FAITHFUL lives. We must LOVE showing extraordinary faithfulness to the people around us AND we must LOVE showing extraordinary faithfulness to the God we love. 

This may seem ordinary and anti-climactic, but this is a picture of our warfare in the world. This is what Revelation was talking about. How do we battle unfaithfulness? We joyfully live extraordinarily faithful lives, as we trust and love our extraordinarily faithful God.