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The Deity and Humanity of the Scriptural Redeemer.
A.--Since our last meeting together I have been looking up the word "redeemer" in the
O.T. and am particularly impressed with the Divine titles that are connected with it in
Isaiah.
B.--Perhaps it will be helpful to see how the word is used in Isaiah.
A.--I find such titles as "The Holy One of Israel", "Creator", "King of Israel",
"Lord of Hosts", "The Lord thy God", "The Mighty One of Jacob", "The God of the
whole earth".
B.--If you will remember that the word goel means not simply redeemer, but the
kinsman who has the right to redeem, these titles become doubly important. If Jehovah,
the Creator, the God of the whole earth, is to be also the goel or kinsman-redeemer of the
sons of Adam, then God must become man. Now it is exactly what we should expect of
the Scriptures, that the prophet who gives the Divine titles such prominence and thereby
creates the problem will also supply the information that provides the answer. Isaiah
brings the two sides together in the blessed name Immanuel.
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel
(GOD WITH US)" (Isa. 7: 14).
Matt. 1: 20-23 leaves us in no doubt that this is prophetic in its fullness of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Again Isaiah says:--
"Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given . . . . . His name shall be called . . . . .
the Mighty God" (9: 6).
This Divine kinsman is seen in John 1: 1 and 14:--
"The Word was GOD." "The Word became FLESH."
Gal. 4: 4, 5 emphasizes this kinship also:--
"When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law to redeem."
Heb. 2: 14, 15 speaks most definitely of this kinship:--
"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 them who, through fear of death, were all
their lifetime subject to bondage."
A.--There is certainly strong scripture evidence that this kinship so stressed in Ruth is a
vital part of redemption. I noticed also that the next verse reads:--
"For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels" (Heb. 2: 16).