But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Luke 24:21
People in a small eastern town were dismayed to learn that a developer had bought the property on which a handsome old school building sat. The school was vacant, having been replaced by a newer one, but the old building appeared to be in good condition. There had been talk that it could be turned into a community centre. But the developer who had bought the land announced he would tear the building down so he could use the property for a parking lot. Efforts were made to convince him otherwise, but only money would do that, and the residents of the town could not afford it. One day, the wealthy son of one of the town’s original founders came to visit, and he became very interested in the efforts to save the old school. He met with community leaders to discuss providing funds for them, and even held a private meeting with the developer. But after a couple of days, he left town without doing anything. And the townsfolk watched in deep disappointment as the old school was razed. Their hopes for a saviour for the building were permanently dashed. But it was not so for the hopes that Cleophas expressed for a redeemer for Israel.
The great disappointment that Jesus’ followers felt after His crucifixion appeared to be permanent. He was dead. Hope was gone, or so they thought. Their hope included a belief that He would deliver the nation from Rome’s rule, and that He would re-establish the nation of Israel as a world power as it had been in the days of David and Solomon. That was what the prophets predicted, and that was what they were anticipating. They were right, of course, but their timing was off. Because of Israel’s rejection of its king, Israel must wait for its redemption until another redemption program is complete. But its redemption will come. Some people today teach that God has abandoned Israel as a nation utterly, and that the church is the spiritual Israel that will inherit all the promises that God gave to the nation. But these people are not rightly dividing the Word of truth. God promised Israel its redemption, and God will deliver on that promise. Israel will yet come into the glory of a kingdom of the righteous reign of great David’s greater Son.
As Israel awaits its redemption, God’s great program of redemption is extended to the Gentiles. This is precious to us because we have no claim upon the promises of God, no access by natural birth into the inheritance and blessings. Consider what Paul wrote in Romans 3:21-24: ‘But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.’ There is that reference to redemption to both Jew and Gentile alike, available by faith of Jesus Christ. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:18-19).
The nature of that which is redeemed is that it belongs to the redeemer. And so it is with us; we are not our own, we are bought with a price. We belong to our Redeemer. -Jim MacIntosh