GIFTS – PART SEVENTEEN
Friday – February 14, 2020, Sh’vat 19, 5780
Greetings dear and wonderful friends and partners of this Ministry and blog. We truly hope that all of you are enjoying this Sunday series titled “Gifts”. I have started with the foundational gift of salvation or at least I will get to it in time. First, I have been laying out the legal foundation that was necessary for salvation to be available to mankind.
Romans 6:23 (KJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We know from other Scripture that God can get frustrated with mankind. This is not surprising since we get frustrated with one another and we are made in His image and likeness. I am sure He has had opportunity to shake His head in frustration with me from time to time but I am so thankful for repentance and forgiveness with restoration, and for His abundant compassion and mercy.
Ladies, be sure you have a brochure (flyer) for the Women’s Conference at New Beginnings Church of God, themed The Virtuous Woman, on the 30th of May 2020. Donna has an Anointed and dynamic speaker lined up in the person of Rev. Denise Stiewig of San Antonio, Texas. If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to give us feedback and to increase the reach of this Ministry. What could be easier in being a part of the “Great Commission”? Now, let’s pick up our study in Genesis chapter twenty-two, the most pivotal chapter in the whole Bible except for the day Jesus went to Calvary.
Genesis 22:10-14 (KJV)
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
As many of you know I am fascinated and amazed by the various numbers in the Bible whether it be in the text, or the book, chapter, or verse numbers. This is week seventeen of this series which is the number of victory. The Blood Covenant in place between God and Abraham is being tested. Abraham and Isaac come through with flying colors and the Law of Reciprocity is irrevocably triggered. Do we know the voice of God well enough and trust God enough to do what Abraham did over this three-day period? Would we know God was speaking? Would we trust Him enough to move on those words without hesitation as Abraham and Isaac did? From the text it seems that Isaac did not know he was the one to be sacrificed until they are at Mount Moriah, the future spot of Calvary. There is no evidence anywhere in Scripture that He did not willingly submit as the sacrificial lamb as will Jesus some 2000 years later.
There are times that the Lord will test the Blood Covenant between us and Him. This is necessary for us to move higher and forward in the Kingdom of God. That test may be in our money, a possession, or a relationship we need to move away from. Whatever it may be, will we pass or fail? Will we operate in the mind of the flesh which is death or the mind of the spirit which is life and peace (Romans 8:6)? Back to our text. The knife is poised over Isaac and about to plunge into his heart ending his natural life and the first step in the sacrifice process. However, they were both convinced that God would raise Isaac from the dead for Abraham’s seed and The Seed were to come through Isaac. Do we have that kind of trust in God?
Before Abraham plunged that knife unto the body of his only son, the son that he loves, an angel calls to him from Heaven. Let’s deal with this word “heaven” in verse eleven. According to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary this is the Hebrew transliterated to English as shāmayim. Notice “yim” on the end of the word making it pleural. Now, let’s think about this for a moment. All the picture depictions of this I have seen show an angel very close (within a few feet) to Abraham and Isaac but is that accurate? The text tells us that the angel called to Abraham from the heavens pleural. This is the exact same word as in Genesis 1:1 for heaven. How far do you figure it might be from this GPS coordinate on Mount Moriah to the abode of God in the third heaven, the location of this angel, and he is talking with clarity to Abraham? They are not on Facetime or Video Chat; this is a supernatural event that is difficult to wrap one’s mind around but exactly what is impossible to our Lord? For those of you who have spent some time thinking about and studying quantum mechanics (physics) know this is possible perhaps even to us if we know and believe (observer effect). It seems that this angel of the LORD is speaking to Abraham from the very Throne of God but as clearly as if the angel were a few feet away. Lord willing, I will pick up right here next Friday.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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