In What Way Did God Redeem Israel?
A friend of mine read the Cross of Christ by John Stott and had questions regarding chapter 7. This chapter deals with the concepts of propitiation & expiation. He considers the idea of redemption in terms of a ransom price for the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. The ransom price terminology is also involved when Israelites return from exile in Babylon. God brings Israel out of Egypt in the same way as Christ giving his life as a ransom for many. Stott quotes BB Warfield: "the idea that the redemption from Egypt was the effect of a great expenditure of the divine power and in a sense cost much, is prominent in the allusions to it, and seems to constitute the central idea sought to be conveyed." Stott goes on to say:"For God redeemed Israel "with an outstretched arm" and "with a mighty hand". We conclude that redemption always involved the payment of a price, and that Yahweh's redemption of Israel was not an exception." What does it mean that a great expenditure of divine power cost much? And how in relation to Egypt was there a price paid?
To answer this, let us first seek a definition, then look at key Scriptures, and lastly break down components of the question.
Definition:
The word to Redeem (Ga’al) in Hebrew is a concept of payment in order to achieve deliverance. גָּאַל I, redeem, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman. (ASV and RSV similar, except that they translate "avenger of blood" instead of "revenger of blood.")
Key Scriptures:
Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. (Exod. 6:6 ESV)
Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. (Ps. 74:2 ESV)
You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah (Ps. 77:15 ESV)
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. (Ps. 106:9-11 ESV)
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. (Isa. 41:14 ESV)
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. (Isa. 43:1-4 ESV)
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isa. 43:14-19 ESV)
Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. (Isa. 52:9 ESV)
And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. (Isa. 62:12 ESV)
Question 1: What does it mean that a great expenditure of divine power cost much?
In one sense we might think, God owns everything, so how can he give a lot for us? He has the cattle on a thousand hills. He created you and I. So doesn’t he already own us? This is true he owns everything. Still there are economic transactions that take place in our relationship to God. We give him gifts. He gives to us. We must understand that while in an absolute economic sense, we have nothing to give him and he owes no one nothing. But he has established the covenant, an ordered relationship. Within the context of the covenant, there is redeeming of the nation of Israel. There is a cost to God in many ways. While the defeat of Egypt through the 10 plagues and the washing away of the Egyptian army, this is really just pointing to the reality of Christ defeating death by dying. He dies on the Cross according to the plan of God the Father. This is the ultimate cost. God is patient with our sin. God is forgiving. God’s covenant love costs him a broken heart.
Question 2: And how in relation to Egypt was there a price paid?
The concept of redeeming through victory is archaic to our system due to the fact that war booty is considered immoral. In our way of thinking, non-combatants are not to suffer in a conflict. We have to set aside our way of thinking. In our modern way of thinking payment in an economic transaction and money as war booty are two different things. However, a modern equivalent would be to win a sporting event and get the “purse” as they call it. Two boxers enter the ring and one earns the right to take the money by winning. Notice the combining of the concepts, of God “redeem you” and also “with outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment”. Is it economic payment or is it God defeating the enemies? However, it is both in this ancient covenant way of thinking. The Egyptians get no payment. The Egyptian nation is defeated, not through the military conflict with the nation of the Hebrews, but rather through the mighty acts of God in 10 plagues. God wins the first round. The Egyptian army is defeated by being washed way in the waters of the Red Sea. God wins the second round with a knock out. God wins the prize through his mighty acts and the people are his. He has in a sense bought them through his victory.
Question 3: So my question is, have you any idea about the cost of redeeming Israel from Egypt?
I would assert that this is not a payment in our sense of the word, but about God defeating Egypt militarily but ultimately pointing to Christ dying on the Cross. Christ defeats death by rising from the dead.
Question 4: What's that all about?
We have a hard time making sense of God’s covenant love, his steadfast love. We need to understand his love through his mighty acts. The ultimate Old Testament act was his redemption of his people from Egypt in the Exodus. The ultimate New Testament act was his redemption of his people from sin through the death of Christ on the Cross.
To answer this, let us first seek a definition, then look at key Scriptures, and lastly break down components of the question.
Definition:
The word to Redeem (Ga’al) in Hebrew is a concept of payment in order to achieve deliverance. גָּאַל I, redeem, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman. (ASV and RSV similar, except that they translate "avenger of blood" instead of "revenger of blood.")
Key Scriptures:
Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. (Exod. 6:6 ESV)
Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. (Ps. 74:2 ESV)
You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah (Ps. 77:15 ESV)
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. (Ps. 106:9-11 ESV)
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. (Isa. 41:14 ESV)
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. (Isa. 43:1-4 ESV)
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isa. 43:14-19 ESV)
Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. (Isa. 52:9 ESV)
And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. (Isa. 62:12 ESV)
Question 1: What does it mean that a great expenditure of divine power cost much?
In one sense we might think, God owns everything, so how can he give a lot for us? He has the cattle on a thousand hills. He created you and I. So doesn’t he already own us? This is true he owns everything. Still there are economic transactions that take place in our relationship to God. We give him gifts. He gives to us. We must understand that while in an absolute economic sense, we have nothing to give him and he owes no one nothing. But he has established the covenant, an ordered relationship. Within the context of the covenant, there is redeeming of the nation of Israel. There is a cost to God in many ways. While the defeat of Egypt through the 10 plagues and the washing away of the Egyptian army, this is really just pointing to the reality of Christ defeating death by dying. He dies on the Cross according to the plan of God the Father. This is the ultimate cost. God is patient with our sin. God is forgiving. God’s covenant love costs him a broken heart.
Question 2: And how in relation to Egypt was there a price paid?
The concept of redeeming through victory is archaic to our system due to the fact that war booty is considered immoral. In our way of thinking, non-combatants are not to suffer in a conflict. We have to set aside our way of thinking. In our modern way of thinking payment in an economic transaction and money as war booty are two different things. However, a modern equivalent would be to win a sporting event and get the “purse” as they call it. Two boxers enter the ring and one earns the right to take the money by winning. Notice the combining of the concepts, of God “redeem you” and also “with outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment”. Is it economic payment or is it God defeating the enemies? However, it is both in this ancient covenant way of thinking. The Egyptians get no payment. The Egyptian nation is defeated, not through the military conflict with the nation of the Hebrews, but rather through the mighty acts of God in 10 plagues. God wins the first round. The Egyptian army is defeated by being washed way in the waters of the Red Sea. God wins the second round with a knock out. God wins the prize through his mighty acts and the people are his. He has in a sense bought them through his victory.
Question 3: So my question is, have you any idea about the cost of redeeming Israel from Egypt?
I would assert that this is not a payment in our sense of the word, but about God defeating Egypt militarily but ultimately pointing to Christ dying on the Cross. Christ defeats death by rising from the dead.
Question 4: What's that all about?
We have a hard time making sense of God’s covenant love, his steadfast love. We need to understand his love through his mighty acts. The ultimate Old Testament act was his redemption of his people from Egypt in the Exodus. The ultimate New Testament act was his redemption of his people from sin through the death of Christ on the Cross.
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