Redemption

1.Introduction

In the midst of his troubles Job proclaimed his hope in a redeemer.

Job 19:25 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 

We have a Redeemer who lives, who will deliver us from the troubles we have.  That redeemer is Jesus Christ.

What is redemption and what does it mean for us now, and in the future, to have Jesus Christ as our Redeemer?

Today I want to talk about redemption

2.What is redemption?

2.1General definition of redemption

At the very basic level, redemption is an action that gives the redeemer possession of what is redeemed.  However, there is more to redemption than just acquiring and possessing something.  As we examine redemption we begin to see that redemption relates to coming into possession of something not because it happened to be found and bought, but because a price has to be paid to regain possession of something that had previously been lost.

2.2Hebrew understanding, three facets of redemption

The understanding of redemption through Jesus Christ isn’t based on some esoteric philosophical discussion.  The purpose and process of redemption was well understood in Hebrew society because its principles were established by God and redemption was part of the normal activities that the people were familiar with.  There are three facets to understanding redemption as it was practiced in Hebrew society.

Restoring a loss through reconciliation

Redeeming a loss through a ransom price

Redemption of a loss by a near kinsman

2.2.1Redemption through reconciliation

One facet of redemption pertains to reconciliation. In this situation what must be recovered is a relationship between two parties that has been damaged or completely lost. In order to restore that relationship to what it should be, a price is paid so that the breach in the relationship is covered over.

We see this concept illustrated by the Hebrew verb kaphar [Strong’s H3722], which is a word literally meaning to cover, but which figuratively is used to convey concepts like reconciling, forgiving, and atoning. The Bible demonstrates three situations in which a price is paid to restore a relationship.

2.2.1.1Humans paying the price to restore the relationship with another

There are examples in the Bible where humans pay a price seeking reconciliation with another person.  We see one example when Jacob is preparing to meet with Esau and attempts to repair that relationship.

Genesis 32:19-20 19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “In this manner, you shall speak to Esau when you find him; 20 and also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

By sending the flocks and herds ahead of him as a gift to Esau, Jacob was hoping to appease or to cover, the break in his relationship with his brother.

Likewise, David desired to atone for Saul’s actions against the Gibeonites.

2 Samuel 21:1-3 1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.

3 Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?”

2.2.1.2Humans paying the price to restore the relationship with God

The Bible shows a number of situations when humans were given make an offering to God to restore fellowship with Him. We see in those examples that atonement was made for people, or for the tabernacle, or the altar, in order to restore the relationship with God.

2.2.1.3God paying the price to restore the relationship with men

However, there were also situations where the Bible shows us that God provided atonement for people so that the breach in the relationship could be covered over.

Deuteronomy 21:8-9 8 Provide atonement, O Lord, for Your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, and do not lay innocent blood to the charge of Your people Israel.’ And atonement shall be provided on their behalf for the blood. 9 So you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.

This was for a situation when someone was found slain but it was unknown how the man had died.  While a heifer was killed by the elders of the nearest town to cover the sacrifice, it was understood that God provided the atonement.

The Day of Atonement was established to foreshadow when God would pay the ultimate price to reconcile the lost relationship between Himself and humanity.

In Hebrew, it is called Yom Kippur.  We see that God established the precedent of providing atonement for the people because our sins separate us from God and have damaged our relationship with Him.  A price had to be paid to cover that breach in the relationship.

Leviticus 23:27-28 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God.

Leviticus 16:29-34 29 “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you. 30 For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever. 32 And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father’s place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen clothes, the holy garments; 33 then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.

2.2.2Redemption by paying a ransom price

The second facet of redemption is the concept of paying a ransom price to regain possession.  This includes things such as property and people’s lives.  The concept is most frequently demonstrated by the Hebrew verb padah [Strong’s H6299].  We see examples of a ransom price being paid by both God and by humans.

2.2.2.1God redeems Israel

2.2.2.1.1From Egypt

God redeemed Israel from their servitude in Egypt and their freedom was bought with the lives of the firstborn.  There are a number of verses that are reminders of the redemption God gave to Israel.

Micah 6:4  4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

2.2.2.1.2From Babylon

God redeemed Judah from the Babylonian/Persian empire when He gave other Kingdoms to Cyrus in place of his continuing to hold Judah as captives.

Isaiah 43:3-4 3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 4 Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life.

2.2.2.1.3In the future

In the future God will once again redeem Israel from the nations where they are scattered.

Zechariah 10:8  8 I will whistle for them and gather them, For I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased.

Isaiah 51:11 11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

2.2.2.2The First-born are to be redeemed

God saved the firstborn of Israel when they were in Egypt.  As a result, all the firstborn belonged to Him.  Those firstborn were redeemed and returned to their families because God took the Levites to serve Him as payment for the firstborn.

Numbers 3:11-13 11 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine, 13 because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the Lord.”

As a reminder to Israel of what God did in Egypt, the people were required to bring forth the firstborn of the clean animals and sacrifice those to God. However, since children and unclean animals could not be sacrificed, God required the people to redeem every firstborn of their children and of their unclean animals.

Numbers 18:15-17  15 Everything that first opens the womb of all flesh, which they bring to the LORD, whether man or beast, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 And those redeemed of the devoted things you shall redeem when one month old, according to your valuation, for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 17 But the firstborn of a cow, the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the LORD.

2.2.2.3God redeems those who trust in Him

God redeemed those who trusted in Him and promises that those who do trust in Him will even be redeemed from the grave.

1 Kings 1:29  29 And the king took an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,

Psalm 49:15  15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah

2.2.2.4Redemption a form of rescue and deliverance

If someone had to sell some of his possessions, God stipulated that if the person was able to redeem it himself, then he was to be allowed to do so.

Leviticus 25:26-27 26 Or if the man has no one to redeem it, but he himself becomes able to redeem it, 27 then let him count the years since its sale, and restore the remainder to the man to whom he sold it, that he may return to his possession.

In this case, a person was able to deliver himself out of bondage. However, there were situations where the person couldn’t provide his own redemption.  The aspect of paying a ransom price helps us understand that redemption is frequently a type of deliverance.  In these cases, the redemption price which was paid rescues the person from a situation in which they are helpless to escape themselves.

The Bible shows us examples where redemption is mentioned as an act of delivering the nation or an individual out of a situation where there is little hope of escape.  

Psalm 136:24   24 And rescued us from our enemies, For His mercy endures forever;

Lamentations 5:8   8 Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand.

The concept of rescue and deliverance points to the need for the third facet of redemption.

2.2.3Redemption by the kinsman redeemer

To begin understanding this third facet we need to look at what God did when the Israelites came into the Promised Land.  When God brought the Israelites into the land of Canaan, although the land belonged to God, he allowed the land to be possessed by the tribes and families as an inheritance.

Numbers 33:54 54 And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone’s inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.

Since He divided the land according to families, the land was to stay in the possession of the family it was given to.

Numbers 36:9 9 Thus no inheritance shall change hands from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of Israel shall keep its own inheritance.”

God knew that situations would arise when someone would have to sell, or better put, lease, their land to someone else.  God provided instructions such that if this were to happen, a close relative, a kinsman-redeemer, would have the right to pay a redemption price to secure what was lost and return it to the family.

Leviticus 25:23-25 23 ‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. 24 And in all the land of your possession, you shall grant redemption of the land. 25 ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold.

In some instances, a person’s condition could get so desperate that he would have to sell himself into servitude, as a servant, not a slave.  Again, God provided instructions that a kinsman-redeemer would be able to pay a price to restore his relative to freedom.

Leviticus 25:47-49 47 ‘Now if a sojourner or stranger close to you becomes rich, and one of your brethren who dwells by him becomes poor, and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner close to you, or to a member of the stranger’s family, 48 after he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49 or his uncle or his uncle’s son may redeem him; or anyone who is near of kin to him in his family may redeem him; or if he is able he may redeem himself.

This redeemer was the one who was responsible for restoring the rights of another person, either personal rights or property rights.  We see the Hebrew verb gaal (goel) [Strong’s H1350] is the primary word used to describe this form of redeeming.

2.2.3.1The Redeemer is a Kinsman

The redeemer must be a kinsman.  As we saw, God gave land to each particular tribe for its inheritance and that inheritance was to remain with its tribe.  We see this principle stated in the specific case where a man’s only heirs were daughters.  They would inherit the land from their father. They could marry who wanted but they were required to marry within the tribe to keep the land in the same tribe.

Numbers 36:1-3 1 Now the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the chief fathers of the children of Israel. 2 And they said: “The Lord commanded my lord Moses to give the land as an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel, and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. 3 Now if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance.

Numbers 36:5-9 5 Then Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying: “What the tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks is right. 6 This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, ‘Let them marry whom they think best, but they may marry only within the family of their father’s tribe.’ 7 So the inheritance of the children of Israel shall not change hands from tribe to tribe, for every one of the children of Israel shall keep the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8 And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel shall be the wife of one of the family of her father’s tribe, so that the children of Israel each may possess the inheritance of his fathers. 9 Thus no inheritance shall change hands from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of Israel shall keep its own inheritance.”

Consequently, the redeemer must be in the same family so when the property is redeemed it will remain as part of the original inheritance that God ordained.  Likewise, when a person was redeemed, the redeemer must be a kinsman in order to restore the redeemed person as a free person within his own family.

2.2.3.2The redemption duty falls to the closest kinsman

The role of kinsman-redeemer fell first to the kinsman who was most closely related to the person needing redemption.  We see this principle illustrated in the story of Ruth and Naomi.

Ruth 3:8-9 8 Now it happened at midnight that the man was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet. 9 And he said, “Who are you?”

So she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Take your maidservant under your wing, for you are a close relative.”

Ruth 3:12 12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I.

Ruth 4:1-6 1  Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the close relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 And I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ” And he said, “I will redeem it.”

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance.” 6 And the close relative said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”

So the responsibility of kinsman-redeemer fell to the closest relative.  Since Boaz was not the closest relative, he deferred to the other man first.  That man, while he was able to redeem, decided that he was not willing to risk it, so the duty then fell to Boaz. If the nearest kinsman was unable to do the redeeming, then it went down the line to the next closest relative.

As we look at the verses that contain the word goel, we see from the usage of the word three things that apply to the redeemer:

The redeemer must be related by blood

The redeemer must be able to pay the redemption price

The redeemer must be willing to pay the redemption price

2.2.3.3The redemption duty may require avenging

There is one other duty of the kinsman-redeemer that might arise.  If a relative had been killed, the death was to be judged for whether it was a murder or an accidental death.

Numbers 35:10-12 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there. 12 They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

If it was judged to be a premeditated murder then the avenger, the kinsman-redeemer, had the responsibility of destroying the one who brought death to his family member.

Numbers 35:16-2116 ‘But if he strikes him with an iron implement so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he strikes him with a stone in the hand, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, by which one could die, and he does die, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 If he pushes him out of hatred or, while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies, 21 or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

Even when the death was accidental, if the person guilty of the manslaughter leaves the city refuge before he is allowed to, the avenger would not be held accountable for the death of the guilty person if the avenger kills him outside of the city of refuge.

Numbers 35:26-28 26 But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, 28 because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

3.Understanding our redemption

Given the understanding of redemption as it was practiced in Ancient Israel how can we better understand the redemption that is available to us? Why do we need redemption and where does it come from?

3.1Redemption comes from God

How can we receive redemption?  We first realize that neither we nor any other person is able to redeem us.

Psalm 49:6-7  6 Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him—

If the wealthy cannot pay the price of redemption then there is no person who can pay the redemption price.  Consequently, if we are to be redeemed it has to come from God.  Zacharias was inspired to declare that our redemption comes from God.

Luke 1:68 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,

The Psalms also looked forward to what God planned in providing for our redemption.

Psalm 111:9 9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name.

Our redemption comes through Jesus Christ by what He has done for us.

Romans 3:21-26 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:30  30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--

3.2Jesus Christ fulfills all three facets

How is Jesus our Redeemer? As we examined redemption as practiced in Ancient Israel, we saw there were three facets of redemption that God established.  When the Word of God became Jesus Christ here on earth, what he accomplished provides redemption through all three of those facets.

3.2.1Jesus is our atonement offering for reconciliation

God foretold of a time when He would annul, or cover over, the agreement we have with death.  This agreement, initiated by our sins, damaged our relationship with God.

Isaiah 28:16-18 16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. 17 Also I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the plummet; The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18 Your covenant with death will be annulled, And your agreement with Sheol will not stand; When the overflowing scourge passes through, Then you will be trampled down by it.

That cornerstone God laid is Jesus Christ.  Peter quotes this passage to confirm that Jesus Christ is that cornerstone.

1 Peter 2:4-6 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

Paul also confirms it in his writings that Jesus is the cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:19-20 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

God’s plan set a specific time when He would send Jesus Christ to earth to provide atonement and reconcile us with God.

Daniel 9:24 24 “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

3.2.1.1Why we need reconciliation

Our relationship with God has been damaged because of what we have done. We have chosen to sin against God and that sin separates us from God.

Isaiah 50:2 2 Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of thirst.

Isaiah 59:1-3 1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity.

Not only does our sin separate us from God, but as Paul states, our sin causes us to become enemies of God.  This is why we need His reconciliation.

Romans 8:7 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

Romans 5:10 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

3.2.1.2How we are redeemed through reconciliation

In Leviticus 16 we see that for the Day of Atonement God established a ceremony of atonement that foreshadowed what Jesus Christ would do for us.  He is our High Priest but He is also represented by the goat which was chosen for the Lord.  The blood of His sacrifice is what reconciles us with God.  The letter to the Hebrews explains this to us.

Hebrews 9:11-14 11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:24-28 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Jesus Christ paid the reconciliation price with His blood to cover over the breach in our relationship with God.  When we accept that sacrifice and strive to put sin out of our lives, we become a new creation, with a new relationship with God, one that is without the breach caused by sin.

1 John 2:2 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1 John 4:10 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Romans 5:11 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Hebrews 10:19-22 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer because through His sacrifice, our sins, and their consequences, are passed over and we are reconciled in our relationship with God.

3.2.2A ransom price was paid for our release

The second facet of redemption is the payment of a ransom price to restore the freedom of a person. Why do we need to have someone pay a ransom to rescue us?

3.2.2.1We have become slaves to sin

Because we have been part of the society created by Adam’s disobedience, we all have sinned against God.  In doing so, we have sold ourselves to sin and become its slave.

John 8:34-36 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Romans 6:16-20 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Romans 6:6 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

2 Peter 2:18-19 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

Paul wrote that sin leads to death and the wages of sin is death.  Having sinned even once, we are now held captive by sin and death. 

3.2.2.2We are not able to redeem ourselves

In the system established in Israel, if a person had to sell himself to another as a servant, it was possible that at some point he could gain enough means to pay his own redemption price.  We don’t have that option because we are slaves to sin and have nothing that can be used for the redemption price.  The only option we can take for ourselves to be free from sin is to die.

Romans 6:7 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Since this is the only option we have available on our own, to be freed from sin we need someone else to deliver us and rescue from this slavery.

Romans 7:23-24 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

3.2.2.3God plans for a deliverer

God knew that humanity would need to be redeemed and planned for it before humans were ever created.

Revelation 13:8 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

God Almighty planned when he would have the Word of God become Jesus Christ and do what was necessary to become our Redeemer and Savior.

Romans 11:26 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Galatians 4:4-5 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Those under the law need to be redeemed because any violation of the law is sin, which puts us into bondage.  The problem is not the law.  Instead, the problem is our violation of God’s law.

3.2.2.4Jesus Christ paid the redemption price for us

Through His life here on earth, and His death, Jesus Christ paid the price that was necessary to redeem us.  The debt against us, the death that we earned through sinning, wasn’t just canceled without any consequence.  It was fully paid by Christ.

Galatians 3:13 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

3.2.2.4.1Jesus paid by dedicating His life

He is able to redeem us because He dedicated His life to living fully by God’s law so that He would serve both God and mankind.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

Titus 2:14   14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

He lived His life as a perfect example for us that through it we might be ransomed from sin.

Matthew 20:28   28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

John 10:11 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

3.2.2.4.2 Jesus paid with His shed blood

In the end He sacrificed His life, and through His shed blood, He paid the ransom price for our lives.  His blood blots out our sins and removes the penalty against us because He paid the penalty by dying for us. 

Revelation 5:9   9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

Ephesians 1:7  7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Colossians 1:13-14 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

We are now free to live life as He did, which was lived to God in righteousness.

1 Corinthians 6:20 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Acts 20:28 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer because He has paid the ransom to redeem us from our bondage to sin.

3.2.3 He is a kinsman-Redeemer

The final facet of redemption is that of the kinsman-redeemer.  As we saw earlier, there are certain requirements a redeemer had to meet in order to free someone by paying the redemption price:

The redeemer must be a kinsman

The redeemer must be able to pay the redemption price

The redeemer must be willing to pay the redemption price

Jesus Christ meets all these requirements as our kinsman-redeemer.

3.2.3.1Jesus became our kinsman

As part of God’s plan, the Word of God needed to become human and in doing so he became our kinsman.  Jesus frequently referred to himself as the Son of Man.

Philippians 2:5-8 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

John 1:14 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 2:10-12 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

Romans 8:3-4 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Mark 10:45   45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Romans 1:1-3 1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

2 John 7 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

3.2.3.2Jesus is able to pay the redemption price

In order for Jesus to pay the price to free us from the bondage of sin, He himself could not be a slave to sin.  We see numerous references affirming to us that Jesus Christ fully obeyed God’s law and did not sin.  Consequently He was never in bondage to sin and therefore He is able to pay the ransom price to free us from our bondage to sin.

Hebrews 4:14-15 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

1 Peter 2:21-22 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin,  Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

2 Corinthians 5:21 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Peter 1:18-19 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

3.2.3.3Jesus was willing to pay the redemption price

In addition to being able to pay our redemption price, Jesus was willing to pay it.  Even knowing the agony He would endure, He readily submitted Himself to God’s will so that the price of our redemption would be paid.

Matthew 26:39 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

John 10:15-18 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

3.2.3.4Jesus Christ is our avenger

Another role which Jesus Christ does as a kinsman-redeemer is that of the avenger. Under the influence of Satan we have sinned, which causes our death. In a sense Satan has murdered us.  Jesus refers to Satan as a murder.

John 8:44 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Jesus will prevent Satan from doing any more harm and he will also destroy all the works of Satan. 

1 John 3:8 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Ultimately, even death itself will be removed by our kinsman-redeemer.

Hosea 13:14 14 “I will ransom [G4506][H6299] them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”

2 Timothy 1:8-10 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

Jesus will avenge Satan on our behalf to destroy the one who has brought harm to the family.

Hebrews 2:14-17 14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

We see in this passage the fullness of the redemption that Jesus provides.  He brings reconciliation, he becomes our kinsman, he pays the price, and he avenges our death.  Jesus fully served us in His role as our kinsman-redeemer.

3.2.3.5God declares us as His family

While many understand that Jesus is our kinsman-redeemer, there is something significant about this which many do not comprehend. 

Isaiah 47:4 4 As for our Redeemer [H1350], the Lord of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 44:22-24   22 I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed [H1350] you." 23 Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed [H1350] Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel. 24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer [H1350], And He who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;

Isaiah 60:16 16 You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of kings; You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Isaiah 54:5 5 For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.

 

He is speaking about being the kinsman-redeemer to Israel and that relationship extends further to us in a spiritual sense.  What this tells us is God pays the redemption price for us not because we are slaves or servants that he wants back.  Instead, He is paying the price because we are part of His family.  He is telling us that He is our closest relative and He has made it His responsibility to buy us back from our bondage to sin so that we can return to the family inheritance that He has reserved for us.  How well do we understand and appreciate what He is doing for us?

4.Conclusion

Redemption is paying a price to regain something that had been lost.  The redemption provided for us by Jesus Christ is based on redemption practices that were established by God for Ancient Israel.  Those practices involved payments for reconciliation and the payment of a redemption price by a close relative to free someone from bondage.  Jesus Christ has done all that.  God has proclaimed that we are His family and He has provided the means of reconciliation and redemption for us with the life and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which can lead us to salvation and the Kingdom of God.