There are all kinds of words that we hear, read, and say over and over in Christians circles. We say them and hear them so often that I think sometimes we lose touch with what they really mean. They become too familiar unless we step back now and again and take a fresh look. Today, for me, that word is: Redemption.
I came across the word and the concept this morning in my reading in Numbers. A little history of a word never hurts to put it back into focus. Here’s the passage:
The firstborn of every mother, whether human or animal, that is offered to the Lord will be yours. But you must always redeem your firstborn sons and the firstborn of ceremonially unclean animals. Redeem them when they are one month old. The redemption price is five pieces of silver (as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs).
However, you may not redeem the firstborn of cattle, sheep, or goats. They are holy and have been set apart for the Lord. Sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. (Numbers 18:15-17, NLT)
Every firstborn…human or animal…belonged to the Lord and was supposed to be offered (as a sacrifice) to Him. But God had made a provision for them to be spared from their death…redemption. God’s people were allowed to buy their firstborn back from death (with the noted exceptions). There was a price to be paid and I imagine all parents paid it willingly.
Jump forward a few thousand years and we see Jesus doing that very thing for us. He is paying the ultimate price…buying His children back from death. He does it willingly. He does it because He loves us.
Jesus redeemed me. He redeemed you. He paid the price so we don’t have to. It’s a good reminder!













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