a Guardian-Redeemer
Ruth 3:1-13
5 “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.
9 “Who are you?” he asked.“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.”
10 “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”
I know about both the guardian and the redeemer, but I have no idea about a guardian-redeemer, so I googled it. It read: It was a close, influential relative to whom members of the extended family could turn for help, usually when the family line or possessions were in danger of being lost. He was responsible for buying back family land sold during a crisis (see Lev 25:25), buying back enslaved relatives (see Lev 25:47–49), providing an heir for a dead brother (see Dt 25:5–10), avenging the killing of a relative (see Nu 35:19–21) and caring for relatives in difficult circumstances (see Jer 32:6–25).
The idea of the guardian-redeemer is also used at times to refer to God and his redemption of Israel (see Ex 6:6–8; Job 19:25; Ps 19:14; 69:18; Isa 43:1). In these passages, God is Israel’s nearest redeemer, stepping in to bring the nation back into his family when the people could not do it themselves. The word guardian-redeemer finds ultimate fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah (see Isa 59:20). Jesus is our near guardian who came to buy us back into God’s family. In the New Testament the concept is reflected in the various words for redeem, which suggest paying a ransom, making a purchase or saving from loss.
According to the custom of Israel, Boaz understood what Ruth was asking him to do, so he let her stay there safely until another man comes and does the duty of succeeding the line of her family. He looked so generous and even caring for her that he didn't touch her, but he didn't avoid taking any responsibility to take her as his wife.
I've got to realize that I have also a guardian and a redeemer in my life. The guardian is God, the Father, and the redeemer is Jesus, the Messiah. Father has played a good role of being my real guardian beyond my parents and my husband, and Jesus also was a redeemer of my souls. God must have tried to teach this lesson to His people about this, so He made this kind of custom through the law, though it was beyond our understanding.
In a nutshell, Boaz became the redeemer of Naomi's family in the long run, and in his line did Jesus become the real ransom for all human beings at once for all. What a wonderful concept of being someone's guardian and a redeemer it is!
