Sermon #1580[1]                                                                    Miscellaneous Sermons

Title:                                 “Redeemed”

Text:                                 Isaiah 44:21-22

            Subject:                     Five Old Testament Pictures of Redemption

            Introduction:

(Isaiah 44:21-22) "Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee."

·      There is no greater source of consolation and encouragement for God’s tempted, troubled, and tried people in this world than the assurance of our redemption by Christ (Isa. 43:1).

(Isaiah 43:1) "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."

·      There is no greater encouragement to a gospel preacher than the assurance that every sinner redeemed by the blood of Christ shall be saved (Isa. 51:11).

(Isaiah 51:10-11) "Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? 11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

·      And there is no greater encouragement for sinners to trust Christ than the assurance that redemption is finished and accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the sinner’s Substitute. The Lord God says, “Return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” He commands his servants to proclaim redemption accomplished to needy sinners (Isa. 40:1-2).

(Isaiah 40:1-2) "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins."

The only hope for fallen, guilty, depraved sinners is redemption, a redemption which includes atonement for sin, satisfaction for justice, and effectual deliverance from the guilt, power, dominion, and consequences of sin. Such redemption could be accomplished by only one Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior. Not only could he alone do it, he has done it; and he has done it alone. He declares…

(Isaiah 63:5) "And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me."

The title of my message is – “Redeemed!” I want to proclaim redemption to you.

(Isaiah 44:21-22) "Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. 22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee."

When we consider the subject of redemption, we have come to the most important of all gospel truths. This is the very heart of all gospel truth. Take away redemption and you take away everything.

“Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood

Shall never lose its power,

‘Til all the ransomed Church of God

Be saved to sin no more,”

A Shadow

In the Old Testament redemption was promised, portrayed, and pictured.

(Hebrews 10:1) "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."

The Holy Spirit here tells us that the law in the Old Testament Scriptures had a shadow of good things to come. That is to say, God, in the Old Testament, under the types and shadows of the law, gave many pictures and prophecies of what he would do for and give to his people through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Among those many “good things to come” by Christ, none is more excellent and blessed than redemption. I want us to look in the Old Testament and see some pictures of redemption in the law.

Any man who cannot preach the gospel from the Old Testament, simply cannot preach the gospel. The sacrifices offered to God in the Old Testament could never take away one sin. However, the law did have many instructive pictures, types , and shadows of our redemption by the blood of Christ. We will, the Lord willing, look at five of them.

The Words

Before we look at these five beautiful, instructive pictures of our redemption by Christ, let me define the word “redemption” as it is used in the Word of God. Our English word, “redemption,’ comes from the Latin and means “to buy again.” Forgive me for breaking one of my own rules about not referring to the Greek and Hebrew texts. If we are to grasp the meaning of the word “redemption” it will be needful for me to refer to some Greek words. In the Greek New Testament three words are commonly used in reference to our redemption by Christ.

1. Agorazw — AGORADZO — The basic meaning of agoradzo is “to buy”. You and I who believe have been bought unto God from among men by the blood of Christ (Rev. 5:9), bought from the earth, from among the fallen sons of Adam (Rev. 14:3-4), and bought with the price of Christ’s blood (1 Cor. 6:19). The church of God has been bought, purchased, with his own blood (Acts 20:28). “Agoradzo” is the word you would use to describe the purchase of a house.[2]

(Revelation 5:9) "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"

(Revelation 14:3-4) "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. (4) These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20) "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

(Acts 20:28) "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

2. Ekagorazw — EKAGORADZO — This is a compound word. “Ek’ means “out of”, and “agoradzo” means “bought”. “Ekagoradzo” means “bought out of.” God’s elect have been bought out of the hands of God’s offended justice by the blood of Christ, which satisfied the justice of God for us (Gal. 3:13; 4:5). If we were talking about redeeming an item from the pawn shop, or buying groceries, or purchasing a car, or any other item that is both purchased and delivered from the possession of one into the possession of another. “Ekagoradzo” has the idea of deliverance by the payment of a price. As it is used in the Word of God, it refers to the deliverance of God’s elect from the hands of his offended justice and the curse of his holy law by the price paid by Christ at Calvary, the price of his precious blood.

(Galatians 3:13) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

(Galatians 4:4-5) "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

3. Lutrow — LUTROO — “Lutroo” means “to set free,” or “to loose.” It is the word that would be used to describe the deliverance of a slave, or a prisoner from bondage and captivity by paying a ransom price for him. So Peter tells us that we have been redeemed, not with silver or gold, the usual price of ransom, but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:18). Our Lord Jesus declares that he came into the world to give his life a ransom price for many (Matt. 20:28).

(1 Peter 1:18) "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;"

(Matthew 20:28) "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Try to keep these three words in mind whenever you think about the redemptive work of Christ: — “agoradzo” — to buy; “ekagoradzo” — to buy out of; and “lutroo” — to deliver by ransom.

Proposition: The Lord Jesus Christ bought his people from among the fallen sons of Adam, out of the hands of God’s offended justice, and delivered us from our sins by the shedding of his precious blood. — This is redemption!

Let’s look at five pictures, or illustrations, of our redemption by Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures.

Israel Out of Egypt

I.    THE REDEMPTION OF ISRAEL OUT OF EGYPT (Psa. 106:6-12).

(Psalms 106:6-12) "We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. (7) Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. (8) Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. (9) He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. (10) And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. (11) And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. (12) Then believed they his words; they sang his praise."

The deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt was a very special and remarkable type of our redemption by Christ out of a far worse state of bondage than that of Egypt.

A. Israel was brought into Egyptian bondage by an act of sin - The selling of Joseph.

B. Israel was redeemed by the hand of a man God raised up - Moses the Deliverer (Acts 7:35).

(Acts 7:35) "This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush."

C. The price of redemption was the blood of the paschal lamb (Ex. 12:13).

(Exodus 12:13) "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."

D. The power of their redemption was the omnipotent hand of God (Ex. 14:13-14; 15:1-2, 16). — A Picture of Regeneration and Conversion.

(Exodus 14:13-14) "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. (14) The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

(Exodus 15:1-2) "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. (2) The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."

(Exodus 15:16) "Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased."

·      This was a blood redemption.

·      This was a particular redemption.

·      This was an effectual redemption.

Atonement Money

II. THE ATONEMENT MONEY PAID BY ISRAEL (Ex. 30:11-16).

(Exodus 30:11-16) "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (12) When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. (13) This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. (14) Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. (15) The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. (16) And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls."

Illustration: — David’s Sin in Numbering Israel

This numbering of the children of Israel and the atonement money they paid, so that no plague come upon them, was typical of our ransom by Christ.

A.   None but Israelites were ransomed.

B.   A specific, numbered people were ransomed.

C.   The ransom price was the same for all.

D.   Those who were ransomed were preserved from any plague (Prov. 12:21; Psa. 91:10).

(Proverbs 12:21) "There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief."

(Psalms 91:10) "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."

Kinsman Redeemer

III. THE KINSMAN REDEEMER (Lev. 25:47-49).

The buying again of an Israelite who, by reason of great poverty, had sold himself to another, by one of his near kinsman, is another good, beautiful picture of our redemption by Christ.

(Leviticus 25:47-49) "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."

A.   We have sold ourselves into bondage.

B.   We cannot redeem ourselves.

C.   No friend is able, or has the right, to redeem us.

D.   But there is a near Kinsman who is both able and willing to redeem - Christ (Heb. 7:25).

(Hebrews 7:25) "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

·      He is a Man.

·      He is a Near Kinsman.

·      He is able to pay our debt.

·      He willingly laid down his life to ransom us!

Illustration: Ruth and Boaz

Debtor’s Redemption

IV. THE DELIVERANCE OF A DEBTOR FROM PRISON (Isa. 49:8-10; 61:1-3).

(Isaiah 49:8-10) "Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; (9) That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. (10) They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them."

(Isaiah 61:1-3) "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (3) To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."

In ancient times a man in debt was liable to be arrested and cast into prison. There he would have to remain in bondage until his debt was paid, either by himself or another.

A. Our sins are debts.

B. They are debts which we can never pay.

C. We are all, therefore, shut up in debtor’s prison by nature.

D. But Christ has paid our debt and set us free!

John Gill wrote, “Christ…, as he has engaged to pay the debts of his people, has paid them, cleared the whole score, and blotted out the hand writing that was against them; in consequence of which is proclaimed, in the gospel, liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; and in the effectual calling Christ says ‘to the prisoners,’ ‘Go forth,’ opening the prison doors for them; and to them that sit in darkness, in the gloomy cells of the prison, ‘show yourselves;’ all which is done in virtue of the redemption price paid by Christ for his people.”

(Philemon 1:18) "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account."

Ransom of a Slave

V. THE RANSOM OF A SLAVE (Job 33:24; Zech. 9:11).

In the days of the Old Testament, Godless men often took their slaves and threw them into deep pits at night. They would take them out of their pits only to perform slavish labor, or if a ransom price was paid. Christ has ransomed us and delivered us from the pit of slavery and corruption.

(Job 33:24) "Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom."

(Zechariah 9:11) "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water."

A. We are all slaves to sin and Satan by nature.

B. Our old master, the devil, kept us ever in the deep, dark pit of darkness and night, until Christ came to deliver us.

C. The Lord Jesus Christ delivered us from the slavery of Satan and the pit of darkness, corruption, and sin by the power of his omnipotent grace.

D. The price he paid for the deliverance of our souls was his own precious blood.

Three Things Taught

VI. THESE FIVE PICTURES OF REDEMPTION, DRAWN FOR US BY THE PEN OF INSPIRATION TEACH US THESE THREE THINGS ABOUT REDEMPTION.

A. Sinners need a Redeemer!

As we have seen, sin as it is set forth in the Scriptures is a pit of bondage, slavery, and condemnation from which no man can deliver himself (Psa. 130:1; 69:1-2).

(Psalms 69:1-2) "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. (2) I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me."

(Psalms 130:1) "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD."

(Isaiah 51:1) "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged."

B. Redemption is deliverance from sin by the blood of Christ.

1.    From the penalty of sin at the cross.

2.    From the dominion of sin in regeneration.

3.    From the being of sin in the death of these bodies.

4.    From all the evil consequences of sin in resurrection glory.

C. Redemption is the unaided, unassisted, effectual work of Christ alone. - “Christ hath redeemed us!”

1.    Always Specific People!

2.    Always Effectual!

3.    Always Resulted In Freedom!

(Galatians 5:1) "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Illustrations: “My father died for me!”

Rowland Hill’s Dream.

Don Fortner

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