UT 4{Naomi spake truly. Boaz could not give himself rest, until he had accomplished the work which his goodness and energy had undertaken. lie wished that the one he loved might find rest and that it might be well with her (3:1), and he knew that she could be only so with him. Thus it is with the Lord as to ourselves. His life here below was a life of toil for us, culminating in the unutterable, travail of His soul upon the cross. He has in this manner accomplished this promise: " I will give you rest." We already possess rest of conscience in the knowledge of His work; rest of heart in the knowledge of His adorable person. But the Lord is still working, in order that we may enter into a future rest " which remaineth for the people of God," the rest of satisfied love where everything will answer eternally to the thoughts of His own heart.
Boaz also undertook to give rest to his beloved because she had wrought and suffered with the people of God. In the same way the Holy Spirit says to us: " And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven " (2 Thess. 1:77And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (2 Thessalonians 1:7)). " God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have chewed toward this name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister " (Heb. 6:1010For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:10)).
This book of Ruth is full of labor and of rest; labor and rest of service, labor and rest of faith, labor and rest of grace. The reapers labor and rest; so also does the master of the harvest; so also does Ruth, the bride of his choice. O, how she rests at the feet of Boaz during the hours of the night! How she still rests until the travail of the redeemer prepares for her the rest of which our chapter speaks.
According to the custom of Israel, he ought to revive the name of the dead, and to re-establish it in his inheritance. This duty devolved upon the next at kin. Now there was a man who possessed rights over the inheritance of Elimelech before Boaz. Boaz addressed himself to him in the presence of a number of witnesses. This man would have been very glad of the heritage, but knowing that the seed would not be his, he would not consent to take Ruth also. If he did so, he would impoverish himself and mar his own inheritance, for the property of Ruth's children would not revert to him nor to his family.
This near kinsman is a striking type of the law; for, like this man, the law, which had prior rights over Israel, exacts, takes, and gives nothing. It would no long. be the law, if it were able to undertake the work of grace; nevertheless its inability is not because of itself, but because of those to whom it is addressed. The law looks for something from man, and man manifests himself as incapable of pleasing God. It promises life on condition of obedience; but, man being a sinner and, disobedient, it can only condemn him. It is a ministry of death, and cannot give life to the dead. Barren, it would never have posterity nor be able to bring forth sons in the divine lineage of the Messiah.
Grace alone is able to undertake these things. Declaring man to be lost, it expects nothing of him, imposes no conditions upon him, makes him no promises, but gives him liberally, increasingly, eternally. It begets by an incorruptible seed and communicates life, places man in relationship with God, produces in him fruit which God can accept,, and introduces him into the glory.
Thus the law declares itself powerless in presence, of the " second husband " who comes after it, our Boaz, in whom is strength. He will raise up His people. Israel and " shall see His seed," as saith Isaiah, but only, as we know, after having poured, out His soul unto death (Isa. 53). In the interval, all the result of His work at the cross is applicable to us, Christians. As to our souls, we are already risen with Him; as to our bodies, we shall be, as surely as he is Himself. Boaz is, for us, the type of a risen Christ.
The near kinsman takes off his shoe-the law cedes its rights to Christ, rights acknowledged by the witnesses with whom he had surrounded himself for this purpose. Boaz redeems the inheritance in order to possess Ruth, for he has more interest in the happiness of this stranger than in all that belongs to her. For the church Christ has done much more. He gave up all He had, to acquire us. The poor remnant of Israel will also acknowledge Him with joy when it sees its heretofore rejected Messiah coming in glory.
Witnesses of this scene, the people and the elders, applaud and bless the powerful Boaz; for such goodness is worthy of all praise. The Holy Spirit puts in their mouth these prophetic words: " Jehovah make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel I " The history of the people kill recommence, so to speak, with the poor Moabitess. It will begin anew on the ground of grace. It is not Leah, it is Rachel, the wife beloved, the wife of Jacob's free choice and for whom he had served so long, who is here first presented. In everything the book of Ruth gives precedence to grace. "And do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem.' These cities, witnesses of grace, will also be of the power of Boaz: " And let thy house be like the house of Pharez whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee of this young woman!" That his posterity may be established like that of Pharez according to the election of grace!
" And Jehovah gave her conception." In the presence of this heir that grace has given the women take up again the course of the prophetic thoughts of the people: " And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, which has not left thee this day without a kinsman." They transfer to the head of the son of Boaz the right to redeem which Boaz has exercised, and foresee a future redemption accomplished by this man who is born of Ruth. In him, they add, the old age of the people will find a nourisher, its feebleness a restorer, and his name will be associated with that of Ruth, the poor remnant, having her heart drawn out to Naomi, the afflicted people of God, and who are worth more to her than the perfect number of sons (ver. 15).
Naomi nourishes Obed in her bosom; be goes forth, like the Messiah, from a barren people. The neighbors then strike up their prophetic notes of praise: " There is a son born to Naomi! " The sphere becomes closer and with it the measure of intelligence. The nearer we are to the people of God, the more we appreciate Christ and His grace. If we are satisfied with the nearness which " the people and the elders " possess, we shall not be able to get beyond their level of spiritual intelligence; whilst the heart bound to the church will have a more intimate and personal knowledge of the Lord. " A son is born to Naomi! " It is thus that the future Israel will rejoice before him as the joy of harvest as they are transported with joy who divide the spoil, and they will say: " Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace...."
" And they called his name Obed." Obed, " He, who serves;" above all His marvelous titles, behold His title of glory! It is the Servant who is the Heir and from whom David springs, the Bearer of royal grace. All our hearts beat with joy when we call Him by this name; for He, the Counselor, the mighty God, has served, He still serves, and will remain a Servant forever for those whom He loves! His devotedness to God and His love for us, His entire work even to the laying down of His life, the grace which leads Him to stoop to wash our feet, His eternal servitude of love when we shall be with Him in the glory of the Father's house-all these, our greatest blessings, are connected with this title of Servant!
(Concluded from page 58.)