The Human Sanctuary and Temple of God-10 quotes

“Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.” Genesis 38:11.

“And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.” Exodus 4:18.

“...a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah. And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four whole months. And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way. And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together: for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again.” Judges 19:1-7.

All these things clearly reveal that even though a father-in-law is not our real birth father, yet they are still to be treated as if they were our real father. We are to show them the same self-denying and self-sacrificing love that we do to our birth father, as well as the same great honor and respect; because in a way, through being united in one flesh with our spouse, they are our real father!

“And they [daughters-in-law of Naomi, all whose husbands had died, and Naomi was now without a husband or any sons] lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me....And the women (of Israel) said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD...for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee...is better to thee than seven sons”. Ruth 1:14-17, 4:14-15.

Ruth showed her mother-in-law true self-sacrificing love, and was willing to do all she could for her welfare, and therefore would not leave her destitute of all immediate family members. Ruth truly treated Naomi as if she were her real birth mother! And so we should do the same with our mother-in-laws.

“And Boaz answered and said unto her (Ruth), It hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust....So she gleaned in the field (of Boaz) until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed.” Ruth 2:11-12, 17-18.

Because Ruth revealed such self-sacrificing love for her mother-in-law, what then occurred? God rewarded and blessed Ruth by allowing her to marry Boaz (Ruth 4:13), who in turn became the great grandfather of David (Ruth 4:21-22), and from his linage Jesus Christ was eventually born (Matthew 1:5; Luke 3:32)! So because Ruth manifested and expressed true self-denying and self-sacrificing love for her mother-in-law, she was greatly honored by God in having the Son of God born through her linage!

All there verses revealed that even though a mother-in-law is not our birth mother, yet she is still to be treated with great honor and respect as if she was our mother, because in a way, through being united in one flesh with our spouse, they are our real mother! And if we do follow these Biblical principles of truth, then we will also be greatly blessed of the Lord because we are revealing the true form of self-denying and self-sacrificing love to our family members.

This adversity is often seen in the older brother becoming jealous of and even hating the younger brother, and so tends to pick on him and cause him all kinds of trouble. While the younger brother tends to out due the older in most everything, thus causing him all kinds of mental anguish. So you can see that this adversity is a natural selfish desire that leads each brother to try and rule over the other as a superior, instead of humbly treating him as an equal. And even though age and maturity tends to lessen the severity and frequency of this rivalry, yet this underlying natural adversity still exists.

This adversity is evident in the history of Esau and Jacob. Jacob the younger out did Esau of his birthright and blessing, and Esau then hated and wanted to kill Jacob for doing so (see Genesis 27:18-41). Or with Joseph the younger relating his dreams of superiority over his brothers, and his older brethren then hating him and selling him to the Ishmeelites (see Genesis 37:2-28).

On the other hand, this rivalry between brothers in growing up can often lead to a very strong bond becoming established between them. This brotherly bond becomes evident when one brother is being picked on by someone else, and the other brother is quick to notice and come to his rescue and defense. This strong bond is evident when the older brother Judah quickly came to the rescue and defense of his younger brother Benjamin, when Benjamin was accused of stealing and then for his punishment of having to become a servant for ever (see Genesis 44:18-34).

Instead of the elder jealously picking on your younger brother, determine to show him unselfish love through kindness. And instead of the younger trying to out-best your brother, determine to show him self-denying love through honoring and preferring him over your own self interests. By continually resisting your natural selfish desires towards one another, and following this above process through the grace and divine strength of God being constantly given you, then your adversity towards one another will gradually diminish and soon will be overcome, and then you both can enjoy sweet and lasting peace while being in each other’s company.

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John 4:20-21.

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous....We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:10-12, 14-15.

“And there was a strife between the herdmen of (the elder brother) Abram's cattle and the herdmen of (the younger brother) Lot's cattle...And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Genesis 13:7-9.

“If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.” Deuteronomy 25:5-6.

The unselfish love existing between one brother and another was to continue to be manifested even after the death of the one, because the surviving unmarried brother was to marry his widow and then raise up seed for his own dead brother’s name and interest and family. And any brother who refused to manifest such unselfish love for his brother, could suffer death himself!

“And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.” Genesis 38:7-10.

What does the Bible state how a sister should express and manifest the true self-denying and self-sacrificing type of this emotion of love to her own sister? The same Biblical principles we just saw of the type of self-denying and self-sacrificing love a brother for his brother, can also apply with the love of a sister to her sister!

Does this verse mean that sisters are bound to obey every command of their brothers, and to follow them about like they were a chained slave? No. The Greek word for “lead” used here is “periago”, and it translates and means “to take around as a companion, to go about, to lead about” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, word #4013). This word is derived from “peri”, which translates and means “around, with respect to the locality, circumstance, general period, and his company, being concerned for how it will go with them” (Strong’s, word #4012).

What Paul is saying here is that one of the responsibilities of brothers is to make sure that they love and honor and cherish their sisters enough to be ever concerned for their happiness and welfare. And when a sister comes to visit, then her brother is to take special precautions of the places where he will take them, taking into account the locality, circumstances and general period of the times, and only visit those places that are suited for his sister’s best interests and protection.

Paul is also saying here that the sister is to recognize her brother’s responsibility for her best interests and protection while visiting him, and to then be content to follow his plans and go to the places he chooses, and thus allow him to fulfill his brotherly duties towards her.

This brotherly love and concern for the happiness, welfare and protection of their sisters was so strong and ingrained in the hearts of some brothers, that when their sisters had been greatly mistreated, these brothers then took personal revenge upon the men who had done this wickedness! (See Genesis 34:1-31; 2 Samuel 13:1-32). Now all personal revenge is to be left with the Lord to take care of (Ezekiel 25:17; Jeremiah 15:15; Nahum 1:2; Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalms 94:1; Isaiah 35:4; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30). But these verses do show how seriously brothers are to take their responsibilities to heart to lovingly tend to the welfare of their sisters by honoring, cherishing, protecting them and seeing to their happiness.

“And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon...been with thee (and raped thee)? but hold now thy peace, my sister...regard not this thing (or try to forget it). So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.” 2 Samuel 13:20.

When Absalom saw that his unmarried sister was in great distress from having been mistreated, that he took her home to live with him so that he could more fully comfort and protect her and try to help her forget. And the same should be done by all brothers for their mistreated sisters.

“Then came there unto him (Job) all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.” Job 42:11.

When Job had lost all his possessions due to sickness and misfortune, his brothers and sisters did not abandon him, but they all came to him to mourn along with him as well as to comfort him. In addition to this, they did not just leave Job with their comforting words alone, but each contributed of their own money in order to help him become financially stable once again.

“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” John 11:1-3.

“Amnon (son of David and Ahinoam) said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar (daughter of David and Maacah) my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat....And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.” 2 Samuel 13:6-8, 10.

“And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel....And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.” Genesis 29:12-16, 18-19.

Even though Jacob and Laban were not true brother’s in the flesh, but Jacob was Laban’s nephew and Laban was Jacob’s uncle, yet they treated each other as being real brothers in the flesh, and so loved and honored each other as such at that time. And these same principles would also apply for Aunts and Nieces to each other.

7) We have now explored into this area of the type of love that should be expressed and manifested by all family members towards each other, including those who were not born into our own family unit. So then let all family members follow these Biblical principles of truth, and thereby reveal the true Godly form of this emotion of love, and we will be greatly blessed of God for doing so.

“Now therefore, I (Rahab) pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have showed you (Israelite spies) kindness, that ye will also show kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.” Joshua 2:12-14.

Rahab’s thoughts and concerns were not limited to just herself, but she was also concerned for the life and welfare of her parents and all of her brothers and sisters! And because she showed such unselfish love for all her family members, what then occurred? God rewarded and blessed Rahab by allowing her to marry an Israelite named Salmon, and their first born son was named Boaz who married Ruth (Matthew 1:5; Ruth 4:20-22)! So Salmon became the great great grandfather of David (Matthew 1:5-6), and from his linage Jesus Christ was eventually born (Matthew 1:5-16; Luke 3:32)! So because Rahab manifested and expressed true self-denying and self-sacrificing love for all her family members, she was greatly honored by God in having the Son of God born through her linage! And so we will be greatly blessed of God is we also manifest and express unselfish love for all our family members.

“The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly...For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.” Micah 7:2-3, 6.

8) As much as we are to express and manifest true self-sacrificing and self-denying love towards each of our family members at all times, and if we do not do so then we are in danger of being lost, yet there are Others whom we should love even more and above any and all our family members. And in addition to this, we must maintain this greater love for these Others, even though it adversely affects the relationship of one or more of our family members towards us. These Others which we should always show greater love for than even our own family members, is our love for God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Their truth.

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also [or in other words if any does not love Jesus more than all of these], he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26.

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:34-38.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:12-13.

“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:14-17.

As Christians, we are to maintain a self-denying and self-sacrificing love to the Godhead and their truth first and foremost, and then secondly to all our dear family members. And if by doing these things, it causes one or more of our beloved family members to fight against us, or to place us in hard situations, or even to separate themselves from us, then we must also realize that God sees and understands it all, and He will grant us more grace to endure through it all, and will also greatly bless us even more for our steadfastness to Him and perseverance in following His truth.

“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:24-33.

By all family members choosing to follow God’s will in all these matters, you would be expressing and manifesting the true self-denying and self-sacrificing type of this emotion of love. This would show that you are cleansing yourselves from the wrong Satanic kind of this emotion, and thus revealing that God is truly dwelling in you as His sanctuary and temple and not Lucifer. But by knowingly choosing not to follow God’s will in these matters, then you would be expressing and manifesting the false self-pleasing and selfish type of this emotion of love dealing with your family members. This would show that you are making yourselves more filthy, and thus reveal that Lucifer is truly dwelling in you as his synagogue and not God.