ADOPTION
REDEMPTION
21
AND
So that you must understand that at the very same time and by that very same cross, some principalities and
powers were reconciled and some spoiled. Now the Old Testament type absolutely forbids the idea that the kinsman
could ever be an avenger upon those who were redeemed by him, neither could he redeem those who were the
objects of his vengeance.
The Cities of Refuge
A. -- I am just wondering whether you have forgotten a very important `type' which may make you alter your
opinion as to this idea.
B. -- What is that? I want the truth at all costs.
A. -- I refer to the cities of refuge, which were appointed to provide a means of escaping the avenger of blood. As
you are so keen on the typical method, your omission of this important feature looks suspicious.
B. -- Numbers 35 speaks of these cities, and clearly distinguishes between two classes, a man slayer `which killeth
any person at unawares' (verses 11,15), and `without enmity' (22), or `seeing him not' neither seeking the slain
man's harm (23), he it is who could find safety in one of these cities, but:
`the murderer shall surely be put to death' (16-21).
Murder precluded from City of Refuge
Now Satan is a `murderer from the beginning', his work is intentional, there is nothing `unawares' about it. He
is called `the enemy'. Further, Numbers 35:31 says:
`Ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to
death'.
There is no suggestion in the type that calls for any modification, you will see, it but confirms my original
statement.
A. -- Thank you, it was just a straw, but I realize that while you hold to your interpretation by type you are beyond
argument.
Kinship and Redemption
B. -- Coming back then to the question of kinship and redemption, the words:
`As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive' (1 Cor. 15:22),
must be interpreted with the type in view. Without repeating what we have seen as to Cain, the Amorites, the giants,
and the two seeds, we realise that Christ is not kinsman to such. They may be connected physically with Adam, just
as many were connected physically with Abraham; yet the words `in Adam' stand for something more than this, and
1 Corinthians 15:22 pledges the redemption and new life of the children of the promise. Further, Isaiah 26:14
speaks of some who though dead shall not live:
`They are dead, they shall
NOT LIVE;
they are deceased (the Rephaim, elsewhere called "giants"),
THEY SHALL
NOT RISE'.
These therefore could not have been `in Adam', for if they had been they would have the hope of resurrection
before them. In contrast we read in verse 19:
`THY DEAD -- shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise'.
Jehovah's dead are in His keeping and they have been ransomed from the power of the grave, death hath no
more dominion over them. It is otherwise with the seed of the serpent: