p. 755 | RANSOMED AND REDEEMED

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Dec 15, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 48.

RANSOMED AND REDEEMED.

MANY ages ago these great words were uttered: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction; repentance shall be hid from mine eyes" (Hosea 13:14); and He, the living One, who became dead is alive forevermore, to make them good. The apostle in his grand discourse on the resurrection refers to this passage (1 Cor. 15:55), and He who stooped to the grave, and who now sits on the throne, shall not fail nor be discouraged till death is swallowed up in victory; and the words so long sung in hope shall celebrate accomplished facts: "The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout;" he will call to his sleeping ones, "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust," and millions shall shout in reply, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" Then, when "the adoption, even the redemption of the body," for which we now wait, is come, when millions once the slaves of sin and Satan, and the prey of death, are made joint heirs with "the second Adam, the Lord from Heaven," it shall be seen that with regard to his great purposes of love towards sinners, and hatred to sin, death, and hell, repentance has indeed been hid from his eyes.

This aspect of redemption is found in some of the typical institutions of previous dispensations. Some writer observes on the text in Hosea 13:14, already quoted, "that the words 'ransom' and 'redeem' arise out of two distinctive customs of their [the Jews] national policy. 'Ransom' is a word which means a rescue by a sum paid, or an act of power employed; while 'redeem' is put for that deliverance which is effected by the interference of the nearest of kin." It devolved on the nearest of kin to redeem the inheritance, and to raise up seed to his brother; and also, should he be murdered, to avenge his death. Here we have a shadow of the office and work of Him who in his wondrous grace became "our near Kinsman." How infinitely does the Antitype exceed the type in all respects! We only now refer to one point which bears on the subject before us. The nearest of kin might inflict deserved vengeance on the murderer of his brother, but he could not raise him up to life again. The Lord Jesus Christ not only avenges his brethren on death, but he raises them up to a more glorious life than sin, Satan, and death robbed them of. This is in agreement with his glorious utterance, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."—Selected.