Tag Archives: Scriptures

THE LIFE OF A LEVITE

A life dedicated to God

Of the twelve tribes of Israel, Levi was chosen by God to serve him in the temple. This was part of the instructions he gave Moses when the time for allocation of roles came. The allocation exercise happened after they had all crossed the red Sea. The time had come to rehabilitate and organize them. God had looked forward to the time when he would reunite with his people; his chosen people, the descendants of his friend Abraham. His friend Abraham was now with him while his descendants have become numerous like the sands of a Seashore. Beautiful! Our God is a covenant keeping God.

To keep them closer through an intimate relationship he simulated Heaven on Earth. You had Pillar of fire and clouds of thunderstorms. You had birds falling from the Sky, Manna more than sufficient to feed generations. He then introduced Heaven’s system of worship. The way he is worshipped in Heaven where a multitude of Angels and the elders all bowed in reverence. So he Tutored Moses on how to go about it. And commanded him to declare the Levites as his Tabernacle Servants forever. God unleashed his Glory on Earth for the sake of Israel. The world had never seen anything like that before.

A life of total dedication was demanded. Read:

The Lord had said to Moses: You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law—over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death. The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard. The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law” – Numbers 1 vs 48 – 53

They will not live like the rest. Will not live under the government of their time. They will stand out because they operate on a whole different dimension. They by their calling have become citizens of Heaven and officials of a System which represents what is obtainable. A people that God can communicate and be with. A bridge between God and mortals.

Here is more: They are not to work for a living. The Tabernacle will take care of their feeding and clothing. They are not to buy Land or inherit it. Their life is within the Tabernacle. By this God demanded that by no means should they be attached to the world.

Seeing that Man’s weakness usually lies in his intimacy with the things of the world, separating him from every other thing is necessary. For what you love you adore. So the Levites then (and whoever assumes their role today) were/is expected to live with zero attachment to the world.

“But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them” – Joshua 13 vs 14

CLEAR-CUT FOLLOWER

As the country counts down to the next election, parties are beginning to execute their campaign plans. This is usually the time loyalty is measured by participation. It is very difficult to identify with two rival parties at once. The consequence can be collosal. Betrayers are dealt seriously with sometimes. Party members must represent their parties everywhere within the short time left for campaigns. Such loyal members are “clear-cut” followers.

Politics is not the only place where commitment is emphasized. In the body of Christ it is of utmost importance. It is a demand. God expects this of us. In Ephesians 5 we find Paul Instructing the Church On what to do live up to expectation. He began by demanding that they imitate Christ. They must be practical with their faith. That includes staying away completely from certain habits that misrepresents Christ. The Church must not condone it.

‘But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people” – Ephesians 5 vs 3

A little stain can spread all over a white garment. Knowing how dangerous it is it should not be condoned. Paul went on to warn against false teachers and preachers who cover uncleanliness in their congregation. He reminds us in verse 6 of the obvious consequence of disobedience;

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

Are you a clear- cut believer? Are you as practical as you are expected to be? The door is wide open and you can be committed to doing exactly as the word of God instructs. Heaven rewards hardwork

THE TWO BASKETS OF FIGS

When God Chastises

Our Father in Heaven is an epitome of a perfect parent. He is indeed perfect in all ramifications. An earthly father disciplines his child because he hopes that by so doing he would be correcting him. But because of his imperfections as human he does sometimes forgets the purpose for chastising the child. In such a situation the child is abused eventually. But God wouldn’t do that to his own.

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you” –
Isaiah 49 vs 15 – 17

So Why Does God Chastise Us?

When we disobey God something terrible happens to our Soul. It dies. Sin is Death. Now this is a loss to Heaven, and it is one God doesn’t take lightly. Yahweh is particularly concerned about those he for one reason or the other brought close to himself as he did with Israel. Such he disciplines whenever they disobey so as to raise them from their ashes stronger and better.

Chastisement shakes the Soul up and out from the weakness of the flesh and improves the man.

We are tested through fire so as to enforce consistency in holiness without which we can do nothing. Then we are released.

The prophesy of the two Baskets of Figs as recorded in Jeremiah 24 throws light on God’s methodology of chastisement. God came in a vision to his messenger Jeremiah with a prophesy for the future of Judah. This was immediately after Nebuchadnezzar had carried away Jeconnah the Son Jehoiakim; King of Judah, and the officials of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon. One of the baskets had in it ripe and beautiful figs, the other one had bad figs.

Basket A: The Good Figs

This basket represents those taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar. They are those God is very interested in. If you notice in Jeremiah 24 vs 1 they include men and women with divine gifts who God had burdened with certain skills for the future of Israel. He raised Nebuchadnezzar to move them to Babylon where they will be preserved though they are being chastised by God. (Jeremiah 24 vs 5 – 7)

Babylon was not for everyone a place of hopelessness or bondage. To some it is simply a safe passage into their destiny though physically it looks like suffering. There in Babylon they were preserved

Basket B: The Bad Figs

This basket has in it those marked for destruction. (Jeremiah 24 vs 8). God describes them as “very bad”. You understand that there are fruits that even though are bad still has parts that can be eaten. Those can be declared useful. But these ones are so bad that they can’t be eaten, said Yahweh. They included the King of Judah Zedekiah and his princess, and the rest of the people who were not taken into captivity. They would have probably thought they were better off than the people taken into captivity. The people in this container are condemned to damnation. (Jeremiah 24 vs 9). Their choices in life put them in that basket. They are the stubborn ones who has continuously challenged God and blasphemed his name.

Beloved child of God, when you pass through trials it is for your own good. Sometimes it is God shaking your systems to shake off your inner weaknesses. Hold on tight to Christ. The season will be over soon. It is well with you.

PROPHETIC DECLARATION FOR NOVEMBER

WELCOME TO THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

The Month of Extreme (LOUD) Fruitfulness

God made a covenant with Abraham with a promise that the blessings that he will benefit from it will be soooo loud (Genesis 17 vs 6a). This means all round Fruitfulness. Because you are by redemption a descendant of Abraham, you are entitled to all these LOUD BLESSINGS in your:

FINANCES
MARRIAGE
BUSINESS
ACADEMY
MINISTRY

May Your life every day of this month be flooded with Abraham’s blessings IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. YOU SHALL BE EXTREMELY BLESSED IN NOVEMBER IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS

IT IS INDEED WELL WITH YOU

Click Podcast or YouTube to listen to Audio version of November Prophetic Declaration

ONE JEALOUS GOD

Understanding God’s Do’s and Don’t

Am not sure how this message will be received in a time like this when Grace is the sermon from almost every pulpit across christian communities and Live Streams on TV’s and social media platforms. God is presented as a soft and considerate creator who overlooks Man’s weakness. I have heard a preacher say “It doesn’t matter if you sin or not. It’s that simple. Jesus has paid for your sins and he did so in advance”. So congregants come to Church with the mindset that the sins they plan to commit after service is forgiven already. And so Jesus has bought us over with his blood. Grace has got us all covered. Does it then mean Yahweh has discarded his own words or swallowed them like we often say? Is his commandment obsolete? Not at all. His principles are still the same.

God’s Laws Are Forever

After God released his people Israel from bondage in Egypt he read out his expectations to Moses which became laws that should guide them. This is today known as the Ten Commandments. It became pertinent to provide rules and regulations as man would be lost without them and would challenge his creator. He would also forget to worship his maker who protects, defends and provides for him.

The Mosaic Law

To begin with, concerning the Law, Jesus cleared the air about his position when the scribes confronted him.

Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Preceding his birth are prophecies and establishments that pointed towards the purpose of his coming. Worthy of note is God’s plan especially concerning the methodology of worship. Jesus would after resurrection become the recognized high priest, one whose priesthood would be by the order of Mekizedek, and of the tribe of Judah.

Some aspects of the law will be modified such as the command to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Jesus understood that God The Father still remains the Power that be whose principles must be adhered to. He remains still the God of all flesh and a very jealous one at that.

Though Christ’s death meant we could sin against God and be forgiven, it is not an excuse to sin freely. To correct that impression quickly, Christ gave instances of punishments that would be meted out to those that would fail to meet up with God’s standards. For example, the story of the Rich and Poor man points to a similar kind of Justice that was obtainable under Moses.

The difference is the time of it’s execution. While offenders were punished instantly under Mosaic Law, under Christ the Soul that sins and dies in sin is condemned and would be thrown into hell. While Grace and Mercy buys you more time to become better and to take advantage of the opportunity Jesus offers us to paradise, it is not a guarantee that you will automatically enter into eternal rest. Now this is why Paul advises us to:

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling” – Philippians 2 vs 12

Like the early Christians and Apostles we must get to work and diligently improve ourselves with Heaven on our minds. God still is dishing out judgement on wickedness.