The Purchased Possession of God
The Book of Revelation is a book devoted to future things that God gave the apostle John. The Spirit of God took John outside of regular time to a time that is yet future to us. He saw things that "must soon take place" on earth (Revelation 1:1). He sees the Lord Jesus Christ as a Lamb, "looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne" (Revelation 5:6). He is the only one worthy to open a scroll sealed with seven seals. Scripture doesn’t tell us what the scroll represents but theologians and scholars believe that the scroll is the title deed to planet earth. When the Lord Jesus comes forward and takes the scroll from God the Father, seated on the throne of heaven, a song of praise to the Lord Jesus is sung by those that are there:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10 Emphasis mine).
The Scripture tells us two things: 1) The Lord Jesus Christ represented as a Lamb, has purchased people with His blood. 2) These people are from every tribe, language, people, and nation. Let's look at the first thought. The Bible says,
“No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—that he should live on forever and not see decay” (Psalm 49:7-9).
No ordinary man can buy another out from under the curse of sin that controls the earth. The Lord Jesus Christ was the only one who could pay the ransom price to deliver us from Satan's slave market. Eternal justice had placed a penalty on anyone who sins—the sentence is death (Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23). Not just physical death, but separation from God for eternity. The whole of humanity, because of our sin, is seen to be in Satan’s slave market of sin. There is only one way out—God Himself would take the guilty person’s fate upon Himself. God came in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus, to pay the price of death as the just payment for our sin. With His blood, He has purchased a people for Himself.
Let's now look at our second thought, who are the people whom He has purchased? Are they only from the West? No! They are from every nation, tribe, and language on Earth! Those of you reading this that are living in India, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and China—you, along with all nations, are the ones that Jesus has purchased to Himself. Is there any other God who would do such a thing? One who would take the worst that Satan and fallen humanity can throw at Him and still love us enough to cry from the cross with His last breath—“It is finished” (John 19:30). This English phrase in the original Greek language of the New Testament is the word tetelestai. It means, "paid in full." Do you realize that full payment for the deeds of your sin was fully paid nearly two thousand years ago? The God of heaven loves you so much that He came and paid the ransom price for you. Do you believe this? Believing requires you to turn from everything displeasing the One who paid the cost of buying you out from Satan's dominion (Colossians 1:13). Repent (turn from your sin to follow Christ) and believe the Good news of your deliverance from Satan. I look forward to seeing you when our Lord Jesus comes for His purchased possession! Keith Thomas
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