A Kinsman-Redeemer has to be a kinsman, able and willing to perform, and must assume all the obligations. As our Kinsman-Redeemer Jesus is our kinsman if we have a personal relationship with him. Jesus was willing to endure torture and an excreting death on the cross for His Church. As wholly man and wholly God Jesus was qualified to be our propitiation, to assume our iniquities.
Something of a surprise as I was researching the Hebrew term Goel, an equivalency to Kinsman-Redeemer. Often as I have read the Book of Ruth I never made the connection of the Kinsman-Redeemer being the avenger of blood. Boaz was the Kinsman of Naomi and loved her daughter-in-law Ruth. Here Naomi represents Israel and Ruth, the Gentile Bride. In this sweet but prophetic love story the Kinsman-Redeemer Boaz is a type of Christ but not called upon to be an avenger.
“Goel: Kinsman-Redeemer –Law of Redemption Lev 25:47-50 –Law of Levirate Marriage In Hebrew, the participle of the verb _gaal_, "to redeem." It is rendered in the Authorized Version "kinsman," Num. 5:8; Ruth 3:12; 4:1,6,8; "redeemer," Job 19:25; "avenger," Num. 35:12; Deut. 19:6, etc. The Jewish law gave the right of redeeming and repurchasing, as well as of avenging blood, to the next relative, who was accordingly called by this name.”
[http://www.dictionary.com/browse/goel]
We serve a loving God; nevertheless, He is a righteous God and will not tolerate sin. Jesus came the first time as the suffering Messiah and as our Kinsman Redeemer Jesus provided propitiation. God sees those in Christ through the purity of Jesus rather than our fallen state. Without the gift of grace from Jesus, our near kinsman, we would be condemned. Jesus was able and willing to perform even to an excruciating death on the cross thereby assuming all the obligations of sins past, present and future. On the cross Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Psalm 22:1. God had forsaken Jesus as Jesus was the personification of iniquity.
While in His earthly walk Jesus, our Kinsmen Redeemer, quoted Isaiah 61. Luke 4:18-19, “18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Jesus stopped quoting Isaiah 61 at a comma and omitted “and the day of vengeance of our God.” At His second coming Jesus, will come as the blood avenger. Revelation 19:15, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” The sword is the Word.
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