I am continuing the theme started by JackNathan on his post, What is the Purpose of Scripture?. Nathan asked us at the end of his post to think of other passages of Scripture that depicted stories of redemption that point to Christ.

The first story of redemption that I thought of was the account of Lot and his family being rescued from Sodom and Gomorrah. The story really begins in Genesis 18:16 where Abraham was seeing off the men that were sent by God to visit him. God contemplated whether or not to reveal to Abraham his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. God did decide to reveal this to Abraham. Abraham then exhibits what I believe to be a shadow of Christ’s intercession for us. Abraham interceded, even negotiated, on behalf of the righteous that lived in the cities. In the end, God agreed not to destroy the cities if there were ten righteous people that resided there.

Unfortunately, there were not even ten. The men went to the city of Sodom and were greeted at the gate by Lot, one of the less than ten righteous people in the city. He was hospitable to the men and protected them from the wicked men of the city with every resource available to him. However, everything he had wasn’t enough. Everything we have isn’t enough either. We cannot save ourselves from our sin any more than Lot could save his guests from the wicked men of the city.

Fortunately, God had a plan all along. A perfect plan that worked to redeem the righteous and to judge the wicked. The men sent from God warned Lot to escape with his family from the city before judgment came. God then baptized the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. They were utterly destroyed because of their wickedness. God’s righteous judgment along with His loving mercy came together to reveal His holy character.

Is it B.I.B.L.E- Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth?

Is it a history of the world?

The Scripture is God’s Holy Word.  Yes, but what is its purpose?  Think about that for a bit then read on.

Scripture tells us of Christ.  It is often said that the entire Old Testament points forward to Christ and the entire New Testament points back to Christ.  But why and how?

Scripture gives us the history of God’s redemptive work(s).  Man is bound by sin and death reigns in mankind because of Adam’s sin as recorded in the book of Genesis.  So, we see that there is need of a savior to take man out of this pit of despair.  So why does Scripture not simply say that we need a savior who would come and then give us basic instructions on how to follow God?  Why the book of Judges?  Why the book of Esther?  What do they have to do with Christ?

The writer of Hebrews says in chapter 8 that the things of the Old Testament serve as shadows of the things to come in Christ.  So, the Old Testament gives vague impressions of the things to come in Christ.  Just as a shadow calls to attention that there is something casting that shadow, so too, the things of the Old Testament call to attention the need for Christ.

Since the Scriptures are the history of God’s redemptive work, we can read the Scriptures in that light.  Read the Old Testament and ask, “How does this relate to our redemption in Christ?”  Or, “how does this call us to look towards our ultimate redemption?”

Take for instance, the great picture of salvation in the Old Testament, the Exodus.  The Israelites were enslaved, bound by a cruel taskmaster in a foreign land.  But God raised up a deliverer to take Israel out of the hand of their former masters.  Israel was delivered from Egypt by God’s mighty hand which also judged the Egyptians with plagues and ultimately with destruction in the Red Sea.  Israel was to go into the Promised Land after this exodus, but their stay there was relatively short lived.  It was not permanent as they had hoped.

So how does this relate to our redemption?  We are enslaved to sin (Egypt) in a land that is not our own.  So God sent a savior in order to deliver us from our cruel taskmaster.  This savior delivered (will deliver) His people and will take us into the Promised Land while judging the Enemy and ultimately destroying him.  But this will not be a temporary arrangement.  We will not be kicked out of the Promised Land, for God will keep us there and will live amongst us.

So, the Exodus serves as a picture of the Redemption that was to come in Christ.  The fact that Moses did lead the people of Israel into a lasting kingdom calls forth the reader to anticipate the perfect deliverance.  The deliverance of Moses was good, but not eternal.  There must be an eternal deliverer for true redemption to take place.  The reader is called to look forward to the Christ to come.

Read the Old Testament and ask, how does this passage paint a picture of the Redemption to come in Christ?  And how is this an imperfect picture which calls to mind the need for the fullness to come in Christ?

Remember, our redemption has been purchased, but the consummation where we will fully enjoy the benefits of our relationship with God is yet to come.  Keep your eyes up, and pray for the return of Christ when He will ultimately judge and destroy the enemy!

Also, post in the comments some other passages of Scripture that call us to look to our Redemption in Christ (I know, I already took the easy one).