TULIP GEMS

OUR KINSMAN REDEEMER

 

“After that he is sold he may be REDEEMED again; one of his brethren may REDEEM him....”   (Leviticus 25:48)   (Emphasis mine)

 

Sadly, an Israelite sometimes had to sell himself to a stranger to be his bondservant.  This was usually to help pay off a debt, when the poor Hebrew had no other way to pay it.

 

The Law of Moses provided relief to the bondservant through the Law of the Kinsman-Redeemer.  Redemption means to “buy back”.  In order to complete this redemption, according to Leviticus 25:48, three (3) factors had to be present:

 

1. The redeemer must be a KINSMAN (a relative).

 

2. The redeemer must be WILLING to pay the price of the redemption.

 

3. The redeemer must be ABLE to pay the price of the redemption.

 

BOOK OF RUTH

 

An example of the Kinsman-Redeemer Law can be found in the Book of Ruth.  Boaz was kinsman to the deceased husband of Ruth.  He was willing to pay the redemption price.

 

And he was able to pay the redemption price, because he was a mighty man of wealth.  Boaz redeemed Ruth, and then married her.  Their great-grandson was David, King of Israel.

 

This redemption of Ruth, and much later, the birth of David, both occurred in Bethlehem.  The Prophets foretold a Kinsman-Redeemer who was to be born in Bethlehem of David's lineage.

 

Adam, by his fall into sin, sold himself to serve sin.  He owed God a debt he could not pay. All of Adam's descendants are born in bondage to sin.  We owe God a debt we are unable to pay.  But God has provided relief through our Kinsman-Redeemer.

 

The Son of God (Psalm 2:7-12) became the Son of man (Daniel 7:13-14) through the Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14) in Bethlehem as foretold by the Hebrew Prophet Micah:

 

“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”    (Micah 5:2)   (Micah 5:1 in some Bibles).

 

 

MESSIAH HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS

 

The Son of Man is thus a KINSMAN to men through His humanity.  He was also WILLING to pay the debt we owed God for our sins -- the DEATH PENALTY.  And since He was without blemish or spot (SINLESS) He was ABLE to pay the debt.

 

His Sacrifice is of INFINITE VALUE because He is the Son of God.  He was ABLE to pay the DEATH PENALTY for many sinners, not just for one other person.  Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah) willingly laid down His life on the Cross as our Kinsman-Redeemer.

 

“For I know that my REDEEMER liveth, 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)   (Emphasis mine)

 

“Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

 

Thus saith the LORD, thy REDEEMER, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”  (Isaiah 48:16-17)   (Emphasis mine)

 

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be CUT OFF, but NOT FOR HIMSELF....”  (Daniel 9:26)   (Emphasis mine)

 

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”   (Isaiah 53:6)

 

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal REDEMPTION for us.”   (Hebrews 9:12)  (Emphasis mine)

 

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not REDEEMED with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

 

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”

(1 Peter 1:18,19)  (Emphasis mine)

 

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast REDEEMED us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

 

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”  (Revelation 5:9-10)   (Emphasis mine)

 

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”  (John 10:11)

 

The sheep are those Jews and Gentiles who hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him in obedience to His Word.  He gives to us eternal life.

 

We owed a debt we could not pay. He paid a debt He did not owe.  Thank God for our Kinsman--Redeemer!!!