Redeemer - kinsman -- Part 2

In part 1, we saw how Lehi talked about a "Redeemer of the world", an idea that seems to fly in the face of the Old Testament tradition of the redeemer only redeeming his kin. What Lehi had understood, however, was that Jesus Christ is our brother, regardless of nationality and that everyone who repents is of the House of Israel, an understanding not all Jews at his time or later shared.

Still, the Book of Mormon is consistent with the idea of Redeemer as a kinsman, most notably through the expression "redeem his people". Even though it is consistent with the kinsman-redeemer idea, the expression is not found in the Old Testament and only once in the New Testament (in Luke 1:68 when Zacharias can finally talk again and starts praising the Lord). In the Book of Mormon, this expression is found 12 times.

The closest we get to "redeem his people" in the Old Testament is Isaiah 52:9

the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem

This is from the passage that King Noah's priests ask Abinadi about. Abinadi keeps quoting and paraphrasing this Isaiah passage throughout his sermon and his sermon accounts for 5 of those 12 "redeem his people" occurrences in the Book of Mormon. But according to Abinadi, not only Isaiah, but Moses in particular, said that "God should redeem his people".

For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? (Mosiah 13:33)

I searched the 5 books of Moses and could not find the word redeem used in this sense. It is only used in conjunction with the Jewish law regarding obligations of the kinsman or to describe how God redeemed his people out of Egypt. Either Abinadi is seeing these as types for the redemption through Messiah or there are actual more direct prophecies about this from Moses that have become lost. I wouldn't be surprised if the latter is the case. 

Another aspect of the use of "Redeemer" in the Book of Mormon is something that connects to Job in the Old Testament. We don't know exactly when Job was written, but chronologically at least it is the first time "Redeemer" is used in a Messianic sense. 

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God (Job 19:25-26)

Job's connotation, that being redeemed is to see God, is a common meaning in the Book of Mormon too. Here are some examples

Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men. And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory. (2 Nephi 2:3-4)

Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you. (Ether 3:13)

the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory (2 Nephi 1:15) 

But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the Lord. (Helaman 14:17)

This is not the first time I have observed or been informed about Book of Mormon terms being consistent with the ancient Hebrew understanding, but in subtle ways as to indicate that the Book of Mormon prophets had an understanding that reflect ancient ideas that our current Bibles have only left traces of.