The Two Trees Podcast
Broken Brotherhood
We explore the rich tapestry of biblical themes surrounding unity and diversity, beginning with the poignant tale of Cain and Abel. Through the lens of sibling conflict and the failure of the priesthood, we uncover the spiritual warfare that often arises within family dynamics. Our conversation highlights the importance of overcoming self-centeredness, as exemplified by Cain, and striving for the harmony that God envisions for His people. The high priest's breastpiece, adorned with diverse stones, serves as a powerful symbol of unity in diversity among the tribes of Israel.
The discussion takes a deeper turn as we delve into the division of Israel under the house of David, exploring the prophecy of Ahijah and its significance. We draw parallels between historical events and prophetic symbolism, such as Zechariah's naming of the staffs "Favor" and "Union." As we bridge the Old and New Testaments, we illuminate how these ancient themes foreshadow pivotal New Testament events, including the betrayal of Jesus. Join us for this insightful journey that underscores the enduring sovereignty and profound interconnectedness of biblical narratives.
We explore the rich tapestry of biblical themes surrounding unity and diversity, beginning with the poignant tale of Cain and Abel. Through the lens of sibling conflict and the failure of the priesthood, we uncover the spiritual warfare that often arises within family dynamics. Our conversation highlights the importance of overcoming self-centeredness, as exemplified by Cain, and striving for the harmony that God envisions for His people. The high priest's breastpiece, adorned with diverse stones, serves as a powerful symbol of unity in diversity among the tribes of Israel.
The discussion takes a deeper turn as we delve into the division of Israel under the house of David, exploring the prophecy of Ahijah and its significance. We draw parallels between historical events and prophetic symbolism, such as Zechariah's naming of the staffs "Favor" and "Union." As we bridge the Old and New Testaments, we illuminate how these ancient themes foreshadow pivotal New Testament events, including the betrayal of Jesus. Join us for this insightful journey that underscores the enduring sovereignty and profound interconnectedness of biblical narratives.
Thank you, hello and welcome to the Two Trees Podcast. I'm John Dillon. I'm here with Rose.
Rose Mohler:Hey everybody.
Jon Dillon:and Jacob,
Jacob Kesling:what's up, guys?
Jon Dillon:We are back. We have had a crazy week.
Jacob Kesling:You are back,
Jon Dillon:I am back
Jacob Kesling:.
Jon Dillon:You guys. I caught so many trout, it was ridiculous.
Rose Mohler:Is this like a catch and release, or did you guys get to eat them?
Jon Dillon:Oh no, I put them all back.
Jacob Kesling:They're swimming safely For someone else to catch later. I don't want to ruin their life. I want to give them, like a good alien abduction story.
Jon Dillon:So they go back and they're like.
Jacob Kesling:You will not believe what happened. The Bigfoot caught me. It was terrifying.
Jon Dillon:No, it was cool. I got to go to Virginia with my family my dad, my mom, my brother and sister, assorted nieces, nephews and that kind of a thing. But it's good to be back.
Rose Mohler:Well, we had a vacation Bible school at our church this week and I'm tired, I have to be honest. It was a lot of energy. I did the three to five-year-old class and those kids about whipped me for real, but I love them. That age is fun. They're into it. They're not too old to be cool, they're not too old to know all the answers already and they are just a joy. Every time I saw their little faces come in the classroom it just gave me a lift, but again they kind of. I'm a little tired, so pressing on guys.
Jacob Kesling:Yeah, my week wasn't all that exciting. I mean, yeah, my week wasn't all that exciting. I mean we actually this sunday we're doing, we've kind of worked through the gospel of mark and so we are at a space now where it's fifth sunday and finishing it all up and and we decided to do like a panel, like um, just question and answer. I know that's kind of scary isn't it?
Rose Mohler:I would totally come ask some questions, yeah yeah, I want to find some really odd.
Jacob Kesling:Yep, find, find some like doctrinal.
Jon Dillon:Yeah, so if any of our listeners are out there and you want to ask ridiculously pointed questions?
Jacob Kesling:go to River Valley Church and don't derail things and we'll totally ignore them. Well, no more questions.
Jon Dillon:Oh it's a shame.
Jacob Kesling:Well, there wasn't a ton that came in, but we're kind of excited about just being able to talk about some just oddball stuff, stuff that we didn't necessarily cover while we preached through it. We were trying to cover a chapter a Sunday, which, man, it's hard. I mean, there's so much in there. So, anyway, I'm looking forward to doing that this Sunday. And you've got camp going on this week right Camp, youth camps this week, and then kinds of fun stuff, Slip and slide.
Jon Dillon:Ministry has periods where it's crazy busy and then periods where nothing's happening.
Jacob Kesling:That's true.
Jon Dillon:Summertime feels like it should be comfortable and it never is. There's a thousand things that get scheduled and trying to work with everyone's schedules and things is rough. But anyway, things are good in my life and I'm okay with that. But we have spent most of our time on the podcast so far explaining the cultures and. But anyway, things are good in my life and I'm okay with that, but we have spent most of our time on the podcast so far explaining the cultures and the world of the Old Testament, the ancient Near Eastern look at the world. But as we approach our 100th episode, I feel the need to bridge the gap between the Testaments. I never thought this podcast would go for 100 episodes episodes and we're getting kind of close to that and we'll do something fun. We don't we're not really sure what yet, but it will be something to market and, um, I don't know, jacob, did you ever think we'd hit a hundred episodes of this?
Jacob Kesling:Um, no, I mean I the weird part is you know podcasting is is a ton of fun. I mean I the weird part is you know podcasting is is a ton of fun. I mean you don't realize how much work it is. Uh, and, and I say that, um, by writing one, maybe two episodes, yeah, you didn't realize how much work it is for John.
Jacob Kesling:Yeah, I didn't realize how much work this is for you, john. No, I mean but, but this is a really it's been a been a blessing. The hard part is is, like you, you think you have a million things to talk about. Like we have so many topics, we'll never have stuff to not talk about. But all of a sudden it's like what else do we talk about?
Jon Dillon:Or what do I say about that that everyone doesn't already know? The amount of study that goes into it and we hear from you guys. I love it when you guys send in messages that tell us you know what the podcast has done for you or that it's been a blessing and it's been really cool just to be part of everyone's lives. I mean, it's not a huge part of your life, but I enjoy it.
Jacob Kesling:I love getting to know that it's an hour of their life a week and they'll never get it back they're listening to it in transit.
Jacob Kesling:that's awesome. I was curious it's interesting the the amount of downloads that happened like the first day. I was kind of tracking them this week, tried to do a little bit more promotion stuff just to see if it picks up different listeners and stuff. I mean, I don't know if it does or doesn't, I'm not tracked to the past it only really picks up when our listeners share it with their friends. Okay.
Jon Dillon:That's the push, like you can do all the stuff you want to do. But the real thing that drives a podcast is the audience, it's friendship, it's people saying, hey, listen to this, talk with me about this. The only reason that this exists is because of you guys. Otherwise we would just be hanging out and talking about it anyway.
Jacob Kesling:Where are we at on reviews, by the way? Reviews I think we have 100 reviews by the 100th episode.
Jon Dillon:Would be awesome that would be cool, but it 100 reviews by the 100th episode will be awesome.
Jacob Kesling:That would be cool, but it's not happening so far. Where are we? At 90?, 91, 92, I think. Okay, all right.
Rose Mohler:Come on, Jeremy, go leave us a review. You know you can do this.
Jon Dillon:Jeremy would leave us a one star. He's out.
Rose Mohler:He's already heard all of it.
Jon Dillon:This is garbage, but no, I know my interest really pushes back further in time. The older something is, the more intrigued by it I am. But I would love to get into a little bit of the history, like why is the New Testament so very different from the Old Testament? The New Testament is not a separate movement from the Old. They're meant to work together and indeed without the counterpart. If you're reading the New Testament without knowledge of the Old, or the Old Testament without knowledge of the New, it feels weird, it feels like man, this is an incomplete story and people get confused and they get frustrated, and so, rather than inventing threads that they think is in there, they miss the ones that the authors have actually woven into the text, and so this is going to take a little bit of time, but I'd like to kind of try. I'd like to talk about the history. I'd like to talk about where did the Pharisees come from? Who are the Sadducees, the Zealots, zealots, all that stuff? Where did the world of the New Testament come from?
Jon Dillon:Right the impact of Alexander the Great. Yeah, because when you're reading the Old Testament, like everything kind of looks to the east and to the south, egypt, like everything kind of looks to the east and to the south. Egypt and Babylon dominate the thinking of the people. But once you reach the New Testament, things are facing west. Greece and Rome are the center of the world and there's a massive cultural divide between ancient Babylon and ancient Rome and, honestly, it's affected us even today. Our world has much more in common with that of Greece and Rome, but in Jesus's lifetime they were kind of balancing on the edge of this. The things were just getting started, and so I'd really love to dig into a little bit of the history, a little bit of the way the prophets talk about this stuff and the themes and the motifs from the Old Testament. They're going to move us into an understanding, a deeper understanding, of the New Testament. So that's where we're going. It's going to be the next.
Jacob Kesling:I think it's good. I think that's a good way, a good place to go, because I think that I've been hugely impacted by that information over this last few years and how it's helped me really understand the text and what's happening and how people are responding certain ways, and anyway, I think it's going to be good. I'm pretty excited about it.
Jon Dillon:I am too I know that sounds dorky, but I really am Like this is a period of history that I'm intrigued by, and I think it will genuinely help you understand your New Testament better. And so, in order to read the New Testament, I think we start in Genesis.
Rose Mohler:What.
Jon Dillon:I know that sounds bad, but there's an ongoing theme that's happening towards the end of the Old Testament, and that is that the people of God, the children of Abraham, the nation of Israel, this movement that God has given the law to reveal himself, to come down and dwelt among them in the temple and the tabernacle. Moses is there. The Ten Commandments, all these miracles delivering them from nation after nation. Instead of drawing them together, they become entrenched in hatred for each other and the kingdom splits. And this idea is going to push deep into the New Testament that God's kingdom is not one of division and hatred between brothers, but that if we are truly to be what God made us to be, then a vital part of this has to be how do we find unity in diversity? How do people from different backgrounds, from different ways of life, how do they be one people? And so what I'd like to do is to begin in Genesis, chapter four, verses four through nine. So if one of you guys could maybe read that, Stare right at me.
Jacob Kesling:It's my turn.
Rose Mohler:Jeremy, just ran off with my phone, so you go ahead, I'll catch up.
Jacob Kesling:And Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard For. Cain was very angry and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain why are you angry and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it. Cain spoke to Abel, his brother, and when they were in the field, cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. And the Lord said to Cain spoke to Abel, his brother, and when they were in the field, cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. And the Lord said to Cain where is Abel, your brother? He said I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?
Jon Dillon:Now, that line that Cain gives to us is almost the heartbeat of sin throughout the rest of the Old Testament. Honestly, a big part of my life as well is so easy to become self-focused and to think that the world is about me and to view relationships not about blessing others but about being blessed by others, and so it's important for us to realize that the nation of Israel was called to do something. There are 12 tribes, there are thousands of people from different villages, from all over the place, and there's a massive cultural difference from the guys living way down in the south of Israel to the guys living up in the Sea of Galilee. It's just different the way that they were living the world that they were in the people that they were around.
Rose Mohler:Are you talking Old Testament, New Testament?
Jon Dillon:Both the land is just different, and so if you're living on the desert elements, like down in Judea, that's a different lifestyle than if you're fishing the Sea of Galilee or you're up in the Dan area, where there's water all over the place, and so there's a lot that differentiates these people.
Rose Mohler:Do you think that Cain was just being sassy when he says I don't know, am I my brother's keeper, or is there more to it?
Jon Dillon:I think there's definitely more to it, and it has to do with what they're doing At the very gates. It seems to be the door of what I assume is Eden. Cain and Abel are offering sacrifices. They are acting as priests. A priest ought not talk to his God like that. If the God is speaking to you, you're supposed to say here, am I send me. Instead, the heart of Cain is how do I use you for my benefit? How can I take rather than give?
Jon Dillon:And if you've been listening to the two trees long enough, you know that we believe that humans are supposed to be like trees planted by still waters. We're supposed to be a blessing. We are to be like the trees of the garden, and Cain is the exact opposite. God intended for the family to work in harmony, but sin seeks to divide it, with each member seeking their own power. And so when God asks Cain, you know you get this moment where Cain and Abel are not on the same page. I don't think this has to do with what Cain offers I know that a lot of things have been made about that what Cain offered, vegetables.
Jon Dillon:I think this has to do with the fact that Cain is a stinker. Cain's heart is not in a good place. And so God doesn't have regard for Cain's offering, not because it's of the fruit of the ground, but because it comes from the hand of Cain and his heart is not in serving the Lord. And so we got this. We look at this and it says you know, you are supposed to image me. That's what humanity is made to do. And here we are, the next generation. Outside the garden, there's only a couple of people that are, and all of a sudden they are unable to live together. Mankind is a mess, and we will fight. Given the smallest opportunity to take a swing at a brother or a sister, we'll do it. And so, instead of this recognizing well, god just wants us to be peaceful all the time look at what it says here. It says sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must. What?
Rose Mohler:Rule over it.
Jon Dillon:You got to rule over it. We are to struggle, we are to fight, but not against each other. Our enemy is not flesh and blood. Fight, but not against each other. Our enemy is not flesh and blood. The people around us are not to be threats or rivals, but to be other trees of the garden. We're to be in fellowship with each other. And so we get this moment where Cain, knowing that God has called him to do this, refuses to, and this is really the first time that we begin to see this motif of the hatred of the brother, and it kind of goes to the end.
Jon Dillon:Did you notice that God came looking for Cain and he's saying you know where is Abel? As though God didn't know that Abel had been murdered. Does this remind you of the garden scene? Yeah, absolutely, where Adam and Eve are in the garden and God is saying hey guys, where are you? It's not as though God doesn't know His priests are hiding here. Again, the priesthood has failed Cain and Abel. This line of priesthood this has become really important when we start looking at what happens to Israel in between the Testaments. There is a drastic failure of the priesthood that's going to take place. We also see this with Pilate. You know he washes his hands of this. You know I don't have anything to do with this. If you want to murder this man, go ahead, but it's not my fault. You're the governor of the area. You're supposed to protect life and here you are just giving it away.
Jacob Kesling:Can I wrap it Trail? Yeah, it has nothing to do with this but I was just I know.
Jacob Kesling:God told Satan not too long ago that there'll be a seed born of the woman that's going to crush his head. And certainly, if the favored one is able, how hard would it to be? I mean, it seems as though I'm going to stir up a brother and it's interesting that this is kind of what happens with the spiritual warfare stuff not just physical blood brothers here. But we fight a lot of times against our brothers and we've been talking a lot about this over the last several months, about unity and about diversity.
Jacob Kesling:And can you have unity even though you think differently? You know, this is what's you know and I'm like, can you really have true unity? I mean you can, having its purpose of uniting around one thing and that thing is Jesus, right, but sometimes we like to just say, well, unless we believe all these sets of things together, then we have to be out of the box, out of the circle. But having true unity with diversity, I think is a beautiful picture. But I think it's interesting in this story Satan stirring up a brother what it looks like the other brother has favor of the Lord and is this the one?
Jon Dillon:Yeah, and we get this idea that the angels of God are supposed to be ministering spirits. Satan is the opposite of that and he desires to bring about death onto Abel, and the way he does that is through his brother. He wields humans like weapons. Either you will rule over your hatred or your hatred will rule over you. You have to be angry and sin not. It has to be directed at the right thing.
Jon Dillon:I am angry with sin. I am angry with failures of myself, and I am not going to let it have victory over me. Rather than to see one another, as I've got to destroy this person, I've got to make sure that my voice is heard, and this happens in every family. There's bound to be rivalries, there's bound to be things that just drive you nuts, and things come out of your mouth faster than you can filter them sometimes. We have to then know that we have a God who is faithful and is just and will forgive us. That's what he promised that he's going to do. But the story of the failure of Israel is truly built on this idea of brothers at war with brothers, and we're going to find this motif all through the text of the Old Testament and into the New Testament, and so we're going to touch on a couple of them, not by any means all of them, because there are lots and we will never get through them all. Go ahead.
Rose Mohler:No, I was going to ask if we're going to work towards the restoration, because the brokenness is there. I've noticed before in reading my Old Testament how petty everybody is. The dads show favoritism, the moms manipulate, the kids fight and throw each other in pits, and on and on, and then how does it all come back together? That's what we're after, okay, and how long is it going to take us to get there? Well, it hasn't happened yet. Okay, yeah, so I don't know, it'll be a while.
Jon Dillon:It'll be a bit.
Rose Mohler:Stay tuned.
Jon Dillon:But this is what Jesus is bringing about the kingdom of God. When he talks about these things, when he gives us the Beatitudes, when he gives us the Sermon on the Mount, he's talking about something that has resonated deeply for thousands of years with people. We read that and we think, oh for that, that sounds like heaven. It sounds like heaven on the earth, and that's exactly what we're looking at here. It's as though we are back under the trees again. How do we reclaim this? How do we struggle against the darkness? And we see it in different characters of the Old Testament, and they each do it differently. There's not like a cookie cutter response to this. Just say these magic words your problems will go away and you'll be a winner. Instead, every one of these people is asked to be wise. How do you pursue wisdom? How do you pursue wisdom as the tree of life? Let's take a look at Genesis 37, 25 through 28.
Rose Mohler:Then they sat down to eat and, looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing gum, balm and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers what profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh. And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
Jon Dillon:So I want to point out, just because we've been talking about it. But the meal motif is there again. They're eating together while their brother is in a pit. They have captured their brother and here they are at table breaking bread together with all the brothers except one. He is out, he is the one they hate, he is the one that is the problem.
Jon Dillon:And they're looking down the road and they see somebody coming and they think to themselves hey, what can we get from our brother? How can we use him to get something? They don't ask themselves how can I bless my brother? They don't ask themselves has God put me here to protect my family or to bless those around me? They are instead asking what can I get from you? This is the path of Babylon. This is what man's sinful heart tells us to do. So these guys with their camels are bearing gum and balm and myrrh, all these wonderful, expensive things, and Judah's just looking at him and says you know what we could make money off of this? And then he wraps it up in some righteousness and our hands will be clean. We won't have killed him, as though God is going to be like well, you know, at least you didn't kill him. That's what they've done. You're dead. To me, you are simply a way of getting something.
Jacob Kesling:I can imagine Joseph being lifted out of the pit like this is a funny joke, guys, I'm really glad I'm coming out. Hey, is there any dinner left? And they joke guys, I'm really glad I'm coming out. Hey, is there any dinner left? They're tying him up and selling him.
Rose Mohler:Anyway, sorry, I actually was wondering if Judah I mean, this is still kind of wimpy, but maybe he wanted to save Joseph and so he, like you said, he wrapped it up in some righteousness, but really he was doing the right thing. You know what I mean? I don't think he's doing the right thing you know what I mean.
Jon Dillon:Like you could have let him.
Jacob Kesling:I don't think he's doing the right thing at all, we'll make a trip down and we'll actually buy him back. We'll get him out of giving the benefit of the doubt no I'm not giving him the benefit?
Jon Dillon:we're not killing him this guy is is crooked you heard it here first, he is man and, and it says, you know, they, they draw him up, they lift him out of the pit, which is almost like a grave type thing, and they sell him to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. So this question comes up you know how can I manipulate others to get something? The prophets tell us? Micah. The prophet Micah says you want to know what God requires of you. Do justly, love mercy, what God requires of you. Do justly love mercy and walk humbly. This is the path of Eden. What is it that the beast that crouches by the door wants you to do? Justify it yourself. Be at violence with each other, dominate one another, take, take. It's a devourer, it's going to eat you and even the Ishmaelites these are their cousins Like. These aren't just some random group of people from who knows where. The Ishmaelites are related to the family of Abraham.
Rose Mohler:Well, and not that far back. No, how did they already get a name like Ishmaelites, like that feels speedy?
Jon Dillon:Well, this is probably somebody later on writing down who it is. Yeah Well this is probably somebody later on writing down who it is, but even then they know who this is. I would imagine these 12 sons. They're aware that this is kin.
Jacob Kesling:This is when the first adoption took place. Adoption organization.
Jon Dillon:Right Now you're really spinning it. They are out of control here.
Jacob Kesling:I had flashbacks of the argument over Mephibosheth's, his motives and the whole thing, motives?
Jon Dillon:yeah, he's the bad guy. You guys, I question sometimes, you know, just, I feel like I'm always on the wrong side of the fence with you guys.
Jacob Kesling:That's okay, we'll walk with you this one. I appreciate it.
Rose Mohler:You write the outline and we'll let it take it wherever we need to go. Yeah, thank you.
Jon Dillon:Let's follow the Joseph story a little bit further, because Joseph is actually going to show you again this path of Eden, as opposed to the way of Babylon. He's going to show you what you're supposed to do when someone is wronged and you find yourself back in family. So let's look at Genesis 45, 3 through 8.
Jacob Kesling:And Joseph said to his brothers I through 8. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life, for the famine has been in the land these two years and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you, many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God for you, many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here but God.
Jacob Kesling:He has made me a father to Pharaoh, the Lord in all of his house and ruler of all the land of Egypt.
Jon Dillon:So, joseph, right away he figures out these are his brothers and he has the opportunity to sell them into slavery. He has the opportunity to bring karma back on these guys, to arrest them, to kill them, to manipulate them. He has power and they are beggars and they have come begging for food. Did you notice Joseph's first question? I am Joseph. Is my father still alive? His first worry is for family. That is the exact opposite of his brothers. There may have been a little bit of guilt. There's some worrying. Later on, it affected dad a lot more than they thought it was going to, and they've been more or less happy. His brothers are real pieces of work, some of them, and instead Joseph doesn't bring back hatred onto these people. This is a visual of what Jesus meant when he said if they demand your coat, give them your cloak also. This is a love that conquers hatred. And so Joseph has been brought into this place and when he is in power, he doesn't use power to punish, he uses power to lift up those around him.
Rose Mohler:Where he says God sent me before you to preserve life. Right, that's beautiful.
Jon Dillon:So Joseph's ministry really was to endure suffering to rescue his family and the world around him. His strength becomes the salvation of Egypt and of his family and of thousands of people who are fed through the abundance of Joseph, and what he did brought food to the people Again. That's Eden-like. He is a tree that's providing for all of these people. And so when we look at this, you have two ways of viewing this. One of them is use power to get what you want, and the other says use power to serve the Lord. It's almost like two trees, that there's a tree that is us defining right and wrong for ourselves, and then there is the tree of life. And so God's will for the children of Israel the literal children of Israel, meaning the tribes, the patriarchs here is to be one family. You see that in Joseph, to be able to overcome differences, to bring about unity and love and hope and abundance and salvation for everyone around them. And it makes me think of Abraham's commission. He was kind of a wandering little pocket of Eden. Everywhere he went he was blessed. People that blessed Abraham had a really good time. People who cursed Abraham had a really bad time. There's an abundance around him. The same is true of Joseph.
Jon Dillon:Israel is supposed to be like that, a way for God to show the nations his presence, his favor, and instead they are constantly bickering and tearing each other down, murdering each other, getting as ugly. If you read the book of Judges and it doesn't end on a positive note, it's one of the most horrific stories that I've ever heard. It's not people acting well, and so we know that the will of God for the nation of Israel is to be one, and more than that, it isn't just God's will for the nation of Israel to be one, but it's God's will for the people of Adam to be one. We are to love one another. We are to forgive one another. We are to be what is missing in our own lives, in the lives of other people.
Jon Dillon:If they are faithless, we are to be faithful. If they are filled with lies, we are to be filled with truth. If they are filled with haste, we're to be filled with patience. The fruit of the Spirit is love and joy and peace and long-suffering. These are the things that we're supposed to grow, and so when we read this story, don't read it as just a bunch of random stories that happen to individuals, but see that there is a purposeful plan that God has for the people of Israel and it is going to come into play in this intertestamental period. To give you a clear picture of this, we're going to jump out of Genesis and into the book of Exodus. This is a powerful visual that comes almost at the end of the book. It's in Exodus 39, 8 through 14.
Rose Mohler:He made the breastpiece in skilled work in the style of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarns in fine twined linen. It square. They made the breast piece doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth when doubled, and they set it in four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz and carbuncle was the first row. In the second row, an emerald, a sapphire and a diamond and the third row, adjacent and a agate and an amethyst and the the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold filigree. There were twelve stones with their names, according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name for the twelve tribes.
Jon Dillon:So what you have here is the high priest, and he is visually preaching a sermon. A lot of times in the ancient world they would say things, that's true, but they would also show instead of tell. The entire tabernacle is designed to preach the glory of God, designed to tell you of lost Eden and God's desire to be with mankind again, and so when the high priest comes out, he is covered in stones that shine. He is an otherworldly type person. The Bible often will call angelic beings shining ones, and that's to show this is not a simple earthly being. When the high priest is in his full regalia, he is covered in this. He's carrying the stones.
Jon Dillon:Now, artists sometimes believe these two have been on the outside so that you could see them. Other people talk about them being enclosed so that they're veiled. Either way, the symbolism is there, and he's wearing gold braid. He would have looked very impressive wearing white linens. He's someone that visually stands out, and one of the things that we see he's doing is he is carrying these stones that don't just look pretty, but none of them are the same. They are all different. They clash in their colors and in their purpose and their texture and what they are, where they come from. None of them go together. There's this smorgasbord, this diversity of color and of purpose here, and on each of these stones is carved a name of one of the tribes. So the high priest is literally carrying the names of Israel. That was supposed to be what Levi was to do.
Rose Mohler:I think that this is a really fascinating part of the Bible because it's easy to kind of like soften in your mind what it actually looked like then, and I feel like it was usually guided by children's illustrations, where there's like these square buildings that are made out of stones and then there's desert around it and some palm trees and everybody's wearing these line drawing clothing, you know, and not a lot of color, let's just say you picture it kind of wildernessy or desert-y Beige, a lot of beige exactly.
Rose Mohler:And then also, and so you see so much color in the Book of Exodus when it's describing the tabernacle and the clothing and everything, and it really just starts to come alive how skilled they were as people and as like craftsmen and workers to be able to work this linen and this dye and the gold filigree and also to be able to engrave the names on the stones. I mean, that's some skilled work there, like how big were the stones? How? How did they even write that? I mean it's, they didn't have a little. You know dremel, you know the thing that you know? What a dremel is yeah they have a dremel tool.
Jacob Kesling:Yeah, yeah, okay, it's just cool. The you know again, even if the colors don't go together, that god finds the beauty in the diversity, in the differences, in the different colors and different shades. I know like, um, there are probably some people out there like I would you don't put those colors together there's like color swatches and stuff they put together these days.
Jacob Kesling:But what's cool about it is that they're wearing something that doesn't necessarily, in the color scheme, go together. But God finds that beauty in the diversity. He doesn't say go find me 12 white stones Right. Because I'm going to make you all identical Same size.
Jon Dillon:Yeah, it's this unity and diversity. There's this beauty in the otherness of the tribes that, even though they are different, they are called to be one, and the priest is supposed to be their mediator. He's the one who represents them to God and God to them. Now, as we move into the New Testament, you are going to find that that is exactly what the priests are not doing. The priests, rather than becoming the servants of the people doing the priests, rather than becoming the servants of the people, become the kings of the people. They are being served. They're about how can I get more? How can I manipulate this more?
Jon Dillon:And so, by the time Jesus goes into the temple, he's so offended that he's flipping tables and chasing people out, and the guys who really are most angry with him are the Sadducees, and they're the priests. They're the house of Zedekim Zadok. That's who these guys are. And so when we look at this, we see that same parallel that we saw with Joseph's brothers and Joseph Levi. The high priest here, aaron, is supposed to be carrying the names of Israel, just like all of Israel was to carry God's name. Don't take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain Doesn't mean don't cuss. It means carry his name and don't do it in vain. Do it right. Jesus is going to say this way take up your cross and follow me. I mean, it's noticeable if you're following Jesus or you're not. And so, when we look at this, this is to me a visual representation of what God is desiring to have happen.
Rose Mohler:I know we're probably working towards this, but how did the priest get into such a position of power in the New Testament? Is it like there's a vacuum left by not having a king and so they just it?
Jon Dillon:is a long and twisted story and we're going to cover it. Many people especially like if you're reading a commentary or something, it makes it very fast. The house of David was missing and so they weren't missing. The house of David was around all through. People knew who they were. They are purposefully excluded from power. The priests don't give it up. There is this desire not to give up power, but to use it to lift themselves higher and higher and higher.
Jon Dillon:And it ultimately is going to lead to the destruction of Israel in 70 AD, with the temple coming down around their ears.
Jacob Kesling:So interesting. You know, like when you know in the book of Mark it's really intended for the Roman culture and to say that the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve any of his life for the ransom for many.
Jacob Kesling:Such a different side of things, and even the culture that Jesus has called us into as a church, is an upside-down culture. It's not about climbing to the top but how do I serve? It's not about being in the front of the line. It's not about taking the seat of high position but sitting at the lower seat. It's just a countercultural. And again, like you said, we've picked up a lot about that in the Americas. And We've picked up a lot about that in the Americas and you know there's a lot to learn, I think, when we talk through this stuff too.
Jon Dillon:So you see this, I think, at communion, when Jesus' disciples are there, the rabbi is washing their feet. Here they are at a temple meal, they're celebrating Passover, they're at the king's table. Literally, the king is there and he's washing their feet, he's serving them. Even Judas is eating at the table and he's welcome here. There's something backwards about the way we view power, from the way that God intends us to use it, and I think it goes all the way back to that. Cain and Abel. Am I my brother's keeper? Yes, you are All right. End of story. Yeah, you are, you're supposed to be together. It's not about manipulating each other, it's about serving one another. And so we're going to read another story here. This one you've heard before because we did it recently, but I'm trying to cover quite a bit of ground here to get us to a beginning point. This one comes from 1 Kings 12, verses 14 through 16.
Jacob Kesling:My father made your yoke heavy. This is Rehoboam speaking, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions. So the king did not listen to the people, for it was the turn of affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite, and Jeroboam, the son of Nabot. And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, what portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, o Israel. Look now to your own house, david.
Jon Dillon:So God didn't choose Moses' house to rule over Israel. He doesn't choose the priests. Instead, he raises up David's house, and David's house fails Once they are in power. They begin to use their power to subjugate their brothers. Solomon is not marrying from all the tribes of Israel. They begin to use their power to subjugate their brothers. Solomon is not marrying from all the tribes of Israel. He's out shopping farther afield. He wants to make sure everyone knows I am the boss and you are not. And so, when Solomon dies, the people come to the son of Solomon. They say listen, your father. He was a jerk. He was incredibly hard to get along with. Will you listen to our grievances? And he says absolutely not. If you thought it was bad under him, I'm going to be way more difficult. I'm going to be a scorpion. To you, Imagine a tree with a scorpion. That's the opposite of this. And so, rather than being a blessing to the tribes, the house of David fails in its calling. They are missing the goal. And so, quite rightly, the Israelites say well, bye, yeah.
Jacob Kesling:We gone, we're not going to stay for that, actually.
Jon Dillon:And there's a prophecy that's here, and did you catch who it is actually? And there's a prophecy that's here, and did you catch who it is? The Lord spoke by Ahijah, the Shihlo, the guy from Shiloh. Shiloh is where the priests are. This is a prophet who's come from Shiloh and he says listen, israel's going to split. The path that you're walking leads to division. It leads to destruction. There is a way that seems right to a man. The end thereof is destruction. What portion do we have in David? Where is our place at the table? You don't have one. We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. And then it says something interesting To your tents, o Israel, look now to your own house, david.
Jon Dillon:Israel does not act like Joseph. They are treated badly, they are put in a pit, they are sold and they are abandoned, but they don't seek to bring the house back together when they are wronged, they don't seek fellowship, they simply abandon the other. From this point on in Israel's history, there is going to be a tremendous divide between the north and the south, between the land of Samaritans and the land of Judah, between Israel and Judah, and it's a much bigger story than just Israel. The people in Judah hated the Samaritans. It's not just a racist thing, there's lots of this. There was no desire for the country to come back, but the high priest is still in Jerusalem wearing the 12 stones. They're going through the motions of this pretending like it's all still okay, and deep down inside they're split, they're broken, they're divided. It is God's will for us to be like a tree. Let me show you this a little bit. Let's go to Matthew 13. This is Jesus. Matthew 13, 31 through 32.
Rose Mohler:He put another parable before them saying the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. He put another parable before them saying so the tree here, the mustard seed, the kingdom of God is supposed to make a home for others.
Jon Dillon:These birds are welcome in its branches. There's this idea of moving from small to great growth, not tearing down, not manipulating. It doesn't say but this tree murdered all the other plants in the garden so that it could get what it wanted. The idea is that it naturally is going to grow and be a blessing for the things that are around it. Look at Proverbs 11, verse 30.
Jacob Kesling:The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.
Jon Dillon:So the fruit of the righteous. What does that mean to you when you hear that phrase?
Jacob Kesling:The life, the outcome, the behaviors, the words of a righteous person are like a tree of life meaning. It gives life. Someone who lives out a I don't know, speaks words of life, becomes life to people around them.
Jon Dillon:Yeah, that's exactly right.
Rose Mohler:Because the fruit they bear will be for the people around them. It's not really for them.
Jacob Kesling:Right, I'm not giving this to you because I want something in return.
Rose Mohler:I'm giving this to you because I want something in return. I'm giving this to you because I want to bless you. I'm bearing it and you are getting life.
Jon Dillon:The same is true of the gifts of the Spirit. When Paul lists them in 1 Corinthians. It says these are for the edification of the church. The idea is not so that you can get this, so that you can have power. It's so that gift of this or that it's the whole concept here is outside of self.
Rose Mohler:Isn't it easy, though, too, with the fruits of the Spirit, specifically because we're all so familiar with it, to want to be the person who bears the fruits of the Spirit, because then that means you're a good person?
Jon Dillon:Ah, yes, and then people will know how good they have it to be around me, or?
Rose Mohler:even then I will know that I am doing things well because I am gentle and you know all the love and I'm joyful and peaceful and now I'm doing well. But when you think about the fruits that you're bearing for the edification of the church and for other people, it really flips the narrative quite a bit. You know it's not letting the effect be the cause or whatever.
Jon Dillon:Even Judah remember when he sold his brother into slavery.
Rose Mohler:We remember we were talking about that when you were misled by his trickery.
Jon Dillon:He said you know, we don't want to get blood on our hands. Let's not kill him, let's sell him as a slave.
Jacob Kesling:Let's benefit from it, yeah.
Jon Dillon:This is the same. How can I use what God is giving to enrich me? Same, how can I use what God is giving to enrich me? Is the opposite of what Christ is asking us to do. This is selfless. That's what agape is, this self-sacrificing love, and Joseph is specifically congratulated for this. Look at Genesis 49, 22.
Rose Mohler:Joseph is a fruitful bough a fruitful bough by a spring, and his branches run over the wall.
Jon Dillon:What did he do? He cared for his father. He protected his brothers. He overcame adversity, he rose out of the nothingness and became great. That's how this poem describes him. He's a tree branch that's just loaded down with fruit. He's by a spring and his branches can't be contained by the garden. They run over the wall. That's a powerful visual.
Jacob Kesling:Even those outside the walls can be blessed by it.
Jon Dillon:Yes, that's exactly what's being described here, even the commission of Abraham. He's going to be a blessing to the world. The Gentiles' lives are going to be better because they're around Abraham and his family, so that's what Israel's called to do. By the time that we hit page one of the New Testament, this vision is in tatters and Jesus comes into a world that is as broken as it could get and he brings wholeness and joy and love and victory and focus back into the story. And as much as I love my Old Testament, if you love your Old Testament, it's fulfilled in Jesus. In Jesus, you see all of these things in high definition.
Rose Mohler:It's in high definition, but it's also a little bit hidden. You it's because it's because it's it's backwards and upside down. He comes and he's not.
Rose Mohler:He doesn't look like a king you know, and the things the smallest seed he's the smallest seed and it's something small that grows instead of something big and, and you know, earthly powerful, and it's.
Rose Mohler:They missed it and I've always thought that's one of the saddest things that the people that he came to and the people that he, he was representing are the ones that missed it. You know, and it's something that, um, it's something I really have to deal with when I'm reading the new Testament. To be honest, I'm thankful that he came and, like you said that through through Abraham, all the nations of the world would be blessed. But he says he came to the lost sheep of Israel and then he and that he stood at Jerusalem, you know, and he longed to gather them, you know, under his wings and things. And I just, I think that it hits me harder, especially as I'm raising older children, because the, the training and the discipleship and the messages and everything that Jeremy and I have poured into them when they miss it, it's just, it really hits you hard, and I know that their stories are not over and I know that the world's story is not over, but the people that he came to, that missed it really, really hits me sometimes.
Jon Dillon:Well, I am looking forward to digging into the depths of those stories, and so if you've got questions or thoughts about it, we're going to dig into as much of those stories. And so if you've got questions or thoughts about it, we're going to dig into as much of it as we can, and I plan on taking my sweet time and I get to write the outline.
Rose Mohler:So there it is, and we get to punch holes in it.
Jon Dillon:No, yeah, that's right when martin is back, he will say to me, john, this is what we're doing. And I will say, of course, boss man, he is off on a cool date with his wife today. They're watching the Savannah Bananas play and left us here all alone, but that's okay.
Rose Mohler:It's all right, john, move on. I'm a little jealous, I know.
Jon Dillon:I'm trying not to be, but no, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. He's the best. Let's hit Psalm 52, eight through nine. This is a Psalm of David, and so we have seen that Joseph is described as a fruitful bough. We've seen that the fruit of a righteous person is the way we've heard from Jesus. Now let's hear from David.
Jacob Kesling:But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good in the presence of the godly.
Jon Dillon:So here it is. David says you know what I want to be? I want to be a tree in the house of God. I want to trust in the chesed of God and that steadfast love. And because he is steadfast and loving, I'm going to be steadfast and loving. And God is, for instance, like, if you think about it let's go back to Cain and Abel God comes out of the garden and speaks with Cain.
Jon Dillon:Of all the people in the world, literally of all the people in the world who did not deserve to have a conversation with God, cain is the guy and, especially, it doesn't make any sense at all if God can't be around sin, he certainly spends a lot of time around sinners. We read this story and, as God is not desiring to punish, he's trying to protect, trying to draw people away from sin, trying to restore, trying to bring about this beauty that we find, and sometimes he does it in ways that get heard, that we find, and sometimes he does it in ways that get heard. Cain is exiled, not because God hates Cain, but because God is trying to draw back Cain, trying to stir up within him at least some sorrow. Are you your brother's keeper? The idea, apparently, is. Cain says no, this is all Abel's fault. You can just hear the excuses that he would have poured out and you see it in the lives of his children and their children's children.
Rose Mohler:So last week we were kicking around the difference between tending and keeping, because that's what they were called to do in the garden. What does it mean to keep something?
Jon Dillon:It means to guard something.
Rose Mohler:Okay. So when he says am I my brother's keeper, is that the same use of the word Okay? So when he says am I my? Brother's keeper. Is that the same use of the word Mm-hmm? Because I think that it's. I mean, this phrase has almost became a joke in modernity, you know, because I mean, like my kids will be like hey, has anybody seen Kip? And they're like I don't know him. I'm my brother's keeper and they're just you know being yeah.
Jon Dillon:Where is Kip?
Rose Mohler:Yes, you are, because I Go find him and so. But what does keeper actually mean? It doesn't just mean locator.
Jon Dillon:No, no, it means that it is your job to protect. It's that idea of family, of where are you? I want you to be safe, I want you to be nurtured and in the idea of a keeper of the grounds, that's what they. I want this place to grow. I want this to be a place of abundance. It's not just enough. My house improved a lot when I married my wife. It went from just looking like a guy lived here to it had some style now and she made it better.
Rose Mohler:Well, Aaron is awesome for one thing. That might be why.
Jon Dillon:Yes, she gave me lots of money to say this on the air.
Rose Mohler:I was paid nothing. Aaron is a jewel for real. His wife is a sweetheart.
Jon Dillon:Yeah, but David is talking this way. He says listen, what's the goal? I want to be a tree in the house of God, steadfast in love. Israel desires not that. They have abandoned this path of Eden and they're walking a path of Babylon. And you sow and you reap. They have dug a hole so deep and then jumped down into this pit and they're going to reap a whirlwind because of their hatred for one another and because of their war between each other and their murders and their hatred for what God is doing in the other places. It's going to bring about problems with God and problems with each other. We're going to look at a text that I think is beautiful and it's going to serve as a setup for our next study, but before we do that, I want you to take a minute and find the book of Zechariah. Okay, maybe it takes you a minute to find Zechariah. Pause the episode here if you need to, but go find Zechariah and go to chapter 11, and we're going to start reading in verse 7.
Jacob Kesling:Are you saying that you really want them to see this text, not just listen to it? I want you to see this.
Jon Dillon:I want you to see this yeah.
Jacob Kesling:Take a look here, your eyes to cross these words. Put your face in front of this, particularly the ESV version. I do like it?
Jon Dillon:yeah, well, that's just so. Yeah, I copy and pasted it, so that popped in there it's okay.
Rose Mohler:So I became the shepherd of the flock, doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders, and I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union, and I tended the sheep.
Jon Dillon:Okay we're going to pause there. So Zechariah is performing something called a prophetic sign act. The prophets actually acted out messages. Some of the weird ones are Isaiah and Ezekiel. God asked them to do some strange stuff and everyone was watching them to see what they would do. Here the prophet is supposed to become a shepherd of a flock and he takes two trees, two staffs, two eights, and one of them he names favor and the other he names union and he tends the sheep. Let's keep going. In one month I destroyed the other. He names union and he tends the sheep. Let's keep going.
Rose Mohler:In one month I destroyed the three shepherds, but I became impatient with them and they also detested me. So I said I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed, and let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.
Jon Dillon:So suddenly it's changed. It talks about shepherds being destroyed. He's having conversations with the sheep. This is not again. This was like animals talking to him. This is a prophecy. This is poetry. He's gone. I says I'm going to tend these sheep, I'm going to show you this, but now let me tell you the prophecy. And what's going to happen is the destruction of the shepherds. Shepherds is a way that ancient cultures talked about kings or governors, especially Sumerians, and Gilgamesh is sometimes called the shepherd of his city, of the high walls, and so this is a word that would have been used to talk about kings. So he's a shepherd and he says listen, what's going to be destroyed? Let it be destroyed. If you want to devour each other's flesh, devour the flesh of one another. Look at verse 10.
Rose Mohler:And I took my staff favor and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. So it was annulled on that day and the sheep traders who were watching me knew that it was the word of the Lord.
Jon Dillon:Okay, so they understand what's happening. The prophet is losing his mind over there and he took his staff. And what was the name of the staff? Favor, favor, and he smashes it. The implication here this is the destruction of the tree. Israel will no longer be walking in what Favor? In God's favor, let's keep going.
Rose Mohler:Then I said to them if it seems good to you, give me my wages, but if not, keep them. And they weighed out as my wages 30 pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me throw it to the potter, the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw them. So this is a prophecy, a messianic prophecy.
Jon Dillon:He goes to these sheep herders and they just watched him perform a prophecy and he smashed this. And he storms up to them. And they just watched him perform a prophecy and he smashed this. And he storms up to him and he says give me my money. And they apparently give him a lot of money 30 pieces of silver. By the way, that's going to have importance in the Jesus story.
Jacob Kesling:Yeah, there's nothing to see here, nothing to see here, don't look behind the curtain.
Jon Dillon:Judas is going to come into play here, but notice how it ends in verse 14. I broke the second staff union and it annulled what the brotherhood? The brotherhood between Judah and Israel. This is what they've sowed. How can Judah and Israel become brothers again? How can North and South be united again? How can the priests and the house of David be united again? How can this mess that has come out of the last hundreds of years find a real, quality answer again?
Jacob Kesling:This reminds me. This is like a Jesus storybook, Bible story. There will be one of the seed of David. Yeah, that's exactly what it is.
Jon Dillon:That's exactly what this is, and so this is what we're doing.
Jon Dillon:We're going to walk through this and I'm going to try to explain to you the story of how the New Testament world was formed. Who are the Sadducees? Who are the Pharisees? What happened to the Northern tribes, because they didn't disappear as much as people seem to want them to have? The Samaritans, all these things, the multiple temples that come up. Who is Alexander the Great? What do the prophecies of Daniel have to do with this stuff? And I guess, in the end, what I'm trying to tell you is that the Lord, your God, is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, mighty and awesome. Thank you,