In our scripture reading this morning, we were in Ruth chapter 4. We've already set the stage for what happens in this chapter. There's someone mentioned here, besides Boaz, who is a critical person, a central person to the story. He is known as the nearer kinsman. In the book of Ruth, There's the story given of a woman who was outside of the commonwealth of Israel, a stranger from the promises of God, who is brought in among the people of God by redemption. And so the theme of redemption is critical and central to this book. But in order to have redemption, you have to have a redeemer. And the person of the Redeemer comes very much to the fore in this book, in the person of Boaz. But obviously, before Boaz could be the Redeemer, there was this other person who had to be addressed. The Goel, to give the Hebrew term, the Kinsman Redeemer, had to be a person who was able to redeem He had to be associated with the family in order to redeem, and he had to be agreeable to be the redeemer. And as far as Boaz was concerned, he was able, he was agreeable, and he was associated because he was a near kinsman. Naomi said that, the man is near of kin, Unto us, one of our next kinsmen. You see that in chapter 2 verse 20. It literally means, as the authorized version shows in the margin, one that hath right to redeem. But there was another who was nearer of kin. And Boaz recognized that. He said this in verse 12 of chapter 3, And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman. Howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I." And so this kinsman who was a nearer kinsman, he was more closely related to Elimelech's family. He would have to be dealt with before Boaz could take the field and marry Ruth and buy the property. Now as we've noted, The redemption of Ruth by Boaz is a type of our own spiritual redemption by Christ. When we talk about types, when we talk about those things that are under the heading of typology, it's necessary for us to think about the whole subject of biblical interpretation. There is such a thing as typology. I've heard some people preach what I would call an ulcer tripology, because some of the things that they see pictures in are not pictures of anything at all bringing in the other scriptures. But if you consider the whole subject of types and typology, types and anti-types, there's a unity in the Bible in the way in which the Old Testament prepares for and anticipates the events of the New Testament. And of course, in the fulfillment of that, we see the way in which the New Testament so magnificently and so specifically fulfills the Old Testament. There were things in the Old Testament days that were symbolic to the people of God. The realities of the covenant of grace, within which they enjoyed the blessings of salvation, there were things under that Old Testament scheme that were typical of the New Testament. Christ is pictured in the Old Testament Scriptures. You've only to read Luke chapter 24, and see what the Lord Jesus did in taking Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms, and expounding unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself, to know that Jesus is spoken of in the Old Testament. But He's spoken of quite often under typology. There are types of Christ in the Old Testament. Now, for Ruth, The action of Boaz was a symbol of the security that the Lord Jehovah was providing for her. And isn't it interesting that Boaz refers to that back in chapter 2, verse 12. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. Now what was symbolic for Ruth? becomes typological to us in our reading of the Scripture. I've no hesitation in saying that Boaz is a very real type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And his act of redemption is a type of what was done on the cross by the Lord Jesus Christ. What Ruth was waiting for, we know it has been fully accomplished for us in the person of the Son of God. But I think it's true to say as well that Ruth herself is a symbol of the whole of the Old Testament Church and even the New Testament Church. Just as she came to her Redeemer, Boaz, and waited for that very moment when he would make the transaction, guaranteeing her security and her rest, so the whole Old Testament period waited for that moment when the great Redeemer Christ would fulfill that work that God required him to do. And it's interesting, isn't it, that Ruth had a promise and a pledge that a Redeemer would come and would do what he said he would do, that great work would be accomplished. And we are the same. The only difference being that Ruth was able to look forward to that work. which we may look back upon in this New Testament age. Now, Naomi said to Ruth something really significant in chapter 3, verse 18, that we commented on last time, which was to do with the man finishing the thing that day. Sit still, my daughter, till thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not be in rest until he have finished the thing this day. When we study the Bible and all that happened in the days of our Lord's flesh, the Gospel tells us that our Redeemer has indeed finished the thing. The Lord has done that which He intended to do, that which He promised to do, that which He anticipated doing when He said, I have a work to do. I have a work to finish. How am I straightened? till this baptism be accomplished he said. On the cross he shouted it is finished because he had done all that was necessary to redeem his people. These things are wonderful in terms of their typological significance as we read the book of Ruth. But we want to return today to the subject of redemption. We need a Redeemer to restore us to our rightful position with God, but there's a nearer kinsman who has to be dealt with by Christ before we can be redeemed. And that nearer kinsman we commented last time is often thought of as the law of God and sometimes as the old Adamic nature or the flesh. I like to combine the two. Because I believe that this is what is set forth in the Scripture. The Bible talks about the weakness of the law, but it's not talking about the law itself being weak. It's only weak through our flesh. We are unable to fulfill the law of God. And so Christ had to live our life for us and die our death for us. He fulfilled perfectly the law of God for us and died on the cross bearing the penalty of the law which we had broken, which is death. And so the law has been silenced. The nearer kinsman, if you like, has nothing more to say. For Christ has redeemed us to God. Now as we look at the subject of redemption in chapter 4 of Ruth, there are three things that I want to bring before you today. There is, first of all, the specific place in which redemption was performed. It's mentioned there in verse 1 of chapter 4. Then went Boaz up to the gate. That's where he went in order to redeem. He went to the gate of the city. And he gathered there with the elders of the city who met there to transact the business of the city. And we mentioned this last time that there are a number of references to the gate and its significance in the Old Testament. Remember Absalom when he was stealing the hearts of the men of Israel? He did that at the gates of the city where the people went in and out. They were looking for justice and for somebody to plead their cause and there was Absalom conveniently waiting to steal their hearts at the gate of the city. You can read that in 2 Samuel 15 verse 2. And there are other references that would cause us to realize that the gate in the Old Testament was a specific place where legal transactions were performed. And this is what comes to the fore in Ruth chapter 4. The transaction of redemption was done legally. It was done according to law and in proper legal fashion. You see, it was at the gate of the city that all of the official business of the city was conducted and contracted. And I could mention as well here some other Old Testament references. The gates of the city was the place where the claims of God's law were applied to the lives of His people. Psalm 87 verse 2 says that the Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. I believe there's an application there to the church of Jesus Christ and to the assembled company of the Lord's people. But God delights in the gates of Zion because He delights in righteousness. He's a just God. Justice and truth belong to Him. God upholds truth and righteousness in every aspect of His being and His activity. And so we find here that Goaz is at the gate. And it's a very impressive scene, this place where things were done legally, because we observe there that there were ten men that were gathered. Verse 2 of chapter 4, And he took ten men of the elders of the city. Ten in scripture is quite a significant number. You'll remember that those tribes were divided into ten and two. You'll remember also that whenever they were going up to spy out the land, there was again this division between ten and two. And I believe that ten in scripture is the number of governmental authority. There are ten commandments. And the number ten, as far as this is concerned, is quite significant. This, by the way, was the number that was needed for a quorum to form a synagogue in the old days. So ten is mentioned here in terms of ten elders. They were summoned to preside over the transaction and to see that everything was done strictly according to law. Because the number ten is suggestive of the law, as I've just mentioned. We think of the Decalogue. It means ten words or ten commandments. And we know that the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled both the law in meeting every righteous claim of God's inflexible justice against those that he came to save. And he also fulfilled the prophets because he suffered to the last detail all that was written of him. So here they are at the gate. And I think it's rather interesting to note the authority that Boaz shows in this connection. It says in verse 1 that Boaz went up to the gate and sat him down there. Is there some suggestion there that he was one of the elders of that city? I believe that's very possible. And therefore he would have had authority. But then it mentions, Behold the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by. And I believe it's suggested by the original that he just happened to be passing by. Now that's not the first time we've come across this kind of thought in the book of Ruth. Remember how back in chapter 2 it tells us in verse 3, her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz? We would say today it just so happened that she ended up in that part of the field. But we know that things don't just happen Because the Lord is in control. God's providence is at work. You're here this morning in the house of God, not by accident, not by happenstance, but by design, by God's design. It's God's will that you hear this message this morning. So it's good to listen. It's God's will for you to hear this word. That's why you're here. That's why I'm here. Otherwise, we would be someplace else. God is at work here in chapter 4 as well. The kinsman, the man that Boaz wanted to speak to, just happened to pass by at that time. Because God ordered it. And you'll notice Boaz's authority. He said, who's such a one? Turn aside. Sit down here. And instead of that man saying, who, me? Who are you talking to? Who do you think you are? He didn't say that. He immediately complied. He turned aside and sat down. He did what he was told. Remember what Mary said of Jesus? Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. Christ has all authority in heaven and in earth. And then look at verse 2. He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, sit ye down here. And they didn't say, who do you think you are telling us to sit down? They sat down. That's what verse 2 records. So here's a man of authority. And Boaz, we would say today, is calling all the shots here in this chapter. He's in control of all that's taking place. Isn't that just like the Lord? And what he did was done legally. According to law and proper order. And so we find as well, that this was done openly. It was to the gate that he came. He could not redeem Ruth in private. This could not be a private transaction. The law would not permit that. It had to be done publicly. It had to be done in full view of the elders of the city at the gate of the city. And really there's a great contrast drawn for us in the book of Ruth between the place to which Ruth came And the place to which Boaz came. Remember that in chapter 3 that we just got through studying? She came by night. She came secretly. She came without anybody knowing about it. And that's exactly what Boaz wanted. He said, don't let anybody know that you've been here. It says there in chapter 3 and verse 8, that it came to pass at midnight, under the cover of darkness, that the man was afraid and turned himself, and behold, a woman was at his feet. And then he said there in verse 14, at the end of the verse, let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. This was something that was done privately, out of sight, without anybody except Ruth and Boaz knowing about it. But then notice the place to which Boaz came. Ruth came to her Redeemer in the quiet of the midnight when no other eye could see. And in the privacy of that meeting she received from Him that promise, that pledge of the undertaking of His redemptive work. But in order for Him to redeem her, Boaz had to do what he did openly, publicly. In the light of the morning sun, He comes to the gate of the city and presents Himself to the elders. What do we read in Hebrews 13 and verse 12? It tells us there about our great Redeemer, the Lord Jesus, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood. He suffered without the gate. That's where He went. He could not die in private, but in the full gaze of the people. The eyes were on Him. Sitting down, they watched Him there. And, of course, there was a private transaction there when, under cover of darkness, only the eyes of God were upon Him when He dealt fully and finally with the sins of His people. But He was before the full view of the bar of God and the throne of heaven. But we know as well that 1 Corinthians 2 verse 8 talks about the Lord being in full view of the princes of this earth. They didn't know what they were doing. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But we read that Boaz went up to the gate, the place where business of importance was transacted in public view. And our Redeemer's work is a matter of such vital importance to men, it has been accomplished in the most public manner. Remember what Paul said when he was preaching to King Agrippa? He was able to describe the sufferings and the resurrection of Christ, and he was able to tell Agrippa that the King knoweth of these things. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner. Acts 26, 26. These things were not done in a corner. They were done openly. Just like it was there in Ruth chapter 4. And not only so, but the very things that the Redeemer was to do were foretold right down to their minutest details in many prophecies. so that the proclamation of the gospel today is merely the announcement that the things which were to be done have now been done. I can also say that this work of redemption was not only done legally and openly, but the transaction was done representatively. See, Pulas went to the elders of the city in order to do for her what she was not able to do for herself. He was there to transact business that would bring hope and blessing and rest to her. He actually goes there, you see, as her representative in her place. Isn't it interesting that as we read this portion, Ruth is not there, Naomi is not there, just Boaz. transacting this business on her behalf. Now, if you can just go back in your mind's eye to that day when Boaz was approaching the entrance of the city. If someone asked him the question, Boaz, who is on your mind right now? What would he have said? I'm thinking about Ruth. She's the only one really on my mind as I go to transact this business. And you see him there sitting in front of those 10 elders, transacting this great transaction, this legal business. And you would say to him, what are you thinking of right now Boaz? He would say, I'm thinking of Ruth. If you were to uncover his heart, in the middle of that transaction, as one has put it, you would find Ruth there. And if we go to the cross, We think of our Saviour on the tree. We uncover the heart of the Lord Jesus as He's right there in between two thieves. What do we find there as we uncover the heart of the Saviour? His people, you and me. He was thinking of me. He was thinking of you, believer, when He was dying on the cross. When you uncover the heart of Christ, you see there his bride, his beloved. He's not thinking of himself, he's thinking about his church. In fact, the book of Romans tells us that about the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe it's there in chapter 15 and verse 3, for even Christ pleased not himself. And he wasn't there for his own pleasure. He was there to do the will of the Father. But he has on his heart the people of God. As we were listening to that message at the Congress recently, where Christ was set forth as our priest, our brother mentioned that beautiful thought about the breastplate with all the names of the children of Israel upon it. That's really a type of the Lord having His people on His heart when He dies for them as their Great High Priest. Think about the church. Like Ruth, the church is powerless to redeem herself. But the Lord is there at Calvary for her. He loved me and gave Himself for me. Of course, as well as redeeming Ruth, Boaz is going to show favor to her in redeeming the property in order to provide security for her, provision for her. But he can only do that on the grounds of the law, on the grounds of righteousness. And we know that grace only reigns through righteousness as the Lord upholds the demands and the dignity. of the law. There's no way that the Lord could have redeemed us without fulfilling the law to the letter. And so if you and I are to be accepted, declared righteous in the sight of God, justified, we need to be relying on the righteousness, the law-keeping of another, our Redeemer. And so Boaz comes to the gates of the city here in chapter 4. Justice is to be upheld there. Everything is to be done according to law. And as Boaz takes his place, he realises that only in terms of the law of God can redemption be procured. And it's only in terms of the law of God that redemption can be effected for us through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and our Saviour. He has upheld God's law and made it honourable. So all that was done was done for Ruth. representatively, just as the Lord Jesus not only died for us, but he died as us. I think we can also say under this point that what was done here at this particular place, this specific place, the gate, was done permanently. What Boaz did was not only on the basis of righteousness at the gate of the city, but what he did, he did once and for all. You see, if you think about it, Boaz is here at the gate in chapter 4, so that Ruth will not need to come to the gate. He's there for her, representatively. But he's there to secure redemption once and for all time. We could say that once there had been a transaction, there was no possibility of retraction. It could not be something that they could go back on. And isn't that wonderful to think about in relation to the gospel? Because what the Lord has done for us in Christ has been done once for all. Isn't that what the hymn says? Once for all, O sinner, receive it. Once for all, O brother, believe it. Cursed by the law and ruined by the fall. Christ hath redeemed us once for all. The Lord Jesus went to the cross and offered an offering, a sacrifice that was unrepeated and unrepeatable to deal with our sins in the presence of God. And this is why I abominate so much the blasphemy of the Mass. Because it purports to carry on the work of Christ. who have no right to be priests, will tell us that what they are doing is offering sacrifices for the sins of the quick and the dead. When a Roman Catholic dies, they have a requiem mass. Masses continue to be said long after a person has died for the repose of their soul from purgatory. No wonder Martin Luther called priests purgatory pickpockets. getting money from people for continuing to pretend that they're offering sacrifices to get their soul out of that place of suffering. What an abomination that is. Listen, there's only one place where sin is dealt with and dealt with once and for all and it's Calvary. It's the cross. But we have to move on from the specific place in which redemption was performed. We want to talk about the sufficient price by which redemption was purchased. What was the price of redemption? Well, there's no figure that's mentioned here that was set on the value of the life or the property of Elimelech that would have passed on to his sons. But there's one thing that's clear. There was another man, there was another close relative who could have redeemed the property and married Ruth. And we dealt with this last time, so we'll not go over all that ground again. But one thing we will note is in verse 4 of chapter 4, that at the beginning he said, I will redeem it. You see that? Boaz said to him, look, I thought to advertise these things, buy it. before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it. If thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me that I may know, for there is none to redeem it beside thee, and I am after thee." And he said, this is the nearer kinsman, I will redeem it. And I was ready to do so, until he realized the greater cost. because the duty was going to fall to him to marry Ruth and raise up a family in the name of her late husband and his father Elimelech. Naomi has advertised her intention to sell the property. Chapter 4 verse 3 tells us that. Naomi selleth a parcel of land. Boaz has indicated his willingness to buy it and to perform the duties of the kinsman redeemer. But behind both of those decisions, being willing to buy the property and to perform the duties of a kinsman redeemer, is the fact that Boaz has fallen in love with this woman, Ruth, the Moabiteess. But his plans are thrown into jeopardy by the appearance of a rival. There's another option. But it's not Boaz's preferred option, It's the option set forth in the law. And that of course brings us to what he said in verse 5 there. In the Old Testament, the importance of land ownership and inheritance laws always had to be considered. Remember how Naboth was asked by Ahab if he could buy his vineyard from him? And Naboth said, no, it's not right, it's not according to God's law that I should give you the land of my fathers, the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. That's why he refused to do it. Because of this law. Now, you think about that. The nearer relative said at the beginning that he was willing to buy this property. Maybe he had his eye, as a good entrepreneur, on the profit that he might be able to get from the property. without paying attention to the laws that God had set down regarding its future possession and the requirement to retain it within the family of Elimelech. And so the issue settled when this particular player in this drama concedes his redemption right to Boaz. He was willing at first to secure the possession of the land, but he says, I'm unable to do it. I can't. Those are the words he actually uses in verse 6. I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance. This may mean that although he could afford the price to purchase it, to obtain that land would have threatened the inheritance of his own children. Supposing he was to marry Ruth and have children in the name of Malon, he would only complicate the inheritance and the future possession of his own estate. He might gain the land only for his descendants to lose what land they already had. He would mar his inheritance. And so there was a strange ceremony that took place. Verse 7, this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing. For to confirm all things, a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor. And this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. I am out. You can go ahead and redeem it. So he drew off his shoe, or his sandal. Now, there's some conjecture about this here, because if you go back to Deuteronomy 25, where the taking off of the shoe is referred to, there are some differences to the situation here. One commentator suggests to us that the uncovering of the feet in chapter 3 verse 4 and verse 7, was now echoed in the removal of the shoe or the sandal in chapter 4. And the idea is probably noted, or rooted rather, in the fact that ownership of land was often signified by setting your foot on the land. Remember that with Joshua? God told him, every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, that have I given unto you. That will be your inheritance. Your sandal will touch the ground. And some believe that that was the significance of this. To remove one's sandal may have represented a forfeiting of possession rights. Or, as in this case, it may have been just a statement of non-interest in possession of the land. I don't want it. I'm not going to buy it. But anyway, that symbolic gesture was enough to allow Boaz to declare his purchase of the land and his intention to marry Ruth. And he said this openly in verse 9 to the elders and to the people, You are witness this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's and all that was Cilion's and Malon's of the hand of Naomi. I have purchased the land according to law. But then verse 10, Moreover, Ruth the Moabites, the wife of Malon, have I purchased to be my wife. to raise up the name of the dead upon His inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among His brethren and from the gate of His place. Ye are witnesses this day." The deed was done. The transaction was complete. All the obstacles were overcome. You could say love had triumphed. That's very clear from what we read here. that with the nearer kinsman forfeiting his right, giving up his right, there was only one, and one alone, who could perform the act of redemption, and it was Boaz. But in order to do it, he had to be able to afford the redemption price. You go back to chapter 2 verse 1 and it says, And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech, and his name was Boaz. Oh, he could afford to pay the price. And he did pay the price. He was the only one at this point who could do it. When we think about the gospel, we think about the sufficient price that was paid for our redemption. The word purchase is used in verse 10. Have I purchased to be my wife? The word bought is used in verse 9. I have bought all that was Elimelech's and so on. And whenever he was speaking, the kinsman was speaking to Boaz, he said in verse 8, buy it for thee. Pay the price. And Boaz was the only one that could do it. His contender, if you like, could not afford all that was required for the redemption to be transacted. And there are many contenders that you will find are out to obtain control of your life and your soul. Every one of them will fall short. There's somebody in this portion who declared an interest in redemption, but who could not secure it, couldn't do it. But the claim of Boaz was enough. And the price that he paid was sufficient. When every other price fell short of what would be required, he could pay the price. And it's very clear, isn't it? What the gospel application of that is. As Boaz paid what secured the redemption of the property and of the woman. This speaks to us of our great Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. See, the Bible tells us of Christ in Mark 10, 45, that He as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. Not to be served, but to serve. And to give His life a ransom for many. What is a ransom? It's a price that is paid to obtain the inheritance back again. And whenever the Lord Jesus talked about His own mission and His own life in this world, what He had come to do, He talks over and over again about redemption, about paying a price, about paying a ransom. The apostles, when they talked about the work of Christ, they talked about it in these terms. The apostle Paul spoke in Acts 20 and verse 28 in this fashion. Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood." You find in the book of 1 Corinthians that Paul, a couple of times, mentions this. He talks about the price that is paid for our redemption. Ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's. You're bought with a price. We've not been redeemed, Peter says, with silver or gold, corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Here's the great sufficient price by which redemption was purchased. I have found a ransom, Job said. Job 33, 24. This is the only way we can find rest, men and women. It provided upon the payment of a sufficient ransom. Do you know there are many people this morning thinking that churchianity and religiosity, to quote a word, will save them. You know, if they've been baptized and confirmed and if they've done all these things that they're supposed to do in the church and they pay their way and they try to live a good life and be a good person, then God will be impressed with all that, hopefully sufficiently, so that in the end they'll get to heaven. You know what that is? Works righteousness. People think they're going to make it under their own steam. George Whitefield, the great preacher, said, I may as well try to climb up to heaven on a rope made out of sand. as to get there by my own good works. One of the old Puritans said, I'm going to take all my good works and all my evil works and I'm going to throw them overboard and I'm going to float to glory on the plank of free grace. Salvation purchased for us, not earned by us, earned for us by our Redeemer. Less than the giving of himself was not sufficient in order for Christ to save us. Christ has paid the redemption price which redeems and releases our souls from sin. We haven't time today to go into the third point which is the stated purpose for which redemption was procured. But we will speak of this next time. There is a purpose in redemption. There was a reason why Boaz did what he did. And we will speak of that in due course. But again today we can say with the hymn writer, thanks to God for my Redeemer. I trust that he's your Redeemer today.