Tag: Brother

52.c. Wilderness – 16.i. ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’

 

 

Deu 25:5-10  “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.  And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.  And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’  Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’

In ancient Israel it was seen as a great tragedy for a man to die without leaving descendants to carry on his name, and to give his family inheritance to. Therefore, if a man dies and has no son, it was the responsibility of one of his brothers to take the deceased brother’s widow as a wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. If the brothers of the deceased man refused to take this responsibility, they were to be called to open shame by the widow. The shame was compounded as they would remove his sandal and the widow would spit in his face.

This rule was put in place to keep the inheritance and name of the family intact. It protected the name of the deceased brother, his wife, and the natural order of inheritance associated within the family. The importance of this at the time of going into the promised land is important to God. I have to imagine the thoughts of brothers within the family when an elder brother died and his inheritance was up for grabs. Obviously, the women married into this family would have no rights to it. Greed, envy, pride, and jealousy would have room to flourish if this rule had not been put into place. It was a disgrace to the male who denied his brother’s wife. 

Many concepts, precepts, laws, and commands are given in Scripture for us to follow. Some have had a limit to their timing and others are eternal, but they all point to God and His grace, mercy, and love if we but look.

51.k. Wilderness – 15.q. “He shall read in it all the days of his life”

 

Deu 17:14-20  “When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

God looked forward – some 400 years forward – into Israel’s future, to the time when they would demand a king. God warned them to set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, and that person had to be an Israelite and not a foreigner. It is interesting to consider whether or not God wanted an earthly king over Israel. 1 Samuel 8:6-9, the record of Israel’s demand for king, puts the request for a king in a negative light. One might ask if God really did want Israel to never have an earthly king, and if He wanted them to recognize Him alone as king. It is a debatable issue; but consider that Israel’s history without a king (the time of the book of Judges) was not a period of national glory. Perhaps we can say that God wanted Israel to have a king, but of His choosing, and at His timing. Saul is a perfect example of a king out of God’s will, chosen by the nation and at their timing; David is a perfect example of a king chosen by God and in His timing.

The future king of Israel must not put undue trust in military might.

The future king of Israel must not put undue emphasis on physical indulgence and personal status.

The future king of Israel must not put undue emphasis on personal wealth.

Each of these issues is a matter of balance. The king had to have some military power, but not too much; one wife and certain comforts, but not too much; some personal wealth, but not too much. Such balances are often the hardest to keep. Solomon was a notorious breaker of these commands. He had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots (1 Kings 4:26), and Solomon had horses imported from Egypt (1 Kings 10:28). He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart (1 Kings 11:3). He surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches (1 Kings 10:23). et, all along, we might see Solomon knowing the commands of Deuteronomy 17, yet deceiving himself by asking the self-justifying questions, “How much is ‘multiply’? I can handle this. I haven’t gone too far.” It might seem self-evident that 700 wives and 300 concubines is multiplying wives to yourself, but one should never underestimate the ability of the human heart to deceive itself in such situations.

Each of these three areas reflects the places where many modern Christian leaders fall: In regard to power, pleasure, or money. God’s commands for leaders have not changed; and neither has the need to be on guard against the self-deception in these things which felled Solomon.

It is striking to think of the king of Israel, laboring over parchment with a pen, making a personal copy of the law of Israel. This shows how greatly God wanted the word of God to be on the hearts of His rulers; God wanted every king to also be a scribe. The word of God was to be constant companion of the king of Israel, and something he read every day. All need the word of God; but the greater our responsibilities, the greater our need to depend on the truth of God’s word. Staying in the word of God was intended to build a reverence for God and a holy life in the king.

It is striking to consider that reading a book – the Great Book, the Bible – can keep a person from sin. We may not understand all the spiritual work behind the word of God, but staying in the word will keep one from sin. It has been well written in many Bibles: “This book will keep you from sin. Sin will keep you from this book.”

Staying in the word of God would keep the king properly humble and help him to not think of himself as above those he ruled over. (Guzik)

“The Scriptures, diligently read and studied, are a powerful and probable means to keep him humble, because they show him that, though a king, he is subject to a higher Monarch, to whom he must give an account… sufficient to abate the pride of the haughtiest person in the world, if he duly consider it.” (Poole)

In all cases, God’s choice, if we can but know it, should direct, determine, and overrule ours. Laws are given for the prince that should be elected. He must carefully avoid every thing that would turn him from God and religion. Riches, honours, and pleasures, are three great hinderances of godliness, (the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life,) especially to those in high stations; against these the king is here warned. The king must carefully study the law of God, and make that his rule; and having a copy of the Scriptures of his own writing, must read therein all the days of his life. It is not enough to have Bibles, but we must use them, use them daily, as long as we live. Christ’s scholars never learn above their Bibles, but will have constant occasion for them, till they come to that world where knowledge and love will be made perfect. The king’s writing and reading were as nothing, if he did not practise what he wrote and read. And those who fear God and keep his commandments, will fare the better for it even in this world.(Henry)

51.e. Wilderness – 15.k. “‘You shall open wide your hand”

 

Deu 15:9-11  Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the LORD against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

 Proverbs 4:23   Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

 Jeremiah 17:10    “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

 Matthew 15:19    For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

 Mark 7:21-22    For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.

 Proverbs 28:22    A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

 Proverbs 21:13     Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

In the heart and mind resides the vilest of thoughts and intents. The output is in the form of action or the lack of action. These souls are bound for doing what is right in their own eyes, what pleases them, what gives them satisfaction or the chase after satisfaction, what gives them purpose, how they treat people, how they speak to people, and there is no thought of honoring or glorifying Jesus Christ. You might look at these people with disdain or disgust or hate or anger, and for some of their actions, we can see it this way. God does. He sees it all. The thoughts. The intents. The actions. 

Scripture tells us that God is angry and wrathful over such people. It also says that He is withholding His wrath and anger so that all might come to the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, repent, believe, trust, obey, follow, and rely upon Him for the salvation of their souls. God’s grace, mercy, and love are showered down because that is His plan to offer redemption and salvation to every person ever born. 

We see people who are worldly and follow the lusts of their hearts. We see boastfulness, anger, hate, arrogance, theft, jealousy, lying, unkindness, greed, immorality, etc…… God sees them much more clearly than we do. He sees their thoughts and intents before any action has been taken. And yet, He offers the gift of eternal life. 

How should we view these people to whom we want to justly hate? With love. Everything we say about an evil and lost person above applies to us but by the grace and mercy of God. We do well to remember that and the needs of others. It can be some need, physical, material, monetary, or spiritual. If our eyes are open and our ears attentive we will hear and be led by the Holy Spirit with the right spirit within us to help this in need. 

43.q. “Wilderness” – 7.x. “If you lend money to any of my people”

 

Exodus 22:25  “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.  If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

 Leviticus 25:35-37    “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.  Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you.  You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.

 Proverbs 28:8    Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

 Ezekiel 18:17    withholds his hand from iniquity, takes no interest or profit, obeys my rules, and walks in my statutes

Interest was prohibited on loans made to the poor and the taking of collateral had to be reasonable. “The reason for the prohibition is presumably that the poor man borrows in his need. The loan is seen as assistance to a neighbor, and to make money from his need would be immoral.” (Guzik)

The people of God should ever be ready to show mildness and mercy, according to the spirit of these laws. We must answer to God, not only for what we do maliciously, but for what we do heedlessly. Therefore, when we have done harm to our neighbour, we should make restitution, though not compelled by law. Let these scriptures lead our souls to remember, that if the grace of God has indeed appeared to us, then it has taught us, and enabled us so to conduct ourselves by its holy power, that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. (Henry)

If a man should lend to one of the poor of his own people, he was not to oppress him by demanding interest; and if he gave his upper garment as a pledge, he was to give it him back towards sunset, because it was his only covering. God directs Himself at once to the hearts of the Israelites, and attacks the sins of selfishness and covetousness. (Keil)

When our hearts and minds begin to understand that all we have has been given to us by God, it is then when begin to understand the commands of God concerning the needs of others.

39.d. “And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

 

Genesis 43:1   Now the famine was severe in the land. And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’” Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.” Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

Resigned submission to the will of God. How many days, weeks, months, etc… do we fight this submission and strive to overcome our circumstances within our own power, wisdom, and understanding?  We come up with every clever plan, every reasoned plan of action, and try over and over again to overcome whatever it is that God is leading us toward. 

When our walk by faith with God is neglected and we become complacent with the Word of God, our eyes become blind to His power, might, and wisdom.  Our minds become dull to the Holy Spirit’s leading and we are left with our own thoughts to face life’s circumstances alone. 

Do not be confused,  busyness with this life and the care for what this world has to offer is no excuse and will leave your soul bankrupt.  All of our thoughts, actions, and words are weighed and judged by God. We can come up with as many excuses as there are stars in the sky but until there is humble submission within our hearts and repentance, faith, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ there will be no rest for our souls.  Circumstances will come upon us and our storehouse of faith, reliance, and trust in God being bankrupt due to neglect and complacency, are empty and give no comfort, no peace, no hope.  

Grow in His Word day by day. Feed on it. Hunger for it. Drink full of it. Most of all commit to the single purpose of honoring and glorifying, Jesus Christ in all that you think, say, and do every minute of your life this side of eternity.

21.o. “To the church of God that is in Corinth”

1 Corintians 1:1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The city of Corinth was at the heart of an important trade route in the ancient world. Like many cities that thrive on trade, Corinth had a reputation for sexual immorality, religious diversity, and corruption. The church that Paul planted there (Acts 18) floundered under all of these influences and began to divide over various issues. First Corinthians addresses many practical questions dividing the church—questions concerning such things as spiritual gifts, marriage, food offered to idols, and the resurrection. Paul urged the Corinthians to be unified and to give themselves fully to “the work of the Lord” (15:58). Chapter 13 includes a well-known passage on the nature and importance of love. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus about A.D. 55.

Paul then received reports from people in Chloe’s household about disturbances in Corinth and he may have received a delegation from Corinth who brought him questions from the congregation. It seems evident from 1 and 2 Corinthians, Paul’s standing and authority as an apostle were not appreciated among the Christians of Corinth. Paul tells them just what kind of apostle he is, a called apostle. “Paul knows that he is not one of the twelve apostles, but he is on par with them because, like them, he is chosen by God.” (Robertson)   Paul emphasizes his point and already begins contending with the Christians of Corinth. It is as if he says, “You all may not recognize my apostolic credentials. That is of little importance to me because I am not an apostle because of a popular election. I am not an apostle through the appointment of the other apostles. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, not the will of any man.” (Guzik)

In the coming days, we will look at what God directed Paul to say to no only the Corinthians, but to us as well.

17.o. Sitting at the feet of Jesus

John 12:1   Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Luke 10:39   And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’* feet and heard His word.

John 11:32    Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Mary has sat at the feet of Jesus and learned.  She sat at His feet in mournful surrender. And she sat at His feet and honored Him with oil.  How can we learn if we do not spend time listening with a desire to hear Him speak?  How can we surrender our broken heart at His feet if we don’t believe in His comfort in a time of grief?  How can we honor Him if we do not know and see His holiness and worthiness?

Outside of the betrayal of Jesus, Judas is only mentioned in the New Testament here for doing/saying something that would indicate his heart was not right. We do not know if the disciples knew that Judas was a thief.  This may have been hidden from them or not.  John indicates he knew he was helping himself to the money given to them and their ministry with Jesus.  Was it greed that overcame Judas’s heart?  Is this how satan took a foothold? We need to be mindful that sin is the fishing pond of satan.  Once hooked no amount of thrashing about will calm these troubled waters unless there is complete surrender to and belief in Jesus Christ.

14.s. “And they followed Jesus.”

John 1:35   The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

I really did not give much thought to “John was standing with two of his disciples” before.  I guess I just glanced over this and thought John was standing out in some body of water and telling people to repent and be baptized.  John the Baptist preached a message of repentance expressed in water baptism and bearing active fruit in one’s life in preparation for the appearing of the Messiah. Mark 1:4  John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John was sent to call the people to urgent repentance in light of what God would soon bring about.  John had disciples who learned from him.  Acts 18:25 introduces us to a man named Apollos of whom it is said: “This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John.”  While Apollos still needed further instruction and clarification in the faith, accounts like this make it clear that the core of the gospel was preached and taught by John.  When John saw Jesus walk by he said to the two disciples standing with him, “look, the Lamb of God”.  John preached repentance, confession, baptism, and the coming Messiah.  Even unto death, John called people high and low to turn their hearts and their lives from their sin unto God.  John preached warning people of the wrath to come.  Luk 3:7-10  He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”

Many times people were cut to their heart and asked “What then shall we do?”  From the warnings of the wrath of God to come, people made intentional choices to repent, confess, and be baptized.  Some of these men stayed on with John.  We see Andrew was one of the two and when he heard John say “behold the Lamb of God” they immediately followed Jesus.  Andrew did something else too, he first went and told his brother, Peter, “We have found the Messiah”.  To the heart that is seeking, Jesus will be seen. If the warning about the coming wrath of God is rejected the need for Jesus will never be seen as needed.  Sin is always at the door of our heart, knocking and trying to open the door to entice us to live for self, rely on self, and deny there is any need to change.  There is a yielding that allows this door to open just as there is a firm resistance to keep it closed.  It is an intentional choice and both become easier over time.  Yielding day after day to sin will harden the heart to the point where the door is wide open and wrong seems right and false seems true.  The intentional choice doesn’t even need to be made anymore because this way of life has become common, regular, and established.  Resisting day after day will keep the door firmly closed. The intentional choice to keep the door closed is made every waking moment.  God’s Word will strengthen the resistance and give power to the weak who intentionally choose to resist.  Sometimes we don’t even know what to resist until God’s Word reveals it to us.  That is the power of His Word.  Be mindful of your heart and bath it in God’s Word every day.

10.i. “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations.”

Obadiah 1:10  Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of his calamity. Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.

For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be s though they had never been. But in Mount Zion there shall be those who escape, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess their own possessions. The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken.

The Edomites were the descendants of the biblical Esau, who was the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham.  Deuteronomy 23:7 You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a sojourner in his land.  The Israelites and Edomites were descendant brothers. They were expected to treat each other as brothers.  The Israelites were rejected passage through Edom while in the wilderness. Numbers 20:14  Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met:  how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. fAnd the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers.  And when we cried to the Lord, he heard our voice and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. And here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your territory.  Please let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from a well. We will go along the King’s Highway. We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”  But Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through, lest I come out with the sword against you.”  The Edomites eventually disappeared from history. “and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the Lord has spoken” And so it is.  They lived in rebellion to God.  They lived in pride and arrogance.  They despised God and His chosen.  They fought against God’s chosen. They even captured and turned over those who had escaped during the Babylonian attack and destruction of Jerusalem.  “As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.“

Like the Edomites, there is no hope for those who reject the offer of salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ.  Their end is the same, destruction, torment, and eternity in hell, which has been reserved for those who not only reject salvation but despise it and God.