“As the Lord lives, I will redeem you.” Ruth 3:13
Anna would have known the story of Ruth, and being a widow for all these years, this story must have had a special place in her heart.
It is the story of two women: Naomi, who was married to a man called Elimelech, and Ruth, who was married to their son. In a short space of time, both Elimelech and his son died, leaving Naomi and her daughter-in-law as widows.
There are two Old Testament laws you need to know to understand this story. The first is the law of redemption, which said that if a person had to sell their land, the “right to buy” was given first to the nearest relative (Lev. 25:25). The second is the law of levirate marriage, which said that if a man died without leaving children, his nearest relative should take responsibility for the dead man’s widow (Dt. 25:5-10).
The question at the heart of the story is whether there would be a redeemer willing to pay the price for the land, and willing to provide a home and a future for Ruth. There was such a man, and his name was Boaz. The price of redeeming was more than a one-time payment; it was a lifelong commitment. Boaz had come to love Ruth, and he was ready to do whatever it would take to make her his own.
This story is given to us to tell us about Jesus. He became our near relative by taking human form in order to redeem us, and he was ready to pay the ultimate price of all that he suffered on the cross in order to make us his own.
Can you see how Jesus redeemed you as an act of love?
