Deuteronomy 25:5-105If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. 6And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. 7And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 8Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 9Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. (Deuteronomy 25:5‑10)
IN THIS passage we have the precious theme, "The Redemption of the Inheritance," the power of the grace of Christ in resurrection triumphing over the law and death.
If a man died and left no child, his brother or nearest of kin was bound to marry the widow and raise up children to the deceased, and the firstborn son of this union was to succeed to the inheritance. If he refused to do this service to his deceased brother, then he was put to a public shame, and a mark of degradation was put upon him the widow was to spit in his face.
We find this ordinance in Israel illustrated in the beautiful story of Ruth. In a time of famine, Mahlon, an Israelite, had gone down to Moab and died there, leaving Ruth, a Moabitess, a childless and penniless widow. The inheritance of Mahlon had been sold. All Ruth had left was her virtue and her excellent character. Leaving her home, her country and her father's house she came into the land of Israel with her mother-in-law, saying, "thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."
Boaz, that wonderful character and "mighty man of wealth," played the part of a brother or kinsman according to this scripture in Deuteronomy. There was a nearer kinsman than Boaz, but he declined to redeem, since it involved taking Ruth to be his wife. "I cannot redeem it for myself," he said, "lest I mar my own inheritance." The nearer kinsman is a type of the law, and the law could not redeem nor raise up Israel to their inheritance or in grace the name of the dead.
But Boaz feared not the marring of his own inheritance, so he redeemed Ruth's inheritance and married her. By this marriage and the redemption of the inheritance, the house of Mahlon was raised up again as from the dead. God always honors His word and those who act upon it. Wealth, dignity and royal honors were bestowed upon the house of Boaz for through it, three generations later, came David, the anointed of God and king of Israel.
In Boaz we have a beautiful type of the Lord Jesus, the true Kinsman-Redeemer. But He outshines all who came before. He would have redeemed Israel and their inheritance, but they would not have Him; instead they spit in His face and crucified Him. Still in spite of all they did to Him His love has not changed toward them, and He will one day betroth them to Himself in faithfulness (Hosea 2:19,2019And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. 20I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord. (Hosea 2:19‑20)). He will bestow upon them blessings and honors far beyond anything this world has yet witnessed; He will raise them to the highest place of dignity and power, and Israel shall be a praise in the earth.
But how precious to contemplate the Lord Jesus as our Kinsman-Redeemer! At a sacrifice infinitely beyond that of Boaz He has redeemed us not merely penniless, but guilty and ruined, sold into captivity through sin. He has redeemed us both by blood and by power. He has purchased us and our inheritance by His blood, set us free from the righteous claims of God against our sins so that God can justify and bless us; and He has also conquered our great adversary and all that he would bring against us. Now we wait with Him "until the redemption of the purchased possession," when all the creation of God shall be set free from the grasp and power of the usurper, and in the enjoyment of His complete and glorious redemption.
Messages of the Love of God 12/7/1975