‘God is Always With Us’

And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where have you gleaned today? And where did you work? Blessed be the one who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, “The man’s name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the Lord, who has not forsaken His kindness to the living and the dead!” And Naomi said to her, “This man is a relation of ours, one of our close relatives.” (Ruth 2:19-20)

Ruth’s father-in-law, Elimelech, was from Bethlehem. The Bible tells us that he and his family left Bethlehem during a time of famine. Therefore, it is likely that Elimelech had mortgaged his property. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem, she knew of such property, but she had no way to redeem it herself. She needed someone to act as her kinsman redeemer.

In the Old Testament, the kinsman redeemer was a relative who had the duty to redeem or avenge a family member who had been wronged or who had become impoverished. See Leviticus 25:25. According to the Law of Moses, three things were necessary in order for someone to qualify for this role:

1. they must be a blood relative,
2. they must be financially able to pay the full redemption price,
3. and they must be willing. To be a kinsman redeemer was not mandatory; it was the choice of the individual.

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is often referred to as our Kinsman Redeemer.

• He is our KINSMAN because He became one of us, taking on human flesh and becoming a part of our family. “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17-18)
•  He is our REDEEMER because He has bought us back from our spiritual poverty through His death on the cross. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:3-4)
• We were enslaved to sin and death, but Christ paid the price for our redemption with His own blood. “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus redeems us from sin and death and reconciles us to God. He is our Kinsman Redeemer, who has redeemed us from our spiritual poverty and restored us to our rightful place as children of God.

God bless you, Brethren.

* Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from the New King James Version.