I Will Show You - Genesis 12:1

Genesis 12:1 

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.

Every believer in Christ is called to do the same as Abram. We are called to leave the way of the world for the way of God. It is a journey of faith to an inheritance He will show us. 

Jesus calls us to leave everything behind for Him. We do this by putting Him first in our lives. Doing this we become the first fruits of His life. 

From his seed would come a great nation on earth, Israel. From his seed would also come a great nation built on faith, the Church; the body of Christ. 

Jesus would tell His disciples, "Come and see".

A Man Of The Soil - Genesis 9:20

Genesis 9:20 ESV 

Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard.

Adam was formed and placed in the Garden to work the ground. Noah became a man of the soil, a tiller of the earth. Jesus was the word sown in the earth of humanity. 

Israel is described as a vineyard planted and cared for by the Lord. It might be viewed as a type of "garden" like Eden where God would work through man to accomplish His purpose. It did not produce the desired effect. In Noah's case it was the source of drunkenness. In Israel's case the fruit of God's vineyard went bad in the weeds of idolatry. 

Jesus would successfully work the earth in sowing the seed of heaven. The receptivity of the ground would vary, but the outcome is certain. A remnant will be redeemed. 

This Is The Sign - Genesis 9:12-17

Genesis 9:12-17 ESV 

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:

I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,

I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

This covenant is between God and all flesh on the earth. Never again would all the flesh of the earth bear the wrath of God for the sin of man. Sin would be overcome in the flesh of one man, Jesus Christ. He alone would bear the wrath of God that sin brought into world. 

The rainbow signifies an everlasting covenant never to be superseded or replaced by a better covenant, and it stands in effect to this day. It would help pave the way to the grace and mercy of the coming Son. A bow would be part of the throne room as described by John in Revelation. 

It is a significant sign from the Father. It contains the promise of mercy and the promise of a new beginning. It solely rests on God in the making and fulfillment, just as all creation and its purpose. 

Cleft Of The Rock - Exodus 33:18-23

Exodus 33:18-23 ESV 

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock,

and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

God chooses Moses to proclaim God and set His people free from the slavery in Egypt, but does not allow him to see His face. This would not be possible until Jesus appeared on earth and we choose to be like Him, as sons of God. 

Man must die to self to live in Jesus. A man that does not die to self will just die. The man that chooses Jesus will never die.  

He then hints to Moses of His coming mercy and grace that would come through the Son and would be available to the whole world. We can take comfort in the fact He has chosen to be gracious and merciful to all that would choose Him. 

He is our rock and we find safe passage to God when we enter the body of Christ which is the rock of our salvation. He covers us with His cleansing blood until the wrath of God passes by. 

We will see Him face to face and we will be like Him.

In Love - Ephesians 5:1-2

Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV 

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Love is the operative word in these two verses. To follow God, to imitate love, means to receive the love by God in such a way that love becomes our way of life. We are beloved children. As we experience and understand our "beloved" reality, our walk of life will more and more imitate Christ our Lord. 

Love becomes our offering back to God. We give ourselves up for Him as He gave Himself up for us. The perfection, or completion, of love is achieved when that connection is made, like a electric circuit made whole and allows the flow of electricity, but flowing in both directions. 

The purpose of creation takes shape and form in this union and exchange. We enter His rest and true life. 

More Than Conquerors - Romans 8:37-39

Romans 8:37-39 ESV 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Those who conquer in this world give up everything when they die. Be it land, riches, or achievements, all things are relinquished when the grave receives the body which flowered for a short time. 

Those that conquer the world are more than conquerors. Instead of giving up everything when passing from this life, they gain everything. They are with the Lord. Their inheritance is realized in heaven. The mortal body which served them in this life will pass away, only to be replaced with a new and immortal body when He returns, when we return. Do you realize you will return with Him? We are the body of Christ. 

The love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord has joined us with eternal life. We have overcome the world, making us more than conquerors. We are sons of God. 

As Many As Came - Genesis 9:8-10

Genesis 9:8-10 ESV as many as came

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,

“Behold, I establish my covevant with you and your offspring after you,

and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.

God makes a new covenant, but this one is with man and every other creature that came out of the ark. "It is for every beast of the earth." He cursed the ground because of man. He cursed the living that were drowned by the flood. From now on man alone would bear the curse of disobedience. 

God would carry that out in a most unexpected way through the Son of Man that would come for as many as would enter the the ark of the body of Christ. He alone would bear the sins of the world. 

It is for as many who will come to Him. 

It is the final covenant.