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Monday, February 14, 2022

Lessons from the Wilderness, vol 48: The story continues as I honor my brother, gone, but never forgotten.

 

Lessons from the Wilderness, Volume 48: The Story of Blessings from my Brother 

© 02-2022, David E. Robinson: At the Gates of Yerushalayim Ministries

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Go to Part Three

 Lessons from the Wilderness, Volume 48

Blessings from my Brother[i] [ii] [iii] [iv]

 



Mark 3:31–35

31 aThen, His mother and His brothers *came, and while standing outside they sent word to Him, calling for Him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around Him, and they *said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.”

33 Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?

34 And looking around at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “aHere are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever adoes the will of God, this is My brother, and sister, and mother.[v]

            Pictured above is a just a part of my family. I married into it, but I do not like the words “brother-in-law” or “sister-in-law” or any other “in-law” designation. Why? Because that “in-law” creates a separation, it says that the only reason you are a part of my family is because of an action I took, not because I was “grafted into” the family. How many of us have heard the “mother or father-in-law” stories? These are usually told with a “sigh” and always are “Well my mother-in-law” did this or that, etc., etc., etc. Cold. Separate. Almost like it was forced upon one, not by choice but by design. Today, I write about my brother: he is the handsome one (no slight to my young nephew there…) playing the guitar in the first picture and is in the middle of the second. His name is Homopher, and he went to the Kingdom of God on February 5th, 2022.

                 Jesus had a reason that He called those who were sitting around Him His brother, sister, and mother. They all shared a common purpose; they were engaged in doing the will of God. For that reason, they became part of His family, His Mishpacha. Well, those you see above are just that, my Mishpacha, my extended family that includes many, many others. I am a man blessed. Through my marriage, I inherited a family that stretches around the United States, indeed, around the globe. When he passed, it was on the same day we said goodbye to my sister, Sandárina (see https://www.asearchformessiah.net/2022/01/lessons-from-wilderness-vol-47-story-we.html).

 This was, for lack of a better analogy, a double punch to the body, a blow to our Mishpacha,’ our family’s collective soul. God rest their souls in Abraham’s bosom.

 So much sorrow, so much hurt, in such a brief time.

                 That is not what I want to talk about though. No, the hurt is real, the loss profound; there is no need to elaborate about it. I want to today, talk about the legacy my brother left behind, not only in terms of his wonderful family, but what he left with me. He was all about doing the will of the Father, and he is my brother.

Blessings from my brother.

                 The Hebrew word for brother in the word “ACH” [pronounced ah-ch]. Now, unlike in English, Hebrew words can have different meanings. The same word “ach” or brother, is also the word for “fireplace.” No, it is not because a brother can be a hot head; it is because the root word that both brother and fireplace come from means “to join.”

      Think about it. What does a fireplace do? For one thing, it is a place where people are “joined” together, as a place where they can gather. There is something very soothing about a fireplace. The warmth, the glow; relaxes one. There is just something about it. What about brothers? Are they not joined to family by the ties that bind? Do they not warm the heart through their love? I know mine was. There is more to this though. 

                Any word in Hebrew that describes a family designation, like “father, brother, uncle, cousin” or those that describe “mother, sister, aunt,” are more than just words that describe one’s place in the family; they mean kin. In the cultural context of the Israelites, kinship meant responsibility. This is not authority, though as a father, elder, and brother, Homopher had authority. Kinship involves another concept, that the kinsman. The kinsman was more than a family member: he was the go ‘el, the redeemer. It rested upon the go ‘el the responsibility to help a family member in distress, redeeming them from bondage, redeeming a poorer sibling out of the grip of bondage or slavery. 

                This is the reason Jesus is called our “go ‘el.” By His shed blood, He redeems us from the grip of the devil, from sin. But does the “kinsman redeemer” also apply to others? Let us see... 

“The kinsman-redeemer is a male relative who, according to various laws of the Torah, had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need. The Hebrew term (go ‘el) for kinsman-redeemer designates one who delivers or rescues (Genesis 48:16Exodus 6:6) or redeems property or person (Leviticus 27:9–2525:47–55). The kinsman who redeems or vindicates a relative is illustrated most clearly in the book of Ruth, where the kinsman-redeemer is Boaz.

The story of Ruth and Boaz begins when Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, return to Bethlehem from Moab where they had been living. Naomi’s husband and both sons, one the husband of Ruth, had died, leaving the women penniless and without a male protector. Upon arriving in Bethlehem, Naomi sends Ruth to glean in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi to whom they, through a series of divinely appointed circumstances, appeal as their go el. Boaz acquiesces, willingly takes Ruth as his wife, and together they bear a son named Obed who became the grandfather of David, the forefather of Jesus.

Yahweh is Israel’s Redeemer, the one who promises to defend and vindicate them. He is both Father and Deliverer (
Exodus 20:2). There are numerous Old Testament appeals to God as rescuer of the weak and needy (Psalm 82:4Daniel 6:27Jeremiah 20:13) and preserver of the sheep of Israel (Ezekiel 34:10–1222).

In the New Testament, Christ is often regarded as an example of a kinsman-redeemer because, as our brother (
Hebrews 2:11), He also redeems us because of our great need, one that only He can satisfy. In Ruth 3:9, we see a beautiful and poignant picture of the needy supplicant, unable to rescue herself, requesting of the kinsman-redeemer that he cover her with his protection, redeem her, and make her his wife. In the same way, the Lord Jesus Christ bought us for Himself, out of the curse, out of our destitution; made us His own beloved bride; and blessed us for all generations. He is the true kinsman-redeemer of all who call on Him in faith.”[vi]

             Did you catch that? “…The kinsman-redeemer is a male relative…” That is important, for who does God hold responsible for the family but the papa? I know the momma keeps the family together, but the papa is the one ultimately responsible. To help you understand, allow me to narrow down the definition of kin:

 “…Some say kin, others say "family" or "relatives…” …When someone refers to their kith and kin, they mean their friends (kith) and family (kin). Both words date back to Old English, with kin reaching back to the 700s. Originally referring to one’s family or race, kin eventually narrowed to refer just to one’s blood relations. Your "next of kin" is your closest family member: spouse, child, parent, or sibling…” [vii]

             So, this is what kin is. Our family. To understand the significance of Homopher’s role as a go ‘el, we have to look at a passage from the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Acts. In order that we are all on the same page, this occurred after Paul freed a slave woman from an evil spirit, and he and Silas were cast into jail:

 Acts 16:25-34

25 Now about midnight aPaul and Silas were praying and bsinging hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly athere was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately ball the doors were opened, and everyone’s cchains were unfastened. 27 When athe jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about bto kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”

29 And the jailer asked for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear, he fell down before aPaul and Silas; 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, awhat must I do to be saved?”

31 They said, “aBelieve in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and byour household.”

32 And they spoke the word of God to him together with all who were in his house. 33 And he took them athat very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34 And he brought them into his house and set 1food before them, and was 2overjoyed, since he had become a believer in God together with ahis whole household. [viii]

              I showed this passage to Homopher on one of the many times we had come together in Lacey when he was ill. I told him I stood on this Scriptural promise, that if I believed in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus the Christ), my whole family would be saved. He claimed this as his promise also. This was his heart, to see his kin saved. He understood the role God had placed him in not as a preacher or pastor, but as a father and a kinsman – if he believed, the Word of God promises his family will be saved. That is what a go ‘el does. 

This, this devotion to his kin, defined his life. Aside from God, there was no greater drive for him, no greater cause. This man, my Ach, my brother, wanted nothing more than to see those he loved to come to the saving grace of God through Jesus. He wanted his mission to be his family; and not only them, but all who had ears to hear. He knew the role of father and that of a man, and that of the kinsman redeemer also. To see to it that God would save his family, it was upon him to believe. It was his responsibility to believe. It was his greatest blessing to believe, so that through his belief, his kin will be saved. 

This love, this devotion I heard every time he preached, every time he prayed. I did not understand his words – I do not speak Chuukese [ language of the island of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia] – but then, I did not have too. From the tenor of his voice, from the passion of his heart, I knew that whatever it was that he was saying, I could say “Amen” to it… I could come into agreement with this man of God and never need to know what it was he said. I could just say “Amen.” 

Do you oh men, sons and brothers, those he loved, do you share the passion, the love he had for his kin as for your own?

Do you understand the example of the go ‘el he left for you?

Do you not know that your belief may mean the difference between life or death for your families, for your kin?

  Stand up as he did, show your devotion to God and His Messiah and be your family’s go ‘el!               

I called this message Blessings from my Brother. What were they? They are and were the time he and I spent together, speaking of holy things, talking about the Word of God. It was just in the time I spent with him period. It was in the times I got to listen to him speak, to hear him preach, to hear him pray; these were and will forever be my blessings. 

And as God is my witness, I will miss him.

I am not ashamed to cry for him,

For he IS my brother. 

I have to say these final words.  I need to tell you my last words to him. 

I looked upon him, this man who never knew what he meant to me; maybe he did, I truly hope so.

I pray I let him know – may God forgive me if I did not. 

At the end, I looked upon him, touched his handsome  face and I said:

“I will not tell you goodbye. God willing, I will see you again.”

Follow his example, follow Jesus. Be Godly men. Be the go ‘el for those you love by believing.

Do this so that they may live.

Good night my brother, I know God is richly rewarding you in His kingdom.

Amen.



Endnotes:

[i]NOTICE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: Unless otherwise cited, all material found on this blogsite (original text, opinions, conclusions, and other material not related to cited sources remains the collected intellectual property of the author of this site, David E. Robinson, Elder, Teacher, and are owned and controlled by myself and are protected by copyright and trademark laws and various other intellectual property rights and unfair competition laws of the United States, foreign jurisdictions, and international conventions. Any errors found within, rest solely upon me; please do not blame the Father for my mistakes. I am teachable and correctable, also fallible. 😊 

[ii] FAIR USE DISCLAIMER: This blog site may contain content that is not authorized for use by its owner. All such material will be cited back to its original source. According to Section 107 of the Copyright Act: “…the fair use of a copyrighted work […] for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright…” I have made and will continue to make every effort to stay within all ethical and moral guidelines in the use of material presented here, and the use of these materials is solely intended for educational purposes only, and all efforts to obtain or sustain fair use of non-owned material will be made. 

[iii] Author’s note: This site is for education only and is not affiliated with any institution, organization, or religious group. It is the sole production of its editor. Use of information from Jewish-themed websites (or any other source material) should not be construed as these sites endorsing or confirming any thesis introduced by the author of this epistle. I present the information from their respective sites for instructional purposes only and/or to aid in the readers understanding of the subjects discussed. 

[iv] Author’s note:  Throughout this study I may be using the NET Bible® and the NET Notes®: within the notes you will see symbols like this: (א B Ψ 892* 2427 sys). These are abbreviations used by the NET Bible® for identifying the principal manuscript evidence that they (authors and translators of the NET Bible®) used in translating the New Testament. Please go to https://bible.org/netbible/ and see their section labeled “NET Bible Principals of Translation” for a more complete explanation on these symbols and other items pertinent to the way the NET Bible uses them. 

a Mark 3:31–35: Matt 12:46–50; Luke 8:19–21

* An * in the text marks verbs that are historical presents in the Greek which have been translated with an English past tense in order to conform to modern usage.

* An * in the text marks verbs that are historical presents in the Greek which have been translated with an English past tense in order to conform to modern usage.

* An * in the text marks verbs that are historical presents in the Greek which have been translated with an English past tense in order to conform to modern usage.

* An * in the text marks verbs that are historical presents in the Greek which have been translated with an English past tense in order to conform to modern usage.

a Matt 12:49

a Eph 6:6; Heb 10:36; 1 Pet 4:2; 1 John 2:17

[v] New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2020), Mk 3:31–35.

a Acts 16:19

b Eph 5:19

a Acts 4:31

b Acts 12:10

c Acts 12:7

a Acts 16:23, 36

b Acts 12:19

a Acts 16:19

a Acts 2:37; 22:10

a Mark 16:16

b Acts 11:14; 16:15

a Acts 16:25

1 Lit a table

2 Or overjoyed together with his whole household, since … God

a Acts 11:14; 16:15

[viii] New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2020), Ac 16:25–34.

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