06/04/2023
Our Covenant Month Of Exemptions.
We serve a loving and caring God who would go any length to save or deliver his people. We see that in the Old and New Covenants. In the 6th chapter of the book of Genesis, Noah like us today, found grace in the eyes of God and he exempted him and members of his family from the destruction of the then known world through the Ark which he instructed Noah to build. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. It is called faith!
Our Ark of Safety yearly covenant service, is based on the revelation of God's exemption for his people. We thank God for the testimonies he has given us from that revelation over the years.
After 430 years of slavery in Egypt ,God delivered three million Jews from Egyptian oppression and captivity. With a strong hand he showed Pharaoh that no situation was too difficult for him to handle.
The book of Exodus chronicles how God saved his people. God through various signs and wonders showed Pharaoh what he could do through Moses.
He afflicted the Egyptians with ten plagues but the people of Israel were totally exempted.
Then he instituted the Passover as a type of God's redeeming covenant with his people in Egypt.
ln Exodus 12:12-13, he told them to kill a lamb and place the the blood on the lintels of their doors:"For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
And the blood, shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."
In these two verses and in verse 23 we note two patterns of reality: "pass through" and "Passover". They imply that when God's judgement, in whatever form, passed through the land, it would pass over them, provided they kept to his instructions. Instructions are very important to covenant exemptions. We must take heed to whatever instructions God gives us in these times to be rescued from adversities and evil occurrences.
For instance, some years ago the Lord instructed a brother in Lagos to begin to buy wood. It was a strange instruction. More so because the brother was a public servant. But knowing the voice of the Lord he obeyed. A short while after, there was severe scarcity of cooking gas. This brother and his family were exempted and in fact, became richer in the midst of scarcity because he provided wood as an alternative to gas in that season.
In the New Covenant, King Herod on hearing of the birth of the Messiah King, decided to kill all children of a certain age. Despite his strict order, the newly born Jesus was exempted from his wrath. (Matthew 2:16-18).
The case of Peter in Acts 12 is also worthy of note. Herod had killed James and had locked up Peter intending to kill him because the Jews were happy at the killing of James. Through the prayers of the saints Peter was supernaturally delivered from the hands of Herod .
"Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands." (Acts 12:5-7.)
Apart from physical deliverances from death persecution, or any other afflictions, God also has an economic exemption plan for his people. He demonstrated it in Egypt during an economic downturn.
"And when money FAILED in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth." (Genesis 47:15.)
However, the children of Israel were supernaturally exempted. Their part of the nation of Egypt was free from all the hardships and difficulties associated with the Egyptian economy.
"And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.
And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly." (Genesis 47:13,27)
If God did it before he can do it again. All Scripture is given for our examples and learning.
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)
So these examples and many more; like the deliverances of the early Christians especially the Apostles,from death, persecutions, shipwreck etc are enough reasons for us to have hope.Whatever testimonies we see in Scriptures can be replicated in our time and lives in an environment of obedience and faith.
God is faithful! He can never fail. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8.)
Please note that Christianity thrives on our relationship with God and obedience to his commands and instructions.
There is a day called the Day of God's Jewels. We read about it in Malachi 3:17-18 (KJV) "And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."
In plain language God says he will make a distinction between those who serve him and those who don't, between the righteous and the unrighteous.
Don't take anything for granted. Nothing is too big or too small for God to handle. It bears repeating that God also answers our thoughts. So always let your thoughts be in alignment with the word of God.
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ASK or THINK, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21
Have a great and testimony filled month. Shalom, shalom.
