Genesis 22: 1-18
The Christian relationship is based on a blood covenant which is the highest form of covenants. A covenant is an agreement or a contract. In a blood covenant, your life is mixed with the life of the other person. (Leviticus 17:11) Blessing, healing, protecting and prospering us is God’s part of the covenant; our own part is to do His word. God will always do His own part. We need to commit to do God’s word because we are absolutely certain that every promise God has made to us this year will be fulfilled.
God had promised Abraham a son; so Abraham asked God for a firm assurance that He will do what He had promised. He was then instructed to take some animals and cut them into two. Abraham passed through the animals and afterwards God also passed through in the form of a burning lamp. (Genesis 15) This is one of the ways people cut covenants and it signified that God and Abraham had become one. In Genesis 17, God cut a deeper covenant with Abraham by asking him to circumcise himself and every male in his household. This signified that God was under obligation to bless Abraham while Abraham was under obligation to obey God. So far, God had kept His own part. Now Abraham was tested by God to see if he would keep his own part by telling him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Genesis 22) God is not interested human sacrifices. He was only testing Abraham’s obedience and integrity. It was not easy or convenient to do what God had asked but Abraham knew that if God will ever be committed to do His part, then he would have to obey. In obeying, Abraham crossed a line where he would never have to fulfil his destiny through human ability. He stepped into the realm of provision where he could never be impoverished by any natural factors. God is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that he should vacillate and change His mind (Numbers 23:19). The potential for failure is not on God’s part. Realize that this year, you will also be tested. Your obedience shows how committed you are to your covenant relationship with God.
After this act of obedience, God then swore to bless Abraham and his descendants because he obeyed His word. (Gen 22: 15-18) When God swears over you, He’s putting His name and reputation at stake. You will be miraculously sustained after you make a commitment to obey God even at the risk of losing your life. Your status changes after you enter into a blood covenant with someone who is more powerful than you. However, you cannot depend on God and also depend on the occult or human ability. You cannot afford to be double-minded. (Revelation 2 & 3) It was because Jesus was a man of integrity that He could go to the cross to be crucified. It was not easy but He asked that God’s will be done. Commit to be the best husband, wife, employee, parent or child. Make a commitment today to do God’s written and inspired word.
