The blood covenant is the basis of our relationship with God. A covenant is a contract or an agreement and the highest form of covenants is the blood covenant. When you have a blood covenant relationship with God, your life is involved and your status changes dramatically (Genesis 17). Customarily, the blood of the parties entering into the agreement was mixed together or animals were cut into two, then the covenanting parties would pass through the middle of the slain animals. Whatever the method chosen, it now meant that the lives of the parties had become one. That status of the testators, especially the weaker party, changed. God introduced this covenant after man sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3: 21). He taught man the need to shed blood so that there would be atonement of sin. The wages of sin is death and as long as sin exists in an individual’s life, God cannot relate with the person. The blood covenant then became the standard such that when Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices to God, Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because his sacrifice was bloodless. God taught Abraham about the blood covenant when He asked him to sacrifice animals. God then made it personal by asking Abraham to circumcise himself and every male in his household. He also changed Abram and Sarai’s names to reflect their change of status (Genesis 17: 5-16).
The blood covenant is trans-generational. When the children of Israel cried out to God while in slavery in Egypt, God remembered His covenant with their forefathers and He sent Moses to deliver them. God instructed Moses to release nine plagues which Pharaoh resisted until the tenth plague, which involved blood, was released (Exodus 11:1). The Israelites had forgotten about the blood covenant but on this night, known as the Passover Night, Moses told each family to kill a lamb and put its blood on their doorposts. This re-enactment of the blood covenant terminated years of slavery and everything associated with it. In one night, the Israelites came into great wealth (Exodus 12:35-36; Deuteronomy 8:18). God also changed their calendar. They no longer operated according to their oppressors’ calendar (Exodus 12: 1). The words which God had spoken to Abraham came into fulfillment.
Everything that happened to Israel was symbolic of what happened to Christ, our Passover Lamb, on the Cross (1 Corinthians 5:7). The night before Jesus was crucified He celebrated the Passover with His disciples and He told them to always celebrate it in remembrance of Him. Therefore, every time we take the Communion, we re-activate the covenant that we have with God. Our covenant with God can never fail because it provides an anchor for our souls and it is the surest foundation for our faith (Hebrews 6: 13-20). Obedience is the key to miracles. You receive God’s oath over your life when you obey (Hebrews 11:17-19: Genesis 22: 16-18). A power greater than God will have to first take Him out before His promises can fail to come to pass in your life (Jeremiah 33: 25-26). The covenant is the surest guarantee for our success and well-being. From today, see yourself as God sees you!
Covenant System for Increase. Proverbs 3: 9-10
By @sam_adeyemi
God has a unique way or system of prospering people and it is important that we align to that system. Man was not designed for suffering. Before God created man, He had created wealth and every resource man would need. Giving is an eternal law in God’s system. The honour and value you have for God is reflected through your giving (John 3:16). Put God first in all things (Matthew 6: 33). Do not forget that your blessings come from God. As your income begins to increase, the way you manage it is crucial because God always causes resources to flow away from those who do not manage them well to those who manage them properly (Matthew 25: 28-29). Therefore, we need to always honour God because He deserves it (Malachi 1: 6-14).
There are different classes of giving and the first one is tithing. Many people argue that tithing ended with the Old Testament; is not mentioned in the New Testament and that it passed away with the Law of Moses. However, the tithe predates Moses and the Law because Abraham, while returning from battle, met Melchizedek and gave him a tenth (a tithe) of all the plunder he got from the battle. In return, Melchizedek gave him bread and wine and blessed him (Hebrews 7: 1-9). Tithing is a deep spiritual principle. We need to understand that the tithe is received on a physical level and on a spiritual level, that is, by the earthly priest and by Jesus (Hebrews 7:8). Also, tithing helps us to secure God’s blessings. The way you are a citizen of a country and it is mandatory that you pay your taxes to ensure national prosperity, is the same way that, as a citizen of God’s kingdom, you pay your tithe. The tithe is not a gift to God; it is God’s property. He calls it robbery when you don’t pay it (Malachi 3: 8-12). Paying your tithe ensures you contribute to the welfare of the kingdom. As an individual, if you do not play your part, you are contributing to the failure of the community. Organisations and nations should give since the nations who give are the ones who are the most prosperous while those who beg remain poor. When you pay your tithe, no devourer, policy or system can impoverish you.
Another category of giving is the weekly and special offerings. Do not give haphazardly. Have a budget and plan your giving (1Corinthians 16:2). As God prospers you, do not think that it is for your personal consumption. He always has a purpose for any increase that comes your way (Exodus 32: 1-6; 35: 4-19). Giving to servants of God is another form of giving which allows you to partake in the grace of God upon their lives (Philippians 4: 15-19; 1Kings 17: 8-14; 2Kings 4: 8-37). God cares for the poor and giving to them is another form of giving that God recognises (Proverbs 19:17; Acts 2: 44-45). God’s blessings come with self-protection and He preserves individuals and communities who give to others (Numbers 23; Psalm 41: 1-3). Whenever you give, always give willingly. Do not ever give under pressure (Exodus 35; 1Corinthians 9:7). God does not need our money. Whenever He says “give”, it is because He wants to bless us.
God has a unique way or system of prospering people and it is important that we align to that system. Man was not designed for suffering. Before God created man, He had created wealth and every resource man would need. Giving is an eternal law in God’s system. The honour and value you have for God is reflected through your giving (John 3:16). Put God first in all things (Matthew 6: 33). Do not forget that your blessings come from God. As your income begins to increase, the way you manage it is crucial because God always causes resources to flow away from those who do not manage them well to those who manage them properly (Matthew 25: 28-29). Therefore, we need to always honour God because He deserves it (Malachi 1: 6-14).
There are different classes of giving and the first one is tithing. Many people argue that tithing ended with the Old Testament; is not mentioned in the New Testament and that it passed away with the Law of Moses. However, the tithe predates Moses and the Law because Abraham, while returning from battle, met Melchizedek and gave him a tenth (a tithe) of all the plunder he got from the battle. In return, Melchizedek gave him bread and wine and blessed him (Hebrews 7: 1-9). Tithing is a deep spiritual principle. We need to understand that the tithe is received on a physical level and on a spiritual level, that is, by the earthly priest and by Jesus (Hebrews 7:8). Also, tithing helps us to secure God’s blessings. The way you are a citizen of a country and it is mandatory that you pay your taxes to ensure national prosperity, is the same way that, as a citizen of God’s kingdom, you pay your tithe. The tithe is not a gift to God; it is God’s property. He calls it robbery when you don’t pay it (Malachi 3: 8-12). Paying your tithe ensures you contribute to the welfare of the kingdom. As an individual, if you do not play your part, you are contributing to the failure of the community. Organisations and nations should give since the nations who give are the ones who are the most prosperous while those who beg remain poor. When you pay your tithe, no devourer, policy or system can impoverish you.
Another category of giving is the weekly and special offerings. Do not give haphazardly. Have a budget and plan your giving (1Corinthians 16:2). As God prospers you, do not think that it is for your personal consumption. He always has a purpose for any increase that comes your way (Exodus 32: 1-6; 35: 4-19). Giving to servants of God is another form of giving which allows you to partake in the grace of God upon their lives (Philippians 4: 15-19; 1Kings 17: 8-14; 2Kings 4: 8-37). God cares for the poor and giving to them is another form of giving that God recognises (Proverbs 19:17; Acts 2: 44-45). God’s blessings come with self-protection and He preserves individuals and communities who give to others (Numbers 23; Psalm 41: 1-3). Whenever you give, always give willingly. Do not ever give under pressure (Exodus 35; 1Corinthians 9:7). God does not need our money. Whenever He says “give”, it is because He wants to bless us.
No comments:
Post a Comment