p. 4 | REDEMPTION by Mrs. H. Hurd Haskell

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 12, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 37.

REDEMPTION.

By Mrs. H. Hurd Haskell

FEW realize the magnitude of the work embraced under this one word, "redemption." In order to fully comprehend it we need to consider three phases of the work. Redemption is defined: To repurchase. Then something must have been sold; and in order to have been sold it must have been in the possession of a seller. In other words there must have been (1) possession, (2) loss of possession, (3) regaining of that which was lost.

We will apply these to the work of Christ. What did man possess in the beginning?—A body made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26), a right to the tree of life (Gen. 2:9, 16), direct communion with God (Gen. 3:8-10), dominion over the whole earth, which was then in a perfect condition (Gen. 1:26, 31). This, in brief, represents the condition of Adam, "the Son of God," the representative of our earth, before sin entered.

Unlimited control was given them over every living thing. The lion and the lamb sported peacefully around them, or lay down together at their feet. The happy birds flitted about them without fear; and as their glad songs ascended to the praise of their Creator, Adam and Eve united with them in thanksgiving to the Father and the Son. They were visited by angels, and were granted communion with their Maker, with no obscuring vail between. They were full of the vigor imparted by the tree of life, and their intellectual power was but little less than that of the angels.

He who had caused rebellion among the angels of heaven determined to mar the happiness of the rightful possessors of the earth. He triumphed, and they were driven out from the garden, as he had been cast out of heaven.

Then began the second phase of the great work of redemption. The lawful Owner relinquished all His rights of ownership. The body made in the image of God was to "return unto the ground" (Gen. 3:19), and the right to eat of the tree of life was forfeited, for God "drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24). Man's sins hid the face of the Lord from him. Isa. 59:2. In becoming servant, and giving the devil the mastery, his dominion was transferred to the arch-deceiver, who, when he met the Son of man in the wilderness, boldly asserted that the dominion belonged to him.

The curse of God rests upon the hitherto perfect earth. The decree goes forth: "Cursed is the ground for thy sake. . . . Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee." Gen. 3:17, 18. Thus we see the second step completed and all the possession forfeited, to remain forever lost to the human race unless it could be redeemed.

If an angel from heaven could have paid the price, it would have been the possession of the angels, and not of humanity. It must be redeemed by humanity. But all man could say was: "Lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants; . . . neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards."

"Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you?" God disclaims having any part in the selling. He has not divorced humanity from Him, neither has He sold them to any of His creditors; but He adds, "Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away."

Then the wonderful challenge is given, "Is My hand shortened at all, that it can not redeem," or "buy back?" The one who redeems must be a man "near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen, or one that hath right to redeem." Therefore it must be one who "is not ashamed to call them [humanity] brethren." "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver [buy back] them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject [sold] to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

Truly His hand is not shortened that He can not redeem, for with His human arm He encircles the human race, while His divine arm clasps the throne of the Deity. Thus He lifts fallen humanity to a position more exalted than that of angels and those who have never fallen. He is the Mighty Conqueror, who has "spoiled principalities and powers," making a show of them openly, triumphing over them.

He now calls to every poor, weak, tempted soul who realizes that he is sold under sin. "Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death." I am your near kinsman, even your very Brother. I have undisputed right to redeem you, soul and body, and all that belongs to you. "Be of good cheer."

MRS. H. HURD HASKELL.