DO NOT TAKE PAYMENT FROM THE ENEMY

PROCLAMATION

“And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto The Lord, The Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take … any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich; Save only that which the young men have eaten …”  Genesis 14:22-24 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Lot separated from Abram, he resided in an area near Sodom.  There was a war between the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the four kings to the east who prevailed against them.  The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah including Lot and his possessions. (Genesis 14:1-12)  When Abram heard what had happened to Lot, he gathered 318 of his men and went and rescued Lot.  He also recovered all of the possessions which were taken from Sodom and Gomorrah, including those that belonged to Lot. (Genesis 14:13-16)  The king of Sodom offered the recovered possessions to Abram, but he refused them.  He said that he swore to The Lord God that he would not take anything from him, and so that the king could never say that he made Abram rich. (Genesis 14:17-24)

 

APPLICATION

There are a number of reasons for not taking any form of payment from the enemy.  He may feel that he owns you, or that he has bought your loyalty.  However, the main reason for not doing so is that it would appear to others that the two of you are in some kind of partnership with each other.  The Bible says that we are to do that which is good and right, and we are to avoid evil.  It also says that we are to avoid even the appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)  Don’t partner with people who are doing evil.  Don’t be bought.  If we are going to do something good to help someone who is in need, then do not accept payment for doing it.  Also, do not broadcast the good deed to get public acclaim.  If we seek the glory of men then we already have our reward for the good deed. (Matthew 6:2)

 

BE GENEROUS TO GOD'S PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“And Abram said unto Lot, ‘Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we be brethren.  Is not the whole land before thee?  Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me; if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.’  And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered … Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east ...”  Genesis 13:8-11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Abram left Egypt he returned to Bethel with more than he had when he left.  His herds and Lot’s herds were so large that the land could not support them both. (Genesis 13:1-6)  When quarreling started between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen. Abram told Lot to choose the part of the land that he wanted, and he would take the other side. (Genesis 13:7-9)  Abram was very generous and let Lot have the best part of the land. (Genesis 13:10-11)  After Lot left, The Lord spoke to Abram and blessed him saying that all of the land that he could see, in all directions, would be his. (Genesis 13:14-18)

 

APPLICATION

All separations are not bad.  Sometimes it is better to separate yourself from some people in order to keep the peace.  The children of God are to be peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9)  Some of the people that we are keeping close to us are blocking our blessings.  There are some people in our lives we need to let go of in order to be blessed.  We can also be blessed by giving to others.  Be generous when you give to God’s people.  The Bible says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you.” (Luke 6:38)  For by giving, we shall receive.  The Bible says that as we give, so shall we receive. (Luke 6:38)  The Bible also says that the generous person will be made rich, and he that blesses others will himself also be blessed. (Proverbs 11:25)  If we give generously to God’s people, then we will also be blessed.

 

WHEN THE LORD SAYS GO IT IS TIME TO MOVE

PROCLAMATION

“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 show thee.’ ”  Genesis 12:1 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After God confounded their language and scattered mankind in different direction across the earth, (Genesis 11:3-8) they continued to multiply.  Abram, who would later become known as Abraham and as the father of the faithful, (Genesis 17:5) was born from the lineage of Noah’s son Shem. (Genesis 11:10-26)  Abram and his wife Sarai went with his father from the land of Ur to Harran and settled there. (Genesis 11:31)  It was from there that The Lord God told Abram to leave. (Genesis 12:1)  The Lord told Abram that He would bless him and make him into a great nation.  God said that whoever blesses Abram would be blessed and whoever curses him would be cursed.  All of mankind would be blessed through him. (Genesis 12:2-3)  Abram left Harran and travelled through Canaan, and towards Bethel, to Egypt.  It was in Egypt that Abram lied to Pharaoh and said that his wife Sarai was his sister because he feared for his life. (Genesis 12:10-16)  Sarai was taken to Pharaoh’s palace, but God sent a plague upon Pharaoh and his household and Sarai was returned to Abram before Pharaoh touched her. (Genesis 12:17-20)

 

APPLICATION

When The Lord God tells us to “Go” then it is time for us to go, even when we are not sure exactly where we are going.  When God says that we are to leave a place or a person, then it is time for us to move on.  Sometimes we have to move out of our comfort zone in order to be where God wants us to be.  There are times when we need to leave a job, a city, a relationship, or some people behind, and that includes family.  We need to listen to and obey the voice of God.  He speaks to us with a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) and through His Holy Word.  Where we were yesterday may not be where God wants us to be tomorrow, so it may be time for us to move today.  We all need to make sure that we are where God wants us to be and that we are doing what God wants us to do.

 

THE BEGINNING OF DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord said, ‘Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do … Let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’ ”  Genesis 11:6-7 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  As mankind began to multiply as God had commanded, (Genesis 9:1) some of them journeyed eastward to the land of Shinar.  At this time all of mankind spoke the same language. (Genesis 11:1)  Those in Shinar decided to build a city and a tower of brick and tar.  The tower was to be so high that its top would reach up to heaven and they would make a name for themselves. (Genesis 11:4)  This must have displeased The Lord God because after He saw what they were doing, He confounded their language so that they could not understand each other.  This caused them to stop building the city and the tower, and they scattered in different directions all over the earth. (Genesis 11:5-9)  The place where this occurred is called Babel.  The remainder of the chapter details the genealogy of Noah’s son Shem up to Abram, (Genesis 11:10-32) whose name would later be changed to Abraham.

 

APPLICATION

No one knows what language mankind spoke when they all spoke the same language.  Today there are more than 6,500 languages, dialects, and tongues spoken throughout the world, according to Google.  This is the result of man thinking that he could build a tower high enough to reach to heaven.  Those in charge wanted to make a name for themselves with this tower as their accomplishment. (Genesis 11:4)  All they did was to upset The Lord God who confounded the language of mankind so that they could not understand one another. (Genesis 11:6-7)  The only way for man to get to heaven is by belief in Jesus, The Christ. (John 14:6)  It is only by the grace of God, through faith in Christ, that we are saved.  Salvation is a gift from God.  Nothing man can do on his own can save himself. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 

THE GENEALOGY OF THE NATIONS

PROCLAMATION

“These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.”  Genesis 10:32 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the flood, God blessed Noah and his sons and told them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. (Genesis 9:1)  Noah had three sons, Japheth, Ham, and Shem.  Each of his sons had sons, and each of them had sons. (Genesis 10:1-32)  These grandsons, and great-grandsons, and great great-grandsons of Noah spread out in different directions establishing territories of their own for their families. The sons and grandsons of Japheth settled the isles including Britain. (Genesis 10:3-5)  The sons and grandsons of Ham settled the area of Canaan, Babel, Nineveh, Sodom, and Gomorrah. (Genesis 10:6-20)  The sons and grandsons of Shem settled the area from Mesha to Mount Sephar. (Genesis 10:21-31)  These family territories were the foundations of the nations of the world. (Genesis 10:32)

 

APPLICATION

If we could trace our family history back far enough, we would all find that we are related to one of Noah’s sons.  For most of us this history is lost.  However, the Jewish records were maintained, probably because of their concern regarding the genealogy of Christ.  For all of our national and ethnic differences, all of the people in the world today are from the genealogy of Noah and his sons.  We need to pray for our family members, nearby and distant, those known and unknown, those all over the world. 

 

THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT WITH NOAH

PROCLAMATION

“And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, ‘And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you … neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth … I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.’ ”  Genesis 9:8-13 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the flood, God blessed Noah and his sons and told them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. (Genesis 9:1)  God gave them dominion over all the beast of the earth, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea. (Genesis 9:2)  God also said that every living thing that moves shall be food for them.  Just as He had given them the green plants to eat, He now gives them everything to eat. (Genesis 9:3)  However, they were told not to eat any animal while it was still alive with blood running through it.  If they did so, then their life would be required of them.  God also said that if any man kills another man, his life will be required of him. (Genesis 9:4-6)  Then The Lord God said that He would establish a covenant with Noah and his sons and his seed after him that He would never again destroy all life or the earth with water.  The rainbow in the clouds would be a sign of that covenant. (Genesis 9:8-17)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God did not say that He would never again destroy mankind and the earth.  What He said was that He would not destroy them again with water. (Genesis 9:11)  The rainbow in the clouds is a sign of the covenant that He made with Noah not to destroy everything again with water. (Genesis 9:13)  The Lord God will destroy mankind and the earth again, but the next time it will be with fire. (Revelation 16:21, 20:9, and 20:15)  The church will have been raptured before this happens so believers will not be destroyed. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)  The message to non-believers is, therefore, repent, the destruction of mankind is coming and it will not be by water.

 

WAIT ON THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.  And God spake to Noah, saying, ‘Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.  Bring forth with every living thing that is with thee … and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.’ ”  Genesis 8:14-17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God spoke to Noah and told him to build the ark, Noah did all that God had commanded him to do. (Genesis 6:22)  Then The Lord God told Noah go into the ark with two of every kind of animal and He shut him in. (Genesis 7:1-16)  Afterwards, it rained continuously for forty days and forty nights. (Genesis 7:12)  The rain caused a flood which lifted the ark, (Genesis 7:17) and covered the mountains by more than twenty feet. (Genesis 7:20)  All the animals and all mankind outside of the ark died. (Genesis 7:21-22)  The water covered the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)  When the flood waters began to recede, Noah stayed inside of the ark.  As the water receded the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (Genesis 8:4)  After forty days Noah opened a window, and he could see the tops of the mountains, but he stayed inside of the ark.  Even after the dove that he sent out returned with an olive leaf, Noah stayed inside of the ark. (Genesis 8:8-12)  Even when he could see that the surface of the ground was dry, Noah stayed in the ark until The Lord God said for him to come out of the ark. (Genesis 8:13-17)  When he did come out of the ark, he built an altar and sacrificed some of the clean animals that he had brought with him. (Genesis 8:18-20)  Then The Lord God said that He would never again destroy every living thing as He had done. (Genesis 8:21)  He would never again do it this way, by water.

 

APPLICATION

Noah had faith in God, he was obedient and built an ark even before there was a cloud in the sky.  He entered the ark when The Lord God told him to do so, and he did not come out of it until God told him to come out.  Even though he could see that the ground was dry after the flood, he did not come out.  We need to learn to trust in The Lord and lean not on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)  Things are not always as they appear.  Relying on our five senses and our limited intelligence, instead of doing what thus saith The Lord, will get us into trouble.  We need to develop patience.  We need to pray before we act, (Philippians 4:6) and before we speak.  We need to learn to be patient and to wait on The Lord. (Psalm 27:14)