Discover His heart: Because He loves us so, He sent His Son to be our family redeemer
@Leviticus 25
“I’m just a poor wayfaring stranger, a-wandring through, this world of woe. Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor danger in that bright land, to which I go…” No one really knows the origin of this old spiritual about a stranger traveling through hard times on to a better place. I think of this song when I read Leviticus 25 because it serves as a reminder to me that we are just passing through this life on our way to eternity with God which, by the way, is a much better place.
“The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me.” (23) As with the Israelites, it would be good for us to remember our status. Created to fellowship with the Lord, our time here on earth is but a moment, a vapor as James says in James 4:14, where we are given the opportunity to choose our eternal destination. We cherish this fellowship with Him while living our time out in this world, but life is just temporary housing on the way to our future.
When I spend a week or two in a vacation home somewhere, I realize I’m not going to stay there forever. I don’t take up ownership and worry about the place not being perfect for all my needs like having an espresso machine, etc., because I’m not staying there long. Oh, that we would remember our place as foreigners, strangers, on this earth, not so concerned how perfect it is for us, but looking for a city “whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10 KJV). We are tenant farmers working for Him.
With the foundation set in verse 23, God was able to incorporate His plans for providing for those who had fallen on hard times and needing help to move forward, “If one of your fellow Israelites falls into poverty and is forced to sell some family land, then a close relative should buy it back for him.” (25) Understanding that they were foreigners and tenant farmers, the Israelites could more easily be generous with their land and their money. The close relative, the family redeemer, gave of himself to buy back the land so that no one was destitute. When we keep in mind the fact that we, too, are strangers and sojourners through this land, we will be more generous and give more of ourselves.
As we travel through this life, we are given the opportunity to accept and fellowship with God because of our family redeemer, our older Brother, who purchased our sin-stained lives with His own blood, “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” (I Peter 1:18-19) We may be strangers in this land, but because of His ransom, we are not homeless. Just like the old southern gospel song, we’re “looking for that city, where we’ll never die…” (Dalton/Cooper)
We’ve finished reading what some consider the dreaded Leviticus. Who would have thought that it was so relevant for us today and that it held so many truths? Well, of course, He knew, and that’s why He saw to it that it was included in the Holy Bible.
Moving Forward: Just passing through this world; but thanks to my family redeemer, I’m enjoying sweet fellowship with the Lord along the way.
Tomorrow @ I Chronicles 1-4
Phyllis Benigas 