In
that most charming idyl of inspiration, the Book of Ruth, we have depicted
before us a number of ancient Hebrew customs, one of which is the workings of
the law of inheritance. One section of this divinely given code required that
in case a man of property died childless, his brother or nearest kinsman should
marry the widow “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that
the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate
of his place” (Ruth 4:10). This assured the perpetuation of his name and with it
the continuance of the inheritance in his branch of the family on the male
side.

    Ruth,
the Moabitess, was, as we know, a widow. Mahlon, her husband (a Hebrew) had
died in the land of her nativity, and she with her widowed mother-in-law,
Naomi, had returned in poverty to the land of Judah. The landed estate of the
family was, according to law, nonforfeit, that is, it could “not be sold for
ever” (Lev. 25:23). It could be only what we might call mortgaged until the
year of Jubilee, or release, when it would return automatically to the original
owners, freed of all encumbrance. And the situation now at this stage of the
story is that Boaz, a kinsman of wealth, is quite willing to do the kinsman*s part and both marry Ruth and
redeem the inheritance. But he must say to trembling Ruth, “And now it is true
that I am thy near kinsman:howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. Tarry
this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee
the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part; but if he will not
do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee,
as the Lord lives; lie down until the morning” (Ruth 3:12,13).

    The
nearer kinsman, therefore, must be given first chance. And in the portion of
the narrative given in Ruth 4, we see how this was managed and the result. “I
will redeem it,” this kinsman unhesitatingly says at the first; but when
informed that with the purchase he must also marry Ruth, the original owner*s widow, he draws back. “I cannot
redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance,” he says. He shamefully
refuses to do the kinsman*s part; the way being cleared,
Boaz himself generously buys the “parcel of land,” and gladly takes Ruth to be
his wife.

    Two
most important lessons may be gathered from this incident. One is the kindly
consideration of God in concealing the name of the delinquent nearer kinsman.
He evidently through selfishness shirked his bounden duty toward his brother*s destitute widow; but God, ever
ready, when consistent with the interests of truth and righteousness, to
conceal the weaknesses and follies if His failing people, does not permit to be
divulged the name of him who, to save himself some trouble or expense, refused
to do the kinsman*s part. In Deut. 25:10 we are told
of the disgrace attaching to such unseemly conduct; the slighted woman, among
other things, was to spit publicly in the slacker*s face.

    But
see how the God of Israel, yes, our God, graciously keeps the unworthy
name out of the public record. Boaz doubtless knew well his name and called it
out, in hailing him at the gate (our “court house”) of the city. “Ho, such a
one! turn aside, sit down here,” he calls. “Such a one”; that is
all—and it is enough. There is no further clue concerning his identity. This is
our God! “Charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8) and
“God is love” (1 John 4:8). He sets us here the lovely example of hiding from a
curious posterity the name of him whose conduct was so unworthy. The claims of
justice did not require that the name be made known to us. The descendants of
the man, henceforth known as “the house of him that has his shoe loosed,” were
not to be perpetually thus stigmatized. A few generations and the incident
would be forgotten and the reproach resting on the family removed. The
identification was not to be continued through the Scripture record to eternal
ages. For this we exclaim, “How good is the God we adore!”

    “Followers
[or imitators] of God as dear children” (Eph. 5:1) is the word. Let us be that
in this as in everything else, dear brethren. Only when necessity requires
either the exercise of holy discipline in the assembly or the rectification of
wrongs done to another should we make known our brother*s sin or give publicity to his
tarnished name. “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb.
8:12) He says of us who believe. May His grace to us in this make us to be ever
tender toward the erring brother.

    Now
for a brief moment let us see what the delinquent kinsman missed. The divinely
preserved genealogies reveal it. His name might have gone down in the
ever-enduring Word of God as one of the ennobled ancestors of our glorious
Lord. And what honor to him that would have been! But he missed it, and the
less self-seeking Boaz, who had only second claim, obtained the honor of having
his name chronicled in the lineage of his and our and David’s Lord. Little did
the “nearer kinsman” suspect anything of this.

    And
what of you and me and others, privileged fellow Christian? Do we, regardless
of the cost to ourselves, embrace the opportunities offered us to have our
names held in everlasting remembrance in the records that shall never pass
away? Here we may serve our brethren, in doing which we “serve the Lord
Christ.” God is taking account, be assured; and if we shirk in the position and
responsibilities assigned to us by the Lord, what will we not miss! Much, every
way, we may be certain; and the loss that will grieve us most “in that day”
will be the withholding from the lips of Him whom we love that word, “Well
done, you good and faithful servant … enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matt.
25:21). It will be His joy; for He joys in being enabled to commend even
one of the least and most unprofitable of His servants.

    Oh,
“covet earnestly” the honor of His word of commendation, cost what it may. The
“light affliction,” as also the equally light earthly losses such as worldly
honors, and all else that we may suffer in our devotion to Christ and His
interests here, will surely work out for us a “far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). Be it yours and mine, Christian reader, to be
faithful in serving and following our beloved Lord and Saviour.