MY REDEEMER LIVETH! Heavenly Father, whatever got you to choose to wake me up from sleep this morning shows that you love me and have an agenda enough not to ignore me. It is grace defined that affords me the possibility of the ransom that Christ handed down for my redemption. “He died for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.”Galatians 1:4. (NLT) This idea of redemption required the payment of a set price or the substitution of one life for another. The death of Christ is atonement for sin; a mystery to redeem me from the curse of sin and death- not only eternal death but His pronouncement at Golgotha means to me an end to hopelessness. When He said: “It is finished”, without an addition of any other thing, He seized me out of the hollow, I had long struggled to break free... “In that day, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight” Amos 8: 9 (NIV). Then, all of God’s creation were at ease and attentive to bear witness between that sixth and ninth hour. And Christ in a show of strength, cried out loudly and gave up His spirit- no one took His life from Him, He gave it as a ransom for mine, He conquered death- Alas! The veil of that curtain had to give way and victory was handed down to me! When God in the Old Testament is spoken of as “redeeming,” he redeems through His might and power. “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments” Exodus 6:6. (NLT). The hope of redemption was very strong during the time when Israel was captive in Babylon. The prophets constantly spoke of God as Redeemer or Deliverer. “Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41: 14. (NLT). This hope was to be fulfilled ultimately through The Messiah, who is Jesus Christ. The messianic hope grew stronger during the periods when Israel was exiled and persecuted. John the Baptist described Jesus as the fulfilment of God’s redemptive kingdom and hence, the Messiah of Israel. He came to give Himself as a ransom for many. The concept of redemption has deep meaning for God’s people. In the Old Testament, it illustrates the truth that God is the Saviour of His people. Although Israel fell into sin by denying God’s law, God did restore them to favour when they repented. In the prophets, especially, God’s redemptive work was to be completed through the Messiah and His redemptive sacrifice. Paul expresses the thought that Christ is the sin offering to the Father. He redeems us by giving up His life for the Church of God. Jesus Christ fulfilled the redemption promised in the Scriptures and by His sacrifice provided for our redemption even while we were yet sinners. Along with this, is the motivating force of divine love as the basis for our restoration. Those who believe will be freed from the bondage of sin and find favour again with the redeeming God. “He is not here, He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay” Matthew 28: 6 (NIV). He is alive! There were no witnesses to the actual resurrection though; there is indeed an empty grave and the empty shell of the grave cloths that showed the shape of His body …. “The linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.”John 20: 6 & 7 (NLT). Beloved, let us go to Galilee: the place of new beginnings and fruitful ministry- there, He will give us a new commission to launch in His continuing mission to the world. Job, in his distress had to affirm that “I know that my redeemer lives and that in the end, He will stand upon the earth” Job 19: 25 (NIV) Like Job, I dare to believe that this redeemer will vindicate me. Because He lives, He makes me see a brilliant tomorrow; with His blood, He will wash off this slimy mire, this contempt, this sting! This is an echo of a Martha reading this piece- I believe that you are the Christ who was to come into the world, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but NOW, I know: My Redeemer lives and forever, I will proclaim, I will testify.... “My Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name: He shall thoroughly plead my cause, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.” Jeremiah 50: 34 (NIV). ayanfeLAMPROS.