AS MY BROTHER
Song 8:1 O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.
Here is a young woman in love, day dreaming about how she might be more in her lover’s presence. For she dreams that, “if only I had access to my lover AS I do to my brother, I would never be afraid of kissing him in public.” And this is a physical example of the need of the spiritual Bride of Christ – the church – to hunger for His presence. We need to be saved from the satisfaction of only practicing the form of traditional religion, and be brought back to the loving worship of the only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! For in our day there is virtually no manifestation of spiritual hunger. 2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, … 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Today’s hybrid church member has no concept of God as a person! They hold him to be more of an influence. Or they see him through the Superman concept. You know, a being who came here from a far distant location in the universe to serve mankind? He uses his super powers to change natural water into fine wine. He uses his super powers to make a small lunch feed a hungry multitude. Or he levitates himself to walk on water, and even to ascend into the clouds. That’s the image that Satan has permeated the minds of religion with today! The hearts and minds of the average religionist today is blanketed with the image of the beast. That is, a purely false image of God! They have created God in their own image. Psalm 50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
Oh that we could return to imaginations sanctified by the Holy Spirit which present the true image of God to us. Oh that we could all once again return to the worship of him in truth and in spirit! 2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
But some ancient writer has well stated, “Christianity has not been tried and found lacking. Christianity has been found difficult and not tried!” For to truly come to know God is to be brought into the fellowship of his cross by abiding on ours! Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
For as that last verse states, we shall never transcend the realm of the practice of carnal traditions, and mount up with eagles wings into the world of being conscious of the spiritual, except we are raised by his cross as ours! Zephaniah 3:12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
And we must know that approachability to God does never find religious efforts as its source. For man reaching up to God is but vain religious effort. It is God reaching down to man that alone brings true fellowship with Him. John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
We can only successfully seek the Lord when he would be found! Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
“As My Brother” – Consider our Lord’s revealed insights concerning the true relationship to him. Matthew 12:47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
But what sort of brother? The Bride fantasizes that he shall not just be an ordinary brother, but only one who “sucked the breasts of MY MOTHER.” For there are two types of birth. One of the flesh, wherewith every single human being had its origin. But there is another kind of birth, wherewith only those once born naturally are then birthed into the kingdom of god! John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
And in her day there were two types of brothers. For just as Jacob had sons by four different women, only those born of the same mother were closest! Consider the three little words that give the reason Joseph’s great heart was so much more moved by Benjamin than by any of the other ‘brothers,’ there in his presence. Genesis 43:29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. 30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. 34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him. Genesis 35:22 … Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
The Lord even uses the relationship of the love of the virgin and a young man, in order to reveal the love of the believer to holy Zion – the church. Isaiah 62:4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
And the Lord Jesus Christ is our close brother as he was born by the same Holy Spirit as are everyone of the members of his Bride. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. And every true believer’s mother is the church!
For referring to the births of Ishmael and Isaac, the apostle states in Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
And why does our day dreamer fantasize about having this kind of approachability, as of such a brother? She gives the reason: when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; For no one would think it reprehensible for a virgin to give her near brother a kiss in public! But she could not do so to her lover. And this is exactly the reason that the believer should seek Christ, as a near brother, so that the breath of their mouths in praise and prayer to him should not be restrained. For ‘kisses’ bring exhilaration. Song 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
And spiritual kisses (praises and adorations), are expected from those who come before the Lord. Luke 7:38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
The Lord God bestows his ‘breath,’ intent upon those who receive it returning back into his arms! Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Natural man was given life from the mouth of God. Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. It is rational to assume that this is how the prophets adopted their ‘procedure’ in raising the dead! 2 Kings 4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. (See also 1 Kings 17:21).
And it was the ‘kisses’ from the mouth of that same God that gave spiritual life to the Bride – the true church. John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
Edwin Hatch 1878
“yea, I should not be despised.” These are her next words as a benefit if only her lover could be “As My Brother.” She could hug him, give him that kiss on the cheek, hold his hand in public; which things would be despised for a virgin to do to anyone but a near kinsman! And in this we can discover just who really are those born of the same Spirit. For every show of true spiritual affection by the Bride of Christ is despised by those who may have gifts, but no grace!
In fact, those despised ones are those whom the Lord calls and identifies with! 1 Corinthians 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
We must remember that our master was despised before we ever were! Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:…
And one of his teachings was concerning a religionist who “despised others.” Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
But bearing his reproach shall be short lived by the elect of God. While bearing the judgment of God for despising one of his little ones shall last through eternity, without any possibility of pardon. Isaiah 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Pastor Gene Breed
February 18, 2017