When we
look at the word redeemed, especially in the light of its Greek base, we may
see three distinct variants in meaning; a)
to buy out of slavery and set free simply out of the goodness of one’s
heart, whether out of pity or love. In
this sense to buy out of; b) another shade of meaning may be to buy out of the
slave market and take into one’s fold, no longer a slave but a servant; and
c) to buy out of bondage, or slavery
that which was formerly your own and is redeemed or bought back.
It is in
this last sense the Redemption of Israel should be understood; God bought back
his people, the children of Israel who were from the start his own people who
had been lost into slavery.
So having
bought back His people, God gave them laws to live by, even providing a medium,
the ark of the covenant, within the Tabernacle, set up as a meeting place
between God and His people.
The next
chapter that chronicles God’s dealing with His people then is found in the holy
writings entitled the “wayyiqra” meaning “and He called.” The book known to us
as Leviticus has to do meanly with the priestly order, and worship; sacrifice,
blood and offering, with an underlying theme of holiness.
So we find
the opening words, “And the Lord called unto Moses and spoke unto him and said
unto him out of the Tabernacle of the congregation, saying, speak unto the children
of Israel, and say unto them, if any man of you bring an offering unto the
Lord, he shall bring his offering of cattle, or herd or flock.
If it be a
burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall
offer it of his own volition, at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.”
And he shall
lay his hand upon its head and offer it and it shall be accepted of him as an
atonement for his sin.
And he shall kill the offering
before the Lord and the priests; and Aaron’s sons shall bring the blood and
sprinkle it around the altar at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation.
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