6th Day of Advent: Kinsman Redeemer

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us."

Galatians 3:13a

In the book of Ruth, Naomi has lost her husband and her sons in the foreign land of Moab.  She goes back to Israel, her homeland, with her daughter-in-law, Ruth.  A widowed woman with no sons would need to find another relative to take care of her.  Back in Israel, we see a guardian-redeemer or kinsman redeemer in Boaz.  If he marries Ruth than he can redeem the family, taking them in and caring for them, and the family name doesn't die out.  He does marry Ruth and eventually becomes part of Jesus' human ancestry line!! Boaz is just a foreshadow of Jesus redeeming us and buying us back to God's family. 

Jesus bought us back at a much higher cost than Boaz.  Boaz just forfeited his family name, Jesus forfeited His throne and His relationship with the Father when He was on the cross.  He did that because of His great love for us and because we couldn't do it ourselves.  I just love how God has knitted together the Bible stories.

Why do we need a Redeemer?  It all begins with Adam and Eve in the Garden.  When they brought sin into the world the also brought death.  "For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23 We all deserve death because we can't live up to the perfect standards that God requires.  He is holy and cannot be near sin.  That is why He instructed Moses with the careful precautions and specifics when the Israelite built the tabernacle.  God couldn't be near the sinful people unless a sacrifice, death, was made to cover the sins.

Therefore, Christ made that sacrifice to redeem us back to God the Father.  Because Jesus died for us, He took that curse of death from us and now we can live freely in Him.  Jesus paid that price and brought us back to being able to have a relationship with God like Adam and Eve experienced before they ate the apple.  Not only did He redeem us back to have a relationship with God but we can be part of God's family!!

How has being redeemed and set right with God changed your life?  

With His Love,

A