Inheritance
(Ruth 4: 1∼10)
Inheritance might remind us of an enterprise or a business group. Yet it refers to the kingdom of heaven. Ruth is waiting for the marriage that Boaz promised to be fulfilled. The goal of this marriage is redemption. The goal is redemption, not marriage. In Ruth, Boaz is the redeemer, who owns his eternal inheritance in heaven. The goal of our life is this eternal inheritance. Lets see the meaning of redeeming this inheritance.
1. We need to marry to inherit. Boaz decided to marry for redemption. This resolution and application gave him peace and joy after the recovery of his worship. God blessed him by freeing him of his fixed idea that he should marry Ruth at any cost. He thought I might not be able to marry her! Thats why he gave the priority to the number one redeemer. Faith is empty mind. It is focusing only on Jesus like Boaz application of giving the choice to the number one redeemer against his own will to marry her. Boaz neither exceeded his authority nor ignored each procedures. Nor was he fretful no matter how he desperately wanted to marry her. This is the right attitude of a redeemer. Remember! We need to marry for redemption, the goal of our marriage. What about you? Did you marry for redemption or vice versa?
2. Receiving inheritance is the opportunity to be blessed. Boaz invited the number one redeemer and ten elders as witnesses and told the number one redeemer that he had the right to redeem the inheritance of Naomi but if he wouldnt redeem it, Boaz himself would. It is a great blessing to meet the people of faith or an incident that takes our faith. Yet, the number one redeemer said casually that he would redeem it in order not to seem to avoid his duty. Because of his spiritual blindness, he simply paid a lip service, not knowing that marrying Ruth would be one of the greatest blessings in his life. The theme of the sharing of a small group was dozing during the sermon. We doze during the worship because we dont know how great it is that we are redeemed. Worship is an action of redemption, which makes us understand salvation. Nevertheless, unfortunately some of us doze during the sermon even in Wooridle Church, the venue of people and incidents that calls for our faith.
3. It takes our sacrifice. Boaz awakened the number one redeemer to the fact that when he buys the land, he needs to marry Ruth in order to maintain the name of Elimelech with his property. Then the self-centered person, called my friend kicked away his blessing of being enrolled in Jesus genealogy just as Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew. He threw away Gods law, thinking that he might endanger his own estate. Redemption is an altruistic action. Self-centeredness causes a conflict in our community. Boaz chose to redeem Elimelechs inheritance, which seemed profitless from a worldly perspective, because he had already experienced the heavenly kingdom through faith. His choice was not a worldly name. Christian marriage that guarantees no worldly prosperity is an action of redemption. Thus Boaz and Ruth, through their faith marriage, were enrolled in Jesus lineage.
4. Its Proclaiming your shame before witnesses. Boaz proclaimed before witnesses that he would take all the risks of his redemption. He also mentioned Ruth, the Moabite before them. Its like saying to world, 'Look, heres a Moabite woman you despise! Im going to marry this widow Ruth. No talking behind my back! Dont gossip!” What a blunt but straightforward proclamation! This is a real redeemers attitude. Boazs proclamation can be compared to what we open of ourselves before the congregation. Its like confessing that were still struggling with watching porno or that were jealous of a deacon who has strong faith and a good career. May God bless us all to be a redeemer by revealing our shames before witnesses rather than a possessor of wealth, who has nothing to hand over to his descendants!
'Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, 'Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon.' (Ruth 4: 9)
