Ransom and Now

Ransom

Hi all, I have been asked to teach on ransom by request due to Matthew 27:3-10 and thirty pieces of silver and the price of blood that purchased the potter's field. We will be looking for anything to deal with a ransom or payment for a price.

So lets start our journey some 2010 years ago in the area of Israel.

Early in the morning, near 6 am, on Thrusday, Adonai faced the second of two trials before Pontius Pilate. Pilate was procurator or governor of Judea from 26-36 ace. As might be expected, the charges before Pilate changed from Jewish legal allegations to political allegations, especially that Jesus claimed to be "King of the Jews" (Mk 15:2).

The gospels report that Adonai remained silent during the interrogation, responding only briefly and vaguely to Pilate's questions (Matt 27:14). John's gospel relates how Pilate engaged Yahweh in reluctant conversation, with Yahweh explaining that His kingdom is not of this world (Jn 18:36).

The hearing before Pilate is augmented by three incidents of which we are going to look at the first one only. We will save the others for another story.

Judas's remorse at betraying Adonai resulted in an attempt to return the ransom money, and in Judas's suicide by hanging (Acts 1:18). Only Matthew includes this story as a fulfillment of Tenakh prophecy found in Zech 11:12,13, but Matthew may have ascribed it to Jeremiah 32:6-9 in reference to buying of a field from a redeemer. This will lead us to Ruth 4: 1-10 of the right of inheritance of purchasing the property from a kinsman-redeemer which ties us into the story of Lev 25 and the sacrificial system. This in turn ties us into the rites of the price of redemption which brings us all the way back to the death of the Messiah who purchased us with his very own priceless life on the Cross of Calvery.

Along this trail of ransom's we will learn Hebrew culture and history and maybe even with story ending our journey set in the early western period of our very own country. So be patient and join me on a tour of our past.

We start our journey in or around Jerusalem where Adonai is handed over to Pontius Pilate and Judas hanging himself.

The Potters Field

Matt 26:14-15 14. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15. And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

There were but twelve called apostles, and one of them was like a devil; surely we must never expect any society to be quite pure on this side heaven. The greater profession men make of religion, the greater opportunity they have of doing mischief, if their hearts be not right with God. Observe, that Christ's own disciple, who knew so well his doctrine and manner of his life, and was false to him, could not charge him with any thing criminal, though it would have served to justify his treachery. What did Judas want? Was not he welcome wherever his Master was? Did he not fare as Christ fared? It is not the lack, but the love of money, that is the root of all evil. After he had made that wicked bargain, Judas had time to repent, and to revoke it; but when lesser acts of dishonesty have hardened the conscience men do without hesitation that which is more shameful.

Matt 27:1-10 1. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4. Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself (Acts 1:18). 6. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field (in the valley of Hinnom--Gehenna), to bury strangers in. 8. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood (Akel Dama in Aramaic, Ps 69:25), unto this day. 9. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10. And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

Acts 1:18. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

Matthew 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And

they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

19. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

Psalms 69:25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

Psalms 109:8 Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

Wicked men see little of the consequences of their crimes when they commit them, but they must answer for them all. (Are there some of us here today who fall into this? If so listen and hear this historical story so you don't fall into Satan's trap and go to Hell.) In the fullest manner Judas acknowledged to the chief priests that he had sinned, and betrayed an innocent person. This was full testimony to the character of Christ; but the rulers were hardened in their heart and soul because they were proud and haughty and rebellious If this applies to you, listen up because at the end of this lesson you will have a time to repent.

Casting down the money, Judas departed, and went and hanged himself, not being able to bear the terror of Divine wrath, and the anguish of despair. There is little doubt but that the death of Judas was before that of our blessed Lord. But was it nothing to them that they had thirsted after this blood, and hired Judas to betray it, and had condemned it to be shed unjustly? Thus do fools make a mock at sin. Thus many make light of Christ crucified. And it is a common instance of the deceitfulness of our hearts, to make light of our own sin by dwelling upon other people's sins. But the judgment of God is according to truth.

Many apply this passage of the buying the piece of ground, with the money Judas brought back, to signify the favor intended by the blood of Christ to strangers, and sinners of the Gentiles. It fulfilled a prophecy, Zech. 11:12. Judas went far toward repentance, yet it was not to salvation. He confessed, but not to God; he did not go to him, and say, I have sinned, Father, against heaven. Let none be satisfied with such partial convictions as a man may have, and yet remain full of pride, hostility, and rebellion.

The words here quoted are not found in Jeremiah, but in Zechariah; and a variety of conjectures have been formed, in order to reconcile this discrepancy. The most probable opinion seems to be, that the name of the prophet was originally omitted by the Evangelist, and that the name of Jeremiah was added by some subsequent copyist. It is omitted in two MSS. of the twelfth century, in the Syriac, later Persic, two of the Itala, and in some other Latin copies; and what renders it highly probable that the original reading was [diatou prophetes,] by the prophet, is, that Matthew frequently omits the name of the prophet in his quotations See ch. Matthew 1:22; 2:5; 13:35; 21:4. This omission is approved of by Bengel, Dr A. Clarke, and Horne.

How ironic that the field of blood found in the valley of Gehenna is the very field that the wicked will go to if they don't find Christ the Messiah.

Price of blood= The redemption price or the inheritance price. price: 5092 timhv Time (tee-may');
Word Origin: Greek, Noun Feminine, Strong #: 5092; 1.a valuing by which the price is fixed a) of the price itself ; b) of the price paid or received for a person or thing bought or sold. 2) honor which belongs or is shown to one: a) of the honor which one has by reason of rank and state of office which he holds; b)deference, reverence .

Ransom normally carries the connotation of deliverance from some sort of bondage by the payment of a price.

Potter's Field: the name given to the piece of ground which was afterwards bought with the money that had been given to Judas. It was called the "field of blood" (Matt. 27:7-10). Tradition places it in the valley of Hinnom. (See ACELDAMA.)

Acel'dama: the name which the Jews gave in their proper tongue, i.e., in Aramaic, to the field which was purchased with the money which had been given to the betrayer of our Lord. The word means "field of blood." It was previously called "the potter's field" (Matt. 27:7, 8; Acts 1:19), and was appropriated as the burial-place for strangers. It lies on a narrow level terrace on the south face of the valley of Hinnom. Its modern name is Hak ed-damm.

Hinnom is no more than the valley of Gehenna that we have come to know so dearly to our thoughts as a pictorial place for Hell.

Hin'nom: a deep, narrow ravine separating Mount Zion from the so-called "Hill of Evil Counsel." It took its name from "some ancient hero, the son of Hinnom." It is first mentioned in Josh. 15:8. It had been the place where the idolatrous Jews burned their children alive to Moloch and Baal. A particular part of the valley was called Tophet, or the "fire-stove," where the children were burned. After the Exile, in order to show their abhorrence of the locality, the Jews made this valley the receptacle of the offal of the city, for the destruction of which a fire was, as is supposed, kept constantly burning there. The Jews associated with this valley these two ideas,

(1.) that of the sufferings of the victims that had there been sacrificed; and

(2.) that of filth and corruption. It became thus to the popular mind a symbol of the abode of the wicked hereafter. It came to signify hell as the place of the wicked. "It might be shown by infinite examples that the Jews expressed hell, or the place of the damned, by this word. The word Gehenna [the Greek contraction of Hinnom] was never used in the time of Christ in any other sense than to denote the place of future punishment." About this fact there can be no question. In this sense the word is used eleven times in our Lord's discourses (Matt. 23:33; Luke 12: 5; Matt. 5:22, etc.).

Hell: derived from the Saxon helan, to cover; hence the covered or the invisible place. In Scripture there are three words so rendered:-

(1.) Sheol, occurring in the Old Testament sixty-five times. This word sheol is derived from a root-word meaning "to ask," "demand;" hence insatiableness (Prov. 30:15, 16). It is rendered "grave" thirty-one times (Gen. 37:35; 42:38; 44:29, 31; 1 Sam. 2:6, etc.). The Revisers have retained this rendering in the historical books with the original word in the margin, while in the poetical books they have reversed this rule.

In thirty-one cases in the Authorized Version this word is rendered "hell," the place of disembodied spirits. The inhabitants of sheol are "the congregation of the dead" (Prov. 21:16). It is (a) the abode of the wicked (Num. 16:33; Job 24:19; Ps. 9:17; 31:17, etc.); (b) of the good (Ps. 16:10; 30:3; 49:15; 86:13, etc.). Sheol is described as deep (Job 11:8), dark (10:21, 22), with bars (17:16). The dead "go down" to it (Num. 16:30, 33; Ezek. 31:15, 16, 17).

(2.) The Greek word hades of the New Testament has the same scope of signification as sheol of the Old Testament. It is a prison (1 Pet. 3:19), with gates and bars and locks (Matt. 16:18; Rev. 1:18), and it is downward (Matt. 11:23; Luke 10:15). The righteous and the wicked are separated. The blessed dead are in that part of hades called paradise (Luke 23:43). They are also said to be in Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22).

(3.) Gehenna, in most of its occurrences in the Greek New Testament, designates the place of the lost (Matt. 23:33). The fearful nature of their condition there is described in various figurative expressions (Matt. 8:12; 13:42; 22:13; 25:30; Luke 16:24, etc.). (See HINNOM.)

Gehen'na: (originally Ge bene Hinnom; i.e., "the valley of the sons of Hinnom"), a deep, narrow glen to the south of Jerusalem, where the idolatrous Jews offered their children in sacrifice to Molech (2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31; 19:2-6). This valley afterwards became the common receptacle for all the refuse of the city. Here the dead bodies of animals and of criminals, and all kinds of filth, were cast and consumed by fire kept always burning. It thus in process of time became the image of the place of everlasting destruction. In this sense it is used by our Adonai in Matt. 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5. In these passages, and also in James 3:6, the word is uniformly rendered "hell," the Revised Version placing "Gehenna" in the margin.

(see Hell)

Lake of fire and brimstone is the Second Death. Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 

So now we fly back many sabbatical years from approximately 30 ace to the year 520 bce. and we find Zechariah (522-486 bce).

Zechariah's ministry began during the 2nd year of Darius I, approximately on November of 520 bce. The foundation of the second temple, Herod's temple whose plans were not given by God, had been sitting abandoned for possibly 16 years by this time, and Zechariah encourages a disheartened postexilic community. In the month of February, 519 bce, Zechariah received his first vision. Chapters 1-8 are filled with symbolic vision reports, but they are still very specific. Such restoration leaders such as Zerubbabel and Jeshua (or Joshua) the high priest are mentioned by name. These visions are interpreted by angelic guide. But we aren't interested in this vision or any to follow until we get to chapter 11.

The Apocalyptic Visions of Zechariah

After chapters 1-8, the Book of Zechariah changes gears dramatically. Chapters 9-14 still include visions to come, but these visions are much more obscure and no longer come with their own interpretation. The clear references to identifiable historical persons are gone. It becomes much more difficult to date these chapters, but they are difficult enough from Chapters 1-8 that many scholars consider them to be speaking a later time. Some scholars place them place them in Darius's reign, along with the first half of the book, while others date them much later in the Persian Empire period, or even after the Persian Empire had been replaced by the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great

The prophecies of Zech 9-14 do not appear to be speaking of the same historical context as Zech. 1-8. What time they do speak of, however, is uncertain. It was a time when the Persian province of Judah was under bad leadership (10:2,3), faced economic oppression and distress (11:5), like Israel did in the time of Adonai, and had turned to idolatry (13:1-2). Such conditions could have existed either before the arrival of Nehemiah as governor in 445 bce or sometime after his tenure had ended.

The Visions of the Shepherds

A good illustration of the difficulty in dating the prophecies of Zechariah is the vision of the shepherds (Zech 11:4-17). In this vision Elohim dismisses three shepherds in one month (11:8). The term "shepherd" is a frequent term for a ruler, but which three rulers are these? Several guesses have been offered: the flurry of short-lived kings in the northern kingdom of Israel just before Assyria destroyed it in 722 bce; or some otherwise unknown high priests or governors during the Persian era; or high priests in Jerusalem during the late Greek period (about 100 Bce). The guesses range over more than half a millennium, and none is any more certain than any other.

This bring us finally down to our three verses in chapter 11.

Christ came into this world for judgment to the Jewish church and nation, which were wretchedly corrupt and degenerate. Those have their minds woefully blinded, who do ill, and justify themselves in it; but God will not hold those guiltless who hold themselves so. How can we go to God to beg a blessing on unlawful methods of getting wealth, or to return thanks for success in them? There was a general decay of religion among them, and they regarded it not. The Good Shepherd would feel his flock, but his attention would chiefly be directed to the poor. As an emblem, the prophet seems to have taken two staves; Beauty, denoted the privileges of the Jewish nation, in their national covenant; the other he called Bands, denoting the harmony which hitherto united them as the flock of God. But they chose to cleave to false teachers.

Zech 11: 12. And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

13. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.

The carnal mind and the friendship of the world are enmity to God; and God hates all the workers of iniquity: it is easy to foresee what this will end in. The prophet demanded wages, or a reward, and received thirty pieces of silver. By Divine direction he cast it to the potter, as in disdain for the smallness of the sum. This shadowed forth the bargain of Judas to betray Christ, and the final method of applying it.

Now lets fly backwards to 586 bce. Jer 32:6-9

Property Rights Under Siege (Jer 32:1-15)

In 587 bce Jerusalem's fall seemed--and was--at hand. The Babylonian siege against Jerusalem was under way. In response the Judahite king, Zedekiah, had imprisoned Jeremiah (Jer 32:20). The prophet's portrayal of the siege as God's judgment on Judah's idolatry seriously hindered the people's morale and thus Jerusalem's chances of withstanding the siege (32:3-5).

Prisons were not large bureaucratic institutions with barred cells in ancient Israel. Jeremiah's "crime" was against the king: therefore, his "prison" was a room under guard in the king's palace (32:2). King Zedekiah imprisoned Jeremiah to keep him from speaking in public.

The situation must have seemed quite hopeless to Jeremiah, who was under siege not merely once but twice. While the army of the mightiest empire in the Near East camped outside the city walls, Zedekiah's guard stood outside the prison. Jeremiah's prophecy of judgment on Judah was playing itself out before everyone's eyes.

Surprisingly, under these circumstances God had Jeremiah purchase property (32:6-8). Free market conditions for the exchange of real estate did not exist in ancient Israel. Land belonged to families. Legal custom insured, as much as possible, that land would stay within family units, rather than fall into the hands of a few. As a nephew of Shallum and cousin of Hanamel (32:7). Jeremiah had the rights of first refusal to land in his hometown of Anathoth. Despite his imprisonment, despite the Babylonian siege, and despite his previous prophecy of annihilation for Jerusalem and Judah, Jeremiah purchased the property.

Jer 32:6-9

6. And Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 7. Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it. 8. So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. 9. And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. 10. And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. 11. So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: 12. And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.

Price of blood= Right of Inheritance\Right of Redemption= Kingsman-Redeemer Relationship

Redemption: hllg G@ullah (gheh-ool-law'); Noun Feminine, Strong #: 1353

kindred, redemption, right of redemption, price of redemption

a) kin, kindred b) redemption c) right of redemption d) price of redemption, redemption price

Jeremiah, being in prison for his prophecy, purchased a piece of ground. This was to signify, that though Jerusalem was besieged, and the whole country likely to be laid waste, yet the time would come, when houses, and fields, and vineyards, should be again possessed. It concerns ministers to make it appear that they believe what they preach to others. And it is good to manage even our worldly affairs in faith; to do common business with reference to the providence and promise of God.

Now we travel back to Ruth 4 in the period range of 1100-1010 bce.

Ruth 4:4-8 4. And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 5. Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6. And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 7. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor: and this was a testimony in Israel. 8. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe.

This matter depended on the laws given by Moses about inheritances, and doubtless the whole was settled in the regular and legal manner. This kinsman, when he heard the conditions of the bargain, refused it. In like manner many are shy of the great redemption; they are not willing to espouse religion; they have heard well of it, and have nothing to say against it; they will give it their good word, but they are willing to part with it, and cannot be bound to it, for fear of marring their own inheritance in this world. The right was resigned to Boaz. Fair and open dealing in all matters of contract and trade, is what all must make conscience of, who would approve themselves true Israelites, without guile. Honesty will be found the best policy.

Leverite Marriage and Sandal Ceremony

At first a daughter could not receive the inheritance but a change was introduced after the death of Zelophehad so that daughters were entitled to inheritance if there were no sons in the family (Num 27:1-11). But even in this case, heiresses had to marry only within their father's tribe. If there were no direct heirs, then brothers, paternal uncles, or the next of kin could inherit. A widow had no immediate place in the succession, but if she were left without children, the nearest kinsman on her husband's side had the right of marrying her to raise up children to the name of his dead brother (Deut 25:5-10; Ruth 3:12-13; 4:1).

Levir is the Latin word for "brother-in-law." The leverite marriage is described in the legal text of Deut 25:5-10. If a man died without leaving a male hair, his widow was to marry within the husband's family. Moreover, the husband's brother (i.e. the widow's brother-in-law) was required to perform the duty of the levir, that is, marry the woman and produce a son.

Preserving the family line was important in Israel. The leverite marriage was linked to laws of inheritance, so any offspring from the husband's brother were considered children of the deceased. The firstborn son would take the name of the dead former husband.

If the brother-in-law refused to perform the levir's duty, the woman was to perform the ceremony of the removal of his sandal (Deut 25:8-10). A woman had a right to bear children to her deceased husband. If her brother-in-law refused her right, she could publicly humiliate him. She was then allowed to marry outside of the family.

The primary purpose of the leverite marriage law was to protect the window and help compensate the deceased husband's family for their personal loss. In Naomi's case, since she was beyond childbearing age, the levirate marriage would be to her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth. Naomi's closest relative was not willing to assume this obligation (Ruth 4:6).Perhaps he considered that if he had a son by Ruth who became his only surviving heir, all of his property would belong to the family of Elimelech, Naomi's deceased husband.

In the sandal ceremony of Ruth 4:6-8 there seems to be no disdain for the relative who declined to perform the duty of the levir. The significance of taking off the sandal seems to imply the passing of one's legal rights to another. boaz thus gained the right to clear the property against any future claims, and to marry Ruth (4:9,10).

Right of Inheritance\Right of Redemption= Kingsman-Redeemer Relationship

Our next stop on our journey backwards is Lev 25 and a brief visit to the sacrifices of lambs. Hopefully the prices on the lambs here in this time period will be the thirty pieces of silver. We will be taking a look two stops from now on currency before heading back to the cross. In this upcoming stop we will get into the heart on kinsman redeemer relationship and ranson. After currency it is nonstop run to the cross hopefully learning what price Christ paid for us.

The year is 1446-1425. Our time here is going to be taken from Lev 25:48-49 and it is here that we will find out the most on the Kinsman- redeemer relationship.

Every 50th year in Israel was the Year of Jubilee. The provisions of this sacred time were intended to maintain economic equality and prevent the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. In the Jubilee year, if people or property were not already redeemed, it was restored to the original owner (Lev 25:25-28).

Lev 25:10. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

The word "jubilee" signifies a peculiarly animated sound of the shofar. This sound was to be made on the evening of the great Day of Atonement; for the proclamation of gospel liberty and salvation results from the sacrifice of the redeemer. It was provided that the lands should not be sold away from their families. They could only be disposed of, as it were, by leases till the year of jubilee, and then returned to the owner or his heir. This tended to preserve their tribes and families distinct, till the coming of the Messiah. The liberty every man was born to, if sold or forfeited, should return at the year of jubilee. This was typical of redemption by Christ from the slavery of sin and Satan, and of being brought again to the liberty of the children of God. All bargains ought to be made by this rule, "Ye shall not oppress one another," not take advantage of one another's ignorance or necessity, "but thou shalt fear thy God."

What can we learn from Lev .

All land was considered as belonging to Jehovah, with its holders as His tenants (Lev 25:23). Sanctified land or houses, tithes, or unclean firstborn animals might be redeemed at the addition of one-fifth their value (reckoned by a priest according to the distance from the Jubilee Year).

Lev 25:39. And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 40. But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee. 41. And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 42. For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God. 44. Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. 45. Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigor. 47. 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: 48. After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him:

49. 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. 50. And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee: 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. 51. 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. 52. And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. 53. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigor over him in thy sight. 54. And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he, and his children with him. 55. 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.

The Hebrew slave was freed at the Sabbatical year (his wife and children, if they entered bondage with him, were to go out with him), unless he formally consented to remain in perpetual servitude (Ex 21:1-6; Deut 15:12-18); but in any case he seems to have received his freedom and that of his children at the Jubilee (Lev 25:10). If a slave was sold to a resident alien "stranger", he was always redeemable, at a price proportional to the distance from the Jubilee (25:47-54). Foreign slaves were held and inherited as property forever (25:45-46), and fugitive slaves from other nations were not to be given up (Deut 23:15).

Strangers seem never to have been sui juris, or able to protect themselves; kindness toward them was enjoined as a duty (Ex 22:21; Lev 19:33-34).

What can we learn from this passage?

1. Christ was possibly freed from the bondage of his earthly body in a Sabbatical year. He may have been born in a Sabbatical year as well. As I learn more about him, I may learn that this may be true. Yet he consented to remain in perpetual servitude between His first coming and second coming to be able to redeem us.

2. His wife and children (you and me) have entered into bondage with him, are to go out with him. If I understand this passage correctly, we are to be resurrected with Christ at His second coming (I Cor 15:52). We are to go out with Him. Here, we gain hope but we also gain the contentment that we know we will be with Him. Shalom has come again to us by understanding Lev 25:10.

3. He seems to have received his freedom and that of his children at the Jubilee (Lev 25:10). This event is about to happen for you and me. Within the next ten years, the year of Jubilee will be occurring for Israel between 2014-2018. If we understand Lev 25:10, Christ will return in that year so that we may be set free in the year of Jubilee.

4. Redeemable, at a price proportional to the distance from the Jubilee (Lev. 25:47-54). Thirty pieces of silver= Price of blood.

If he sold himself, through poverty, both his work and his usage must be such as were fitting for a son of Abraham. Masters are required to give to their servants that which is just and equal, Col. iv. 1. At the year of jubilee the servant should go out free, he and his children, and should return to his own family. This typified redemption from the service of sin and Satan, by the grace of God in Christ, whose truth makes us free, John 8:32. We cannot ransom our fellow-sinners, but we may point out Christ to them; while by his grace our lives may adorn his gospel, express our love, show our gratitude, and glorify his holy name.

Redeemer

(Heb. goel, "nearest kinsman"). According to the custom of retribution, it fell to the nearest kinsman to avenge the blood of a slain relative; to protect the life and property of a relative. This obligation was called by the Israelites redeeming, and the man who was bound to fulfill it a redeemer. Redeemers are reckoned full brothers, next to them the father's brothers, then full cousins, finally the other blood relatives of the clan (Lev 25:48-49). Since the Hebrews were an agricultural people, the chief function of the redeemer (goel was to "redeem" the land that had been sold by a brother in distress. When the nation came into bondage it needed a redeemer through the "redemption" of the lands to be secured, and they looked to Yahveh to become their goel. Thus the wilderness walk of the Israelites gave a force and a meaning to the term more striking it could have had before. Of thirty-three passages in the Tanakh in which redeemer is applied to God, nineteen occur in Isaiah, and in that part of the complication that deals with conditions existing in the Babylonian Exile (Isa 48:20; 52:9; 62:12; Ps 107:2). In spiritualizing the term lag, Isaiah (Isa 49:26; Ps 19:14) places it on par with "savior".

The idea here is that persons or properties were bought back or restored from alienation to their proper position and relationship.

See Kinsman

lag Ga'al (gaw-al'); Verb, Strong #: 1350

to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman

(Qal) to act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin, act as kinsman-redeemer

by marrying brother's widow to beget a child for him, to redeem from slavery, to redeem land, to exact vengeance to redeem (by payment) or to redeem (with God as subject)

individuals from death ; Israel from Egyptian bondage ; Israel from exile

(Niphal) to redeem oneself or to be redeemed

g gather, walk foot Redeemer can be pictured as the leader gathers with bindings

a strong, power, leader ox head or a strong yoke.

l teach, yoke, to bind Shepherd's staff

redeemer refers to liberty or freedom (Heb. pidyon) of what is purchased (Ex 21:30). Goel signifies redemption, ransom, and atonement.

In every case in which the verbal noun redeem is translated redeemer, Elohim (Messiah) is the redeemer referred to; and always in His saving, protecting, and preserving activities. Redeem can refer to restoration as in the case of Babylon (Jer 50:34; Isa 43:14; 47:4; 48:17; 49:26) or future restoration of Israel, the Olive Tree, in Is 59:20-21; 60:16; 63:16; Rom 11:26-27 by the Messiah.

The Sacrifical Animals

The sacrificial animals were ransomed for the sins of Israel. The price the animals paid was their lives for the redemption of man's sins. However, when the temple services came along and they turned the temple into a house of thieves. The Israelites paid double to sacrifice for their sins, they paid by the removal from their own flocks, and then they turned them into the thieves who resold someone's elses sacrifice to the purchaser with thirty pieces of silver, less or more.

Now we start forward in our journey to the cross.

Adonai, Our Redeemer and Ransom

Firstborn sons, so far as mothers were concerned, were presented to the Lord on the fortieth day after their birth and were redeemed for five shekels (Num 18:16; Ex 13:15; Lk 2:26).

I see this happening twice in Adonai's life. First is in Luke 2:26. Second, is after his resurrection where He went to be with His father on the fortieth day. Now some scholars believe that He will finish the remaining ten days after His return the second time.

Secondly. Adonai paid the price with His very life as the atoning lamb. Redemption here in greek is apolutrosis, a "loosing" away or lutrosis, a "loosing," particularly by paying a price. Redeem meaning centers in the atoning work of Christ as the price paid for human redemption, and on account of which Christ is called the redeemer. Jesus used this word of His own death (Mt 20:28). Approximately the same significance is conveyed by antilytron (I Tim 2:6), except that the idea if exchange is stressed. As ransom, Christ redeems sinners from the bondage of sin and the condemnation of the law.

In eight passages in Isaiah, goel means one who rescues or delivers #lxl.

From Paul's use of the word for "rescue" in Rom 7:24, as well as from the common fulfilled covenant use of "ransom" (Mt 20:28) and "redemption" (Hb 9:12), it is clear that Christ as our redeemer is the One who makes atonement for our sin.

Adonai voluntarily is the ransom for us and He becomes the ransom payment by His death.

Tombstone, USA

And now we travel to the early 1900's in American history to Tombstone, USA.

We walk into town to the local saloon to get a draft of moonwhiskey.

We see a card game going on between two young gentlemen who are somewhere between 12 and 20.

The game goes downhill because one of the players accusses another of cheating. Then they get into a fight and then a gun goes off and one of the players die.

The 14 year old who shot the other person gets arrested by the constable and goes off to jail. The town finds out about it and gets upset due to the fact that the young man who didn't know better. So they write letters to the governor explaining that the boy was young and didn't know better. They explain that he is really a nice man.

Well, the governor has a soft spot for the young man and decides to write out a pardon so the young man doesn't get hanged and go to hell. He dresses up in an old preacher's outfit and goes to the jail to give the pardon to the young man on Sunday.

Several preachers have already visited the young man that day preachin' how Christ could save him from going to hell, and he turned them down because he was havin to much fun in life now.

The young man is lying on his cot.

The sheriff walks to the prisoner's jail and says to the young man. "Well, young fella, you have a visitor." In walks the so called preacher and he says: "Joe, I have a pardon here that can save your life." Inside the bible is the pardon letter. Joe says, "Get out of here you #$%^& @#$%^&*( preacher and take your Bible with ya!!"

So the preacher leaves in disgust. In walks the Sheriff and says, "Well, how did it go with the governor?" The young man jumps up and says, "The GOVERNOR!!!!" "Get him back in here!!"

The Sheriff walks out fast and by the time he gets outside, the governor is long gone.

So, the Sheriff comes back in and says, "Sorry Joe, He is already gone." And the Sheriff walks back to his office.

Now, Joe here feels lots of remorse and guilt for what he had done to the Governor. So he gets some writen paper and writes a note. "Dear Governor, I really feel real sorry for how I treated you the other Sunday. I didn't have my wits about me. Forgive me and come back. I deserve your pardon."

He mails the letter and the governor sees who it is from and just tears it up.

Come hanging day, the young man is standing up on the hanging pedestal and says to the gathering. "I deserve to die here today for killing the young man who was my so-called friend. You see the governor came and offered me a pardon and not knowing that it was the governor, I didn't accept his free pardon. So, if you see the governor come to give you a pardon, accept it even if he is in a preachers garb. You never know that it might set your life free."

Have you accepted Adonai into your life. If so then thank Him for coming in. If not, then by all means realize that Adonai loves you and is knocking at your door and is offering you a life free from your past sins and has already redeemed you from hell by His very life.

I Jn 5:11. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world (you) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Rom 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrightousness.

20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Jn 1:12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Jn 15:5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Just bow your head and say" Dear Lord Jesus--I know that I am a sinner--I want You as my personal Savior--I now open my heart to You--I invite You to come in--Amen."

If you are sincere, then go to the closest church to you and get baptized for remissions of sins.

WELCOME to the family of Elohim!!