Behold, He comes!
“At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. … stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:27-28)
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord! It is Advent Sunday today – we remember the times of waiting for the Messiah (the first Advent): Simeon was waiting, Anna was waiting, the oppressed Jews were waiting, John the Baptist announced and was also waiting, and Jesus Christ appeared – the Messiah. And we look forward to His return in glory (the second Advent); are you waiting? All signs are showing that your redemption is drawing near indeed. The coming of Jesus Christ was also boldly announced using many pictures, and one of them is Boaz, who was a kinsman redeemer and a bridegroom.
Boaz exhibits exceptionally good qualities that make him stand out as a shadow of the great Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He was purpose driven – he followed up the matter of Ruth with such commitment, and would not rest until it was resolved. In the fourth chapter of the book of Ruth, Boaz organized the meeting with the guardian redeemer and the relevant elders to finish a matter that would fix for Ruth a destiny and a happy future. He was selfless; he was not like the man who avoided endangering his own estate; for Boaz, even if it jeopardized him, he still went ahead and gave himself to the duty of redeeming Ruth.
The selfish man’s legacy is not known; we neither nor his name nor his offspring – his selfish nature was more dangerous to his estate than marrying Ruth. As for Boaz, the substitute redeemer, we know his name and his offspring down to the great king David, and down to Jesus Christ the great Redeemer. The other man tried to save his life and lost it, while Boaz gave up his life and estate and gained so much more. Boaz’s exceptionally good qualities attracted blessings from elders at the end of the meeting, as well as blessings from the women who came to visit the family when they had a son, and indeed Boaz was blessed, and his son became very famous. These blessings were really from God above.
Jesus Christ gave himself much more; he not only humbled himself and came to earth, born of a woman, but he also gave up his life in a cruel death on the cross. He also gave us signs to watch, which we now see and must ‘stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’ Are you waiting? He is our Redeemer and the Bridegroom coming to take his Church to the place of eternal joy and peace. Hallelujah!
God bless you all.