JohnDB
Member
I recently was caught up in a study that looked at the Patriarchal system.
In a Patriarchal system there is a head father and all the family surrounding the Patriarch.
The Patriarch had a spouse and kids. In the Ancient Near East there could be many wives and children by those wives. Those children would then marry spouses of their own. Lots of kids, cousins, nieces, nephews and etc.
Now the way this would work was a bit like communism. Everyone brought in their portion of production to the Father who then made sure that everyone got to share in the fruit of the labors. No one was marginalized. If you were a good farmer...you brought in the crops from the field. If you were just a lowly shepherd...you brought in the wool and goat's milk...maybe cheese. (children usually did the shepherding) But everyone did their share or else you had to answer to Daddy. He was the one in charge of everyone.
Now we all know that life is sometimes barbaric.
Raiders might come in and try to grab the flocks and kids to sell into slavery. Someone might try to pick your fields and steal all your hard work...maybe even taking you along with them. Someone in the family might start spreading false rumors about you to where the rest don't want you around.
This is when the Patriarch would step in.
It was his job to make sure that no one was marginalized in his "tent" or household. Everyone had an equal voice and access to food. If someone got taken for sale into slavery...it was his job to get them out. Either through buying them back (as in the case of Hosea and Gomer) or by force through swords, slings, and fists. This was what was known as "Redeeming" a family member.
Even when that idiot, quarrelsome Nephew, who always thinks too highly of himself, gets all caught up in that wicked city and then taken captive when that city gets overrun by five kings and kingdoms all at the same time...you take all of your trained soldiers you bought as slaves and given a real home to go and get your nephew back.
Everyone fights as if they have nothing to lose...because if it was you that was taken in such a fashion Abraham would come for you in the very same fashion. So...no one does have anything to lose, even in the face of against overwhelming odds. And 318 men overcame thousands...
Even though Lot was an idiot and a pain...Abraham fought for him as if there was not going to be a tomorrow if he didn't redeem him.
So...
When the Patriarch did die...the Eldest Son was given a double portion of the inheritance and now he was to be the Patriarch. And the family would cheer that the eldest son was given the double portion...he was to be their new patriarch. He was their redeemer if need be. They couldn't be marginalized because they had a Patriarch Redeemer. Someone who could make sure that they had a place in the family.
So...when looking at Job and his plight. At one point he asks for an advocate to plead his case. He usually was the redeemer for his family. He was very careful to make sure that everyone did right and that everyone was looked after. Even the wife who thought his breath smelled bad.
And then we look at Moses...
He was unique. He brought the Law from God to the people. And more importantly he brought a means of access to God for the people. Up to this time if you were fatherless and had no family...you were out of luck. You had no redeemer. But now with the addition of the Law you had access to your Heavenly Father. He could advocate for you. He had His rules that people were to follow to ensure that no one would be marginalized.
Then Jesus came.
He was really harsh on the spiritual "fathers" that were running around. The pharisees and Sadducees were quick to ostracize anyone they felt didn't belong in the family. They were quick to take advantage of the Samaritans and any Gentile they came across.
But even Samaritans and Gentiles were made by God. And God wanted his "Nation of Priests" to help him in redeeming the lost family members.
SOOOOOOO
I'm just sitting here thinking about how to bring those currently lost to the family back into the family.
In a Patriarchal system there is a head father and all the family surrounding the Patriarch.
The Patriarch had a spouse and kids. In the Ancient Near East there could be many wives and children by those wives. Those children would then marry spouses of their own. Lots of kids, cousins, nieces, nephews and etc.
Now the way this would work was a bit like communism. Everyone brought in their portion of production to the Father who then made sure that everyone got to share in the fruit of the labors. No one was marginalized. If you were a good farmer...you brought in the crops from the field. If you were just a lowly shepherd...you brought in the wool and goat's milk...maybe cheese. (children usually did the shepherding) But everyone did their share or else you had to answer to Daddy. He was the one in charge of everyone.
Now we all know that life is sometimes barbaric.
Raiders might come in and try to grab the flocks and kids to sell into slavery. Someone might try to pick your fields and steal all your hard work...maybe even taking you along with them. Someone in the family might start spreading false rumors about you to where the rest don't want you around.
This is when the Patriarch would step in.
It was his job to make sure that no one was marginalized in his "tent" or household. Everyone had an equal voice and access to food. If someone got taken for sale into slavery...it was his job to get them out. Either through buying them back (as in the case of Hosea and Gomer) or by force through swords, slings, and fists. This was what was known as "Redeeming" a family member.
Even when that idiot, quarrelsome Nephew, who always thinks too highly of himself, gets all caught up in that wicked city and then taken captive when that city gets overrun by five kings and kingdoms all at the same time...you take all of your trained soldiers you bought as slaves and given a real home to go and get your nephew back.
Everyone fights as if they have nothing to lose...because if it was you that was taken in such a fashion Abraham would come for you in the very same fashion. So...no one does have anything to lose, even in the face of against overwhelming odds. And 318 men overcame thousands...
Even though Lot was an idiot and a pain...Abraham fought for him as if there was not going to be a tomorrow if he didn't redeem him.
So...
When the Patriarch did die...the Eldest Son was given a double portion of the inheritance and now he was to be the Patriarch. And the family would cheer that the eldest son was given the double portion...he was to be their new patriarch. He was their redeemer if need be. They couldn't be marginalized because they had a Patriarch Redeemer. Someone who could make sure that they had a place in the family.
So...when looking at Job and his plight. At one point he asks for an advocate to plead his case. He usually was the redeemer for his family. He was very careful to make sure that everyone did right and that everyone was looked after. Even the wife who thought his breath smelled bad.
And then we look at Moses...
He was unique. He brought the Law from God to the people. And more importantly he brought a means of access to God for the people. Up to this time if you were fatherless and had no family...you were out of luck. You had no redeemer. But now with the addition of the Law you had access to your Heavenly Father. He could advocate for you. He had His rules that people were to follow to ensure that no one would be marginalized.
Then Jesus came.
He was really harsh on the spiritual "fathers" that were running around. The pharisees and Sadducees were quick to ostracize anyone they felt didn't belong in the family. They were quick to take advantage of the Samaritans and any Gentile they came across.
But even Samaritans and Gentiles were made by God. And God wanted his "Nation of Priests" to help him in redeeming the lost family members.
SOOOOOOO
I'm just sitting here thinking about how to bring those currently lost to the family back into the family.