For Boaz to fulfil his duty as kinsman-redeemer, he had one final hurdle to overcome. Elimelek’s land could be redeemed by another kinsman-redeemer closer to Elimelek than Boaz. 

“Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

According to the law, Ruth, the daughter-in-law of the deceased Elimelek, was part of the inheritance that should be redeemed by the closest living relative. When Boaz offered the property to the guardian-redeemer, he refused because of Ruth. 

“Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, Boaz legally claimed the right to redeem the land belonging to Elimelek, and Ruth as his wife. 

This beautiful little interlude in Israel’s history has significant repercussions in the greater story of redemption. Woven into the genealogy of Jesus’ ancestry is the role of Gentile women. Israel’s part was preserved through the bloodline of Abraham and the dynasty of David. However, as God had determined, the gospel of Jesus belongs to Jew and Gentile alike through the Gentile women included in Jesus’ genealogy…

“Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew’s Gospel includes four notable Gentile women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba (Uriah’s wife), highlighting an inclusive message for Gentiles and showing God using imperfect individuals, some with scandalous histories, to fulfill His purposes in the Messianic line, foreshadowing Jesus as the universal Savior.”

(Source: Google AI)

“So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How marvellous how merciful, how compassionate are God’s ways. Naomi, who chose to encapsulate her pain in the name she gave herself…

“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.””

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In the end, became the grandmother of Obed, Ruth’s son in the lineage of Jesus. 

Turns out that Naomi’s pain was a seed that produced far more than she ever dreamed possible. Her testimony was the song of the psalmist…

“I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me….You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30‬:‭1‬, ‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…as she gazed at the miracle baby in her arms.