At 2 Chronicles, Judah and King Jehoshaphat found themselves encircled and outnumbered. Jehoshaphat gathered the people and sent up a prayer that reminded God that they were trusting God to be faithful to His promises and to them. The enemy probably reckoned Judah for dead. But, in another one of those "single-evening" God activities, Judah was spared; saved; redeemed.

Jehoshaphat's prayer reminded God. God redeemed Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another. 2 Chronicles 20:24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 2 Chronicles 20:26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. 2 Chronicles 20:27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

In Jonah 2, we read how a disobedient Jonah - in the belly of the fish, deep at the bottom of the sea - has no human power over the fish. Jonah 2:10 reports that God spoke to the fish and then the fish delivered Jonah upon dry ground. In the final verses, in case Jonah does not fully appreciate the Power of God, God demonstrates that He can redeem Nineveh any way He chooses. In the process, God redeems Jonah too!

Jonah did not redeem himself. God redeemed Nineveh and Jonah.

At John 11, we read that Lazarus died, was wrapped and laid in his grave for four days. Jesus, through the Power of God, expressed by His words, raised Lazarus up. Lazurus was brought back to life and restored to his family through no action or effort of his own.

Lazarus was redeemed by the Love of Christ and the Power of God!

Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Isaac's redemption and substitution took just a matter of minutes and was provided by God.

At the first Passover, the quantity God provided for was substantial, but His redemption from the overflight of the death angel was only extended to firstborns - and only for an evening.

At Leviticus 23, God sets forth a means by which the entire tribe (that participates) can receive atonement for an interval of one year. Through the ceremonial action of one, and the shed blood of an innocent animal, and the substitution of a scapegoat, the entire tribe can be redeemed for one year.

While expanding the quantity of eligibles and the duration of His provision, God has foreshadowed a redemption that will be available to mankind....forever.

By the end of Exodus, we know that the rest that God promised to everyone in the tribe who was faithful - reaching the Promised Land of Canaan - would be denied to Moses. We are given the reason God denied Moses' entry and we have it confirmed again at Deuteronomy 34:4-6.

Moses' mortal life ended and he was buried at a location unknown to man.

Yet, at Matthew 17:3, we are presented with the disciple's witnessing of Jesus with Moses and Elias. What can a dead man do to redeem himself?

The mercy, foregiveness and redemption received by Moses, after his burial, was from God.

God Redeemed Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:21

Adam and Eve seperated themselves from God in Genesis 3. When He called, they attempted to hide their nakedness with leaves. Their efforts were totally insufficient. In Genesis 3:11, after shedding the blood of an innocent animal, God redeems and restores them and covers their nakedness with the skin of the slain animal(s).

Adam and Eve did not redeem themselves. God redeemed Adam and Eve.

Eight were chosen of God and God spared the eight he chose.

In Genesis 6:8-18, God extends Grace to Noah, his sons and their wives and He selects them for His regeneration of the earth, after the flood.

The eight did not select God. God selected and redeemed the eight.

Redemption of the Firstborn

It would be foolish to assume that all of the firstborn who were spared during the Passover were infants. Certainly, some of the very men who applied the blood to the doorposts and lintels were themselves adult firstborns. Reviewing the passages below where we are told that there were approximately six hundred thousand men, plus children and women, it becomes clear that a large quantity of Isrealites were spared from the overflight of the death angel. God knows how many. Considering just the firstborn children and infants; the Passover instructions were performed by someone else. They had no hand in God's sparing them.

Each had no hand in saving himself.

Redemption is from God.

Exodus12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Exodus 12:37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. Exodus 12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. Exodus 12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual. Exodus 12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. Exodus12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of theLORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

Isaac's Redemption

In Genesis 22:2-13, Isaac trusts his father, carrys the wood for his own sacrifice after riding to the site on an ass and is almost sacrificed by his earthly father on an altar he helps to prepare.

Isaac is spared by the provision of an Angel and the placement of a substitute, a ram, for the sacrifice. Genesis records how Isaac's life was extended that day.

Isaac did not save himself.

Isaac took no actions or steps to provide for himself, except loving and trusting his father. In considering this "free gift," with no participant involvement, future posts will examine other groups and individuals - in the Old and New Testaments - who likewise did not save themselves. Collectively, they present a Biblical theme that God saves those he chooses to redeem. Hence the site, Isaac's Redemption.

In subsequent posts, consideration will be given to the amount of effort the first-borns contributed to their redemption at the first Passover in Egypt as well as how much effort the "Thief on the Cross" contributed to his redemption during that brief encounter he had with Christ.

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is nodifference: Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation throughfaith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.