Motifs- Brothers at War

In this episode of the Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, we delve deep into the recurring theme of "Brothers at War" in scripture. Hosted by Dr. Andrew Farley, this series aims to unravel the moral lessons and grander themes within the Bible's narratives. In today's episode, we focus on the iconic story of Cain and Abel, where jealousy, hatred, and the consequences of sin come to the forefront. As we explore this foundational tale, we'll discover how these ancient stories hold lessons that resonate with our lives today.

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These stories, like that of Joseph and his brothers, offer a glimmer of hope amid the darkness. Joseph, despite facing betrayal and hatred from his own kin, ultimately becomes a redeemer, foreshadowing the redemptive power of Christ. Just as Jesus forgave those who crucified Him, we too are called to rise above bitterness and revenge. These narratives remind us that the ripple effect of hatred can stretch far beyond our lives, impacting generations to come. So, as we journey through these timeless tales, let us contemplate how we can overcome the temptations of jealousy and hatred, choosing instead to respond with love and grace. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome
evil with good Romans Chapter twelve, Verse twenty one. Father,
I am grateful that when I was once your enemy,
you sought me out with loving kindness and made me

(00:22):
your friend. In a world that's broken and full of darkness.
You shine as my light and my life. Counsel me
when I am frustrated with the brokenness of this fallen world.
Remind me of the new, forgiving heart you have given me.
When I feel embittered against those who have hurt me, deeply,

(00:43):
empower me by your spirit to overcome evil with your goodness.
I trust your strong presence in me Lord, in Jesus name, Amen,
thank you for praying with me today. Now discover the
profound intricacy of scripture through prey dot COM's podcast The
Heartbeat of Faith with doctor Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after

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Speaker 2 (02:10):
Stories in the Bible about brothers at odds with each
other point us toward an important truth. If we allow
our minds to be filled with bitterness, jealousy, or resentment,
it can cause a ripple effect of suffering that can
stretch beyond our own choices.

Speaker 3 (02:33):
Then at that moment, all the hatred, jealousy, and contempt
of kin unleashed unto his brother.

Speaker 4 (02:40):
Flow after flow.

Speaker 3 (02:42):
Jane unleashed his wrath and spited God by murdering his brother.
His hands stayed read dripping with the blood of his brother.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Hello, I'm doctor Andrew Farley. With today's episode of the
Heartbeat of Faith Podcast. This year, we've immersed ourselves in
the story of Scripture. Along the way, we've caught glimpses
of repeated patterns and images. It's like the same story
as being told in different ways. Today we'll begin a

(03:18):
new mini series through different motifs in Scripture. A motif
is a recurrent theme or concept in the Bible. It's
often used to help illustrate a grander theme. Today's motif
is brothers at war. Throughout the Old Testament, we see
examples of brothers at odds with one another. In fact,

(03:42):
we see the first example as early as Genesis four.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
Both children grew up in the New World, and it
was time for Cain and Able to bring sacrifices to God.
Cain brought some of the fruits of his labor, brains, vegetables,
and other vegetation. Abel brought the first born of his flock,
a lamb Abel brought the best of what he had.
Not only this, but Abel had to raise this little

(04:13):
sheep and kill it before God. This means that it
was not just a sacrifice of materials, but a sacrifice
of the heart. Because of this, God accepted Abel's offering.
God also rejected Cain's offering, knowing that it did not
come from any real love at all. Jealousy gripped Kine's heart,

(04:35):
Contempt towards God boiled up inside him. This is mankind's
first rumblings of true hatred. Cain's face gave away his
true feelings. God noticed this and asked, why are you
so angry, knowing full well what the issue was. If
you do well, will you not be accepted? God asked,

(04:58):
if you don't do well, you give more room for
hatred and sin to.

Speaker 5 (05:02):
Rule in your heart. Do not let hate rule over you.
You can overcome it. But Cain didn't listen. His anger
had already won him over. There would be no stopping
the sin he was about to commit. Cain lured his
brother into the fields. Then at that moment, all the hatred, jealousy,

(05:24):
and contempt of Cain unleashed unto his brother.

Speaker 4 (05:28):
Flow after flow.

Speaker 3 (05:30):
Kin unleashed his wrath and spited God by murdering his brother.
His hands stayed red, dripping with the blood of his brother.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
The story of Cain and Abel is one of the
most foundational stories in the entire Bible. It sets the
stage for what kind of world we live in after
the fall. It also illustrates the struggle between family, tribes,
and nations. Cain was angry at God because his brother

(06:05):
was more blessed than he was, so Cain lashed out
at God by killing Abel. This cruelty repeated itself with
Jacob and Esau. Jacob had the blessing Esau thought he deserved.
Esau sought to kill Jacob, who represented everything Esau thought

(06:26):
he was owed.

Speaker 3 (06:32):
Frantically and with tears filling his eyes, Esau begged his
father bless me also, my father, have you not reserved
any blessing for me? Please do not leave me here alone.
Isaac was enraged at Jacob, yet could not recant his
blessing over him. I have made him lord over you,

(06:55):
Isaac said, I have blessed him as an inheritor of
all God has given me, and you will serve under him.
He saw wept bitterly.

Speaker 4 (07:07):
His face fell into.

Speaker 3 (07:08):
His hands as he managed to ask, is there any
blessing you can give me? Anything at all? Isaac spoke
again in ancient poetry, Welling up with sadness for his son,
he spoke saying, behold, away from the richness of the earth,
you shall dwell and away from the dew of heaven

(07:30):
on high. You shall live by your sword, and you
shall serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you
shall break his yoke from your neck. A dark part
of Esau's heart was awakened that day. Thousands of generations
had passed since Cain had killed his brother Abel, yet

(07:50):
that same hatred lingered, seeking whom it may take hold of.
When Isaac had breathed his last and went to be
with his father Abraham, he saw sidhe a deep breath
and said, the days of mourning my father are approaching.
After I mourn, I will kill my brother Jacob.

Speaker 2 (08:13):
In the Old Testament we see sins of jealousy and
hatred were sometimes repeated later in the family line. For example,
Jacob's sons sought to harm Joseph because he had the
blessing and favor of their father.

Speaker 3 (08:34):
Joseph finally arrived and greeted his brothers. He was met
with piercing glares. They had looked at him with disdain before,
but this time it was different. Their eyes portrayed an
ancient evil that had lurked in the hearts of men
since the beginning. All eleven brothers looked at him with
the eyes of Cain. Before Joseph could process what was happening,

(08:59):
he found himself trapped under the arms of his older brothers,
strong and calloused from tilling the fields and harvesting grain
year after year. Their hands clutched his colorful robe and
tore it off his body. A fury of chuckles and
blows blurred Joseph's vision. He was caught in a mob
of anger and hate. Covering his head and face from

(09:21):
the fists of his brothers, Joseph could barely look up
until he found himself in the air, descending into a
deep pit alone. Woo.

Speaker 2 (09:33):
Joseph and his brothers are an interesting case because Joseph
eventually became his brother's redeemer. He saved them from famine
and restored them. He was an image of Christ who
was also betrayed by his own people. Jesus endured intense suffering,
even death, but rose from the dead to redeem the

(09:57):
very people who condemned him to die.

Speaker 3 (10:04):
Legs trembling, blood dripping, and lungs gasping for air, Jesus
made his way to the place of the Skull, where
he would be crucified soldiers grabbed him and laid him
down on to the cross.

Speaker 4 (10:17):
One by one, they.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
Hammered nails into his wrists and feet, and raised the
cross up high for everyone to behold his suffering. Crucifixion
was designed to be a slow and painful death. For hours,
men would gasp for air by pulling up on their
feet and wrists that had nails driven through them. Slowly,

(10:38):
Jesus began to breathe and look upon the crowd and
the people stood by watching, But the rulers scoffed at him,
saying he saved others, let him save himself.

Speaker 4 (10:49):
If he is truly Christ.

Speaker 3 (10:52):
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering a
sour wine and saying, if you are the king of
the Jews, save yourself. Jesus prayed Father, forgive them. They
do not know what.

Speaker 4 (11:08):
They are doing.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
Stories in the Bible about brothers at odds with each
other point us toward an important truth. If we allow
our minds to be filled with bitterness, jealousy, or resentment,
it can cause a ripple effect of suffering that can
stretch beyond our own choices. But we believers don't have

(11:32):
to let sin wreak such havoc. While we might be
tempted with a sinful thought of envy or hatred towards someone,
we can know it's not coming from our heart. Remember
that at salvation God gave you a new heart and
a whole new set of desires. He took out your

(11:52):
heart of stone and made you obedient from the heart.
So where do those thoughts of envy or hate come from?
The power of sin itself?

Speaker 3 (12:04):
Not you.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
Sure you have unrenewed fleshly attitudes, but even those are
not your identity. Think about it. If you were sinful
at the core, you'd have the world's greatest excuse to
just sin. But that's not the case. You're now a
new creation, born of the spirit, with a new heart

(12:28):
and a new set of desires. And here's the plain truth,
you don't really want to sin anymore. That's right. You
still receive the sinful thoughts, but you can know that
they come from the flesh and the power of sin.

Speaker 3 (12:45):
Not you.

Speaker 2 (12:47):
Remember you're a slave of righteousness. That means you're allergic
to sin and addicted to Jesus. You've been recreated in
Christ for good work, for fruit bearing, and nothing else
will satisfy Joseph and Jesus rose above revenge, and they

(13:10):
didn't return evil for evil. Instead, they returned evil with good.
That's our calling too, as children of God in spiritual
union with Jesus. When bitterness, revenge, and hatred knock on
your door, as they did with Cain, you can react

(13:30):
very differently. You can recognize I'm not like Cain. Thanks
to the Cross and resurrection, and thanks to God's grace,
I have a new identity, a new set of spiritual desires,
and a whole new destiny. Stories repeat themselves over and
over again in scripture. They all harmonize together like a

(13:53):
magnificent symphony. They're anthems meant to help us understand our
new life in God Christ even better. Thank you for
listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode or learn something new about
the Bible, share it with a friend or family member,

(14:15):
download thepray dot Com app, and for more encouragement in
God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's Andrewfarley dot org.