Jesus Is Our Boaz
Have you ever heard a friend or acquaintance say that she was “waiting for her Boaz”? Maybe you’ve said it yourself. No shame—I’ve said it, too! Who could blame us? When we read the book of Ruth, we see a man who had it all. He owned a field full of laborers. He was generous and self-sacrificing. He cared for Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, in their time of distress and need.
Our hearts often long for something similar (single ladies, am I right?). We want someone to see us, care for us, and fulfill our needs. We want to be loved and known for who we are. And, in our minds, we are prone to believe that if we only had a man like Boaz in our lives then all our problems and feelings of loneliness would go away.
But what if I told you that the story of Ruth is not primarily about a woman who found true love? What if I told you that the book of Ruth is not just about Ruth’s happily-ever-after—it’s about ours?
When Naomi and Ruth find themselves destitute after the loss of their husbands, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo set off to the land of Naomi’s family. While there, Ruth finds favor with Boaz when she is gleaning from his field—attempting to provide for herself and Naomi. Boaz protects Ruth from the men working in his field and urges her to take all the food she needs.
Upon returning home, Naomi informs Ruth that Boaz is a kinsman-redeemer for their family—a man who assumes the responsibility of marrying a deceased family member’s widow. In the end, Ruth and Boaz marry and have a son named Obed. Not only does Boaz redeem Ruth, but their son is now an heir of Naomi, one who can care for her needs as well.
But if we move too quickly past the end of Ruth 4, we’ll miss a key part—the continuation of Ruth and Boaz’s family line. Their son, Obed, is the father of Jesse. Jesse is the father of David. King David. The man after God’s own heart to whom God promised an heir to reign on the throne forever and ever. This heir—this eternal King—is the One we know and love: our own Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
And this is where we get blessed. Because Jesus has done for us what neither Boaz nor any mere man ever could. Jesus’s life, death, and victorious resurrection has saved us from the fate of eternal death. Jesus became a servant and walked among us so that He could provide for our needs—both physical and spiritual (Philippians 2:7–8). Because of Jesus, we can experience abundant life now and forever in the presence of the God who loves us. Jesus is the true and better Boaz. He committed Himself to caring for us in our weaknesses and vulnerability.
Though we may feel defenseless sometimes, we are not.
Those who place their faith in Christ are now eternally granted safety in the Good Shepherd who is Jesus Himself. Jesus is our Boaz. His love for us is not superficial nor is it metaphorical. It is real and it is really ours. Jesus is our Boaz not because He takes away the longing in our hearts for the love of an earthly partner, but because the love we long for in the arms of a man is just a shadow of the glory we will one day behold in Jesus Christ. In Christ we have our happily-ever-after.
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