Discovering Christ in Ruth: The Kinsman Redeemer

Everyone likes a love story with a happy ending. The story of Ruth and Boaz has special appeal to believers, because we see in it an outline of our own spiritual history and of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, our Kinsman Redeemer, of whom Boaz was a type. Don Fortner shows that this story has two great themes, one hidden, the other revealed. The hidden theme is divine providence. The minute affairs of our lives, as well as the great affairs, the private as well as the public affairs of our experiences, are arranged and determined by God's wise and good providence. The revealed theme is redemption and grace. Boaz was Ruth's close relative, the one who had the right to redeem. As such, he portrays our great, incarnate God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has willingly fulfilled the part of the redeeming relative for us. As we contemplate his great love for us, which far exceeds the love of any on this earth, we are stimulated to deeper love and devotion to him and his service. Commending Don Fortner's earlier title, The Church of God, one reviewer wrote: 'Scripturally sound, his treatment is extremely comprehensive, fully detailed, and given with absolute conviction.' CLC Floodtide Don Fortner lives in Danville, Kentucky where he is pastor of Grace Baptist Church. He is a regular conference speaker and the author of several books, including The Church of God - What it means to belong and Life After Pentecost - A Guide to the Acts of the Apostles, both published by Evangelical Press.