MY PERFECT REDEEMER

“YOUR REDEEMER is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth” – Isaiah 54:5b

GOD, in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ is MY PERFECT REDEEMER: “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and YOUR REDEEMER is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth” (Isa.54:5). The redeemer is the one who buys back. We were lost and separated from our Maker, but through the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God has bought us back. Now we have access to God and forgiveness of sin. Our Maker is our Redeemer! No one can re-enslave whoever He has redeemed! In perfecting the Mission of Redemption, the Lord Jesus Christ became our Eternal and Perfect Redeemer. He is also the Reason for this glorious Season, worthy of adoration and celebration!

Adam was made in the image and likeness of God, but he sinned, lost his inheritance, and forfeited ruler-ship of the earth. Through Adam, death – separation from God – passed to all (Rom.5:12). It took immeasurable Grace for the eternal Son of God to set aside His deity, be born as a baby and clothed in human flesh, without which redemption would be impossible. The Creator of the Universe stooped to take on the form of a servant and be born in the likeness of men (Phil.2:8).

In the Old Covenant, only a family member could become a “kinsman-redeemer” – the nearest of kin with the ability, freedom and willingness to redeem his kinsman from difficulty. In the book of Ruth, Boaz the relative of Naomi, prefigured the Lord Jesus as our “kinsman redeemer”! God’s sinless Son became fully Man to be qualified to redeem humankind (Heb2:11). In Him, our redemption is real and permanent: the transaction is complete. We never have to be sold under the power of sin again. No one can top the great price He paid – free, but not cheap! No one can purchase us away from Him. We have come under new ownership and management. We are free to love, worship, and serve Him who redeemed us!

I came across a simple story that illustrates redemption:

A young boy diligently built a little sailboat, and proudly carried his boat to the river side for its first launch. He carefully placed it in the water and slowly let out the string! He sat in the warm sunshine, admiring his little boat. Suddenly a strong current caught the boat. When he tried to pull it back to shore, the string broke. The wind and current pushed the little boat downstream. The young boy quickly ran along the shore, but his little boat soon slipped out of sight. All afternoon he searched for the boat. When it was too dark to look any longer, he sadly went home.

A few days later, returning from school, he spotted a boat in a store window. When he got closer, he could see – sure enough – it was his! He hurried into the store and spoke to the store manager: “Sir, that’s my boat in your window! I made it!” “Sorry, son, but someone else brought it in this morning. If you want it, you’ll have to buy it.” He ran home and counted all his money, and rushed back to the store to buy his handmade toy. As he left the store, the boy hugged his hand made boat and said, “Little boat, now you’re twice mine. First, I made you and now I bought you.”

I am God’s workmanship; so valuable that He went to great lengths to buy me back! I am twice His: First, God made me; and then He bought me! My redemption is fully paid up. When temptation comes, rather than throw in the towel and call it quits, I’ll remind the tempter I am not up for sale! My redemption is a permanent, completed, and sealed transaction by God through the Lord Jesus, my Redeemer: “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you” (Isa.54:10).