![]() ![]() All of us were kidnapped spiritually by Satan the devil (the arch-adversary of God and humanity), but the blood of Christ more than covers the ransom price in full. In a similar manner Jesus Christ redeemed us from the effect of our sins, buying us back by paying a very steep ransom price. It could be redeemed or bought back for him (see Leviticus 25:23-25). ![]() One could reclaim a field, which had been lost to creditors, perhaps by a bankrupt brother. In the Old Testament, redemption, as earlier noted, is often a marketplace term. The benefits that David mentions in this passage are all bound up in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. David looked ahead to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, having been inspired by God to write passages in the Psalms that foretold events that would happen on the cross about a thousand years later. In another of David's most poignant psalms, he wrote: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction" (Psalm 103:2-4). In one of his many heartfelt prayers, he asked his Creator to "draw near to my soul, and redeem it" (Psalm 69:18). King David of Israel was also the bene-ficiary of many instances of personal deliverance from many difficulties and problems during his turbulent reign as ruler of the 12 tribes. ![]() "Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow" (1 Peter 1:10-11, King James Version). There-fore they had to be redeemed in advance by Christ's sacrifice, looking ahead to it. We understand from the New Testament that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be in the Kingdom of God (Matthew 8:11). (To fully understand this truth, please request our free booklets Who Is God? and Jesus Christ: The Real Story.) Most probably this "Angel" (note the capital letter "A," and the Hebrew word simply means "messenger") was none other than the preexistent Jesus Christ or "the Word" mentioned in John 1:1-3 and verse 14. '" (Genesis 48:15-16, emphasis added throughout). In blessing the sons of his son Joseph, he referred to "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil. The patriarch Jacob testifies to this fact. It shows that although ancient Israel's deliverance from Egypt was national in scope, God's deliverance is also very personal. The Old Testament is very much an essential part of God's Word to mankind. ![]() To redeem is to buy back, whether as a purchase or a ransom price. The imagery emerges from the marketplace. With regard to Christ's shed blood, redemption essentially means deliverance from death by means of payment of a very high price. For instance, Scripture goes to the law courts for comprehension of the legal term "justification." But it is to the marketplace that we must go to understand Christ's sacrifice in terms of the concept of "redemption." To help us better comprehend the various aspects of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Bible uses several practical metaphors-usually concepts we already understand fairly well. Jesus Himself said: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16, New American Standard Bible). Why is this so? Why does God then bind Himself to completely and totally forgive all transgressions of His great spiritual law-no matter how serious?Īll Christians know the answer to that question is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When that really happens, we can absolutely count on forgiveness from God. In another psalm of repentance after he committed two capital sins, David said to God: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).Īnother aspect of repentance-a firm resolve to turn away from sin-must accompany admission of guilt. What should happen with this heartfelt confession to God is very important. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and You forgave the iniquity of my sin" (Psalm 32:3-5). For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. King David of Israel said: "When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. It is always an important moment when an individual admits to God the sins he or she has committed. There is nothing like a clear conscience. Human beings have an innate desire to rid themselves of guilt when they know they have done wrong. ![]()
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