Pastor and Scholar William Graham Scroggie named his inductive study of salvation in Scripture “The unfolding drama of redemption.” God demonstrates this drama of redemption in the family relationship. Redemption in Scripture is family redemption.
The Family Tribal Culture of Old Testament Times:
One thing to remember when reading about the families in the Bible is that God did not canonize ancient Israel’s culture. Instead, God used that culture to communicate the eternal truth of his character and his will for humanity.
The family structure of Biblical times can be broken down into Nation, Tribe, Clan, and Patriarch’s household (Ex. 6:16). In Old Testament times when a woman married a man, she became a part of his household. The family would live together and care for one another, and when they died, they would rest together. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah were all eventually “gathered to their fathers,” they were buried together in the same tomb (Gen 23:1-20, 25:9-10; 49:29-32; 50:13). A family belonged together in life as well as in death.
For the well-being of widows, God had provided the levirate law (Deut. 25:5-10). If a woman’s husband died and she had no children, she could marry the brother next in line, and the offspring would receive the deceased husband’s inheritance. This law is weird by today’s standards, but according to the culture of the time, it made sense. This law intended to protect the young widow from poverty and protect her deceased husband’s inheritance.
Christ’s lineage in Matthew chapter one includes four ladies of faith. All these ladies became “faith famous” for choosing their family affiliation. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba were four Gentile brides who were placed in Christ’s line. This is a beautiful demonstration that the unclean, foreigners, and sinners are welcomed into the family by faith.
Let’s look at Ruth’s family choice:
And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. (Ruth 1:10-18)
Ruth’s Hebrew husband had died, and because of this loss, she had no claims to the promised land, and her mother-in-law Naomi had no more sons to raise up an inheritance. Despite this obstacle, Ruth chose God and His people to live with, to die with, and to be buried with. In faith, Ruth went with her mother-in-law Naomi to the land of promise to glean food from the fields of the landowners in Bethlehem. The farmers in this day were commanded not to harvest the corners of their land or glean leftover grain but to leave that for those who found themselves “on the margins” of society (Ex. 22:21-24; Lev. 19:9). While Ruth is gleaning in the promised land, she finds a redeemer, or we should say the redeemer finds her.
Redemption Was A Family Affair:
In the book of Ruth, we are introduced to Boaz, the son of the redeemed woman of faith, “Rehab the Harlot.” Rehab became part of the Hebrew family and married an Israelite named Salmon. Boaz loved the virtuous woman Ruth (who I am sure reminded him of his Mom) (chapter 2), and Ruth petitioned Boaz to redeem her (chapter 3). The closest of kin was unwilling to redeem Ruth, and thereby Boaz, Ruth’s “Kinsman Redeemer,” was qualified, willing, and able to redeem her (chapter 4).
And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. (Ruth 4:6-10)
The book of Ruth demonstrates redemption for us. In Redemption, the patriarch rescues a family member who, due to crippling life circumstances, had been lost to the kinship circle. Redemption law demanded that the patriarch protect the individual’s legal rights and resolve her debts. Here is a reconciliation of family ties that cost the Redeemer.
Jesus, our Redeemer, was “made like unto His brethren” (Heb. 2:17). Therefore, Christ is our Kinsman. Jesus, “the second Adam,” did what the first Adam could not do and would not do (I Cor. 15:45-47). Our Redeemer, like Ruth’s, was qualified, willing, and able to redeem us!
Another illustration of Redemption is found in the book of Hosea. God told Hosea to marry Gomer. Gomer was a woman with a past. What children she might have would be shunned forever by her community. The woman with a history now becomes the woman with a future. God instructs his prophet Hosea to marry such a woman. After marriage, Gomer leaves her holy husband for a life of harlotry. When she finds herself for sale on the slave market of sin, Hosea lovingly redeems his wife by buying her back.
Hosea 3:1-2 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
Redemption brings a lost family member from the “margins” into a secure family relationship. God the Father is buying back his lost children by sending his eldest Son, His heir, to give his life a ransom for many.
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.
God redeemed us so that we, the alienated, might be “adopted sons” and share forever in the inheritance of this “firstborn of all creation.” We are redeemed to be a part of God’s “forever family.”
Colossians 1:13-14 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
I Peter 1:18-19 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; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: