Recently I was teaching my kids a memory verse from Psalm 19. Whenever we memorise scripture together, my children have an opportunity to ask questions about anything they do not understand.
Psalm 19:14 says “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
This scripture declares God as our “rock” and our “redeemer”. My children wanted to know what a “redeemer” means? It was around this same time I was also studying the book of Ruth and could instantly make the connection of a kinsman redeemer. David penned Psalm 19, and he knew exactly what it meant to be a redeemer because Ruth was his great grandmother. So, who is a redeemer?
The Hebrew term designates a male relative who delivers or rescues ( Gen 48: 16; Exod 6:6 ); redeems property ( Lev27:9-25 ) or person ( Lev 25:47-55 );avenges the murder of a relative as a guiltless executioner (Num 35:9-34 ); and receives restitution for wrong done to a relative who has since died ( Num 5:8 ).
Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines the word redeemer as: “one charged with the duty of restoring the rights of another by avenging his wrongs. This title is peculiarly applied to Christ. He redeems us from all evil by the payment of a ransom.”
The book of Ruth gives us an example of the kinsman redeemer. Naomi and Ruth who lost everything, their husbands, sons and on their return to Bethlehem they came back empty. They returned to Bethlehem having lost everything. Boaz, a relative of Naomi, was a kinsman redeemer.
Two passages in the book of Ruth caught my attention. Firstly, Boaz in Ruth 2:12 commended Ruth saying” The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
Then when Ruth finds out that Boaz is related to Naomi and is a redeemer, she says in Ruth 3:9 “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”
Similarly, Jesus is our Redeemer. Jesus when He died on the cross, He redeemed us from sin. In fact in Hebrews 12:11 Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers. We are part of His family, sons and daughters of God. Jesus not only redeemed us from sin but He is a kinsman to us and understands our struggles, and so He is able to help us in our times of need. The central theme of redemption in Scripture is that God has taken the initiative to act compassionately on behalf of those who are powerless to help themselves.
We were powerless because we were dead in our sin. We had no hope, and the only hope is to have a redeemer. Jesus made this possible through His death and resurrection, paying the ultimate price to redeem us.
The day you chose to take refuge under the wings of our Redeemer Jesus Christ, it is at that moment you have been rescued from sin and death. Christ paid the ransom, He redeemed us from sin, restored our relationship with God, and when He comes again will restore all things to Himself. All this because of His death and most importantly His resurrection. Because of this, we have hope and a future.
Now, His righteousness covers you. You can take refuge under His wings. When there is a raging storm outside, and when your situation seems hopeless you do not need to be shaken for you have taken shelter under the wings of your redeemer – Jesus Christ.
As we partake of the emblems and remember the sacrifice of Jesus. Let us praise Him because He is our redeemer and we can take refuge under His wings. No one can snatch you from Him for He is our God and we are His people. He is our rock and redeemer. Amen.
