Martin Luther called the Old Testament the picture book of the New Testament, where the great truths of God’s kingdom are played out for us in the stories of Scripture, like Ruth and Boaz which picture Jesus as our Redeemer.
The word redeem is found 15 times in Ruth 4, and means to buy back for the purpose of setting free.
The Biblical story of redemption begins in the Garden of Eden with the protoevangelium, the first gospel, being announced that God would send a redeemer to reverse the curse of sin (Gen 3:15). The story takes us up to the Garden of Gethsemane and the cup of suffering Jesus would bear in His death (Mt 26:36-46), then across to a nearby Garden tomb (Jn 19:41) where the body of Jesus would be buried and raised from the dead. The story ends in a garden in the New Jerusalem, where redemption is forever realized in God’s people (Rev 22:1-2).

I. The Court (Ruth 4:1-2). Boaz wasted no time in securing redemption, moving at first light from the threshing floor to the city gate. Towns in the ancient world were often walled to keep out intruders, making the cities small and compact. Business and commerce were conducted outside the walls at the gate where everyone passed in or out.
As Boaz sat down, Behold or surprise!, the nearer kinsman walked by. Another instance of God’s providence at work in perfect timing. He gathered ten elders to serve as judges in his legal matter, and there were plenty of witnesses at hand.

II. The Case (Ruth 4:3-6). Boaz approached the matter legally rather than romantically. The Law of Moses dealt with legalities not love, duty and debt not desire. The law of the kinsman-redeemer took effect upon a debt and the need to redeem a piece of property sold by Ruth. Boaz called upon the nearer kinsman to redeem the land.
The nearer kinsman, nearer in the sense that he was more closely related to Naomi than to Boaz, agreed to buy back the mortgaged property. He was ready to gain property when opportunity knocked!
The purpose of the Law of the kinsman-redeemer (Lev 25:23-24) and the Law of Levirate marriage (Deut 25:5-10) was to preserve families and their property. When Boaz reminded the nearer kinsman that marrying Ruth the Moabitess was part of the required redemption, he refused. Ruth’s nationality could make him a societal reject. It would mean bearing her guilt and shame. He’d be forced to share the gain of the property with Naomi, Ruth, and any children he had as Ruth’s husband. Redemption would mean more mouths to feed and a smaller inheritance for his own children. He was happy to redeem as long as it benefited him, but to sacrifice self … no way!

III. The Cause (Ruth 4:6). Boaz was willing to bear Ruth’s legal burden because he loved her. He would willingly sacrifice himself for her welfare. His act of love would contrast to the nearer-kinsman’s requirement of law.
To be a kinsman-redeemer, Jesus had to be related to us. Adam, our father, couldn’t redeem us because he was also indebted to God. But Jesus, the Last Adam could redeem Adam’s enslaved race (1 Cor 15:22, 45). He became Man to redeem mankind (Phil 2:7-8).
Naomi and Ruth were unable to redeem themselves, just like us, dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). But Jesus, by His precious blood, paid the wage demanded for sin’s curse (Rom 6:23; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:12; 1 Pet 1:18-19).
The kinsman also had to be a willing redeemer. Jesus willingly gave His life - not for everyone in the world - but for His sheep given to Him by the Father from eternity (Jn 10:10-18, 25-30; 17:1-8).