The Lord (Jehovah) Is Our Redeemer

Several passages in the Old Testament reveal, in explicit and straightforward language, that Jehovah (= lord) is our Redeemer. Jehovah, in truth, is none other than Jesus Christ. Scriptural examples that reveal that Jehovah is our Redeemer are set forth in the accompanying chart.

The English word redeem, derived from the Latin redimere (re, “back” or “again” and emere, “buy”) means to “buy back; free . . . by payment; free by paying ransom.”[1]

Redeem is associated with the words redeemer and redemption. A redeemer is one who redeems, or buys back, freeing by payment; and redemption is the act of buying back or freeing by payment. In the scriptures, redeem, redeemer, and redemption are sometimes used in texts that describe legal situations. Here are four examples:

1. If a poverty-stricken Israelite sells his home or property to pay debts, “his redeemer kinsman” may redeem it (or buy it back) for the seller (Lev. 25:25–34; cf. Lev. 27; Jer. 32:6–7, wherein Jeremiah redeems his uncle’s field).
2. If a poverty-stricken Israelite sells himself to become a servant or slave to pay a debt, a blood relative may redeem him or purchase him back to set him free (Lev. 25:39–55).
3. If a person accidentally or inadvertently kills another person, he can flee for his life to one of six established Israelite cities called “cities of refuge.” Meanwhile, one of the slain person’s kin, called a “redeemer of blood” (which is a better Hebrew translation of the King James Version’s “revenger of blood”), can pursue the manslayer with the intent to kill him, for which he is empowered by the Mosaic law. If the manslayer reaches a city of refuge before the redeemer of blood overtakes him, he can live safely in the city of refuge (Num. 35; Deut. 19; Josh. 20).
4. The story of Ruth touches on legal arrangements involving redemption, or buying back (on Boaz and redemption, see chapter 6).

Each of these four examples has symbolic meanings that teach us about Jesus Christ, who is our Redeemer. For instance, in example 2, the redeemer who buys back his poor relative who became a debt slave symbolizes Jesus Christ, who buys us back from our slavery to sin. The redeemer who buys back his poor relative pays with money, but the Redeemer who buys us back from slavery to sin pays with His own blood.

Much more significant than the legal ramifications of redeem and redemption, just explained, is the spiritual significance of redeem. The reason is that Jesus Christ Himself is our great and all-powerful Redeemer, as is attested in the Old Testament: “Christ hath redeemed us” (Gal. 3:13); “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7); “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14). He is empowered to redeem us because of His own death and Resurrection—He has “purchased [us] with his own blood” (Acts 20:28; cf. Ps. 74:2).

The scriptures clearly testify of the incredible powers of Jesus, the Redeemer—He redeems us from hell, from our sins, from evil (Gen. 48:16), from physical death (Hosea 13:14), from violence and destruction (Ps. 72:14; 103:4), and from our enemies (Ps. 106:10; 107:2; Micah 4:10). As the Redeemer, the lord also serves as our Advocate who pleads our cause. Israel’s “Redeemer is strong; the lord of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause” (Jer. 50:34; Prov. 23:11; Lam. 3:58).