The Kinsman-Redeemer
When God gave the law through Moses, He knew that the children of Israel would need mercy, so He instituted a series of statutes that would affect the social life of His people. One of those provisions was the law of the kinsman-redeemer. This law is vividly set forth in the Book of Leviticus.
“And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger’s family:
“After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:
“Either his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.
“And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile; and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time
of an hired servant shall it be with him.
“If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.
“And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption.
“And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.
“And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him.
“For unto Me the children of Israel are servants; they are My servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 25:47-55).
The average person today might read this passage and think, “What does that have to do with me? We are not under the law. Slavery has been abolished. We have no such practice today and this portion is the record of a custom which has long since died.”
Before we so easily dismiss any part of the Word of God as dead history or as not applicable for today, we would do well to consider the testimony of the Word to its own timelessness.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16,17).
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
The Details and Application
The law of the kinsman-redeemer is not only a record of God’s mercy to poor Jews under the law, but also a wonderful type or shadow of God’s present-day mercy to all the world through the great Kinsman-Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us glean some of the details of this law as to better appreciate its beauty and its fulfillment in Christ.
- Hebrew brother could sell himself into slavery if poverty should overtake him.
- After the brother became a slave, he could be redeemed (bought back) out of bondage by a member of his family and set free. (This was the “nigh of kin;” thus the term “kinsman-redeemer”). See the beautiful story of Ruth (Ruth 4:1-22).
- He could also redeem himself out of slavery from accumulated pay, as he was to receive some wages for his work.
- His master was not to rule over him with vigor (ruthlessly, severely, or brutally).
- If he could not redeem himself or if a relative could not or was unwilling, he would go out free in the Year of Jubilee.
- The Year of Jubilee, also known as the “year of liberty” (Ezek. 46:17), was every fiftieth year after seven cycles of seven years (Lev. 25:10).
- The poor could also sell the land of their inheritance to another (Lev. 25:25-28), which could later be redeemed or returned to the original owner in the Year of Jubilee.
- The price for the redemption of land or men was set according to the number of years from the Year of Jubilee. If the number of years was small, the redemption price was small. If the number of years was great, the redemption price was great.
- The Year of Jubilee was a gracious provision from God because the sons of Israel were really His servants whom He brought out from the bondage of the Egyptians. The land of Israel belonged to God, which He gave to the Hebrews as their eternal inheritance.
Now that we know the details of the law, we can begin to see the spiritual interpretations based on subsequent Bible history and the reality of Jesus Christ as the Kinsman-Redeemer. While the primary interpretation is to Israel, I think we can legitimately make many precious applications for us Gentiles under the dispensation of grace.
The poverty of spirit caused by sin translates into a bondage to the master of darkness to which all men naturally belong (Eph. 2:1-3). Slavery to sin and Satan is the lot of all those born of Adam, and that results in a state of hopelessness from which all are helpless to extricate themselves (Rom. 5:6; Eph. 2:12). What comes next is where the reality is held in sharp contrast with the shadow. Unlike the law of the kinsman-redeemer in Leviticus 25, a slave, sold under sin, is powerless to redeem himself; neither is his kin able to do so.
“None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)” (Psa. 49:7-8).
The sense of the last part of the above “and it ceaseth for ever” is that kinsmen should halt forever the attempt to pay for their redemption. The abyss of man’s depravity is far too deep and the cost of the soul much too expensive to be purchased with silver or gold. The only answer, if there is an answer, must reside in God Himself. The brightness of the Lord’s voice pierces the darkness with a message of love and hope.
“Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go” (Isa. 48:17).
The title of “Redeemer” is used of God 18 times in the Old Testament (Job 19:25; Psa. 19:14; 78:35; Prov. 23:11; Isa. 41:14; 43:14; 44:6,24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7,26; 54:5,8; 59:20; 60:16; 63:16; Jer. 50:34) and is the English translation of the Hebrew word “Gaal.” It is the same word that is used in Leviticus concerning the kinsman-redeemer. It means simply to redeem, purchase, or ransom. The first occurrence of the word, and one of the most striking, is from a man whose patience in suffering is legendary.
“I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25,26).
An Old Testament Riddle
One thing that must have puzzled the sages of old is how their Gaal (Redeemer), Who is the Lord God, could also be a blood relative. How could this be? Is it even possible? How would God do it? The chasm between the majesty of God and that of man was so great as to seem impossible to bridge. The making of a Kinsman-Redeemer for Israel would, of necessity, involve some kind of miracle in which God would take on human (Jewish) flesh and blood. Perhaps this was confirmed in their minds by passages such as this:
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emnanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt. 1:23 cf. Isa. 7:14).
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6,7).
A virgin conceiving a son who is “God with us” and a child being born who is called “The mighty God”? Is anything too hard for the Lord? Fast forward 800 years into the future and ear the words of God to the Hebrews of Christ’s day.
“For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren…” (Heb. 2:16,17).
Paul wrote to the Gentiles of the same necessity of God being made in the likeness of human flesh.
“[Christ Jesus] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:6,7).
The Divine Recompense
We have seen the miracle of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ into a human body, but it still doesn’t answer the issue of payment. Jesus was a modest carpenter and had little of the world’s goods. What did He have that was so precious that it would purchase freedom for His brethren and satisfy the claims of justice for the sins of the whole world? The next verse from Philippians is the key.
“And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8).
There was something in Christ’s death on the cross that God found supremely satisfying and which flung open the prison doors to all who would enter in by faith.
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:18,19).
“…and without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness]” (Heb. 9:22).
“And He is the propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
Jesus Christ fulfilled His mission to be man’s Kinsman-Redeemer. He became a man without relinquishing His deity. He lived a perfect life without sin. He voluntarily laid down His life on the cross in obedience to the Father’s will. And the blood that flowed from His body became the precious payment for the sins of the world. This last statement should be unspeakably precious to us Gentiles, since the law of the kinsman-redeemer applied only to Israel. Paul confirmed the wideness of the merits of Christ’s redemption when he wrote to the Gentiles.
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).
“…Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us…redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).
“In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).
Something More?
As wonderful as the redemption of our souls is, it does not stop there. The whole matter of inheritance comes into play, for another function of the kinsman-redeemer is to buy back the property rights of the poor and return them to the family. After Christ’s return, He will bring back the believing remnant of Israel to the land of promise and enlarge their borders far beyond that of Solomon. It will extend from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates (Gen. 15:18; Ex. 23:31; Deut. 1:7,8) and will be their everlasting possession (Amos 9:14,15). It will be a Jubilee, not for a year, but for a millennium (Rev. 20:4-6). The joy of the Lord will characterize the Kingdom of Christ and it will merge into the eternal state of God’s kingdom.
As for the Gentiles in the dispensation of grace, God has given us a heavenly inheritance which shall not be taken away (Eph. 1:11,18). We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). Or to use an earthly illustration: If our father loved us enough to buy us a new car, wouldn’t he also throw in the air-conditioning, power windows, cruise control, and adjustable seats? Our heavenly Father has sent His Son to purchase our redemption and with it all the privileges of inheritance. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ and have a heavenly citizenship with all the rights and privileges (Eph. 1:3; Phil. 3:20). God has not left out anything that could diminish our enjoyment of spiritual life on earth or in heaven. Christ Himself is our inheritance as we are His.
“He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32).
The Final Offer
Are you weary of working a field of harvest that only brings disappointment? Do you long for a life worth living? Has your wise plan gone awry, and now you thirst for the fulfillment that only freedom in Christ can bring? We must be willing not only to recognize our bondage, but also have humility enough to receive the free gift of salvation by faith alone.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8,9).
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Our Kinsman-Redeemer is waiting with open arms to receive His brother. Your debt of sin has been fully paid with His life’s blood. Trust Him now and God’s family will be your family. Christ’s inheritance will be your inheritance, and you will eat at His table of all good things.
“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15).