ADOPTION

REDEMPTION

temperament leads him to place undue emphasis upon God's righteousness, the meaning of redemption will be

coloured continually by such differences in point of view; the same also is true as to the meaning of sin. Is it a

crime, a weakness, a lapse, a failure, a forfeiture? According as you answer, so will you understand redemption.

This I call the `Chameleon method of interpretation'; it is the fruitful cause of all the `isms' that split up the church

of God into conflicting camps.

A. -- What alternative can you offer to this `Chameleon method' as you call it? Will not your method be as equally

coloured by your own temperament?

B. -- No. My method being based upon the revealed typical teaching of Scripture is so far impersonal. It can only

become tinged by my own personality when I attempt the construction of a creed. The material is already to our

A. -- Do you propose traversing Leviticus or examining the various offerings and sacrifices of Israel's ritual?

B. -- No, not at the moment, but these offerings supply a wealth of detail as soon as the main principles have been

established. For the moment we shall find all we require in the Book of Ruth.

A. -- Surely that pastoral story, beautiful as it may be, cannot supply instruction of such a fixed and basic character

as you appear to imagine.

B. -- That I will not debate at present. Before we meet again I suggest that you read the Book of Ruth right through

so that our time may be employed in the use of this important portion of the Divine system of interpretation.

(Before going further the reader is asked to read the Book of Ruth right through).

A. -- I have complied with your suggestion and have read the Book of Ruth, so will you now proceed?

B. -- It is impossible to separate redemption from the redeemer and when we grasp the scriptural essentials that go to

make up a scriptural redeemer we shall be well on the way to attaining to the idea of scriptural redemption.

Assuming that you are acquainted with the story of the Book of Ruth, let me draw your attention to the closing

portion of the second chapter. When Ruth returned from her gleaning and told Naomi of the attitude of Boaz, we

have the first reference to the redeemer. Naomi said of Boaz:

`The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen' (Ruth 2:20).

A. -- Where is there any mention of a redeemer in that statement?

B. -- Look at the note in the margin.

A. -- (Reads), `One that hath right to redeem'.

B. -- Keep that in mind while we proceed. In chapter 3. we are told that Ruth, acting on Naomi's instructions, lies at

the feet of Boaz on the threshing floor, and at midnight upon being discovered Ruth said:

`I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy wing over thine handmaid;

FOR THOU HAST RIGHT TO REDEEM'

(Ruth 3:9, Margin).

Boaz now revealed a fact that made a pause in the accomplishment of Naomi's purpose:

`It is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I -- if he will perform unto thee the

part of a kinsman, well -- but if -- not -- then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee' (Ruth 3:12,13).

It is evident that the pity, the love, the riches, the willingness of Boaz could not avail apart from the essential

element of kinship. This little hitch brings into prominence the law of God on the subject of redemption. So let us

continue on into chapter 4. Boaz calls the nearer kinsman to him as he passes the gate of the city and puts the case

of Naomi before him saying: