THE CUP OF REDEMPTION
We now come to the third “I Will”, the cup of redemption, Exodus 6:6 "Therefore, say to the people of Isra'el: 'I am ADONAI. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their oppression, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.” Redemption is Israel’s deliverance from bondage. Egypt was only a tool of the forces of darkness; the ancient enemy of God was their oppressor. The blood a lamb reminded Satan of his defeat and foretold of his ultimate destiny.
Adonai will free Israel with great power leaving their enemies helpless. It is important to know that Israel’s freedom from Egypt is a shadow or type of the sacrifice of the Messiah Yeshua. His death and resurrection defeated the prince and powers of darkness and freed His people.
Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines Redemption as:
· Delivered from bondage, (the control of oppression and darkness)
· Delivered from distress, (from the burden, hurt and fear it is the deliverance from the effects of distress)
· Delivered from any penalty, (no debt, set free without cost)
· Delivered from the possession of another, (redemption takes us from the control of Satan and self)
Redemption is being delivered by someone paying the price of redemption
GOD through Moses informed Israel that they were chosen (sanctified) their enemies judged and defeated. However they could not fully experience either of these until redeemed by the blood of a perfect lamb.
The first two cups are actions against oppression; redemption defeats the enemy and potentially frees God’s people. I say potentially because the gift of freedom must be accepted. Redemption is “being” or becoming something. Set free to be what we were created to be to do God’s work, His way, at His bidding. Redemption enables the first two cups of Sanctification and Judgment to become realities. Those who are redeemed enter into a unique walk with the Messiah. The result is intimacy with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
It is written in, Luke 22:14when the time came, Yeshua and the emissaries reclined at the table, and he 15said to them, "I have really wanted so much to celebrate this Seder with you before I die! 16For I tell you, it is certain that I will not celebrate it again until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God." 17Then, taking a cup of wine, he made the b'rakhah and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. 18For I tell you that from now on, I will not drink the `fruit of the vine' until the Kingdom of God comes." 19Also, taking a piece of matzah, he made the b'rakhah, broke it, gave it to them and said, "This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in memory of me." 20He did the same with the cup after the meal, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant, ratified by my blood, which is being poured out for you. Jewish New Testament
It is time for Yeshua to drink the cup of judgment, the cup he did not want to drink, however for us to be redeemed our sin must be judged in Him. The Messiah said, “do this in memory of me” when you drink this cup of redemption remember me. This short statement signifies an action on our part and a promise from the Messiah of deliverance. Messiah wanted us to remember Him when we come to this place in the Passover celebration. For this night He says will not pass until the cup of redemption is fulfilled. The church refers to the cup of redemption as communion and so it can be called. The mistake has been to isolate it from the other cups. It is all the cups combined that define the meaning of each cup as it relates to the whole.
A New Level
The cup of redemption takes us to a new level of relationship. We were saved and delivered in the first two cups. Redemption takes us to a more intimate relationship and power by the filling of the Holy Spirit. Many have experienced the first two cups but have not taken the next step.
The Holy Spirit (Ruach) is the wind or breath of God. God breathed (Ruach, Holy Spirit) into Adam and he became a living soul. Believers do not experience the life of the Father until filled with His Spirit. In the Tanakh He filled kings and prophets temporally to accomplish the tasks given them. But the Spirit of God lives in and makes His home in true believers.
The Holy Spirit represents both the presence and activity of God. He is the Paraclete the one called along side. He stands with us in trails, He is an advocate for us before the Father and empowers us to do the Fathers bidding.
1 Corinthians 6:19. 18Run from sexual immorality! Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the fornicator sins against his own body. 19Or don't you know that your body is a temple for the Ruach HaKodesh who lives inside you, whom you received from God? The fact is, you don't belong to yourselves; Jewish New Testament
Ephesians 5:18:16ffUse your time well, for these are evil days. 17So don't be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is. 18Don't get drunk with wine, because it makes you lose control. Instead, keep on being filled with the Spirit - 19sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to each other; sing to the Lord and make music in your heart to him; 20always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Jewish New Testament
The Holy Spirit speaks God’s word to us, He fills us with power and comforts in sorrows. He reveals sin, and enables us to live in victory over it.
The Holy Spirit guides us into the presence of God. D. L. Moody sought the filling of the Holy Spirit, after being filled he said, “Until now I have been like a man carrying buckets of water now I have a river that carries me.”
The church must have a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. We have become the keepers of an organization rather that the givers of life. The result is wondering aimlessly, trying to serve the Lord without His direction or power. We need the Holy Spirits ministry now.
The cost of redemption was high; it costs Messiah’s His life. Redemption prepares the true church for the Messiah’s coming. The Jewish wedding gives insight into God’s plan for the last days.
The Jewish Wedding
Jewish wedding is a picture of the redemption of a bride.
· When a Jewish man chooses a bride he approach’s her father and asks for her hand in marriage. If he agrees the proposal is presented to the daughter. If her answer is yes she drinks wine from a silver cup.
· The next step is signing the marriage contract (kutba). From the moment it is signed the couple is married. It contains each party’s responsibilities and the consequences of breaking any one of them. The church is the bride of the Messiah and he gave her a kutba, the New Testament.
· The Bridegroom leaves to go to His father’s house to prepare a place for her. Although the couple was married when they signed the marriage contract, they would not consummate the it until he returned. Yeshua said, John 14:1ff 1"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 "And you know the way where I am going." The second definition of the Greek word translated house is: family, related by blood. An example, Yeshua is said to be of the house of David. It is possible that Messiah is preparing a dwelling place in the Fathers family.
· Before he left the bridegroom gave her gifts of jewels and precious medals to his bride to use until he returned. Messiah gave the Holy Spirit to the church, and His fruit as gifts to use until He returned Gal 5:22ff
When Yeshua came the first time He gave us a binding wedding contract. He left to prepare a place for us however before He left He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit and promised to return for us. When Judas betrayed Yeshua he was paid thirty peaces of silver. This was the purchase price for a woman (the church).