Christian Living

Our Kinsmen Redeemer

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
11/30/20
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The chosen people of God, the Israelites, were divided into twelve tribes whose fathers were the twelve sons of Jacob and the Patriarchs of each tribe. The tribes were not of the same sense as the Native Americans, as they were each nation living in North America. Tribes, in this sense, would be better understood as separate families or clans of the nation of Israel. When God delivered them to the Promised Land, they were each given their portion of the land. Each tribe was not to forsake the others but were to be protective of their own tribe and protect the welfare of their tribe. Life happens and results in trial and tribulation times for all, and if a member of the tribe fell into a difficult time, or the supporting member fell, God provided in His Law a Kinsmen Redeemer.

The Kinsmen Redeemer was a close relative who was privileged to protect and preserve the community rights of his tribe for disadvantaged members. The Kinsmen Redeemer was part of the covenant relationship that God had with Israel, and it points to a greater Kinsmen Redeemer for all of humanity.

The obligations of the Kinsmen Redeemer was to redeem the tribal lands. (Leviticus 25:25-28; Jeremiah 32:6-9) Should members of the tribe become enslaved, the Kinsmen Redeemer was responsible for bringing them out of slavery. (Leviticus 25L47-55) If a woman became a widow and childless, the Kinsmen Redeemer was to provide an heir. (Genesis 38:8-10; Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Matthew 22:23-28) If a member of the tribe was murdered, the Kinsmen Redeemer was to avenge the death. (Numbers 35:16-21) The Kinsmen Redeemer was to be the trustee of the estate. (Numbers 5:5-8)

To see a fuller explanation of the Kinsmen Redeemer, we look to the Poem of Love in the book of Ruth. The story begins with Naomi and her husband Elimelech, who were residents of Bethlehem around 1100 BC. There was a famine in the land; they decided to go to Moab’s land to find a place where there was food to eat. While there, Elimelech died, leaving Naomi and her two sons. Her sons each married, one to Ruth. But as time travels on, both of Naomi’s sons also die, leaving her with the two daughters in law. The three of them are hard-pressed to support each other. Eventually, Naomi decides to return to her native home in Bethlehem and tells her daughters in law to find husbands and a new life. One leaf, but Ruth tells her mother in law, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” (Ruth 1:16)

Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem, but Naomi is bitter for now; she is penniless and without a protector. Ruth decides to go out to the fields and glean what she can so they can eat. Naomi sends Ruth to glean from the fields of a relative named Boaz. While Ruth is gleaning, she catches the eye of Boaz. Boaz is a wealthy landowner and learns that Ruth is the daughter-in-law of Naomi, who was married to Elimelech, his kin. Eventually, Boaz marries Ruth and becomes the Kinsmen Redeemer for Naomi. As a result, Naomi is no longer penniless and is cared for. Ruth now has a husband to provide for her, and the story has a glorious ending. Ruth bears a son with Boaz named Obed, who is the grandfather of David, the great King of Israel. It is through David’s lineage that the Messiah Jesus is born.

On this side of Jesus’ work on the cross, He is our Kinsmen Redeemer. We are hopelessly lost in our sinful behavior with no way out, no way to save ourselves from the wages of our sin. That wage death, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) It is a wage that we cannot pay and live. But Jesus paid that debt for us and freed us from the bondage of sin and restored us to a right relationship with God our Creator. As we grow in His image, we draw closer to God. As we draw closer to God, He draws closer to us. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)

We may be ashamed of our past deeds and thoughts, but that shame is gone if we release it to Him. By His Spirit, He sanctifies us into the image we were created to be, the image of our Father in Heaven. Our Lord and Savior, our Kinsmen Redeemer, is not ashamed to call us His friend and brother. “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:11)

When we love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, and might, then we will have His love shining through us to our fellow men. As it is His command, “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:38-39) Let us not be like those who are so wrapped up in their religion that we cross the street when we see our neighbor in need of the Lord’s free gift of salvation. Let us not cross the street when we see a neighbor in need, and the Lord has blessed us with the ability to lend a hand. Let us not ignore the deaf, the blind, and the lame from the truth of God’s healing Word. Let us now be as He is, a Kinsmen Redeemer to all. “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27)

As undeserving as we are, God opened up our hearts to the truth of His Word, He caused that truth to grow within us till we realized our need to repent from living for this world and follow Jesus in faith to the greater world to come, and He placed within us a love for those who remain as we were. It was Jesus that took on the curse that was upon us so we could receive the promises of His Word. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”-- in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14)

As Jesus is our Kinsmen Redeemer, let us go forward as His instruments in the power of His Spirit and allow Him to redeem our fellow kin, as they are His kin also. This is the call to “go” and make disciples for Christ in all the nations of the earth. If we allow Him to begin a good work within us, then He surely will complete it through us for His glory. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

This is the promise that as we grow into the image of our Lord and Savior, in the end, we shall be as He is, excellent and perfect living in the love and joy of His peace. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, July 26, 2018