“Who are you?” he [Boaz] asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you a guardian-redeemer of our family.” Ruth 3:9 NIV

I am participating in a great online Bible study and our first lesson was on Ruth. Ruth tells the story of Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, a Moabitess, who return to Bethlehem as widows. Ruth’s story of redemption foreshadows God’s love and redemption for all of us.

In the Old Testament, Mosaic law proposed that all of the promised land given to the Israelites belonged to the Lord and that each property given to members of each tribe was to remain in their family and the family name was to be perpetuated. When Naomi returns to Bethlehem as a widow, she has no way to redeem, buy back, the land that Elimelech, her husband, had sold. Their family left Bethlehem because of the famine in Judah, and went to live in Moab.

Ruth met Boaz as she gleaned barley and wheat in his fields behind his harvesters. Boaz was gracious and protective of Ruth. Naomi shared with Ruth that Boaz was a close relative of theirs through Elimelech and was a family redeemer. A guardian-redeemer has a legal obligation to redeem property for a distressed relative.

In Ezekiel 16:8, God says to a wayward (adulterous) Israel, “I spread my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you…and you became mine.” In effect, Ruth is asking the same of Boaz. And he agrees.

Our God redeems each of us through the blood of Jesus. Jesus died so that we might be redeemed. I looked up several definitions of redeem. Redeem means: to buy back, to repurchase, to get or win back, to free from distress, payment of a ransom, clear from blame or debt, repair, restore, to exchange for something of value.

You, my friend, are that “something of value!”

Jesus willingly gave His life so that you and I might be redeemed, so that we may be called sons and daughters of God.

This week take time to appreciate the gift of redemption and give thanks to the Lord Jesus for His sacrifice for each one of us.

I thank God for each of you! And I thank you for joining me this week as we, like Ruth, are thankful for our Redeemer.

Blessings and joy that we are redeemed!