Who Are My Brethren?
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forced to part with his patrimony, and to sell himself as a bondservant,
the duty of redeeming him and his inheritance fell to the one who was
nearest of kin. See
Leviticus 25:25, 47-49
;
Ruth 2:20
. So the work
of redeeming us and our inheritance, lost through sin, fell upon Him
who is “near of kin” unto us. It was to redeem us that He became
our kinsman. Closer than father, mother, brother, friend, or lover is
the Lord our Saviour. “Fear not,” He says, “for I have redeemed thee,
I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” “Since thou wast
precious in My sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee:
therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.”
Isaiah 43:1,
4
.
Christ loves the heavenly beings that surround His throne; but what
shall account for the great love wherewith He has loved us? We cannot
understand it, but we can know it true in our own experience. And if
we do hold the relation of kinship to Him, with what tenderness should
we regard those who are brethren and sisters of our Lord! Should
we not be quick to recognize the claims of our divine relationship?
Adopted into the family of God, should we not honor our Father and
our kindred?
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