Abram of Mesopotamia, the land between the two rivers Euphrates and Tigris, was a descendant of Shem. He was searching for the truth. I called him out of his Ur and out of his people to give him a possession in Canaan. I started interacting with him. He was a believer of Our divine promise of a Saviour. I blessed him so that he would become a blessing to the whole world through me. Though he was a possessor of rich material blessings, he never fixed his heart on them; he was always looking for the spiritual blessings that I had promised him.

Abraham became my friend because he trusted me. He became the father of all believers. Despite his wife’s initial unbelief, he stood strong in his faith that God would accomplish the impossible – giving him a son in his old age. His seed would continue and bring forth me in the flesh. And I kept my promise by giving him Isaac. In fact, Abram became the father of a multitude of believers that would follow – Abraham.

Earlier, Abraham overshot his destination and ventured into Egypt. His descendants through Ishmael by Hagar would become the Bedouins and later, the Islamists of the world. These unbelieving seed of the adversary (along with the unbelieving Jews) have been against Our purpose all along and would become a multitude who oppose me – antichrists – later in history. It might look like they are mutual enemies; their root is the same! History is eventually my story; I had told you so.

Abraham showed so much faith that he offered his beloved son of his old age as a sacrifice although my promise was hinged on this Isaac; the very nature of my Father who offered me up, His only begotten Son, as a substitutionary sacrifice for the salvation of the world!

Paradise was named after him – Abraham’s bosom. I expect my people to believe me likewise. I will fulfil my promise, come what may!

Isaac was in the believing line. He believed in resurrection. He submitted to his father’s will even when it was the question of his marriage. He accepted the bride that Abraham brought to him from his own kindred, not from the idol-worshipping population around him. I wish my believers emulated him. Isaac brought forth Esau and Jacob.

Jacob was my man; Esau the carnal, was not. Isaac’s descendants through Jacob would be called Hebrews, Israelites and later, Jews. Jacob was one who would never give up – We knew this even when We drafted Our eternal plan. He refused to give up even when he lost a dual with me when he was returning from his father-in-law’s house. He would not leave me until I blessed him. I renamed Jacob; I named him Israel. Twice. This ‘usurper’ in human terms would be a ‘prince with me’ in Our eternal purpose. The reason? He was my believer. All believers in me, Israel or otherwise, would be named after him as the Israel of God.

Israel believed in my promise of the Saviour to come. He believed that his people would return from the Egyptian slavery, though long afterwards. How I wish my believers in my Church held on to me like he did! Are they not the Israel of God today?

Judah, the fourth son of Israel was in the believing line. Although he botched up things with respect to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, I chose her to bring forth the believing line through Perez. Judah was careful not to pursue his misdemeanour once he realised his folly. He was preferred above Reuben, who defiled his father’s bed and, Simeon and Levi because of the gory bloodshed they committed under the cover of revenging their sister’s reproach. But look at Judah! He saved Joseph from being killed when the rest of his brothers plotted against him. He might not have realised then how important that gesture was because everything in Our plan rested on this vital link.

Joseph was a key person in Our eternal purpose. He was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, but I was with him all the while – even when he was amid temptations, trials, and in the dungeon. I was with him when he became the governor, the second in authority under Pharaoh. I saved his brothers (including Judah) from death by famine through Joseph. The believing generation would be among these Hebrew patriarchs.

I took my people into Egypt to survive a famine. It was also my intention to keep them there for quite a while until it was time for me to deliver them from the oppression of the Pharaohs. I was preparing my man for this divine assignment. Meanwhile, my people forgot me; I did not. They started becoming ‘sticky’ to the pagan food and lifestyle.

Moses entered Pharaoh’s palace when he was still a three-month-old baby; it was Our providence by foreknowledge. He was trained in all arts and skills of the Egyptians for his first forty years. He was anxious but also a bit hasty to deliver his people from the Egyptian taskmasters. So, I took him to the wilderness to break his ‘self’. He dwelt there for the next forty years and raised a family. Then, one fine day I met him in a burning bush and spoke to him. I revealed my special name to him – I AM. Even after this, he was apprehensive and hesitant to take up the challenging task of leading a ‘stiff-necked’ people out of slavery into freedom. I equipped him with the strength needed to lead them out. He was diligent do everything I bid him.

I instructed my people to slay a lamb and apply its blood on the lintels and doorposts of their houses a particular night. That was the night when I sent out the angel of destruction to slay the firstborns of all Egyptians beginning from the Pharaoh’s palace to the cattle shed of the last Egyptian. Death would pass-over those houses that had the blood applied. It was indicative of my blood that would be shed later in time to deliver mankind from death to gift them eternal life. That night, my people walked out of the land of bondage into freedom. However, for most of my people, the sacrifice became an annual empty ritual devoid of any faith in the promise of my coming for their salvation. They made void the covenant I made with them through the blood of the Passover lamb, by keeping it in only the letter and not in the spirit.

I gave my people commandments to keep. They were designed to instruct them on what is required of them to remain peaceable with God and to live a harmonious life with their fellow beings. The law was not drawn to enable them to live this life. I knew they will fail all the time trying to keep up to the standards the law demanded of them. They would always have to come back to me and depend on my lovingkindness and goodness to receive my righteousness. Only my righteousness would be acceptable to a Holy God.

I love my people and desire to dwell among them. The tabernacle that I instructed Moses to build was an indicator of my presence among them. The Holy of Holies in the tabernacle was set up to create awe among them about the holiness of God Who would not tolerate sin. It was a model on earth of the presence of God in heaven. They would bring a sacrificial animal to shed its blood to gain entry into the tabernacle. I permitted only the high priest into the Sanctum Sanctorum once a year to sprinkle the blood of atonement on the mercy seat. This would cover the sins of my believing people. All sacrifices recommended by me were indicative of my sacrifice that would be superior to any of them. They were only a shadow, but I was the Subject.

Sadly, these sacrifices became ‘traditions’; none of my people believed in the meaning behind these offerings. They started trusting in ‘their works’ instead of mine that I would accomplish for them at the appointed time for the removal of their sins forever. Very few continued to believe the promise and anticipate me, the Messiah.

Most of my people turned hostile to me as my adversary kept deceiving them by offering them worldly power, riches, fame, and name. They turned their backs on me to follow after filthy idols, lasciviousness and occult practices. They started living an abominable life mete with their gods. They failed to show me to the people around them.

I sent them my prophets to bring warnings to my people so that they would repent and turn to me. Sadly, they ignored these admonitions and even put to death many of my messengers. My enemy was working overtime to upset Our purpose. He still possesses people or provokes them to defy my statutes. However, he keeps forgetting that I am Sovereign, the Almighty whose counsels will stand. He continues to fall prostrate. He continues to lick dust. I know the end of everything from the beginning – that includes my adversary’s.