Summary

The Israelite awakening is rapidly gaining ground among the descendants of the transatlantic slaves worldwide. Without a central leadership, everyone interprets scriptures as the grace of the Most High will allow them. With the increasing number of people realizing their true identity as Israelites however comes the confusion of conflicting doctrines.

Among these, the place of the Messiah, the Law and the curse in the life of an Israelite are frequent hotly debated topics.

In this article, I take a look at these three aspects of our walk in the light of the Scriptures as revealed in the Biblical story of Noah’s flood. I believe that the Most High still demands obedience to the Law. I further show that without the Messiah, our repentance and return to the Father is incomplete. I explain my understanding of the curse of the Law and the role of the Messiah in setting us free from it.

I believe that it is the Spirit of the Most High that completes this work in us. He now lives with us and consequently, we receive life and hope in this live and in the resurrection.

Finally, we still see the effects of the curse and the affliction of the Israelites all around us. Rather than despair, this article encourages the readers to have faith. The Spirit that woke you up from your slumber will deliver you from the curse of your bondage. As the dove proceeded from Noah’s ark, so will the Spirit bring salvation and victory into your lives.

It was good in the Beginning

In the beginning, the Most High made everything in heaven and on earth. He poured His heart and love into His creation, and everything was good. He made man in His image, and by His breath, man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7).

Not long after, man was seduced by lusts and desires, and the created forgot its creator. The wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5). Evil multiplied and man actively propagated every possible abomination imaginable. The entire creation was so defiled by man. The Father’s heart was so grieved and the creator experienced regret at the work of His hands. He decided to end the chaos by destroying every living thing by rain and flooding. In seven days, the heavens would be flung open, torrential rains would pour from above and the fountains would gush up from beneath. Genesis 7:11 says that all the fountains of the great deep were broken and the windows of heaven were opened.

The waters raged from below and from above and all living things were caught in between. It was the perfect storm that lasted forty days from which there was no escaping or hiding. It took the earth another hundred and fifty days to drain the waters (Genesis 8:3). Chaos and death may be brief, but its effects once started lasts longer and are difficult to unravel.

Trials will come

In this world, there will be an abundance of trials, hardship and lots of pain; all reasons to fear. Men are full of arrogance,  over-inflated egos and unrealistic feelings of self worth. Open Narcism and disguised prejudices are common features of our societies and way of life. Meekness, mercy, peacemaking and purity of heart are endangered characteristics. These have been relegated to the justice department or crudely bunched into the phrase ‘see no evil; do no evil’. We become almost totally detached from the sufferings around us. It has become more important to be politically correct than to be truthful to self and community.

Crimes flourish and few seek justice for the poor and oppressed. We no longer care for the needs of the widow, nor give comfort to the stranger. We claim that it is not our problem, the welfare system will take care of it or their families should have made provisions for loved ones. Some might go the extreme route of evolution; it is a survival of the fittest and let the weak perish so the strong can thrive. All our good works are saved for those moments when we can publicly display what good people we are by raising money for charities and in return get recognition or a tax break.

The ancient truths about charity and alms are long forgotten; we conveniently ignore the encouragement to do these good works not just for the sake of the receivers, but also for the peace and health of the giver. Proverbs 14:23 says that it is a sin to despise your neighbor, but happiness is yours when you show mercy to the poor. We are made in the Almighty’s image, and therefore can only attain the fullness of that image when fully committed to living godly.

There is suffering all around us

Pain and sufferings are plain to see all around us. We do not have to fly to Africa to see fear, desperation, hunger and death. suffering is visible in every downtown area of every major city in our countries.

There is agony in the eyes of investors every time the market nosedives. Unbearable pain in that of a fired middle-aged employee having no clue how to continue, knowing his savings is exhausted. We see the desperation in the lives of a drug addict who will do anything to get the next fix. Many families are holding on to hope that their loved one will someday come home clean.

There is a sense of helplessness in the heart of a molested child or the woman experiencing an abusive relationship. We encounter this pain in the lives of people afflicted with various debilitating diseases such as Diabetes, hypertension, AIDS, cancers and a plethora of mental disorders.

As children of the Most High, are we immune to these pains? Does our salvation or our Israelite status guarantee a life free of sufferings?

If you made it this far into this article, chances are you have at some point in life experienced one of the pains listed above or known someone who has and are looking for answers to why these things are so. This article is posted with a prayer for your comfort, hope and faith in our Father’s unfailing love.

A flood

And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. – Genesis 8:6-12

 

The story of the flood and Noah’s ark is one that is imprinted in our minds from early Sunday school classes. We understand the judgment of the world by the floodwaters and the salvation of the righteous in the ark. This historical event also bears symbolic significance to the Most High preserving a remnant through each period of tribulation (Ezekiel 9:8); it is an act of Grace. The ark represents the safety of the Most High’s house built by Him; the ark, which he had made.

Forty is the number for trials

Forty is often used as a number for trials and purification in the Scriptures. The Israelites were to pass through the wilderness into Canaan in forty days, but it became forty years because of their unbelief. Immediately after the baptism at Jordan, the Messiah was led into the wilderness to fast and to be tempted of the devil for forty days (Mathew 4:1-2). Moses also fasted for forty days (Exodus 24:18) and so did Elijah (1Kings 19:8) and the spies in the land of Promise (Numbers 13:25). As often as we see forty in the Scriptures, we should think of a trial, a purification system from which a vessel of immeasurable worth emerges.

Real life comes after death

Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death, it is automatic and non negotiable; an unfailing law. We see it in Genesis 8:6 where the Most High had judged the world as promised for all its sin.

Heartbreaking as judgment may be, a beautiful thing always happens after; Noah opened the window, and ushers in a chance for a new beginning. After every trial no matter how dark, the windows of heaven will open and our merciful Father will remember us. In the book of revelation, we read a lot about plagues, wrath, death and judgment. But at the end of the book, we see a new beginning, the New Jerusalem, a new life. The psalmist wrote: I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging bread. The Most High may be angry for a moment, but He will never forsake the righteous.

A Raven

And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. – Genesis 8:7

Here we see the first scout sent by Noah, a bird of prey, a raven. The rains had come and gone, the floodwaters had raged and waned. Seven months had passed before the ark found a solid support (Genesis 8:4). Noah must have wondered how much longer they would need to remain in the ark for safety. He needed someone to go and find out the lay of the land, he needed eyes on the ground. Like the twelve spies later sent by Moses to spy out the Promised Land (Numbers 13), the raven was to go and spy out the land for Noah.

The night has its uses

The ark was resident to all species of birds and animals, so Noah could have chosen any one of these, but he chose first a raven. Was this a catastrophic error; we can all agree that a raven is not the greatest swimmer on the planet. So what was he thinking? Why not a frog, or a crocodile, perhaps a hippopotamus; these are creatures that love the mud.

In my opinion, animals that love the mud are mostly lazy cold-blooded animals. They do not go looking for food; they wait for food to come to them. Look at a crocodile; it can lay in wait for months for its next meal. If Noah had released one of these animals, they would have remained a few meters from wherever he released them. They would not have been useful for the purpose of their release.

Lazy animals have their uses, but it is rarely a glorious one. Have you noticed that it is when we are lazy as people that we mostly get stuck in the mire and clay? Yes, a victorious life is by His grace and not by works so we cannot boast. But you must have noticed that most of our troubles are self-inflicted and not a persecution for our faith? Israel went into captivity because she disobeyed the Most High. She was supposed to be a light to the gentiles, but she has become a byword instead. It will be difficult for the Most High to use a lazy man because he will be unreliable. That is why we are encouraged time and again in the Bible to shun laziness.

Doing nothing makes it worse

Proverbs 6: 6-11 says; go to the ant you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise. She has neither king nor guide, but she does what she needs to do when it needs to be done. In any situation where our arms are folded and we get nothing done hoping someone else will do the work, poverty creeps on us unawares. This rule applies not just to physical things, but to our spiritual state as well. The most common reason we fall into temptations is because we fail to watch and pray as we are admonished in Matthew 26:41.

If Noah could not send the slow lazy mud animals, the preferred choice is a soaring bird. With powerful wings flapping majestically and a strong tail wind, a bird covers great distances. An unrivaled vision in the animal kingdom makes it a perfect scout. Our contemporary world is mesmerized by birds and constantly challenges us to soar like eagles. No football coach ever encourages his team to crawl like crocodiles or snort along like hippos. Locker room pep talks are all about soaring.

Nothing happens by accident

So, of all the birds in the ark, why did he choose a raven? We might be tempted to attribute this to coincidence except there are no coincidences in the Father’s word. Every thing He does is for a specific purpose and every written statement in His Word is conveying a specific message. Sending a bird and specifically a raven was not by chance.

To understand its significance, we need to take a closer look at the conditions in the ark and on the earth at the time of his release. The earth had seen rain, flood, and now the waters were ebbing. All living things were dead except for those preserved in the ark with Noah. Predators and prey alike were forced to make camp together in the ark for survival. The raven is a bird of prey and a scavenger; the Bible is full of examples of ravens descending on battlefields to feed on the remains of dead soldiers.

Birds of the same feather flock together

Ravens generally attack anything that looks like food. I once washed my pyjamas and left it out to dry in the sun. When I came back, I found a raven attacking the waistband as it was moving in the breeze. It probably looked like a worm to the raven. It is not unusual to be attacked by a diving Raven if it sees that you are carrying food. We can therefore imagine how uncomfortable the raven (and other small animals) must have been through the duration of the rain and flood. Jeremiah 13:33 make it clear that he who is used to doing evil cannot suddenly do good things. Neither can an Ethiopian or a leopard can change their skin. So can a scavenger become domesticated? I think it is doubtful, but with the Most High all things are possible.

The raven most probably felt caged and longed for the open sky. It must have sensed or smelt the death and carnage taking place outside the ark. It was probably devising its plans for when it is finally released to be itself. No more trying to be a gentle dove or a chatty parrot, but back to being just a regular flesh eating scavenger. It longed to taste of the spoils of widespread death and desolation in the mud outside.

Waters on the ground is symbolic of death

The Bible describes water on the ground such as in the floodwaters as symbolic of death.

For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him. – 2 Samuel 14:14

There may be a few partly decomposed bodies left in the mud. It’s a perfect raven feast, but there’s certainly no sign of life. It is into this environment of death that the raven was released. It was its natural environment so it went back and forth and never came back into the ark. The place of death is a raven heaven. It gorges itself with the putrid decomposing carcasses littered all around in the mud. Genesis 8:7 describes that the water was not fully dried from the earth. This means that death and all its fruits prevailed on the earth.

When I read the passage, in my mind I saw a scavenger flying in the sky looking around and seeing mud everywhere. Partly stuck in the mud where lots of partly decomposed bodies emitting an unbearable stench. It was a ghastly sight; a dead planet, but to the bird, it looked and smelt like paradise. It went from one body to the next, picking at the choice parts and leaving the rest behind. There were so many pickings that it only went for the least rancid of all. It has first choice of everything since all its competitors were either dead or in the ark.

Going to and fro on the earth

The Scriptures say that he went ‘to and fro’ unhindered in his way. Every now and then, it might carry around a snack for the night; maybe show it off to the residents of the ark as they peered through the window at the world outside. It would fly by; displaying its trophy to the ark residents in the same manner the devil did any time there was a gathering of the sons of God (Job1:6-12). The raven reigned supreme as lord in the skies of this devastated and desolate planet.

And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.- Genesis 8:7

The raven went forth to and fro until the waters dried. This verse immediately brings to mind similar passages like Job 1:7 Where the devil states that he had been going “to and fro in the earth” and walking up and down in it. This is not a coincidence. The Most High is giving us a clear link as to the relevance of Noah’s choice and why the details of the two birds were added to the Bible.

An opportunistic predator

In 1 Peter 5:8, the Bible calls him a roaring lion prowling about seeking someone to devour. For those who have been on a safari or maybe watched animal planet, you know that the lion does not go after the strongest or the biggest cattle in the herd. He will go after the weak ones, the calf, the old and the sick. They will give him little resistance and cost him less effort. That is what the devil does when he goes around the world looking for someone to devour. The weak, sick or vulnerable are his primary target. He looks for the young man who is unskilled in the Word and will of the Almighty, or the older and overconfident man. Any vulnerable spot in our testimony is explored for possible manipulation.

He is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit working in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2). A good strategist with a keen eye and very a clear vision over the long term. He recognizes vulnerabilities and like a lion will patiently stalk the prey for the right moment to strike.

The Raven left the ark

Like the raven in the ark, the devil first known as Lucifer dwelt with the Father. Ezekiel 28:11-19 describes him as a perfectly beautiful cherub until iniquity was found in him. He was therefore no longer fit to inhabit the Most High’s Holy Mountain and consequently cast out.

In the beginning of man’s story, the book of genesis describes how the creator made the heavens, the earth and all its inhabitants. It was very good, a perfect creation where all creatures lived in peace and harmony. There were no flaws in it, every creature knew its place and purpose; all made for the pleasure of their maker.

But the creator knew, only He knew that iniquity was growing in the heart of his beautiful creation. He knew sin would eat into and corrupt even such perfect beings long before the first seed was sown; The Most High had made provisions for the emergence of sin. Long before He laid the foundations of the earth, He had devised the perfect plan to lift man up from the ashes of sin into the Glorious light of His salvation. Man would be created a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:4), but he would be raised to sit at the right hand of the Almighty. The Most High works in such a way that the end is always better than the beginning. By introducing sin into the world, the devil thought he had destroyed creation, but the Father crowned man and raised him, higher than at the beginning (Colossians 3:1-3).

The Raven rules the skies

Through sin, the devil gained control of this world and that sinful state is the natural condition of the earth till now. When sin is present, its fruit is death, pain, sorrows and all the forms of anguish evident around us today. They are the gifts of the devil that he has prepared for those who obey him. The prince of this world is released (John 12:31) and reigns supreme in the lives of those subject to his kingdom just as the raven reigned supreme in the sky after the flood.

Romans 5:14 describe how death reigned from Adam even in the lives of those who had not committed his sin. A sinful state is the natural inheritance of every one born into this world. We can no more change that than we can change the genes we are born with. Every descendant of Adam is subject to this law of sin and death unless a greater law; the law of life is in effect. Unless the Most High is master over our life, the devil has authority over us by the mere fact that we were born into this world.

Through disobedience and sin, we open the floodgates of death and desolation into our lives. Sin allows the devil to gain access and consequently power over us. He thereafter afflicts us with the pain and sorrows of his dark kingdom. Adam traded the legal authority over the world to Lucifer when he eat the fruit of the tree at Eden.

Under the New covenant sealed in the Messiah’s blood, we are encouraged to be sober and vigilant for that is the only way to prevail against Satan. If we resist him, he will flee from us because the one in us is greater than the one in the world.

The raven only rules till the waters dry up

The best part of Satan’s rule is that it is short-lived, unlike the Most High’s kingdom that is eternal. This should be a source of encouragement to all those who are passing through a dark moment, your redemption is near. Do not throw in the towel, do not give up, hold on to your faith; weeping may endure tonight, but the morning will come and with it great joy.

Consider Job who lost all his property, his children died and his health suffered tremendously. But when the Most High turned his captivity? He received a double portion of all that he had before (Job 42:10). When life returns, death will be swallowed up in glory, when light shines in the dark, the darkness cannot overshadow it (John 1:5). When the master touches you, all the pain you experience now will be nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in you.

Romans 6 exhorts us that for grace to abound, we cannot continue in sin. As we were baptized into death with the Messiah, we will partake of the resurrection into life. Once there was death, now for all those that receive Him, there is an abundance of life. Remember, the raven can only Reign as long as there is water on the ground.

A dove; Mission impossible

Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground. – Genesis 8:8

Right after sending a raven, Noah sends a dove. It is interesting that in this case the Bible says he sent from him, a term not used for the raven. This suggests a difficult separation of something or someone very dear. He must have known the sight awaiting the dove and how such horrors would grieve her. The mission however was unchanged; to see if the waters had receded from the earth. The previous scout had failed to return; the raven had gone AWOL so a replacement was necessary. The bird of darkness went first, then the bird of light followed.

The beauty of loyalty is amplified when contrasted against infidelity. The world cannot appreciate light until it first experiences the darkness. We cannot fully appreciate the good except we first see evil and unless we first fall, we cannot understand the sense of victory that comes with rising.

This is a secret the devil never understood and which we as men still have difficulty grasping. Before the fall, man and all creation were very good (Genesis 1:31), but after the resurrection, we will be perfect (1Peter 5:10). Every time the devil tries to scuttle our destiny, he merely succeeds in embedding us more into the will of the Most High. Every time he draws us away, he unconsciously thrusts us closer to the Father. The Almighty always has a backup plan because His work must proceed unfailingly; it is too big to fail. We are his greatest project; we are too big to fail.

A worthy substitute

When the creator made man, He placed him in Eden until sin emerged and brought the curse of death on mankind. The Most High knew this would happen and immediately instituted the principle of atonement, one life for another. Genesis 3:21 says that He made coats of skin to clothe Adam and Eve. These clothes were made from animals that had been sacrificed, their blood served as atonement for the sin of man. This atonement was later incorporated into the sacrificial laws and remained until the end of the priesthood when Israel was carried into captivity.

In the desert after the exodus from Egypt, the Most High gave the children of Israel the Mosaic Law. He knew it was a temporary means to salvation because the law was not perfect. A more perfect way would be revealed much later in the Messiah; grace through faith would be the way to salvation. It ought to be comforting to know that our Father knows our weaknesses and everything we will pass through. He always sees the danger far ahead and long before it happens. Whenever we go through a rough patch, there is always a way of escape prepared for us. For every trap the devil has ahead of us, our Father always has a hidden detour planned.

The dove ends the raven’s reign

When the serpent tempted Eve, he did not anticipate, the promise of her seed would be revealed. The Most High had sent Joseph into Egypt to prepare a way for Israel before the famine. Pharaoh slaughtered the male children of the Israelites as a pre-emptive strike against a potential rebellion. He did not know that the child who would lead the Israelite’s rebellion would be raised in his own house. When the devil tried to destroy the Israelites in the book of Esther, the Most High gave Esther favor. The Judean exiles were consequently allowed to defend themselves.

The devil through man proudly claims to possess the mind of a genius. But the Almighty is always many moves ahead of every brilliant strategy he claims to have. The Almighty sees the end from the beginning, and sees the beginning right at the end. Nothing is hid from Him in this life, not even our very thoughts.

Coming back to Genesis chapter eight, while the raven thinks it has the rule of the sky, Noah releases the dove on the first of three trips in search for signs of life on the earth.

A dove in a dead world

Doves often live in the clefts of the rocks, but their nesting material is found in the trees and fields. The dove therefore hovered in the empty sky looking down for perhaps some movement or anything besides mud. Suddenly she sees an object on the waters, it might be a tree or plant. Perhaps finally she can find material to build her nest, a place of rest and serenity, or perhaps some food.

As she came closer, she had this uncanny feeling that something was wrong. The tree had a strange smell emanating from it. The dove finally landed on the tree, overjoyed to rest her wings and feet. There were just a few problems, the consistency of the tree was off. It had a puffy softness, and not the rough hardness of a tree trunk. Even the stench was becoming increasingly unbearable. Suddenly, the wind changed and the waves caused the tree to turn on the water. The dove immediately panicked because her resting place was not a tree after all. It was the decomposing remains of a dead body. Alarmed, she was immediately air born aghast at the realization of what her feet had rested on. She had been so close to the dead contrary to her nature.

Seek not the living among the dead

The dove is not a bird of prey; she does not belong among the dead but among the living. Frantically, the dove searched for a different tree only to go through the same routine over again and again. Every time she thought she had found a tree on which to perch, it turned out to be nothing but dead flesh. Finally exhausted, and heartbroken by the sight of death and desolation, she pressed hard against the air current and flew back to the ark. She was so tired, so utterly devastated that Noah had to reach out to bring her in.

But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. – Genesis 8:9

Though tired from the exhausting voyage on the earth, the dove accomplished her mission. She had searched for life on the planet, and she was a witness that there was none. Wherever she had gone, all she saw was sin and death and oh how she must have grieved.

When I read this passage in Genesis 8:9, in my mind I saw a picture of the world in the days of the patriarchs and under the old covenant. An earth where the heart of man was exceedingly wicked and every device they created was constantly evil. Every man did as he wanted and absolute chaos was the norm.

It was into this world that the Spirit of the Most High came in search of life. Just as the dove could not find a place to rest the soles of her feet, the Spirit could not find a man Holy enough to be a living tabernacle of His Presence and Glory.

The Most High told Moses, no man could see my face and live, so he had to hide and only saw the trail of His’s Glory after He had passed (Exodus 33:20).

Corrupt vessels are not fit for the Spirit’s habitation

The fallen state of man since the days of Adam ensured that the Glory of the Most High could not abide in him. Like the dove, the Spirit lands every time He sees a semblance of life. He ‘possesses’ a body to work for a while and then He must leave. When we read the Bible, we often see the phrase ‘ And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him’. This is when The Spirit comes upon a human and through them perform a miracle or reprove the world of sin. In every case, this lasts for a short time and then He departs.

The list is endless, from Miriam to Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel and Zechariah. The impact of sin on this fleeting presence is nowhere as glaring as in the story of Samson. After betraying his Nazarene oath and revealing his secret to Delilah, she had his head shaved while he slept. When roused from sleep, he expected to be victorious as always not realizing that the Spirit had departed from him (Judges 16:20).

The dove (Spirit) returns to the ark

Under the old covenant, the Spirit of the Most High always had to depart. Sometimes, there would be no vessel, no man clean enough for the Spirit to use so there would be a silence in the Spirit for extended periods.

This was the first mission of the Spirit, to reprove the world of sin. He was to announce the atonement through priestly rituals, and justification through obedience to the Law. Through these laws, no man could truly be justified. Through the prophets, he declared the promise of Redemption of the world through the coming Messiah. Still men continued in sin, and death prevailed. The Spirit returned to the father from whom He came and the dove returned to Noah in the ark. The raven however continued ruling the skies …… for yet a while.

A dove; a leaf plukt off

And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. – Genesis 8:10

After the first mission, the dove had proved herself a faithful worker who carries out her master’s work diligently. A period of rest followed after which Noah sent the dove out again. There is a time frame in which Noah expected the land to be dried. He therefore waits patiently for seven days and then releases the dove again. We see examples of how the Most High waits patiently for Israel to repent and turn from their heathen ways. He often calls himself a patient husbandman and Israel his vineyard. In Isaiah 5:4, He asks through the prophet ‘ what more could anyone have done for my vineyard that I have not done’?

The Most High has done all that can be done for us, yet more often than not, we produce a strange fruit. Yet he waits patiently for a change, often times in silence. There’s a 400-year period between Malachi and Mathew when the Father could find no usable prophet; there was silence.

In the new testament, Messiah takes a lamentation against Jerusalem “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not” (Mathew 23:37). He is always working to gather us unto him, no matter how dark our lives have become or how extensive the damage has been. He is patiently watching and working.

Timing to perfection

Noah waits seven more days. Here we see the Most High’s mathematics at work again; the number seven is often used to indicate completion. In addition to the historical event, this indicates the end of a dispensation or era, and the beginning of another. It symbolizes the perfection of a phase in the Father’s plan for the world. It announces the entering into the promise of the next. So, we can read Genesis 8:10 as ‘at the end of the dispensation, Noah sent forth the dove again with an updated mission to the earth’. Her broad goal was still to find if the waters had dried and life returned.

The Most High’s overall plan has never changed, it has always been ‘that you might have life; and have it more abundantly’ the only thing that changes is the avenue He uses as a conduit for the impartation of this life. Under the first covenant, atonement came by the annual sin sacrifice and following the rituals of purification under the priesthood of Aaron and his descendants. Through this verse, the Most High via Noah was saying that a more perfect way has now come.

And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. – Genesis 8:11

Proof of life; an olive leaf plukt off

On this trip, the dove found a resting place till evening and she came back with proof in her mouth. She returned to the ark with evidence that death had lost its sting and the trees (men) were thriving again.

O death, where is thy sting O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

– 1 Corinthians 15:55-56

Grace is not here to remove sin or death, but to overcome it’s sting. Likewise, grace is not here to abolish the law, but to help the people fulfill it.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. – Matthew 5:17

She cut off a fresh leaf, a branch of an olive tree and brought it back to Noah. Zechariah 4:11-14 describes olive trees as the anointed ones of the Most High who stand before Him. The anointed in Hebrew means Messiah. Just as the olive trees stood by the lamp, So the anointed of the Most High did not speak of Himself but declared only what He heard from the father.

The Messiah is a leaf plukt off

Isaiah 53:2 reveal a prophecy about the life of the Messiah; He shall grow up as a tender plant, as a root out of the DRY ground. Several passages describe the Messiah as the Branch of the Most High (Isaiah 4:2).

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. – Isaiah 11:1-2

Note the phrase “and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him”; the dove finally found rest for the sole of her feet. Zechariah 6:12 talk about the man whose name is the BRANCH and who will build the temple of the Most High. Only one person fits into these descriptions, Isaiah also calls him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 8:8).

Interestingly, the passage says the olive leaf is pluck off. This reveals the pain and suffering involved in the process and sheds light once more on the Father’s redemptive work. Under the old covenant, an annual sacrifice was essential for the atonement of sins. Two rams were chosen (two olive trees in Zechariah 4?) one was killed for the sins of the people and the other was released into the wilderness. But under the new covenant the excruciating pains of one man effected the atonement for all.

Plucking off is painful

He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows the Bible described him. He bore our grief, carried our sorrows, was wounded, bruised, chastised and whipped. He was taken to prison, oppressed, afflicted beyond recognition, led to the slaughter like a lamb; yet he did not open his mouth to defend himself, but suffered all for a sin He never committed to begin with. I do not know about you, but that really sounds like a leaf plukt off.

The leaf is the covering and Glory on the branches of a tree. This passage in Genesis is also foretelling the Glory that the Messiah would forfeit for us. In Philippians 2:6-11 the Bible describes how He took on the shameful form of a servant and endured death like a common criminal. The glory of the BRANCH was cut off to reconcile us to the Father. He was like an olive leaf plukt off.

Plucked leaf brought to the ark by the Spirit

Olive is the symbol of peace and the Bible makes it clear that through the Messiah, we are reconciled to the Most High. He is our High priest and advocate; the mediator between the Father and man, for the chastisement of our peace was upon Him (Isaiah 53:5). Zechariah 3:1-8 describes Joshua the High priest, a brand plucked out of fire (judgment) and dressed in the filthy garment of sin. He bore the sins of Jerusalem, and the Lord removed his filth, gave him a change of clothes and had a mitre (crown) placed on his head. The Messiah is the Joshua of our world; he came to us, bore our sins and iniquities and nailed them to the tree.

Remember when Mary saw His resurrected body and was reaching out to Him? He said to her, do not touch me for I have not yet ascended unto the father. Later He did ascend and stood before the Father as Joshua the High priest did before the Most High clothed with our filthy sins. Through his blood our sins are now forgiven and we can become the sons of the Most High. The law and the prophets all pointed to the coming of the Messiah. A new way is revealed to us from now on and though the earth is not fully dry, new life has emerged; the eternal life. The dove did not return the olive leaf to the world from Noah, rather it remained with Noah permanently. He reproves the world of righteousness………. Because I go to my Father and ye see me no more. The raven no longer reigns supreme in the sky.

A dove; End of an Era

And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. – Genesis 8:12

The dove had been a great messenger, she had accomplished the task required by its master. Twice it had returned with enough evidence to indicate that the ground was progressively drying up. On her first trip, she didn’t bring back great news, on the second, some good news. On this third and final trip, her failure to return was the greatest news of all. What appeared as failure was actually a great victory. It revealed that death had lost its power and the earth was teeming with life again. She had found trees from which she could fly from branch to branch. She had found a cleft in a rock to build her nest, so she returned no more to the ark. The dove is now rested in the world just as the Spirit now dwells with the people.

When the Messiah walked on the earth, he was a teacher with twelve disciples and a multitude of followers. He promised the disciples that it was needful for him to go so that the father would send the Holy Ghost to abide with us forever (John 14:16). The dove had to return with an olive leaf before he could be sent on a third trip. Today there are many people in the world who look up to the Messiah as the way to salvation. The Spirit is now not only on us as in the old covenant, but also in us. The dove has finally found a rest for his feet in us. We are many vessels for the Spirit to work through in accomplishing the task of the master.

If ye are willing and obedient

We may not be perfect, we may not be the smartest, strongest or greatest people in the world. But we are the most willing, obedient and receptive to His spirit. This is all He asks of us. We have the Spirit that raised our Messiah from the dead. He is the anointing that will lead us out to do good and free all that are oppressed by the devil.

The three trips of the dove reveal only Noah’s strategy for assessing progress on the land. It also symbolically revealed the three dispensations/eras of the Spirit of the Most High.

This is also seen in the New Testament:

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. – John 16:8-11

Reprove the world of sin

The Spirit reproves the world of sin because it believed not on the Messiah. The dove on the first trip could find no place to rest her feet, everywhere she attempted to land turned out to be a dead carcass. She symbolically displays the role of the Spirit in the lives of the Old Testament prophets. The Bible is full of men moved by the Spirit of the Most High for specific events or deeds. Moments of need when the Spirit moved men (and women) to prophecy and wrought miracles at their hands. Immediately afterwards, the Spirit departed from them, rendering them ordinary men and women again. The Spirit could not rest or abide on them for a significant period. They were unclean vessels, unfit to be the tabernacle of His presence.

Isaiah sums it up in Isaiah 6:5, Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

Standing in the presence of the Most High, Isaiah realized the uncleanness of the entire nation of Israel. This is a state that the Most High constantly revealed through the Spirit to Israel time and again. Prophets would prophecy and perform signs and miracles in His name in a bid to draw Israel’s attention to their sin. Sometimes the nation would repent, but more often than not, the warnings were ignored. The Father would often resort to oppression or captivity as a means of expressing His frustrations with the nation.

Regardless of His means of communication, Israel was more often likely to ignore the warning; he will reprove the world of sin because they believe not on me. They believed not the Word that came to them at the mouth of the prophets. It became therefore essential for the introduction of a better way to bring the people to repentance and salvation. Hence a new mission is conceived, a second journey for the dove.

Reprove the world of Righteousness

He will reprove the world of Righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.

On her second trip, the dove came back with an olive leaf plukt off the earth, a sign of the return of life, a drying of the waters. We have seen that the olive leaf plukt represents the Messiah’s death and resurrection to reconcile His people. Like Joshua the High priest, He carried on himself the sins of the children of Israel. He has ascended to the heavens and is seated on the right hand of the Father. Now the Spirit convicts us of the grace available to overcome in the Messiah’s name.

We can only preach the Word of the Most High; the Spirit is the one who convicts the heart of a sinner. Only He can fill our hearts with godly sorrow that works repentance to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10). In 1 Corinthians1:23-24, Paul teaches that preaching is foolishness to those who will perish, but to those who are called and saved, it is the power and wisdom of the Most High. The elect do not only see a dead Messiah, we see him risen and ascended on High. In Luke 24:4-6, the disciples rush to the grave of the Messiah and find his body missing. They see two angels who announce to them, He is not here; He is risen and gone before you to Galilee.

In Romans 8:11, we learn that it is the Spirit that raised our Messiah from the dead; like a gentle dove with an olive leaf plukt off out of the waters. This same Spirit is described in John 15:26 as the Comforter that proceeds from the Father; He will testify of the Messiah and will teach all things to the disciples (John 14:26). He is like the dove that Noah sent from him (Genesis 8:8).

Like everything else, with the Most High there are two sides to every action; by testifying of the Messiah, He brings comfort to the believer and reproof to the sinner. He reminds us about the power available to us in the resurrection and reproves the world of the true life, the godly life in the Messiah that they have rejected. He reproves the world of righteousness………. Because I go to my Father and ye see me no more.

Reprove the world of Judgment

On the dove’s final trip, she didn’t return because the ground was dry and she found a place to build her nest. An important implication of this is revealed in the seventh verse of genesis chapter 8 “ And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth”. The raven ruled supremely in the skies until life returned to the earth. The power of the raven ends when the waters dried and another will rule in his stead. This happened on the third trip of the dove, the waters dried and the prince of the air is judged. In the world, one falls and another rises, the Most High sets down one and lifts another (Daniel 2:21).

For as long as the dove flies in the sky, the world will know that the prince of this world is judged. There can only be one master. Whenever we see the move of the Spirit, we know that death has no power over us. Whenever we see the light of the Spirit that lights every man, we know that the darkness will flee from before him (John 1:5). When the disciples rejoiced because they were able to cast out demons in the Messiah’s name, He told them that they should rejoice not because of this authority, but rather because their names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). He is a witness before heaven and earth about the death and resurrection of the Messiah. He reproves the world of Judgment because the prince of this world has been judged.

The Most High’s Agenda

The Most High’s dealings with man are seldom arranged in a chronologically straight line from start to finish. Most often, they are arranged in an overlapping and often cyclical order. We seldom go from being a spiritual baby to being a valiant warrior in a complete phase. Rather, we mature and grow strong in some areas while we are yet babies in others. So the progression is more related to specific aspects of our life rather than the whole at once.

This is important with regards to the three missions of the Holy Spirit mentioned above. In some areas of our lives, the Spirit may be reproving of judgment evidenced by our victories in those areas. In other areas, he is reproving of sin since we are still resisting the Father’s move in those areas. Hence the three missions above are still applicable to all of us in one area or another.

Our Father is the same yesterday, today and forever, he does not change and his work is eternal. The Spirit through the ages convicted of sin, righteousness and judgment. Today, that work continues and not only is he involved in reproving the world, but our entire awakening experience is dependent on the Spirit (John 3:3-5).

Salvation is a Choice

The early events occurring after the flood illustrate a fundamental principle in the Most High’s dealings with man. Salvation is simple to understand, it is not clouded in mystery or shrouded in mysticism. It is open and available to as many as desire to receive it. There are only two options, the supremacy of the raven, or the authority of the dove. It’s a choice between death typified by waters on the earth, and life revealed by the drying of those waters. There are two options, but only one choice can be made.

I admonish you to choose well, choose life that you may live. Learn to stifle the loud clanging that the devil will provoke around you, learn to listen to the small still voice of the Spirit. Start to pray Songs of Solomon 2:14 to Him; O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. His voice is gentle, His appearance comforting and His presence is rejuvenating.

When I first started to understand Genesis chapter 8, I paid most attention to the birds and had no clue whatsoever about the path ahead of me in life. Only now as I reflect back can I say; I have seen the rains come and go, the flood overran the embankments and forty days have passed. I have rested in the ark, the windows are now opened unto me and life is returned to my world. I believe that this is the story for every Israelite who has experienced the awakening. We can look back now and wonder what on earth were we doing before? How did we get so easily fooled?

Never give up

Perhaps you are out there and your situation is dire enough to bring despair, remember you are not alone. There are countless people who have passed, are still passing or will yet go through the same experiences you are going through. Do you feel let down that friends betray you and the world condemned you without cause? Do you feel shame that you do not measure up to the standards of success the world expects? Do you feel anguish as you helplessly watch the pains and travails of your loved ones knowing help is unlikely to come? Are you one of those who cry out for help knowing deep down inside that nobody is listening, nobody cares? You have a nagging weakness that weights on your heart and scars your conscience? Do you feel unworthy to be a tabernacle of His presence?

Is your life so unbearable that you wish the end would come? That death would make haste? Let me assure you, you are not alone, I have been there, so have many others, do not give up. Weeping may endure for tonight, when the morning light appears; it will be full of joy. Look at it this way, the hotter the fire of refinement, the purer and more precious the gold will be. The tougher your trials, the more experienced, compassionate and graceful you will become. Do not harden your heart, do not fill it with rage or hate, do not device mischief or vengeance in your heart. Hold your peace, and let the Most High fight for you.

Listen friends, I will not pretend to know your future or tell you the great things the Most High will do at your hands or for you. I may not know what the future holds for you, but I do know who holds your future. And so I can confidently make you this promise, He who has started a good work (salvation) in you is able to perfect it until the end. Do not give up on yourself, and by no means should you ever give up on Him.

The curse in a dead world

What is a curse?

What is a curse? By definition, it is a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something. It is designed for evil. The effect of a curse is an undesirable sequence of bad events depending on what type of curse is involved.

Interestingly, the Assyrian word for curse suggests that it’s a binding process.

Regardless, a curse always takes away a persons ability to determine their own destiny. They consequently lose their freedom and ability to achieve certain goals.

Curses bind up our abilities

An example is Noah cursing Canaan to servitude. This means that Canaan will never succeed in ruling the world no matter how strong he becomes. He is bound so that he is never free to maximize his potentials.

The serpent was cursed in Eden and lost his ability to walk thereafter (Genesis 3:14). His ability to walk was bound up.

We read about the curse of leprosy. But what really is biblical leprosy? It is simply a loss of the ability to produce the protective skin pigment melanin. Consequently, the person loses the dark hue of the skin becoming pale. This happened temporarily to Moses (Exodus 4:6-7) and Miriam (Numbers 12:10), and permanently to Gehazi (2 Kings 5:27).

Nebuchadnezzar was cursed and he lost his sanity as a result. The mind of a beast became locked in his body.

So, what am I getting at here? I believe that a curse is a binding of our natural abilities and defences. These could be physical or spiritual. It is like a germ that overpowers and incapacitates our immune system. That germ is introduced by a self-wound inflicted through our disobedience to the law (John 7:49).

But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. – John 7:49

The enemy comes with the curse

The curse always takes something away and destroys others (Joshua 6:17). It is a robber and destroyer of the peace and joy of the Most High. I cannot confirm if the accuser is the bringer of the curse or just taking advantage of the curse. One thing that I am certain about is that where a curse is, the devil is very active there. I do believe that the raven of Genesis 8 reveals this. As the raven flew the skies where there is death, so too does Satan rule where there is a curse.

I am convinced that the work of the raven and dove is associated with the effect of the curse. If you think that I am just overtly spiritualizing this, please note that I am not the first to associate birds with the curse. See what the Bible says:

As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. – Proverbs 26:2

The Most High associates the manner of a bird’s flight with curses.

A curse is the opposite of a blessing

A curse is always described as the opposite of a blessing. We see this rule of opposites with Canaan and Shem (Genesis 9:25-26), Abraham (Genesis 12:3), Jacob (Genesis 27:12), Balaam (Numbers 22:12), the Law (Deuteronomy 11:27-28), Mounts Gerizim and Ebal (Deuteronomy 27:12-13).

We do know that our blessings come from the Father

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. – James 1:17

Where the Most High is, there the blessings will be. The scriptures say that He is the Father of lights (not darkness) and there is no shadow of turning in him. He is not shady in any way or form.

A curse comes when the Father withdraws His blessing

Since a curse is the opposite of a blessing, I am inclined to conclude that a curse is in effect when the Almighty consciously abandons a person. It is like Noah withdrawing his presence into an ark. He was still in the world, but he was withdrawn from the world.

The world was full of sin, but death did not come upon it until Noah was shut up in the ark. Death in itself is nothing more than the absence of life. Darkness is simply the absence of light. Likewise, the curse in this world is the absence of a blessing.

I believe this is one of the reasons for the tradition of last paternal blessings among Israelites. A patriarch calls his children and blesses them before he dies. We see this with Abraham (Genesis 25:5-7), Isaac (Genesis 27:1-4) and Jacob (Genesis 49:1-33). They understood that the absence of the blessing is a curse. It was for this reason that Isaac trembled and Esau wept when they discovered that Esau’s blessing had gone to another person.

The whole earth is cursed

Just as the earth was covered by water in the days of Noah, so too is the earth under a perpetual curse. How do I know this? Well, the Scriptures say so.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. – Genesis 3:18-19

Also see:

And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth. – Zechariah 5:2-3

Note that the earth is cursed because of Adam’s disobedience. The Most High withdrew His blessing of a fertile earth and the nature of animals changed. Through our sins and disobedience, we merely confirm and extend that curse.

Breaking the Law was also the reason that the Israelites were sent into captivity. Disobedience was the wound that introduced the curse into the nation and the earth.

It is the Spirit of the Most High that limits the effect of the curse on the earth today. It is just like the dove that limited the power of the raven in Genesis 8.

The dam effect

This raises the question, if the whole earth is cursed, how did the Israelites get blessed in the days of the Judges, David and Solomon? The answer is rather simple however; the Most High shielded them.

Remember Noah and all the animals in the ark? There were clean and unclean animals sheltered with Noah in the ark. It was the same with the Israelites. The Father sheltered the whole nation including the horrible members of the tribes.

The Most High formed a shield between the curse and the people. This shield acted like a dam against the raging waters. This ‘dam’ is often described in Scriptures as a standard.

So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. – Isaiah 59:19-20

We saw earlier that the curse is like the flood upon the dry land. This passage basically confirms that the enemy comes in like the flood. It is the Spirit of the Most High that lifts a standard (dam/refuge) against him. This standard is the blessing of the Almighty.

Interestingly, this passage continues to say that the Redeemer (Messiah) will come unto ZION ….. in Jacob. The Spirit first forms a shield around the people, and then He will send the Redeemer to save them. Like the dove’s first two trips, He will convict them of sin and then of righteousness. The Law did convict of sin but the death and resurrection of the Messiah now convicts of righteousness.

The Law convicts of sin

For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. – Romans 5:13

The curse was already on earth like the floodwaters. Men needed to understand their fallen nature and rejection of the Most High. That was the point of the introduction of the Law of Moses at Sinai. Through it, the children of Israel now understood how unclean they really were (Isaiah 6:5). They now understood that they were conceived in sin.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. – Psalm 51:5

They understood that sin, death and the curse were already in operation on earth. They saw the effect in their members as the Law revealed it. Every time they disobeyed the Law, it said something about their spiritual state.

The curse of the Law.

The earth was already cursed, but the Israelites were safe as long as they stayed within the borders of the Law.

 

Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? – Ecclesiastes 8:4

For as long as they stayed within the safety of the Law as revealed in the Word of the King, the power (Spirit) would be there. He is the shield that prevents the people from being overflown by the waters (Isaiah 43:2). As long as the people obeyed the Law, the Spirit could ‘come upon them’ and drive away the curse.

When they disobeyed the Law however, greater curses came upon them and they became worse off than other people.

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. – Ecclesiastes 10:8

The dam will only keep out so much water. If the waters continue to rise as a result of disobedience, they will overflow the embankment and destroy the people. It is for this reason that Israel has had a recurrent history of slavery. Of all the people of the earth, they were given the Law that convicted of their sin. They however did not obey the law and a greater curse came upon them.

 

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned; and few men left. – Isaiah 24:5-6

The earth is defiled…. because they have transgressed the Law. That sums it all up. They changed the ordinance and broke their marriage covenant with the Most High. And for that, the curse devours them. This is the curse of the Law.

Messiah has redeemed us from the curse of the Law

So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. – Isaiah 59:19-20

The Spirit of the Most High shall lift a standard against the enemy that comes with the curse. And then the Redeemer shall come to Zion and to those who repent and turn from transgressing the Law. The passage does not end there though. The promise is for them that turn from transgression in JACOB. The Messiah came primarily to seek and save the lost (Matthew 18:11). He makes His mission clearer when a Canaanite woman in Tyre and Sidon asked Him to free her possessed daughter.

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. – Matthew 15:24

Does that mean that only Israelites will be saved? I do not think so. There are several scriptures that promise salvation to Israel and any stranger that joins himself to Israel and her God. I will not go into those scriptures here, because it is not the topic of today’s article.

So our Scripture from Isaiah 59 is saying that the Spirit first raises a shield against the curse. Then, just as the dove brought an olive leaf plukt off to the ark, the Spirit now raises the Redeemer to buy back or rescue those that repent in Jacob. The Redeemer is not coming to rescue the people from the Law, He will rescue them from the curse that came from disobedience to the Law. The responsibility to obey still lies on the people. We are therefore warned in Hebrew 6:4-8 not to go back after tasting the goodness of the Most High. Note the reference to the blessing of the Most High after the rain dries and the cursing and burning for rejection in verses 7-8 of Hebrew 6.

Let us look at another Scripture that indicates that we are not saved from obedience to the Law.

 

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. – Galatians 3:13

The Messiah has redeemed of from the CURSE of the Law (NOT from the Law). The Law is the Word of the Most High; it is NOT a curse. Saying otherwise is to insinuate that the Most High called His people out of Egypt to place them under a curse on mount Sinai. That makes absolutely no sense.

Being made a curse for us

According to Isaiah 59, the Redeemer rescued the people from the curse. We all know that He did this by shedding His blood as an atonement for our sin. But how does this work?

Remember, it is a curse that binds us so that we cannot become what we were made to be. The Messiah therefore became a curse (binder) that bound the power of the curse in our life. It is for this reason that the Scriptures says that when He ascended, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. He bound the curse and released the blessings of the Most High on us. By binding the power that had us bound, we became free. He came for the lost, for those who were bound by the curse through disobedience. He bound the power of the curse so that it lost its sting and effect over us.

How can I be sure about this? Remember the story about the strong man?

And if SATAN rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will FIRST BIND THE STRONG MAN; and then he will spoil his house. – Mark 3:26-27

Remember that the enemy came with the curse? He had us bound and locked up in his house (Ephesians 2:2). To get rid of him and release his captives, he must first be bound. (Again, note the reference to the power of the air in Ephesians 2:2 and compare with birds in Genesis 8)

The Messiah was telling us exactly how He was going to save the lost. He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). First He redeemed Israel, and those that join themselves to her.

For those that receive Him not, the Spirit will convict of righteousness, ‘because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more’. When He ascended, He led captivity captive being made a curse for us. We are now free.

Those who receive Him in turn will be the light and salt that will bring back life to this earth.

The Most High is therefore no longer withdrawn from us. Just as the dove was released and never returned to Noah, the Spirit now dwells in us. The prince of this world is bound and the authority of the raven is over. We can again receive the blessings of the Father because the waters have dried from the ground. We are now joined to and one with the Spirit forever more (1 Corinthians 6:17).

In the book of revelation, we see that all will be restored at the end of the ages ‘because the prince of this world is judged’.

And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. – Revelation 22:3-4

A word to sleeping Israelites

If perhaps you are not yet an awakened Israelite, or worse still, you have no clue what those words mean, read Deuteronomy 28. Read my blog posts on the Hebrews in the directory under the same name on this website. Our Father is the giver of life, the unchanging changer that is able to shake us out of the slumber we have been languishing for centuries. And when you do wake up like the virgins in Matthew 25:6-7, do not ever let go of Him again. Trust in this fact, He is worth it; besides, you have got nothing to lose.

And to the gentile believers who hold unto the hope of salvation I have a word to say. Let no man condemn you, believe on the Most High, follow His commandments, love His people and desist from afflicting them. Your salvation lies in being grafted on to the house of Israel (and Judah) through the Messiah. You will not be their replacement, but you can be one with them through faith. You cannot claim to love the Most High and kill His bride on your streets. It is time to repent and resist the prince of this world, so that life may return to our world. The peace of the Most High be with you all.

Prayer points

• Create in me a clean heart and renew your Spirit in me.
• Fill my heart with life, that darkness and death in any form may be far from me.
• Teach me O Most High to walk in the Spirit that I may not walk after the flesh.
• Awaken the house of Jacob from this frozen sleep we are in.
• Let life return, and the curse depart from the houses of Israel and Judah.
• Remember us O Most High, remember the house of Jacob for good.