Redeemer | Missing Pieces

Yeshua is everything to us: our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible. We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible. It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah. This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the nineteenth article in the series, Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son.

For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again,“I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”? (Heb 1:5)

In order to understand who Yeshua is, we must first understand who His Father is. Yehovah is our Creator (Neh 9:6; Ps 139:14), our Provider (Ps 34:10, 81:10), our Rescuer (Ps 34:19, 37:4), our Protector (Nah 1:7, Ps 118:6-7), our Healer (Ps 147:3, Jam 5:15), our Teacher (2 Tim 3:16, Ps 32:8), our Redeemer (Gen 22:13-14, Ps 19:14) and so much more. Yehovah’s ways are excellent (Ps 18:30, Is 26:7-8). He is the source of wisdom (Prov 2:6, 1 Cor 1:25) and righteousness (Ps 48:10, Is 45:21). Yehovah is King forever over all creation (1 Chron 16:31, Ps 45:6, Ps 103:19).

How do we know that Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son? The angel Gabriel announced it to Yeshua’s mother, Miryam, twice (Luke 1:32, 35). “…therefore the child to be bornwill be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). The prophet, John the Baptist testified that Yeshua is the Son of Yehovah. “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34). His followers declared that Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son. “And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’” (Matt 14:33). “He said to them, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God’” (Matt 16:15-16i). Yeshua identified Himself as the Son of Yehovah (John 10:36; 11:4, 16:28, Matt 27:43). On at least two occasions, the Father publicly proclaimed that Yeshua is His Son (Matt 3:16-17, Matt 17:5). There are many instances recorded in the Gospels of Yeshua healing and teaching.

Yeshua demonstrates that He is his Father’s Son by His actions. Yeshua worked with His Father and the Holy Spirit to create the heavens and the earth (John 1:3, Col 1:16). Yeshua provided wine at a wedding (John 2: 1-12) and food to the crowds (Matt 14:13-21). Yeshua is our Rescuer (Matt 1:21, Heb 7:25) and Protector (John 10:28, 17:12). Yeshua has paid the debt for our sins and has redeemed us (1 Cor 7:23, Eph 1:7). Yeshua’s ways are His Father’s ways (John 5:19-20, 6:38). Yeshua is the source of all wisdom (Col 2:3, 1 Cor 1:30). Yeshua is our righteousness (2 Cor 5:21, Rom 5:19). Yeshua will reign as our King (Heb 1:8; Col 1:13).

Although Yeshua is eternal and is equal to the Father, when He came to earth as a human He became the firstborn of both the Father and His mother. A firstborn son in ancient Near East times was considered the strongest of His siblings. He had authority over his younger siblings. When his father died, the firstborn son was expected to take care of his mother and his unmarried sisters and became the head and spiritual leader over his family. The firstborn son was also entitled to a double portion of the inheritance.

Although our Father is eternal and will never die, Yeshua is not replacing His Father but is acting in His Father’s stead. Yeshua has assumed responsibility for those of us who welcome Him as our Lord and Redeemer. We are considered His younger siblings. We have the privilege and blessing of having a truly righteous Brother who teaches us, protects us and loves us.

In ancient times a man could redeem his relatives who had been sold into slavery. He could also buy back property that had been sold. Yeshua is our Kinsman Redeemer. Through the fall of Adam and Eve we became slaves of hasatan. Yeshua has purchased our freedom not with money but with His own blood. Just as Abram recovered Lot, his family and all that had been stolen by the enemy, Yeshua has rescued us and recovered all that has been lost or stolen from us (Gen 14:14-16, Heb 2:14-15, Acts 3:21). Yeshua’s sacrifice and resurrection as the Son of Yehovah ensure our eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven!

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life. When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own. It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part. This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered. Don’t miss out. After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.

The Jews had an opportunity to accept their Messiah or reject Him at His first coming. While many Jews accepted Yeshua as their kinsmen Redeemer and King, the majority did not. Over the centuries, many peoples have hated and persecuted the Jews, citing the rejection and crucifixion of Yeshua as “justification.” Many people smugly criticize the Jews and yet are guilty of the same sin.

The same challenge is presented to each of us. Do we accept Yeshua as our Redeemer and King? Have we asked for forgiveness of our sins and invited Yeshua to be King over us?

Jewish leaders resented Yeshua’s criticism of their man-made traditions and their hypocrisy. They wanted to do things their own way (Luke 6:1-12; Luke 7:29-30). They refused the help they so desperately needed. Some people today say that belief in God is for weak people, not recognizing that they, too, are weak people who very much need a Savior. They believe that they are capable of running their own lives and sometimes the lives of others without Yeshua’s help.

Jewish people were looking for a leader who would save them from physical oppression (John 6:14-15). They didn’t realize that the spiritual oppression Yeshua overcame is far more serious and is also the root cause of the physical oppression. Many people today are focused solely on the physical realm, unaware or misunderstanding the spiritual realm. We can choose to renounce our subjection to Satan and embrace the salvation offered by Yeshua, but it is a choice that each of us must make in order to enter the Kingdom of YHVH.

Jewish people believed that being born Jewish was sufficient or that following the traditions and rituals established by men would secure them a place with YHVH.

Many people today believe that it is enough to be a “basically good person” or to belong to a particular denomination or congregation. Many people do not recognize their own sins, especially the most glaring one, the sin of rejecting Yeshua as their Redeemer (Luke 5:32).

Yeshua died a gruesome, violent death to pay the penalty for our sins and to ransom us from the grip of the evil one. Do we honestly believe that we can ignore Yeshua’s redemptive work and make our own way into the Kingdom of YHVH? If this were true, then Yeshua’s work would have been a waste of time and effort. Do you honestly assume that YHVH made the agonizing decision to send His precious Son to be slaughtered on our behalf, but is now willing to overlook our rejection of His beloved Son and His hard-earned gift of salvation?

Do not be deceived. No matter how “good” you are and no matter how exemplary your life has been, you have absolutely nothing to offer that can save you from eternal damnation. You are like a drowning person who has been thrown a precious Lifeline. However, it is necessary to seize and cling to this Lifeline in order to be acceptable to YHVH.