2nd 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 home in Heaven when He came to Earth.  He lost (temporarily) the intimate 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.

Another example of redemption is debt.  When someone couldn't pay a debt, they would sell themselves into slavery.  A family member could buy their freedom back by paying off the debt, thus redeeming them--buying them back.

We fall into both of these categories: estranged from God's family and a slave to sin, unable to pay the debt.  Jesus came to buy us back from slavery to sin and to redeem us into His family.  Because Jesus died for us, He took that curse of death (the penalty for sin) for us and now we can live freely in and with 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 fruit.  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