The Cross and Crowns Ministry Nairobi

With Lot gone, the Lord spoke to Abram concerning twospecific things; THE LAND AND HIS DESCENDANTS-Gen. 13:14-17.Abram’s journey of faith led him to a place of strength, a place of fatness, dwelling in association with the Lord, building an altar there to Him because of his choice to fully obey the Lord instructions-Gen. 13:18.Heb.11:9 By faith [to thesaving of the soul] he [Abraham] dweltin the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God

Having changed his mind, Abram made an upward journey away from Egypt to Bethel, in the company of his wife, nephew and all that he had. He was a wealthy man in livestock, silver and gold! Lot too had his own flocks, herds and tents!

Since both Abram and Lot were well supplied with great possessions, the land could NOT support both of them. As a result, they could NOT dwell together as evidenced by the prevailing strife between their herdsmen.

It was at this moment that Abram made the bold, but difficult decision to ask Lot, his nephew, to separate from him−Please let there be no strife between you and me… Please separate from me…

Since Abram left Haran when he was 75 years old, we can safely conclude that he delayed his journey for 5 years until Terah died.

Besides the delay arising from Terah’s presence, there was neither sustenance for Abram’s spirit man nor cleansing because he dwelt in Haran.

Lot went with Abram. The Hebrew word for ‘Lot’ comes from another word which means a veil, covering.

Abram was partially obedient to the Lord’s instructions and yet the Lord commends him−Heb. 11:8.

The Lord commended Abraham for his choices to live by faith, to the saving of the soul, in a twofold manner−Heb. 11:8-10.

i. Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place he would receive as an inheritance.

ii. Abraham dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country because his focus was on another city.

When Noah was divinely warned regarding the impendingflood, he moved with godly fear thus prepared an ark for the saving of his household-Heb. 11:7.

Noah's reverential attitude led to his obedience in the action of building the ark.

Jesus Christ was heard because of His godly fear-Heb. 5:7-8.

We are to serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear-Heb. 12:25-29.

Godly fear is the disposition of the heart of an individual who after hearing God speaking to him/her, through the Scriptures, makes a conscious decision to faithfully obey Him!

The days of Noah provide a prophetic word picture of the return of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, with the nation of Israel in view.

Noah and his family going through the flood while the rest of mankind were destroyed foreshadows the nation of Israel going through the Tribulation where many Israeli will die but the nation will NOT be destroyed−Isa. 43:2-5.

Heb. 11:7 By faith [to the saving of the soul] Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

i. Noah was divinely warned of things not seen i.e., the flood.

ii. Noah moved with godly fear to prepare an ark for the saving of his household.

iii. Noah’s obedience had a two-fold outcome: he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Enoch is the seventh man from Adam−Jude 1:14.

After Enoch begot Methuselah, he walked with God threehundred years and this is a matter that is repeated in the text−Gen. 5:22, 24.

a. He walked in habitual fellowship with God! He walked inreverent fear and obedience with God.

b. He lived/walked in close fellowship with God.

c. He walked faithfully with God.

By so doing, Enoch pleased God!

God taking Enoch away after the death of Abel butbefore the flood of Noah typifies the resurrection/rapture of the Church to the judgment seat of Christ, something that is sandwiched between the death/resurrection of Christ and the Tribulation!

Gal. 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Christians are sons because of creation – 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:15.

Being heirs to the promise [Gal. 3:29] resulting from spiritual maturity [Heb. 5:14] is with a view to Christians being adopted as sons i.e., God the Father sent His Son with REGALITY in sharp focus.

Christians adopted as sons at the JSOC will be placed as firstborns thus enjoy rights of the firstborn like Jacob−Gen. 25:33; Deut. 21:15-17.

The account/record of Cain and Abel typifies the nation of Israel and Christ respectively.

The writer of Hebrews was led/moved by the Holy Spirit to provide a record of Old Testament saints who acted by faith-Heb. 11:2.

Heb. 11:4 By faith [to the saving of the soul] Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

How did Cain and Abel arrive at the decision to bring offerings to the Lord?

The most common teaching promulgated in Christendom toexplain the Lord’s antithetical responses to Abel and Cain and their offerings is that while the former brought a blood offering the latter brought a plant (non-blood) offering! Is this persuasion correct?