TEXT:"And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."-Genesis 9:1

The blessing bestowed upon Noah, the second father of mankind, is exactly parallel to that given to our first father Adam in Genesis 1:28-29; with significant addition growing out of the history of the past. There is the command to fill the earth with human lives, and the same promise that the fear of man shall rest upon the whole animated creation; but this grant of dominion is so extended that the animals are now given to man for food. But, just as there was a restriction as regard Adam's food the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil being refused him, so now there is a prohibition against the eating of blood. The addition is the sanctity given to human life, with the evident object of guarding against such a disruption of the human race as was the result of Cain's murder of Abel. Thus, man starts afresh upon his task of subjugating the earth, with increased empire over the animal world, and with his own life more solemnly guarded and made secure.

God assured Noah and his family of His goodwill, and His gracious intentions concerning them. The first blessing is here renewed, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and repeated in Genesis 9:7; for the race of mankind was, as it were, to begin again. By virtue of this blessing mankind were to multiply and perpetuate upon the earth; so that in little time all the habitable parts of the earth should be more or less inhabited. And though one generation should pass away, yet another generation should come, so that the stream of the human race should be supplied with a constant succession, and run a parallel with the current of time, till both should be swallowed up in the ocean of eternity.

The blessing of God is the cause of our doing well. On Him we depend, to Him we should be thankful. Let us not forget the pleasure and advantage we have from the labour of beasts, and which their flesh affords. Nor ought we to be less thankful for the security we enjoy from the savage and hurtful beasts, through the fear of man which God has fixed deep in them. We see the fulfilment of this promise everyday, and on every side. This grant of the animals for food fully warrant the use of them, but not the abuse of them by gluttony, still less by cruelty. We ought not to pain them needlessly whilst they live, nor when we take away their lives.

While we, who are in Christ, are blessed with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3. God in His grace provides many temporal blessings to all humanity. God makes His sun to shine both on the good and the evil, sending rain both on the just and the unjust, Matthew 5:45. But, we are charged to set our hearts on things above, for the spiritual blessings that are already ours, have been given in abundance and unconditional grace to all who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. Present blessings and our eternal inheritance are securely fixed in heavenly places in Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father in glory. And the Christians are equally united together in Christ in glory.

Every good and perfect gifts come from the Father of lights. Jesus Christ is the greatest of all gifts to be bestowed on humanity, John 3:16. God has already given to us every spiritual blessings. What this means is that we do not have to go searching for more blessings. We just need to discover what God has already given to us and then start using them. When we make use of the riches God has given to us, He will do things beyond our imagination. God will do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask or think. God will do more than we can even imagine. When it comes to making use of God's riches to carry out our God-given responsibilities, there is literally no limit to what God will do in and through us. And just as God blessed Noah. You are blessed! The sky is not the limit, but the starting point. Shalom!

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Pastor K. C. Akano,
Love Kingdom Assembly (LKA),
Umudurunneke, Umorlu-Isu,
Nwangele LGA,
Imo State,
Nigeria.
07061582689