The Sandal

Last month, I had the privilege of studying and sharing the story of Ruth with a group of young girls hungry to know the Lord and His Word. We had such a sweet time together for several weeks, meeting in one of the girl's homes. If you know the story of Ruth, then you know it's one of the most, if not THE most beautiful, concise pictures of the love relationship Jesus Christ has for His people in all of Scripture. I hope I can share this piece of the story that the Lord shared with my heart so that it makes sense as a stand alone post without sharing the whole story, as time rarely permits sharing all that I'd like to. My prayer is that you will be touched by the matchless love of Jesus in a fresh way today.

The whole point of Ruth's story centers around her being "bought" back by her kinsman redeemer, Boaz. Boaz, of course, represents Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who paid the price and gave His life to buy us back. This Old Testament law of redemption, established by God in Deuteronomy, chapter 25, pictures God's heart to restore what has been lost in our lives. Read what God decreed in verses 5-10:

If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.

The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me."

Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, "I do not want to marry her,"

his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line."

That man's line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled. (Deuteronomy 25:5-10)

Interesting, I know. But stay with me here for a few minutes. This is what is actually happening in Ruth, chapter 4, when Boaz goes to the city gate in verse 1 to give the closer of kin the liberty to redeem Ruth himself. It also mentions the taking off of the sandal here in verse 7:

(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

What I want you to notice is that the kinsman redeemer in Ruth 4 (not Boaz) says he cannot redeem it (the land and Ruth, vs 6 and again in verse 8).

"So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, 'Buy it yourself.' And he removed his sandal." Vs. 8

The word sandal, or shoe in the Hebrew here comes from the root word, na'al, meaning to bar, lock, bolt, inclose, shut up. (Think that through and picture it for a moment.)

So, for the first of kin to "remove his sandal" it meant he was unlocking or releasing everything to Boaz. He relinquished all ties to Ruth when he took off his shoe. And, according to verse 7, the transaction was then legal and final.

Now, go with me to the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed not my will but thine be done. Watch the clip below and remember how your enemy Satan plots for your life. He tries to make claim on mankind. He thinks our kids are his, he attempts to lay hold on the people of Haiti, he plots for the orphans and widows...but they all belong to the Lord. And when Satan came to tempt Jesus...what happened?

You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: (Psalm 8:6) For he "has put everything under his feet." (1 Corinthians 15:27) And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, (Ephesians 1:22) ...and put everything under his feet." In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. (Hebrews 2:8)

May I suggest that as Jesus battled the enemy, when he crushed the head of Satan at the cross he was saying...I WILL NOT release my children to you, Satan! I WILL NOT take off my sandal! On the contrary, when Jesus stomped the head of the serpent...I see Him tightening His sandal!! Hallelujah!! He was firming His grip on you, my friend! He was more determined than ever, no matter what the cost, no matter how severe the pain, even to the point of death on a cross, He was saying YOU ARE MINE!!! That sandal was barred, locked and bolted to His foot! There would be no transfer of property!! And THAT was final! Somebody shout, "Glory!"

What matchless, irresistable, extravagant LOVE.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" I John 3:1