Law of Redemption (Kinsman-Redeemer): (Le. 25:47-50). When we buy or sell property we think in terms of transfer of title in fee simple. When we purchase a piece of property, it belongs to you and will pass down to your heirs. Israel did not operate this way because Israel belonged to God. The God of the universe singled out a piece of real estate and calls it His own. Yes, the Lord owns the whole earth, but He has plans for a small piece of land called Israel. When Joshua enters Israel the land is granted to the 12 tribes. The land that was granted to a tribe was to stay with that tribe. This is one reason why genealogies are so important to Israel. If you got into trouble financially, you could sell your land (more like what we would call a lease). You could sell the rights to use the land until the year of Jubilee where the land returned to the original owners. The title deed (a rolled up scroll with instructions on the exterior of the scroll) typically provided the rules or procedure of redemption. In this redemption idea a near kinsman could follow the title deed instructions to buy back the unused years. (For example you would sell the land for a certain amount of time, say 7 years, and if after 3 years a near kinsman came he could pay the balance of the four years that was due and return the land to the family. This is redeeming the land. One of the titles for Jesus Christ is Kinsman Redeemer (Hebrew goel).

 The Kinsman-Redeemer Requirements:

(1) Must be a kinsman;

(2) Must be able to perform;

(3) Must be willing;

(4) Must assume all the obligations.

 There are 3 aspects of the Law of the Kinsman-Redeemer which operates in connection with: (1) redeeming the land (2) redeeming poor people (Le.25:35-55); (3) redeeming widows. The kinsman was a close relative that was to be the protector. (1) If a close relative is murdered, the kinsman must be the “avenger of blood” who would catch the murderer and kill him (Nu.35:6-34); (2) if a close relative lost his land through poverty, the kinsman redeemer must pay to buy it back for him; (3) if a close relative died and left a widow without children he was to marry her to raise up children in her dead husband’s name. If we do not understand this idea we will not understand (1) the book of Ruth; (2) why Christ is called our Redeemer; (3) Revelation chapter 5.

 Law of the Levirate Marriage: (De. 25:5-10). If you had a widow without any children (issue) she could go to the next of kin, and put a claim on him to take for wife to raise up children for the family. There were 3 conditions: (1) he had to be a near kinsman (2) he had to be able to perform (3) he had to be willing. This was not required, but was an obligation that she could put on him. If he chose to do it he would take her as his wife with the expectation of having an heir (children) for the family. If he chose not to he had to give her his shoe (a symbol of shame that he had failed to do the kinsman part). He was to go one foot bare footed for some time. This was to put him to shame. She would receive the shoe, possibly spit on him, and openly put him to shame.

Genesis 38

 Law of Gleaning: The Lord made this provision for the needs of the poor. It instructs the Israelite farmer to leave some of the produce of his field so the poor can gather food (Le.19:9-10; 23:22; De.24:19-21). In this practice the poor had to work by gleaning for themselves. Thus they could maintain their honor and not have to beg for a handout. The landowner had to determine if someone actually qualified, and how much of the “corner” he would allow for gleaning. A Single woman had few ways to support herself in the days of Ruth. During the months of harvest a woman could glean for food. The law of gleaning did not require the landowner to provide food, water, or protection from the men. The fact that Boaz provided these things for Ruth demonstrates his love for her.