INTRODUCTION
The previous message introduced the concept of brethren in terms of people and relationships at a human level. It shows that individuality and the thoughts of one’s heart is the core of brethren relationships which makes it risky to trust in brethren. It calls for people to trust in God.
This message examines the purpose and role of God in brethren relationships. It distinguishes between people of the world who enjoy God’s love in His material creation and the people that may be in a brethren relationship with God.
1. GOD AND RELATIONSHIPS
God created Man (male and female) in the image, and likeness of God. (Genesis 1:26-27). But because of disobedience, man became separated from God who is a Spirit, and lost the spiritual knowledge of God and godly relationship. (Genesis 3:8-11; John 4:24).
Man began to have children “in his own likeness, after his image”; and the “children of men” were wicked and did not understand, or seek God. (Genesis 5:1-3; 6:5; Psalm 14:1-3). “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh… for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth”. (Genesis 6:3; 6:12).
1.1 GOD’S MATERIAL CREATION LOVE
Yet, out of His love for his creation, God, continued to maintain His relationship with mankind on the earth. Through Noah, God gave man charge over all things upon the earth and promised never to destroy people or the earth by flood. He only forbade people not to eat “flesh with the life” (blood), or shed each other’s blood. For God will require the life of man at the hand of man and every man’s brother. (Genesis 6:8; 9:2-6).
Here, God defines the relationship that should exist amongst all peoples of the earth with him by his love gift of all material things on the earth; and on the earthly brethren, He conferred the duty to care for each other’s life.
But note that, God does not oblige people to have a duty towards Him or to love Him back. For only with the knowledge of His Spiritual personality which is his Love could one love God; “for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8).
Yet, His material Love avails to all people in His provision of the material needs such as air, rain, sun, herbs, seasons etc. regardless of whether they know Him or not. (Matthew 5:45; Psalm 145: 9).
2. GOD DESIRES BRETHREN RELATIONSHIP
God’s desire is to be in a clear relationship with people whom he could call his own and who will know Him in love and righteousness, and call Him their God. So, God told Abraham to leave his country, his kindred and his father’s house, to go to a “land” that He will show him. (Genesis 12:1). God introduced himself to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob as the “Almighty God”. He said to Abraham, “walk before me and be thou perfect”. (Genesis 17:1; Exodus 6:3-4). Thus, to be in a relationship with God, one must keep his way.
2.1 A BRETHREN WHO KEEP GOD’S WAY
Unlike the relationship with Noah, where God gives people charge over all his material creation of the earth, God gave Abraham a charge of people. God promised to make Abraham “a father of many nations”; and to multiply his “seed” “as the stars of the heaven and as the sand of the sea shore”; and to bless all the nations of the earth in his “seed” because of his obedience. (Genesis 17:1-8; 22:17-18). Also, the “seed”, of Isaac and Jacob, shall inherit “countries”, and be a blessing for “all the families of the earth”, and will become “a nation and a company of nations” and “kings”. (Genesis 17:21; 26:1- 4; 28:13-14; 35:10-12).
Thus, the people that will be in brethren relationship with God, will derive by lineage of an offspring (“a seed”), families of the earth, countries, company of people and kings. God explains the purpose of the relationship saying: “For I know [Abraham], that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment…”. (Genesis 18:19).
God changed Abraham’s name, his country, his relations, and the name of his wife Sarah. (Genesis 17:5 & 15-21). The change symbolises the new relationship that will exist with the people who “shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement”.
But note that God already made His choice of the people that will exist in the brethren relationship, who as yet did not know Him or accepted him as their God in Love. (Genesis 35:2-4).
2.2 A PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND TRUST
The children of Jacob and their descendants, were the first group of people designated the “People of God”. God said to them: “… I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians”. Also, they must love God with all their heart, soul and mind; and accept him alone as their God. (Exodus 6:7; Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37).
However, after God delivered them from Egypt, the children of Israel made a golden calf and worshipped it saying, “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt”. (Exodus 32: 8; Acts 7:41).
How then could the chosen people know God and love Him with all their heart to trust in his saving strength and fully become His “people”, and He their God, in brethren relationship?
3. GOD PERFECTS THE HEART TO LOVE
Only God himself will intervene to perfect the heart of his people to Love. “… God would create in His people a “new heart” based on a “new covenant”. (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10). “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live”. So only then, “At that time”, says the Lord, “will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.” (Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:1).
Brethren, God has established the earthly and divine shades in brethren relationships on the earth: the material gifts of God’s creation, the duty to care for each other’s life; and to stay from evil on the way of the Lord to do justice with discretion. These should ultimately guide people towards the knowledge of His Spiritual Love.
But only God can perform the spiritual surgery on the heart of ‘His people’ to remove evil and reveal His Spiritual personality of Love; and enable people to love in brethren relationships as God’s people. These will be the “people” who will have “power with God and with men, [to] prevail” with LOVE over evil – as the change of the name of Jacob to Israel symbolise. (Genesis 32:28; 35:10).
The next message will examine the various traits and dispositions of the Israel brethren that symbolise the peoples of the world in the various shades of brethren relationships.
PRAYER
Almighty Father, thank You for Your word.
You are Great Lord, and greatly to be praised;
Holy Father, You are righteous in all Your ways, and holy in all Your works.
Give thy people Your spiritual food in due season, as they wait upon you; And cause them to know your Love and to love.
Gracious Lord, hearken to them that call upon You in truth; fulfil the desire of them that fear You, hear their cry and save them.
Mighty God, preserve all them that love you and destroy the wicked.
I make this prayer in JESUS Name.
Have a blessed week.
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 15/11/2020.
