The Unnamed Relative

We wrap up our study of Ruth with a story of a close relative to Naomi, who is purposefully left unnamed by the author, rejecting an inheritance because it required intimacy with a covenant partner. The unknown relative was solely worried about his own estate. For Boaz, however, the prize was Ruth. For Naomi to be fully redeemed, Ruth had to be rejected by a works-conscious partner and joined to a covenant-conscious partner. The result was a child "being born to Naomi." Let the religion of a sum of your works go so that you can be fully embraced by covenant-lifestyle.