THE NEARER KINSMAN (RUTH 3:12)
A. When Boaz told Ruth that he was ready to do what she required, he hastened to add there
was one obstacle that kept him from acting immediately.
1. That problem - a kinsman that is nearer than I.
a. This man had a prior right to redeem.
b. We have been viewing this book to see glimpses of Jesus and the Gospel.
c. If Boaz is a foreshadowing of Jesus as Redeemer what are we to make of
this nearer kinsman?
d. We cannot be dogmatic on this point but we do not distort anything if
we see him as a picture of the law of God which has a prior right on
2. The right the law has over the sinner is to condemn him.
a. Although Boaz was willing to play the part of a Redeemer, he felt he
could not do so illegally.
b. The law stated that the Goel had to be next of kin and there was a man
near than Boaz.
c. The law had to be satisfied before Boaz could assume the role of a
d. Paul says in Rom. 3:31 - Do we nullify the law through faith. May
it never be! On the contrary, we establish the law.
3. The law of God has a prior claim on the sinner and the claim that it has is to
a. The law of God sets before us certain moral standards
b. They are expressed in the Ten Commandments and in the Sermon on
c. The law points to these high standard and says, "This do and thou shall
d. If we keep its commands and high standards, we can attain to life eternal.
4. But that same word implies; This fail to do and thou shalt die.
a. If anyone of us has failed to do all the law has commanded, all the law can do is
to condemn us.
b. This means that the commandment which was ordained to life, had we kept it, we find to be unto death because we have failed to do so. (Rom 7:10)
c. The high standards of the law as beautiful as they are, cannot redeem the one who has failed to live by them perfectly.
B. In Chapter 4 of Ruth this nearer kinsman twice says; I cannot redeem it.
1. Those words, "I cannot redeem it" are deeply significant when we see him as a picture of the
law able to condemn but never to redeem.
2. I Cor. 15:56 - tells us that the law actually strengthens sin rather than weakening it.
a. The higher our standards the greater our sense of guilt and accusation when we fall.
b. All of our promises to be better only give the Devil more opportunity to accuse us.
3. Again, I repeat, if Jesus is our kinsman Redeemer the law is our kinsman condemner.
II Satisfying the Law
A. If Jesus is to be the sinner's friend and blot out the sinner's guilt, He must first satisfy the law of God. (Rom 3:26-Rom 4.:5)
1. In order to settle things, Jesus didn't just go to the gate as Boaz did.
2. When Jesus settled things with the law, He went outside the gates to the place of disgrace,
where He died on a cross between two thieves.
a. The supreme thing He did there was to rob sin of its power to condemn us.
b. Actually the first person whom sin lost its power to condemn was Jesus.
c. In Ron. 6:10 - In that He died, He died unto sin once (and for all).
3. It does not say He merely died sin but He died sin - He died to sin's power to condemn
Him for the multitude of sins He took upon Him.
a. The moment His blood was shed, He could say, It is finished.
b. Satan and the law had no power over Him because the price had been paid.
c. If the law lost its power to condemn our Substitute it likewise lost its power to
condemn all those whose Substitute He was.
4. Now that the nearer kinsman (law) has relinquished his claim on us, Jesus can become our kinsman Redeemer.
B. The Testimony of David
1. David knew, though He was a moral failure, the joy and blessedness of the person to whom the
Lord would not impute iniquity. (Rom 4:6-8)
2. "I was in another country taking meetings, I was looking forward to seeing again a young
minister whom I had known there years before. He happened to be one of the best interpreters
in the country and I was anticipating with pleasure having him interpret for me again.
However, he did not show up for a week or two, until finally he came to a ministers' conference.
I greeted him warmly and said, "You're going to translate for me, aren't you?" He was very
diffident and not at all sure that he would. All the sparkle had gone out of him and he had
so lost the joy that had characterized him that I felt this was not the brother I had known.
Well, he did translate for me, but it was evident he was not at ease. Then he shared
with me what had happened. In the intervening years he had had domestic trouble, strains
between him and his wife, and it was quite widely known amongst his minister friends.
The Lord had helped and it had been resolved, but the shame of it was still there. And
somehow he did not feel he could stand up on the platform beside me and interpret, when he
knew they all knew. Shame had taken from him his boldness and he felt there was a black
mark against him. As we shared together, he saw and appropriated the power of the blood of
Jesus, not only to forgive the initial wrongs, but especially to cleanse the consequent
shame, the sense of not being free with people. "what are they thinking? etc.). He saw he now
had a testimony to give, not so much about the original matter, but much more with regard to the
bondage he had been in as a result, and from which Jesus had now freed him. In coming months
he let it be known in one way or another that that was his testimony, and his brother ministers
loved him. They began to feel, strangely, that he had something that they had not, and they
invited him to preach for them here and there, and they encouraged him to take the lead in this
and that area of his denomination."
What a Goel he had. Jesus not only forgave his sin, but changed the whole situation.
III. Assurance of Salvation
A. As we close this chapter let's look at the words Naomi addressed to Ruth. (Ruth 3:18)
1. There are those who have lacked a real assurance of salvation - some for many years.
2. They have confessed Christ but are still not sure He has accepted them.
3. It is basically a doubt as to their righteousness.
a. The natural thing for these people is to do more, pray more, give more, serve more.
b. If they could do all these things, they might feel more righteous but would they
really be more righteous.?
c. The trouble is we often are not adequate in the performance of all these things.
4. To such people, the message is the same as these words; Set still my daughter.
a. Stop striving, stop trying to do more in order to gain God's acceptance.
b. The message God has for you is this - the man will not rest until he has finished it.
B. We can rest because Jesus has finished it for us.
1. His work on the Cross is a finished work and of sufficient value to put away all your sins
and make you completely at right with God.
2. Nothing you can do once you trust Him can add anything or make you more secure.
a. Heb. 10:12 - This Nan, after He had offered one sacrifice of sins, forever sat down at
the right hand of God.
b. He wants you to sit down and rest in Him.
Nothing either great or small,
Nothing, sinner, no.
Jesus did it, did it all,
Long, long ago.
When He from His lofty Throne
Stooped to do and die,
Everything was fully done:
Listen to His cry.
"It is finished' yes, indeed,
Finished every jot:
Sinner, this is all you need,
Tell me, is it not?
Till to Jesus' work you cling
By a simple faith,
Doing is a deadly thing,
Doing ends in death.
Cast your deadly doing down,
Down at Jesus' feet:
Stand in Him, in Him alone,