07.07. The Origin of Redemption

The Origin of Redemption Genesis 3:7-10, Genesis 3:21

    Some will tell you that there is nothing but self to be redeemed from. Others will tells us that we cannot know God, even if He exists, He is to high and lofty to be known. Job ask the question "… how should man be just with God?" Job 9:2 The NIV says, "… how can a mortal be righteous before God?"

    Does the Word of God speak and teach us the answer to this question? Can we know what God requires in a day when all the religious voices of the world cry out with different opinions and some cry out that all ways to God are equal?

    First lets define redemption by looking at the words used in the Bible for redemption. In the Old Testament Hebrew it is "pada" and means, to "deliver," to "sever".

    In the New Testament Greek the words are "apolutrosis" and means "a ’loosing’ away" and "lutrosis", meaning "a ’loosing,’ particularly by paying a price."

I- The Story:

    We enter the story of the parents of all humankind today after the fall. They choose to eat of the forbidden fruit and rebelled against God. Notice their realization for the first time at the moment of the fall. Genesis 3:7 "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked…" In the same verse we have the first attempt to undo the tragedy of the fall, "…and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons."

    God comes calling in the garden and Adam and Eve hide themselves from His presence. Genesis 3:8 "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."

    Notice the conversation between God and Adam. Genesis 3:9-10 "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? ¹⁰ And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

    Was this true? Was he still naked? Remember that they had sewed leaves together and made coverings for themselves. I find this statement so telling because Adam was still naked before God even with his attempt at covering. This points out he fact that man needs something more than what he can do for redemption. Does God have a plan for mans redemption. Yes beloved and it began with the first shedding of blood recorded in Genesis 3:21 "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." This covering provided by God did not cost Adam anything but it cost an animal its life.

II- Old Testament Redemption

    God set in motion what was required of Him for forgiveness of sin. It has always been by blood from the beginning that sin’s debt has been paid. The Old Testament if full of reminders of this.

Job is said to be one of the earliest books written. If you look at the Bible chronologically Job is usually place in the earliest history of mankind. Notice what was a continual practice of Job. It is recorded that Job, "rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually." Job 1:5

    Daily in the tabernacle and the temple sacrifices were made for sin. It is said that the altar of stone had grooves eroded in it because of all the blood that ran down upon it.

Notice the letter to the Hebrews which tells us about the sacrifices made daily and yearly.

Hebrews 10:1 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect… Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year…⁶ In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure… Hebrews 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins…" No notice the next verse which is too good to pass up. Hebrews 10:12 "But this man [Jesus], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."    

    God also wanted Israel to be reminded generation to generation that they were under bondage to the law and redemption was necessary. He gave them a picture of this with each child or beast born to a new mother. Notice the following.

Numbers 18:15-17 "Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem. ¹⁶ And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. ¹⁷ But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD."

    This is why first born were target of death in Passover. Passover was a time of redemption from Egyptian bondage but a reminder that redemption is required for all men. Notice Exodus 13:15 "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem."

    This is why the events took place in the temple thousands of years later after the one who is called the Redeemer was born. Jesus was redeemed as a firstborn under the law. Luke 2:22-23, 39 "And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; ²³(As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)…³⁹ And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth."

III- That from which we have been redeemed:

Now preacher modern man is different. He is more refined and is not like the savages of the past. Yea, right. Look in the papers and at world events daily to see men are still far less than perfect, we just have a harder time admitting it now that we are sophisticated. Galatians 3:22 "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." The need for redemption implies bondage to something. We might ask why we need redemption. Beloved we are under the bondage of sin. We can deny it, glorify it, embrace it and call wrong right, we can do a lot of things with the fact of sin but we cannot make it go away. Man if a fallen being. So what do we need redemption from, sin.

    How does God redeem us? Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁵ To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." By His Son Jesus.

    Hebrews 9:12 "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."

    God will not accept fig leaves that we sew together which are the words of our hands. It is only by His Son Jesus that redemption can come. It is totally by grace apart from any thing we can do except believe and accept Him.