Redemption

Redemption

Therefore, say to the Israelites: “I am the Lord, and I will free you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with mighty power and great acts of judgment.”

Exodus 6:6

The Hebrew people had been slaves for four hundred years when God spoke to Moses from a burning bush, calling him to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. Three elements of redemption, all present in the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, are (1) freedom from bondage, (2) the payment of a redemption price, and (3) an intermediary who secures the redemption.

In the Exodus, the children of Israel were given freedom from slavery and taskmasters. The price of redemption was the blood of a lamb sprinkled on the door frame of each home. And God was clearly the Redeemer, bringing his people out of Egypt with his outstretched arm and mighty acts of judgment.

This Old Testament story of redemption painted a picture of a much better redemption that was yet to come—redemption that would provide freedom for us and for our children.

“The lamb that was killed in every Israeli home that night was in some ways like our Savior. The lamb died for the people, and its blood saved them. That is what happened again many years later, when Christ the Savior came as the Lamb of God to die for each of us.”^a

Those of us who have Jesus’ blood painted on our hearts will have nothing to fear when Jesus comes back again. In the same way that God passed over the Israelites who painted lambs’ blood on their houses, he will not punish those whose hearts have been cleansed by his blood.

Father,

Thank you for the picture of lambs’ blood sprinkled on door frames, which helps us explain redemption to our children. May we always remember that our freedom from sin is possible only because we trust in the blood of Jesus, our Redeemer. Amen.