Hello, dear friends! Thanks God for this wonderful day! Thank God for another opportunity to get filled with His living word!Today I would like to expand some biblical examples that show us how some people sins caused pain and suffering in other people. Bible tells us many stories of the whole nations, innocent people and children who suffered because of the sins or selfishness of other people.Let´s begin with the Joseph who suffered a lot from cruel behaviour and anger of his own brothers. Their brothers hated him because he had favour in the eyes of their father. They were so envious about Joseph that one day tried to kill him, thanks to one of the brothers who prevented the others from committing this sin.
«His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him. Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Or will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. They said one to another, “Behold, this dreamer comes. Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.” Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s not take his life.” Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him” – that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.» (Genesis 37:4-8; 18-22)
Brothers were afraid that Joseph could gain an authority among them, therefore, they decided to get rid of him, so that it never happens. They lied to their father saying Joseph had been devoured by a beast. «Reuben returned to the pit; and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes. He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?” They took Joseph’s coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood. They took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son’s coat or not.” He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.” Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning.” His father wept for him. The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.». (Genesis 37:29-36).
Jacob, the father of Joseph had grieved so much that nothing could comfort him. Grief and sorrow filled his heart as he got to know about the “death” of Joseph, the son he gave birth to in his old years. That grief and sorrow entered his life because of the sins of his own children. It caused distress and suffering in Jacob.The death of Abel.Jealousy to his brother Abel made Cain a cold-blooded killer. Look how much pain and sufferings we have in our families due to hatred, jealousy and rivalry today! «The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.” Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. As time passed, it happened that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground. Abel also brought some of the first-born of his flock and of the fat of it. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering, but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell. Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” It happened, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.» (Genesis 4:1-8)
Apostle John invites us to love each other instead of following Cain who murdered his brother. «In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother. For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.». (1st John 3:10-12).
Jesus also encouraged us to love our enemies. «“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.». (Matthew 5:43-45).
If only all people lived according to the commandments of love there would be much less pain and tragedies on Earth. There would be much less tears on Earth if people took care for each other instead of seeking their own benefits.Let´s continue tomorrow.God bless you all!Rufus Adjiboje, pastor
