3) Boaz as a redeemer

Boaz, who was the son of Rahab, another faithful Gentile, is spoken of as a mighty man of wealth. The word ‘mighty’ is ‘gibbor’ and signifies strong and valiant. In Isaiah, the Messiah is referred to as ‘El Gibbor’. (Isa.9:6) In Bethlehem, Boaz was highly respected and a man of strong character. The name ‘Boaz’ was given to one of the two pillars connected to the Temple of Solomon. In a spiritual sense, the spiritual temple will be established by ‘strong ones’.

In Ruth 2:4-8,we see Boaz and his relationship with his workmen. He shows an interest in their welfare and he greets them in an unusual way. He calls the Name of Yahweh upon them.

The Name

It is not “g’day mate” or “hello”, but “Yahweh be with you”. The workers return the greeting with “Yahweh bless you”. Why does Boaz use this unusual greeting and what could explain the workers’ response?

We see this again in Psalm 129:4-9.

”Yahweh is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked. Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion. Let them all be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth before it groweth up;:wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves in his bosom.Neither do they that go by say, The blessing of Yahweh be upon you: we bless you in the name of Yahweh.”

The Psalmist is stating that when people fall away from the truth, they disregard the Name of Yahweh.

In Numbers 6:22-27, it is recorded that it was the Name that was put upon the people of Yahweh The Priests were commanded to do this, as recorded in Numbers.

“Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, Yahweh bless thee and keep thee: Yahweh make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee: Yahweh lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:23-27)

Boaz, as a faithful Israelite, reflects the mind of the spirit and he acknowledges Yahweh’s power in his life and demonstrates this to those in his care and they in turn respond to his example. Boaz, of Jewish and Gentile descent, would have to stand as a faithful witness for all generations.

A Name called upon the people

The following references show some of the instances where Yahweh’s name is called (or ‘put’) upon the people.

Deut 28:9-10, “And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of Yahweh;

Some Bibles have a margin reference to Numbers 6:27 where the name is ‘called upon the people’) and they shall be afraid of thee”.

Amos 9:11-12, “I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen…and I will build it as in the days of old: that they may possess the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, (Hebrew ‘upon whom my name is called’) saith Yahweh that doeth this.”

Acts 15: 14-17,”Simeon hath declared how God did at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name…and to this agree the words of the prophets… I will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down… That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles , upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord who doeth these things”.

In Isaiah 63:19 it is stated that “We are thine thou never barest rule over them, they were not called by thy name.” The margin gives the rendering for ‘not called by thy name,’ as ‘thy name was not called upon them’. Similarly in Isaiah 65:1,where we read “I am sought of them that asked not…I am found of them that sought me not; I said , behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name”, the margin makes a cross reference to Isaiah 63:19, where the same statement occurs, as ‘thy name was not called upon them.’

This concept of rendering “called by my name” as “upon whom thy name is called” also occurs in Jeremiah 7:10 in reference to the house. “And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name.” Note that the margin gives the Hebrew as ‘whereupon my name is called’ for ‘called by my name’.The emphasis is changed and gives greater credence to what Boaz is doing in magnifying the name of Yahweh.

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