INTRODUCTION
The previous message examined the traits of the Simeon and Levi ’brethren’ as “instruments of cruelty. It showed how conspiracies, deceits, anger, wilfulness etc. can snare one into the web of brethren cruelty and how one may avoid them.
This message looks at Jacob’s prophecy of Judah (Genesis 49:8-12). “Praise” is a key attribute of the Judah brethren. It illustrates both a human and divine context of ‘brethren of praise’ and presents examples of praiseworthy traits that may help you identify ‘brethren of praise’ in your respective brethren-relationships at the human and divine levels.
1. THE CONTEXT OF BRETHREN PRAISE
“PRAISE” is at the heart of Jacob’s prophecy on the Judah brethren traits. Jacob says of Judah, “thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise… thy father’s children shall bow down before thee”. (Genesis 49:8). Through several symbolisms, he reveals the nature of people who are worthy of praise and the purposes for which praise is due in the human and the divine contexts. (Genesis 49:8-12).
1.1. THE HUMAN CONTEXT
The Judah brethren are generally people who are God-fearing and would attract praise because of their selfless acts of kindness towards others; and they bring praise to the Almighty God. Their ability to “stoop down” describes their selfless trait; their strength and courage is likened to “an old lion” that cannot be provoked; and they recognise God as their “sceptre” and “lawgiver” in the cause of justice. (Genesis 49:9-10).
Jesus shares the above traits because of his direct lineage from the tribe of Judah. Also, by virtue of being the “Son of Man”, born of the Virgin Mary in “flesh and blood”, he relates to all humanity. (Hebrew 2:14 7:14; Luke 1:30-31).
God has ordained ‘praise brethren’ to exist among mankind saying: “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise”. And he has blessed our human relationships with a ‘brethren of praise’. (Isaiah 43:21; Genesis 29:35).
1.2.THE DIVINE CONTEXT
The divine context of Jacob’s prophecy is revealed in expressions like: “he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes”; or “his eyes shall be red with wine” etc., which allude to the spiritual nature of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. (Genesis 49:10-12).
Jesus’ divinity lay in his conception by “The Holy Ghost and the power of the Highest”, as the “Son of God”, the Messiah, who brings God’s gift of salvation to his brethren and to all mankind who believe on his name. He attracts praise for his Spiritual sacrifice and thereby brings Glory to God the Father. (Luke 1:35; Psalm 2:7; I John 5:20; Romans 1:16).
Below are some examples of praiseworthy traits of the Judah-type people generally, and specifically, the traits of Jesus, the divine ‘brethren of praise’.
2. PRAISEWORTHY TRAITS
The Judah-type brethren are God-fearing, selfless, courageous, kind, and compassionate; and would seek after justice. They are fearless because of their confidence in their God.
2.1.GOD-FEARING BRETHREN
The Judah ‘brethren of praise’ are God-fearing. They will obey the Almighty God, believe in His word and trust in His Power. Caleb and Joshua are an example of such brethren.
God had promised to give the children of Israel the land of Canaan and Moses sent twelve men, of the tribes of Israel, including Caleb and Joshua, to go and spy out the land and its inhabitants. (Numbers 13:2, 6, 17-19). The men were afraid of the giants and the people on the land and returned an “evil Report” to Moses which made all the congregation of Israel afraid. (Numbers 13:31-33).
But Caleb and Joshua believed in God’s word of promise and so they boldly admonished them saying: “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us… Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; … the Lord is with us: fear them not”. (Numbers 14:8-10).
Thus, ‘praise brethren’ delight in the fear of the Lord and do not judge by sight, but by faith in God’s word and His power and thereby they bring honour and praise to God. (Isaiah 11:3).
2.2.SELFLESS ACTS OF KINDNESS
Praise’ brethren undertake selfless acts of kindness towards others. Such acts may include compassion, forgiveness, justice, caring for the poor, comforting in distress etc. These types of acts are sacrificial in nature because they are given or forbearing and are not for reward. (Zechariah 7:9; Micah 4:11; 6:8).
The conduct of the Samaritan is a pertinent example: Thieves attacked a man, robbed and wounded him and left him half dead. The Priest and the Levite, who first saw the man lying on the road, did nothing. But the Samaritan saw him and had compassion on him. He tended to his wounds and took him to an inn and undertook to pay the Inn-keeper any extra costs for his care. (Luke 10:30-35).
Jesus also possessed selfless traits of kindness. In his earthly ministry, he demonstrated acts of mercy, forgiveness, compassion and justice. He cured the sick; casted out demons; fed the poor, raised the dead, and defended a vulnerable woman in a case of adultery. (Mark 2:5-12; 6:35-42; Matthew 5:4; John 9:6-7 ;11:33-36; Luke 4:33-37). In all his works, Jesus attracted praise from his brethren, but he also brought praise to God. (Matthew 9:8).
2.3. COURAGEOUS BRETHREN
David demonstrated exceptional courage when he volunteered to challenge Goliath the giant, to save his brethren. (1 Samuel 17). His praiseworthy courage derived from his confidence in the power of God to save his people and his desire to show forth God’s praise.
He declares boldly to Goliath: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied”. David wanted “that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel…”; and that all his people “shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give [the enemy] into our hands”. (1 Samuel 17:45-51). He defeated Goliath with stones and attracted the praise of his brethren and brought Glory to God. (1 Samuel 18:6-7).
Thus, the Judah ‘praise brethren’ are people who will stand up for their brethren through difficult challenges. Their confidence “[is] strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might”. They are not ones to rely on worldly weapons of warfare like their adversary. They would rather rely on “the whole armour of God” which are: “truth”, “righteousness”, the “gospel of peace”; “shield of faith”; “helmet of salvation”, the “word of God” and fervent prayers. (Ephesians 6:10-18). They understand that “… the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”. (2 Corinthians 10:4).
3. JESUS THE DIVINE BRETHREN OF PRAISE
Jesus attracts the greatest praise on earth for fulfilling God’s promise of salvation to the world, for obtaining spiritual authority over Satan; for reconciling mankind with God and unifying believers by one Spirit.
3.1.PRAISE FOR GOD’S SALVATION
Jesus fulfils God’s promise of salvation by his sacrificial death, resurrection and ascension unto heaven and bringing the gift of the Holy Spirit to men. (Luke 1:68-74; Isaiah 11:2; I Corinthians 12:7-9). This ministry of Salvation is revealed by Jacob through concepts like: “washed his garments in wine”, “clothes in blood of grapes”, “eyes red with wine” and “hand in the neck of his enemies”. (Genesis 49:10-12; Isaiah 63:3-5).
Christ endured a gruesome crucifixion and the shedding of his blood was God’s covenant by him to atone for the sins of his earthly brethren. He was raised from death by the Power of God and sits at the right hand of God in heaven. (Isaiah 52:13-15; Ephesians 1:20; Mark 16:19).
Through his name, whoever believes in the “gospel of salvation”, shall receive remission of sins and shall be sealed with “the Holy Spirit of promise”. For the gospel is the power of God unto salvation – the “teeth white with milk”. (Ephesians 1:13; Romans 1:16). And “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” than Jesus; “that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ”. (Acts 4:12; 10:43; Ephesians 1:12).
3.2.PRAISE FOR SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
Jesus also attracts praise for His Spiritual power and authority over Satan, “the god of this world” (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4). He received “all power in heaven and in earth” and is exalted, “above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named”, both in this world and the next. (Matthew 28:17-18; Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:9).
Through his death, he destroyed the devil who had the power of death to deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage; and he empowers them to tread over all the powers of the enemy.(Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 1:18; 5:5; Luke 10:17-19).
More so, he received the promised Holy Spirit which he pours on those that believe (Acts 2:33; John 7:39; Isaiah 11:3-5). He is the “lawgiver” who reveals the Spirit of the Law to his brethren and the right “sceptre” or just authority over God’s people. (Genesis 49:8-9; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 45:6; 60:7).
Christ therefore is the Spiritual brethren before whom God’s children shall bow down, according to Jacob’s prophecy. (Genesis 49:8-9). For “at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow … and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11; Psalm 45:17; Genesis 27:29).
3.3.PRAISE FOR UNIFYING THE BRETHREN
Jesus attracts praise for reconciling mankind with Father God and for unifying believers by his sacrifice. He rules over them with justice and is mediator between God and men. (Zechariah 9:9; 1 Timothy 2:5). Jacob’s prophecy reveals him as the one that is of God “sent” to come, and “…unto [whom] shall the gathering of the people be; binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine”. (Genesis 49:10-11; John 17:3).
To unify the believers (Jews and non-Jews) as one brethren, Jesus ended in his flesh “the enmity” which separated them – i.e. “the law of commandments contained in ordinances”; he then represents both in himself as “one new man”, that he might reconcile both unto God. And through him both have access unto the Father God by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:15-19; Hosea 1:10; 2:23; Romans 10:19; 1 Peter 2:10).
4. KNOW YOUR PRAISE BRETHREN
Your ‘brethren of praise’ are a people who God has formed for himself, to show forth his praise and has blessed our human relationships with them. You should therefore expect this gift of God in every brethren relationship, be it a family, tribe, community, organisation or country. They are a people of peculiar praiseworthy disposition that is of God.
Generally, they are a God-fearing people, who tend to obey God, believe in His word and trust in His Power. They usually are fearless because of their confidence in the Almighty God. They are courageous people, compassionate and seek after justice. They judge by faith not sight! These brethren attract praise because of their selfless acts of kindness towards others – such acts are sacrificial in nature, are given or forbearing and not for reward. And by their conduct, they bring honour and praise to God.
The Spiritual ‘brethren of praise’ believe in God’s sacrifice of Salvation through Jesus Christ and acknowledge him as their Lord and Saviour. Jesus is the divine brethren who fulfils God’s promise of salvation to the world, possess spiritual authority over Satan, reconciles all believers with God and unifies them by one Spirit. Therefore Spiritual brethren know Father God through His Spirit and live by His Faith, to the GLORY Of GOD.
PRAYER
Almighty Father, thank You for Your word.
We thank you for blessing our relationships with the gift of our ‘brethren of praise’.
Help us Lord to appreciate the selfless acts of kindness of our brethren towards us.
We worship You Almighty God, for your gift of salvation by our divine brethren Jesus Christ.
We praise You Christ, for your cleansing sacrifice that reconciles believers with Father God.
We adore you Holy Spirit, for revealing Christ, the power of God in us that defeats evil.
We make this prayer in Jesus name.
Have a blessed week.
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 07/03/2021
