The God Who Redeems
“In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer. Isaiah 54:8
When Israel refused to heed Isaiah’s warning that they needed to repent, God allowed the Babylonians to take them into captivity. Isaiah tried to bring words of comfort to the people and reassured them God would mercifully restore them some day. However,
Israel’s response was, “The Lord has forsaken [us], the Lord has forgotten [us].”
Isaiah responded with God’s answer: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Isaiah 49:15.
God declared that he would rescue the captives from their oppressors. In fact, the enemy would destroy themselves: “I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Isaiah 49:26
Isaiah used the Hebrew word ga’al to describe God as redeemer.* A redeemer (or kinsman redeemer) was someone who intervened on behalf of a near relative who was in trouble. He did whatever needed to be done to avenge, ransom, buy out of slavery, or buy back property for that person.
God had bonded himself to the people of Israel through promises and covenants. When he redeemed them from slavery in Egypt, he promised that if they obeyed him and kept the covenant he made with them, “then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.” Exodus 19:4-6
Now he promised to be their redeemer. He would rescue captive Israel from the mighty Babylonian tyrants and bring them home. He promised that their city and their temple would be restored.
Unfortunately, as we read the history of Israel, we see a cycle repeated many times: they sinned and turned their backs on God, he punished them—usually through their enemies—they repented, then he forgave and redeemed them.
Do you see that cycle in your life? Ask Jehovah-Ga’al to redeem you from sin and restore your relationship with him—again.
DIG DEEPER
One of the earliest uses of the word Redeemer as a description of God comes in Job 19: 25-26. This book, though placed later in the Bible, may have been the first written. How does that fact show incredible faith on Job’s part?
What would you say to someone who asked, “How could God let such a disaster happen?” How could you use these verses from Isaiah to explain what’s happening? See also Isaiah 44:6-28.
Read Leviticus 25:1-55. What were other provisions for the poor? Do you see ways we could improve the way we help the poor?
For a well-known example of a kinsman-redeemer, see devotions Naomi, and Boaz and Ruth.
Nancy J. Baker
This devotion is part of a series on the Names of God.
*https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H1350&t=KJV