Our situation is desperate. We are under attack by an unseen enemy who, in essence, was given, by our forefather, the rights to interfere with our very souls. Though finite (which insinuates that over time he can and has learned) he is of the spirit realm and so unseen. Without intervention, his acquired authority, can make life gruesome. His goal, as we were told by Jesus, is to kill, steal and destroy as much of the inheritance Adam lost as possible; and to deceive as many of Adam’s descendants as he can to choose to fall into the same pit as Adam himself – to exalt something, anything above God. He cannot make a person defy God; but once we have, we are unable, on our own, to escape his influence.
Though touched on and alluded to in previous posts, it is important that the differences in how Christ’s sacrifice impacts our lives, both in time and in eternity, be clarified.
He is our ransom AND He is our redemption!
At whatever point in our lives we exalt a thing above God, we become captives to sin and destined for death; specifically the second death which keeps us separate from our Creator for eternity. For that we need to be ransomed – delivered from our captivity to sin and the death sentence sin imposes.
We are also, as descendants of Adam, foreigners and sojourners in this world. When Adam gave up his inheritance through disobedience, God noted what had happened to the Man who had become “as one of Them, knowing good and evil” (note Gen.3:22) and drove him out of the garden. Adam and his heirs have wandered in the earth ever since, subject to the ruler, the occupant, the tenant farmer (Jesus explains this relationship in the parable of the landowner - see Matt.21:33-40), because though God owns it all, He honors the implications of the choice Adam made.
THE PRICE
The fact that we can write and read and muse and deduce is evidence that our Loving Father and Creator – Who knows All Things – had accounted for the price that would be assessed by giving Man, His desired creation, an Eternal destiny: that cost had been included in the Counsel of God when the project was approved and written into the Everlasting Covenant.
The contract was established in Eternity, the Always, All at Once of God. This is the agreement God made regarding how Man (and all of creation with him) would be treated. Within it were promises of eternal life – whether Man’s choice was of blessing or cursing. I believe (for we are shown) that the covenant was written in two parts – the books of Ransom and Redemption. And that one of the parts, that of Redemption, was written in duplicate – a private, sealed version and a public, open version. The books were written in the languages of Creation and Covenant and Communion and the two that were unsealed were shared publicly over the ages of Man; His witness to His creation of His Eternal Intent.
(As for the private copy of the book of Redemption – we have touched on those details in the series that begins with unsealing-the-terms-and-conditions. Suffice to say that it contains all that is found in the open copy with the addition of specific terms and conditions of the fulfillment of Redemption.)
In this Everlasting Covenant the roles within the Godhead were assigned. (I do recognize that the nature of the Godhead is mysterious and is therefore controversial. Our God is One! And yet He presents Himself in Three Personages – the Tri-Unity (Matthew 3:13-17) as regards the covenant; the covenant was made of the Words, the Sacrifice, and the Seal.)
God, in His wisdom, included in His plan for making, creating, forming, and building Mankind the Acts and the Price of Ransom and Redemption. He knew His Man would exalt his desire above God’s command and that he would therefore fall; but man could only be fit to share Eternity – the Always After of God – if he was in His Image and Likeness – meaning, if he could truly choose (the exercise of will) despite the consequences.
The Price of both (the Ransom and the Redemption) was included in the Everlasting Covenant: the life/blood of a sinless man (for the life is in the blood – Lev.17:11), willingly given as the Propitiation. The Ransom is what is paid to set the Man free from the consequences of his sin: death and the separation from God that death produced. The Redemption is paid to restore Man’s inheritance – the authority, power, and scepter of ruling and reigning over the earth and its creatures (Gen.1:26-28; 2:5-17).
Though the Price is the same – like the two books of the covenant – each transaction is unique.
The Ransom is based on each Man’s choice to accept the Price paid – to re-enter covenantal relationship with the Creator under the terms set by the Ransom – at whatever time in a Man’s life that that decision is made.
The Redemption, however, is a time bound contract between God and the adversary, who – by way of Adam’s choice to abdicate – became the occupant and land-lord of Man’s inheritance. It must be noted that whether Adam or Satan held that authority – God was the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Creator and Owner of all that is. Satan obtained legal authority to take over when Adam exalted his desire above God’s command (so, when Adam experienced the death that is the separation from the Glory of God). God – Who is God – honored that authority but made clear the terms and conditions of occupation, redemption, repossession and restoration. Satan was also allowed, by legal contract, to state certain conditions of occupation – as we have seen.
God’s original commission and charge will be fulfilled – the Redemption makes that possible!
In Psalm 69:18, a Psalm of David, we see both aspects of what the Price covered as David pleads for God’s involvement in his life. Starting in verse 16:
“Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; according to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me, and do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly. Oh, draw near to my desired redemption (“gâ’al”); ransom (“pâdâh”) me because of my enemies!” (Psalm 69:16-18)
The idea of our need for a pardon from our sins, a ransoming from sin’s cost (which is death) is first on display shortly after Adam chose to exalt his desire above the command of God and lost his inheritance to the adversary of God. The Father, Whom they could no longer see Face to face, made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. The shedding of blood in the making of the garments points to the sacrifice of the Lamb Slain before the foundations, the sacrifice that covers our sins so that we can stand before God. By the shedding of the blood of an animal, Adam and his wife were allowed to remain in relationship with God.
They were ransomed – but it is essential to understand that the ransom did not restore Adam’s lost heritage! They were not returned to the garden; the serpent was still allowed to take Adam’s (and our) inheritance – but their sin being covered allowed them to remain alive.
The primary Hebrew word that is used to describe the payment of a ransom looks like “pâdâh” when transliterated. Though frequently translated “redeem” (or a form of that English word), it is specifically referring to the act of paying the required price in order to free someone (or something) from an undesirable fate – including death; so, in our vernacular, the money paid to a kidnapper for the release of the captive.
The word “pâdâh” is first used in Exodus 13: “you shall ransom with a lamb.”
The tenth and final plague resulted in the death of the first born of those not “covered” by the blood of a lamb or goat. The LORD had Moses insert precisely right after the culmination of the plagues the fact that He claims all of the first-born of Israel – whether man or beast – as His own.
The Words of God Moses was commissioned to share with the people regarding the consecration and Ransoming of the firstborn, are also significant from the perspective of the Book of Redemption. In those words, the establishment of the feast of Passover and its Week of Unleavened Bread is described – specifically to be a remembrance in the land of their inheritance. Intrinsically connected are: the Inheritance and the Ransoming of the first-born.
Beginning in verse 11 of our chapter 13 of Exodus:
“Now when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, you shall cause to pass over to the LORD that which first opens every womb, and that which opens every beast that you own; the males belong to the LORD. But every first opening of a donkey you shall ransom (“pâdâh”) with a lamb, but if you do not ransom it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of Adam among your sons you shall ransom. And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt from the house of slavery. ‘It came about, when Pharoah was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, that which first opens the womb, but the firstborn of my sons I ransom.’ So, it shall become a sign on your hand and as phylacteries between your eyes, for with a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.” (Ex.13:11-16)
Notably, at the beginning of the nation of Israel (the people of covenant with whom God desired to dwell) He presents the concept of the Ransom. The Ransom (“pâdâh”) is found 19 times in the first five books of the Bible, 6 times in the books of history, 16 times in Job and Psalms, and 10 times in the books of prophecy – 51 times in all. (Please note: the use of the word “redeem” as a translation of “pâdâh”, though a bit confusing, can be offset by searching specifically for the Hebrew word “pâdâh” using Strong #6299 in your concordance or Bible app.)
In Numbers 3 there is another interesting story regarding the Ransom. The timing is at the very beginning of the second year of the journey, sixteen days after celebrating the first Passover after their Exodus to the land of Promise (their Inheritance). They are still in the wilderness of Sinai, at the feet of the mountain of God; the Tabernacle is complete and is set up; the camp has been put in order. God then calls for the first census.
In that context, prior to the outset of the ongoing ransom (which was to begin “when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites”) that was laid out in chapter 13 of Exodus and just prior to when they were “scheduled” to enter the land of promise, the Lord instructed them to Ransom the existing first-born males. To, in essence, bring the people “current” on the price of their access to God Almighty and His covering.
The Lord, having designated the people of the tribe of Levi as His portion, was describing the assignments for the Levites, according to their families – they are not to be included in the census of the other tribes. Instead God will, this one time, exchange the tribe of Levi for the required lamb noted in Exodus 13.
(It should be remembered that the tribe of Levi was designated as the tribe of the priesthood only after the nation as a whole rejected God’s offer for them to be a “kingdom of priests” – compare Exodus 19:5-6 and 20:19 and review Deut.18:15-19).
The number of Levi males one month or older was 22,000. The first-born of all of the other tribes – males, one month or older – were also numbered: 22,273. The Levite males constituted the ransom for 22,000 of the first-born of the males of Israel; the excess 273 were ransomed with “five shekels (of silver) a piece, per head; you shall take in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of the sanctuary is 20 gerahs).” The word “shekel” means a measure of weight; “gerah” is equal to 1/20th of a shekel…
The point: There was a precise Price for the Ransom – either a life for a life or five shekels of silver, as measured by the sanctuary.
And so, now all of the first-born males of those in the wilderness are ransomed. The rule of ransom for the first born sons was given in Exodus 13 as we saw; it was updated in Numbers 3; it will be restored in Numbers 18 (with additional details) after the people had rejected the offer to enter the land and were banished to wander for the remainder of 40 years.
Going forward, after the Ransom price of the Levites was accepted, the people would ransom the first-born of either man or unclean beast via the five shekels of silver – the silver would be used for the needs of the sanctuary and the Levites. The first born of the clean beast would be offered as a holy offering; the meat of which would be food for the priests and Levites.
One additional example. As we saw in David’s psalm, we also see on Hosea’s prophecy regarding the idolatry of Israel. In our chapter 13 of that book, God is reminding Israel of their deliverance from Egypt and His provision and protection in the wilderness. The LORD then demonstrates the pattern that often results in idolatry: God provides, Man becomes sated, in his state of satisfaction Man becomes proud (as if their blessings were of their own doing), and in his pride he forgets the LORD.
Reflecting on this pattern the LORD asks four questions: 1) “Shall I ransom (“pâdâh”) them from the hand of Sheol? 2) “Shall I redeem (“gâ’al”) them from death? 3) “O Death, where are your thorns? 4) “O Sheol, where is your sting?” – and gives one answer: “Compassion will be hidden from My sight.”
The point? Hosea’s word is trying to tell His people, that, sadly, the pains and sorrows of “death and separation from God” do not seem to have been enough to prevent them from going astray! God is patient, but there is an end to His longsuffering!
We are told that Jesus purchased with His blood – for God – those from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev.5:9). And that God loved the entire created order, sending His only begotten Son, so that those who put their trust in Him will not perish – but will be ransomed. The Ransom Price has been paid; the price of a life set by God in the Everlasting Covenant. The record of those who have trusted Him, accepting and acquiring the Ransom He paid, are found in the Book of Life. That Book is seen in Daniel chapter 7 in possession of the Ancient of Days, in Revelation chapter 3 in the possession of Jesus, and finally at the end of time (at least as we know it), with He Who sat on the great white throne, Who judges the dead. It is also inferred elsewhere in Scripture.
The Price was Paid, it is however, the right of every man and woman to either accept or reject that act of Ransoming. We are Eternal creatures – the choice is not a matter of time, but of Always. We are empowered, by being in His Image and Likeness, to choose either an Eternal Life of Blessing or an Eternal Life of Void (the absence of Blessing and of God Himself).
God – Who is God – will Always respect our choice!
Thankfully, we have the gift after Pentecost, of the Holy Spirit who reveals God to us, revealed we desperately need Jesus to cover our sins to God’s eyes, who brings His Word to understanding.
God’s love for us is nearly impossible for His creation to comprehend, even though His Word, because we don’t have the capacity for truly unconditional love in our fallen state. A dog’s love is likely the closest. It’s amazing that He created us with the capacity for choice, He knew the choice, necessitated Jesus’s sacrifice, and He knows what evil is around us, but He still wants us to share eternity with Him. Amazing, indeed!
Hmmm….a meteorite over the Southeast today, in broad daylight….🙂🙏🙏