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Our Redeemer Lives |
Dear Brethren,
Almost everyone speaks of Jesus Christ being the
"Redeemer." What does that mean and does it have any
significance today? It is an interesting fact that the word
"redeemer" does not appear in the New Testament! Much of what
we know about the work of the redeemer, we receive from the Old
Testament Scriptures. Isn't it ironic that so much of the
religious world considers the Old Testament to be archaic?
That ancient patriarch, Job, knew about the better resurrection
of the saints, and that Christ is our Redeemer. "For I know
that my Redeemer Lives and that He shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." (Job
19:25-26) Brethren, do we, like Job, believe that, “Our
Redeemer Lives?”
Redemption refers to the intervention of God in
the rescue of mankind – but how does it take place? Jesus
Christ paid the price to purchase human beings – setting them
free from slavery to sin. His substitutionary death and
shedding of blood is the sacrifice paid for man’s ransom, making
Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Why does mankind need to be ransomed
or redeemed – and from what or whom?
God developed the concept of redemption very
early on in the Old Testament. Adam and Eve knew that their sin
had disqualified them, making redemption necessary. They fully
understood that the wages of sin was death, and that a
very seriouis price must be paid. The slaying of an innocent
animal only pointed to the perfect Redeemer to come. Adam and
Eve taught their children the need for redemption. “Abel
also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat
thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his
offering.” (Genesis 4:4)
Later, in Moses' day, when the Israelites were
delivered from the bondage of Egypt [a type for sin], each man
knew that he belonged to the Lord. Every Israelite owed his
life to God, because had he not been rescued, he would surely
have died at the hands of the Egyptians or in the plagues that
came on Egypt. In the wilderness, the Levites were chosen by
God to be the priestly line for service to Him. All the men
from the other eleven tribes of Israel were to be redeemed, or
purchased, by redeeming the firstborn of both men and beast.
"It shall be when thy son asks you in time to
come, saying, What is this? that thou shall say unto him, By
strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the
house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would
hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the firstborn in the
land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of
beast: therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that opens the
matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my
children I redeem." (Exodus 13:14-15)
"And I, behold, I have taken your brethren
the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are
given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the
tabernacle of the congregation." (Numbers 18:6)
"Every thing that opens the matrix in all
flesh, which they bring unto the Lord, whether it be of men or
beasts, shall be thine [the Levitical priesthood's]:
nevertheless the firstborn of man shall thou surely redeem, and
the firstling of unclean beasts shall thou redeem. [because
you do not offer unclean beasts to the Lord] (Numbers 18:15)
"But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling
of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shall not redeem;
they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar,
and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a
sweet savor unto the Lord." (Numbers 18:17)
Notice very carefully that these rules of
redemption carried over into the New Testament. "(As it is
written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb
shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice
according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair
of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." (Luke 2:23-24)
"The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shall bring into
the house of the Lord thy God." (Exodus 23:19) "And
whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring
unto the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine
house shall eat of it." (Numbers 18:13)
After the captivity, Israel understood their need
for redemption even more. Isaiah wrote of the time when the
redeemed would possess the land again. "No lion shall be
there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not
be found there; but the redeemed shall walk
there." (Isaiah 35:9) "Therefore the redeemed
of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto
Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall
obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee
away." (Isaiah 51:11) "And they shall call them,
The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord."
(Isaiah 62:12)
New Testament Christians are every bit as much in
need of redemption. Paul says that we are “sold under sin,”
showing our need of redemption from spiritual bondage.
Jesus Christ, as the Lamb of God, willingly “gave Himself for
us, that He might redeem us from all
sinful deeds, and purify unto himself a special people, zealous
of good works.” (Titus 2:14).
***
Sermon: "Our Redeemer Lives"
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