God The Redeemer
Although God Himself presents countless times as the ‘Lord of hosts’ in the Old Testament, in practice He appears much more as the Redeemer.
What does REDEEMER mean: He who freed and saved humanity from condemnation to hell; He who has the ability to redeem and liberate. Savior, deliverer, liberator, redeemer.
Thus, in the New Testament, through the Manifestation of God the Son, the Lord Jesus presents Himself as the Great Redeemer of those who hear and obey Him.
In the Old Testament we have several occasions in which God acts, and gives men the opportunity to mediate for the remission of others, even with sufficient reasons to destroy the rebellious generation.
The first time this happened was with Noah. God did not destroy the entire world overnight as there were 100 years of opportunity during the construction of the ark.
“…and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly” (2 Peter 2:5)
Noah was a preacher of righteousness but people preferred unrighteousness.
Again with Abraham, when pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah, he gave Lot and his house the opportunity for deliverance.
Again, with Moses at the foot of Sinai, this is clear when God says: “Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them.” (Exodus 32:10)
God did not need to announce what he wanted to do, but he did it in order to give Moses the opportunity to plead for the people.
God’s enormous desire to redeem is seen in the mission given to the prophet Jonah to announce judgment to Nineveh. Jonah, refusing to do so, was swallowed by a great fish until he changed his mind and decided to obey. Jonah knew that if he announced judgment, people could achieve redemption, as he knew God’s intention to save.
“Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.” (Jonah 3:10)
Jonah was even against of the sudden redemption of God for the people: “So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.” (Jonah 4:2)
And what else to say about God sending His Son to not only intercede and preach, but to pay the price for our redemption?
If you understand God’s desire to accept you no matter what you have done, turn to him right now: pray, seek Him, and receive His forgiveness!
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