God's Purpose of Redemption

Redemption in the general sense means deliverance by payment of a price.

In the Old Testament, the word "redemption" is used in the general sense of deliverance from bondage of slavery of God's Covenant people in Egypt.

Moses said, "You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today...." (Deut. 15:15, NKJV, emphasis added).

In the New Testament, redemption refers to salvation from sin, death, curse of the Law and the wrath of God by Christ's sacrifice. Christ the Redeemer purchased men's deliverance and salvation by offering Himself as payment for their redemption.

Paul said, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace ..." (Eph. 1:7, emphasis added).

Paul said, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us .." (Gal. 3:13, emphasis added).

What is God's purpose of redemption for Israel and for His Church? God Himself gave us the answer in the Old Testament and the apostle Peter explained it in the New Testament.

Exodus 19 contans a message God gave to Moses for the children of Israel after He had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt, brought them out by tremendous miracles and brought them to the foot of Mount Sinai and from there He proposed to enter a Covenant with them.

"You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:4 to 6, emphasis added).

The primary purpose of Israel's redemption is what God said to Israel, "I brought you to Myself". In other words, His purpose is to bring His chosen people to Himself. God first revealed His primary objective before He went on to outline the rest of His purpose. The Book of Exodus gives details of His Covenant and the conditions attached to His Covenant with His people.

Notice that the words spoken by God are not merely relevant to Israel after their redemption out of Egypt, but they are not less relevant to the professing Christians today. I believe that most of the Jews have never discovered the purpose of their redemption, not even today. The Scripture says because of their unbelief and rejection of God salvation has come to the Gentiles (Romans 11).

In the New Testament the Church of Jesus Christ consists of both the Jewish and Gentile believers who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Peter said, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9, emphasis added).

Here we see, the Church as a Body of Christ, is God's own special people. God's purpose is to prepare a bride for His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul said, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:25 to 27, emphasis). added).

The glorious Church is the Bride of Christ. She is cleansed and made holy by the washing of water by the Word of God. The Church cannot be cleansed by any other means - like observing Church or man-made doctrine, Church custom and Church tradition.

After the preparation of the Bride, Jesus' ultimate purpose for His Church is to bring her to the Father's house for the marriage of the Lamb:

"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2,3, emphasis added).

1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 give a picture of what will happen. A day will come when the true Church - true christians and true believers who are overcomers, will be caught up bodily and alive to meet the Lord in the air. The souls and spirits of those who had previously died believing in Christ, having been consciously with Him in the interim, will come with their Lord from heaven to rejoin their glorious resurrected bodies. Those alive at the time of His return, their bodies instantly transformed as well, will be caught up together with the saints of all ages to meet Christ somewhere above the earth and bring them to the Father's house of many mansions. This is what most Bible teachers call the "Rapture" - not a Biblical word. In fact, it is in the Latin translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The Latin "rapturos" means an ecstatic catching away as does the English word.

The first event in heaven after the Lord takes the true Church there will be the Judgement Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10. 1 Corinthians 3:12 to 15). This is not a judgement for condemnation but a judgement for reward. Christians must all give an account to the Lord for every action or every failure to act, for every idle word and secret thought. After this the Groom (Jesus) will want to spend some time with His Bride, the now glorified Church in the Father's House.

In Christ's days the Jewish bride was taken to the father's house where the two were in seclusion for seven days (one week). Christ must have had this custom in mind whe He promised to take His Bride to His Father's house. During these seven years (the 70th week of years in Daniel's prophecy - Daniel 9:24 to 27) the earth is going through the great tribulation period under the reign of the Antichrist! But, at precisely the same time in heaven the marriage supper of the Lamb is being prepared (Revelation 19:7,8). The Bride of Christ escapes the wrath of the Antichrist. This is the way God protects His true Church, fulfilling what Jesus said to Peter:

"The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).

He brings His Church to Himself, completing the purpose and process of redemption!