Genesis 10-12          

We read that Noah and his family walked on dry land. But where were the dead bodies? We know it is possible for trees and herbs generally to survive the flood, but not any living thing that has the breath of life. God did not spare them.

Genesis 6:17 “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.”

Spirits don’t die. As the flood subsided, the dead bodies were swept of into the deep with their spirits. The deep is the pit, the Abyss, a place of darkness, i.e. the absence of God.

To those in deliverance ministry, these are the entities troubling mankind today; spirits from the waters. The inhabitants of the earth in the first place were destroyed because of the mingling of humans with angels and bore strange children. The only way these spirits multiply is through sex.

Women are special creatures. God created them for the purpose of procreation. Everything about them is to bring about multiplication; intellect, body organs, strength and other abilities. If you gave them little love, they give you a bunch of splendor with their heart. You are doomed if you showed hatred, they will give you hell.

God still needed human beings to carry out His plan of salvation. He needs a channel for realizing His agenda. He won’t violate His ordination even though He could change the course of realizing it. He won’t change or abandon His project, He will only change the person not yielding.

Do you know that after Eve, there was not any other woman whose name was mentioned in the scripture until Sarah, the barren?

Genesis 11:29 “And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; …. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.”

The process of salvation started here with the choice of Abram’s family. God’s declaration against the serpent was about to take effect on earth. The unseen blood was with God, but a body was needful for the blood on earth.

Genesis chapter 12 reveals the probable reason for Sarai’s barrenness.

Genesis 12:1 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:”

It is written that God HAD said; which means, God had been talking Abram into covenant with Him before this stage but he was probably not yielding. Since Sarai was his wife, she was the only fit for the seed of promise; the womb of Sarai had been prepared as a channel for realizing His plan. Each time God speaks, His word is spirit and needs a body for the fulfillment. Abram yielded after God gave His promises of nationhood and blessing; a bargain was reached. Based on this, Abram departed according to God’s suggestion.

Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

Genesis 12:4 “So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; …: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.”

Not until there is agreement, God will not force His will on you. He may show signs of His plan. Sarai’s barrenness was not a duress on Abram to yield but to help Abram towards understanding purpose of his calling.

You will notice that, gradually, his association with his father’s house was reducing. Haran died leaving behind Lot, his son. Terah (Abram’s father) left Nahor (Abram’s brother) behind in Ur of Chaldees. Terah died on the way to Canaan in Haran, leaving Abram and Lot, with Sarai behind. Abram had nothing to hold unto but to move forward to obey the only comfort he had, God’s voice, since his father was dead.

On getting to Canaan, God appeared again to tell him that he has reached the place where he must settle. And there, Abram build the second altar ever recorded in the Bible. Now, the spirit of the call has started manifesting. His heart was being directed from loving his father’s house to loving the Lord.

Genesis 12:7 “And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.”

Altar is a symbol of worship. It is a platform for putting your sacrifice, a point of meeting with the Lord; heart to heart with God. A symbol of agreement. A platform for spiritual interaction.

It was on on the altar that Noah gave his sacrifice and God was pleased with the smell. Your heart matters before the Lord, beloved. Whatever you give the Lord, the motive is in your heart. If the motive is wrong, God cannot accept it. If it is to compete with another, it cannot be accepted. The altar Abram raised was not because of any sin or for a problem to be removed, but to appreciate God’s faithfulness. How many of you give thanksgiving offering in appreciation of God’s kindness without being told to do that? There are many offerings, beloved, but the only one that touches God’s heart is thanksgiving offering. Noah’s was a sweet savour in God’s nostril. Sacrifice is not giving what you don’t need, but giving what you need, but for a higher responsibility. This was the reason it was not hard for Abram to set his mind to sacrifice Isaac which he looked forward to for years. He was rewarded.

David is one of the greatest sinners recorded in the Bible, but he heard a good heart towards the Lord; he loved the Lord greatly and was always appreciating Him in songs and hymns. People go to church, not to praise God, but pray away their problems. That’s the reason they are not bordered whether they came late or not. Many come after praise and worship. And the moment the prayers are answered, the heart of appreciation is not in them. God must be appreciated. Being in the choir does not mean you are appreciating Him or worshiping him in the spirit; you are just a vessel being used to minister. God weighs the heart.

May the good Lord circumcise our hearts for the kingdom life, in the name of Jesus.

Supo Abayode

MFM, Delaware, USA