LOVE and HATRED IN A FAMILY

BUT THERE IS HOPE IN A HOUSE DIVIDED

Proverbs 17:17 says “a friend loveth at all times and a brother is born of adversity.” God knew that there would be hardships, anger, jealousy, animosity, bitterness, and covertness.  These are emotions that have been around since the beginning of man so why should we deny that they exist in our families today?  We shouldn’t, but instead, admit that it is indeed there and seek GOD for the way to attack these emotions. Attack the sinful spirit with the Word of God, NOT the individual!  For the Bible declares that we do not fighting against flesh and blood, but principalities. All the above emotions are of the devil.  ANYTHING not of God is of the devil.  We must remember this when we are faced with differences in the family.  God does allow us to hate the sin. He guides us to “…be angry but do not sin.”

The Old Testament Bible tells of Love and Hatred in a Family over of over. Shall we begin with Brother Against Brother_ Consider Cain and Abel and twins Jacob and Esau; Cain firstborn, Esau firstborn.  Then there was Joseph, who was sold by his bothers; Son against Father (Absalom against King David); and there was the faithful and dedicated love of The Father to His Lost Son (the Prodigal Son); and Naomi and Ruth. We should always read and meditate on scripture.  Oh what needless pains we bear all because we do not take our burdens to the Lord.  O Let’s go to God's Story of (The Broken Family of Cain and Abel)...Two Brothers at War

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Cain was Eve’s first born son and a farmer.  His younger brother Abel was a shepherd.  We know what happen later; Abel killed Cain.  The ‘why’ is what happens in our families today? Yes, even murder.  Newspapers, radio and TV accounts are often telling us of this dreadful misdeed. Let’s examine what scripture tells us to be the state of mind of Abel to commit such a horrific sin against his brother.

There’s a possibility you’ve heard the same theory as I that; Cain did not approach God with an animal sacrifice (a blood sacrifice), and this is the reason God was not pleased with his offer. Well, Genesis 4 goes deeper to tell us that God knows the heart of man. Abel was a shepherd, who brought of the first lamb and its fat, and Cain a farmer, who brought fruit and vegetables.


God rejected Cain's offering not because the kind of offering was wrong, but because he was not right with God, a fact clearly demonstrated in the deliberate word order of verses 4 and 5: The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. God accepts Abel but not Cain. Abel came to God out of a broken and contrite heart. Cain's heart was not right. He did not have a genuine and proper relationship with God, as the next scene will go on to reveal (see vv. 7-16 and 1 John 3:12). Consequently, Abel's sacrifice pleased God, while Cain's did not. In short, Cain was simply going through the motions. 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. I find it interesting that there are times when it may seem easier to do as Cain, grow furious at the reproof, blame someone else (Abel), rather than acknowledge that his gift of bloodless plants and vegetables could never cover sin, repent and beg forgiveness. Instead he slew his brother in rage. We have much to learn from these brothers.

Fast forward to: 

(Genesis 37:3) “Now Israel loved Joseph…and he made him a coat of many colors.” The story of Joseph’s coat is interwoven into the world’s history of jealousy and envy. No wonder it’s called a monster.  Where ever these two emotions prowl there’s bound to be hatred.  But, even in the midst of this hatred there was unconditional and unwavering love.  Isn’t that awesome!  

I did a study of Joseph’s coat and discovered the following: The coat was an emblem of love. Joseph’s coat was a colored picture of a father’s love. It was made and presented, because it says, “Israe1 loved Joseph.”  Awesome!  But then there were the siblings.  What do you suppose irked them the most?  Was it because he was a dreamer and to them it might have felt like he was boasting of who he was to become, or do you suppose the hatred came at the presentation of a coat perhaps they deserved?  Hard to say, isn’t it?  I’m not a therapist, but I’d speculate that the hate that drove Joseph’s brothers to plot to kill him had festered for a bit. Do you suppose they simply woke up one morning and said “Today we kill Joseph?”  But while they were plotting to kill Joseph, unbeknownst to them God had destiny for Joseph.

And Joseph never stopped loving his brothers and father. The love that flowed through his veins was the same blood Naomi and Ruth share; the same love between the father and the Prodigal Son; and the same love that God showers upon us. Wouldn’t you say that through Christ we can do all things?  And that would mean love those difficult to love family members?  I know it can be tough sometimes, BUT if we say we love Jesus we can love anyone. He did.  However, as Christians, we all know that part of the answer as to why there is conflict in the family is a result of the curse of Adam and Eve. The Bible tells us that every single one of us has been born into this world in sin and iniquity. This is why Jesus had to come to die for all of us – because we have all sinned and have fallen way short of the glory of our God.

Playwright Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
www.biblestoriestheatre.org
info@biblestoriestheatre.org