The term go’el hadam is sometimes interpreted as the “blood avenger”. Of course, the word hadam does, in fact, mean blood. But how about go’el?
As we can see from the word avenger, the concept of vengeance rests in its root. The word revenge carries this root, as well.
Revenge is a dangerous position. There is the idea that justice has not been served so it’s now up to us to bring justice into the situation. But where does this end? It doesn’t. Revenge is a thirst that can never be quenched.
But as we dig into go’el a bit more, we see that it doesn’t quite carry the concept of vengeance (as we know it) at all.
H1350 גָּאַל ga'al (gaw-al') v.
1. to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship).
2. to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his widow, etc.).
3. to be a kinsman redeemer.
4. (in justice) to be an avenger or protector (of one's blood or reputation).
Redeem: The buying back, a bringing back around, of someone or something.
Redeem: To restore one to his original position or avenge his death. In the participle form this verb means avenger as it is the role of the nearest relative to redeem one in slavery or avenge his murder.
“Wait, I see avenge in that definition!”
Yes, but when we look at the word as a whole we see that “avenge” means something different than how we use it today.
The whole concept here is that something is brought back to where it once was. It’s circular. It’s restoration.
There is an interesting concept implied here. In order for something to be restored to an original state, it must have been there to begin with. This isn’t an elevation, it’s a leveling.
The “blood avenger” is not seeking to exercise judgment in order to secure vigilante justice. They are seeking to level the blood.
Abba told Noah,
Genesis 9:5 I will certainly demand an accounting for the blood of your lives: I will demand it from every animal and from every human being. I will demand from every human being an accounting for the life of his fellow human being. 6 Whoever sheds human blood, by a human being will his own blood be shed; for God made human beings in his image.
There is an accounting that takes place with regard to blood. Every drop of blood that is spilled carries a balance. Every drop of blood you spill carries a balance. Even if you don’t know -- or don’t care.
Pharaoh learned this the hard way.
The King of Egypt assumed he was above reproach. He ordered the killing of the Children of Promise and thought he had the authority to do so:
Exodus 1:15 Moreover, the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shifrah and the other Pu‘ah. 16 “When you attend the Hebrew women and see them giving birth,” he said, “if it’s a boy, kill him; but if it’s a girl, let her live.”
And when the midwives refused, he took it a step further
Exodus 1:22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every boy that is born, throw in the river; but let all the girls live.”
This single action would culminate in his own people’s blood leveling the balance on the night of the Passover -- 80 years later.
After 80 years of the pressure and oppression ever increasing, the time had come for the leveling.
In order to comfort the people, Abba sent Moses with the following message:
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, rescue you from their oppression, and redeem (go’el) you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am Adonai your God, who freed you from the forced labor of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov — I will give it to you as your inheritance. I am Adonai.’”
And they were eager and excited to hear these words! Well, not really:
Exodus 6:9 Moshe said this to the people of Isra’el. But they wouldn’t listen to him, because they were so discouraged, and their slavery was so cruel.
The pain of their reality could not embrace the coming release. But even though they didn’t believe it, justice was pursuing them anyway. The promise given to Abraham hundreds of years earlier was coming into reality.
And it would take some miraculous events to get everyone on board. Or off.
After an assortment of failed pokes to get Pharaoh to repent on his own accord, the night had finally come for an ultimate decision to be made -- by everyone:
Exodus 12:21 Then Moshe called for all the leaders of Isra’el and said, “Select and take lambs for your families, and slaughter the Pesach lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop leaves and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame. Then, none of you is to go out the door of his house until morning. 23 For Adonai will pass through to kill the Egyptians; but when he sees the blood on the top and on the two sides, Adonai will pass over the door and will not allow the Slaughterer to enter your houses and kill you. 24 You are to observe this as a law, you and your descendants forever.”
It was up to the people to offer up the blood of a substitute so their own blood wouldn’t be taken. The leveling was here. As is always the case, judgment begins in the House of God. God’s people had to get right before justice could be carried forth into Egypt.
Fast-forward 1500 years, and lo and behold, the people are right back where they began. Enslaved by the religious leaders and oppressed by the Romans. Everyone was convinced Yeshua came to abolish Roman rule but it seemed he couldn’t care less about the occupiers. It came as an even greater surprise when He went after the religious establishment much more aggressively than the Roman leaders.
All they expected from the Messiah was nowhere to be found. Even the Jewish community today is convinced Yeshua could not have been the Messiah because He didn’t set up His power in the earth.
Recall, though, judgment begins in the House of God.
There was a secret enemy that had to be dealt with before any judgment could come upon the earth: us.
Once that enemy is handled, He can go to work on those we think need it the most.
We have been subjected to slavery.
Slaves to sin, we must find a way to be restored back into our original, our created state. The created state of all mankind is who we were in the Garden.
God placed Adam and Eve there in a perfect condition but they thought they needed more. In this attempt to get/be more, they fell from their perfect state and blood was spilled to cover their nakedness. Ever since that day, blood has been spilled in an attempt to atone for our crimes.
Given the perpetual nature of temporary atonement combined with a degrading, Abba sent His Son to become the final sacrifice to cover our sins forever. Way too many animals were being sacrificed and it had even become an acceptable practice to just go through the motions to be cleaned up -- for now.
There needed to be a more serious sacrifice so the people would finally understand the weight of their sin.
That sacrifice was Yeshua.
Through His sacrifice, ALL blood was leveled. If you choose to receive it. All you have to do is give up everything.
On this side of eternity, we wrestle. We wrestle with darkness, sure, but it is the wrestling with our flesh that tends to be our greatest enemy.
His blood is powerful enough to cover any sin you may have committed. But He didn’t give it so you keep sinning. He gave it so you could correct yourself and become who you were created to be -- sons.
Romans 8:12 So then, brothers, we don’t owe a thing to our old nature that would require us to live according to our old nature. 13 For if you live according to your old nature, you will certainly die; but if, by the Spirit, you keep putting to death the practices of the body, you will live.
14 All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to bring you back again into fear; on the contrary, you received the Spirit, who makes us sons and by whose power we cry out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”). 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our own spirits that we are children of God; 17 and if we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Messiah — provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him.
18 I don’t think the sufferings we are going through now are even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us in the future. 19 The creation waits eagerly for the sons of God to be revealed; 20 for the creation was made subject to frustration — not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it. But it was given a reliable hope 21 that it too would be set free from its bondage to decay and would enjoy the freedom accompanying the glory that God’s children will have. 22 We know that until now, the whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth; 23 and not only it, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we continue waiting eagerly to be made sons — that is, to have our whole bodies redeemed and set free. 24 It was in this hope that we were saved. But if we see what we hope for, it isn’t hope — after all, who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we continue hoping for something we don’t see, then we still wait eagerly for it, with perseverance.
In our bodies, we fight with that old nature and must put it down continually. If we keep up the good fight, one day our whole bodies will be redeemed and set free. This is the path to walking out our salvation -- with fear and trembling. Yeshua’s blood is enough to cover your sins.
We are called to be sons of God. And this is a process:
22 We know that until now, the whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth; 23 and not only it, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we continue waiting eagerly to be made sons…
This is not a magical impartation the day you say yes to following Yeshua.
“Hey pal, I’m one of God’s sons right now. Everything I do is led by the Spirit.”
Really? Did the Spirit lead you into judgment of that President of the other political party? Is the Spirit leading you into unforgiveness of those that have hurt you? Did the Spirit lead you into watching porn? Did the Spirit lead you into wearing provocative clothing?
No, it’s our flesh creating these things within us, not God’s Spirit.
But when we do follow, we are being made into sons. And if we keep it up and turn to His Spirit for guidance in all things, our whole bodies will be redeemed and set free.
In Eternity, sure. But it is available for you today, as well.
The blood has been leveled.