By Andrew Williams
Series: He Is (Week 3: The Names of His Righteous Character)
Opening Prayer
Our Redeemer, thank You for paying the price to buy us back from slavery to sin. We praise You for our freedom.
Today’s Scripture (NLT)
Isaiah 49:26b
“…Then all the world will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.”
In ancient Israel, a “kinsman-redeemer” was a close relative who had the responsibility to rescue a family member from a desperate situation—like debt, slavery, or the loss of their land. It was their job to pay the price to buy them back. God takes this beautiful cultural concept and applies it to Himself, calling Himself Ga’al, our Kinsman Redeemer.
This name reveals God’s intimate, familial commitment to rescuing His people. He doesn’t see us as distant subjects; He sees us as family. We were enslaved to sin and death, with a debt we could never pay. But God, our Ga’al, stepped in. He paid the ultimate price—the blood of His own Son, Jesus—to redeem us, to buy us back, and to restore us to His family.
To know God as Ga’al is to understand the incredible cost of your salvation and the depth of His commitment to you. He is not just a distant Savior; He is your Redeemer, the one who has personally intervened to set you free. This is beautifully illustrated in the book of Ruth, where Boaz acts as the kinsman-redeemer, a picture of the work Christ would one day do for us.
Disciple’s Life Tip: Interact with God as Ga’al. Take a moment to thank your Kinsman Redeemer for the price He paid to set you free. Specifically name an area of sin from which He has redeemed you and praise Him for that freedom.
Closing Prayer: Ga’al, my Savior and Redeemer, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank You for seeing me in my slavery and paying the ultimate price to make me part of Your family forever. Amen.
