Redemption: A pattern of God

When I think of redemption, I think of God sending His son to earth as an infant and then allowing Christ Jesus to be sacrificed as a perfect offering as an adult. But the idea of redemption has been in place since the beginning of time. God has modeled redemption over and over and over again. This concept that can seem so foreign to the Western mind (and perhaps even to the Eastern mind?) has been modeled throughout the Hebrew (Old) Testament.

In reading through key stories of the Bible today (following a Biblegatway.com reading plan) I came across the record of God's decision to have the family of Levi serve in place of the firstborn son. In the 3rd chapter of Numbers it reads: (Message Version of Scripture)

39 The sum total of Levites counted at God's command by Moses and Aaron, clan by clan, all the males one month and older, numbered 22,000.

40-41 God spoke to Moses: "Count all the firstborn males of the People of Israel who are one month and older. List their names. Then set apart for me the Levites—remember, I am God—in place of all the firstborn among the People of Israel, also the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. I am God."

42-43 So, just as God commanded him, Moses counted all the firstborn of the People of Israel. The total of firstborn males one month and older, listed by name, numbered 22,273.

44-48 Again God spoke to Moses. He said, "Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are mine, I am God. Redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of Levites by collecting five shekels for each one, using the Sanctuary shekel (the shekel weighing twenty gerahs). Give that money to Aaron and his sons for the redemption of the excess number of Israelites."

And in Ruth we read the story about the Kinsman-Redeemer (See chapter 4).

God had a perfect plan for redeeming His people. Whether it be choosing a family line to replace the firstborn son, lamb's blood to cover the door posts to protect the firstborn of the Hebrews at the time just prior to the Exodus, or a good man to fulfill the duties of a deceased husband, God knew what was needed and supplied for those needs. And better yet, He supplied for those needs perfectly!

I wonder if any other tribe was as close in number as the Levites were to matching up person for person as an exchange for the firstborn of every family among the Isrealites.

I trust that He does have every hair on our head numbered and that a sparrow does not fall to the ground unnoticed. And I need to trust that His way is perfect and He is watching my back, making sure that if it is not needed, I won't stumble and fall and go crashing down.

His way is perfect and I need to trust Him.

Living Life with Steps of Faith,
Me

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