MESSAGE BY: Apostle Dr. Samuel Ofori
MAIN TEXT: Hebrews 11:4, 12:22-25, Genesis 4:10
Heb. 11:4 – states ‘By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead’.
Heb. 12:23b-24 – ‘…You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Gen. 4:10 – ‘The Lord said “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground’.
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Book of Hebrews
The author of the book of Hebrews is unknown. It is believed to have been written around 67 to 69AD to Jewish Christians outside Palestine, who were at the verge of forsaking their faith and turning back to the Jewish faith because of persecution and discouragement. He explains the superiority of God’s revelation and redemption in Jesus (the New Covenant) by contrasting it with the Old Covenant that ushered in the Mosaic laws of Judaism. In Chapter 1:4 he presents Jesus as superior to angels. The angels are ministering spirits or servants (vs 7) but Jesus is a Son (vs 8). And to the Son God says ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever.’ He is a King.
In Chapter 3:3, he argues that Jesus is superior to Moses. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses. In Vs. 5, he contends, Moses was faithful as servant in all God’s house, but Jesus is faithful as Son over God’s house.
In Chapter 4:1-13, Jesus is presented as superior to Joshua because He gives a better rest than Joshua. If Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day (4:8). There remains therefore a Sabbath Rest for the people of God. And now we who have believed enter that rest (4 vs. 3).
In Chapter 7-9, He contends that Jesus has received a better ministry. As a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, he has a permanent priesthood. The Aaronic priests died and were replaced, but Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us (7:24) and therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him (7:25). He also serves in a better tabernacle that is not made by hand (9:11), and entered not with the blood of goats and bulls but entered once and for all by His own blood (9:12). Then finally, in Chapter 12, he contrasts the old dispensation represented by Sinai and the new dispensation represented by Mt. Zion. In both dispensations we hear of blood speaking. In the old, the blood of Abel spoke and continues to speak, but in the new, the blood of Jesus speaks a better word than that of Abel.
STEP 1 – THE BLOOD THAT SPEAKS
Hebrews 11:4 states ‘By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead’.
Hebrews 12:23b-24 – ‘…You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Genesis 4:10 ‘The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground’.
STEP 2 – THE BLOOD OF JESUS SPEAKS A BETTER WORD THAN THAT OF ABEL
We have come to Jesus whose blood speaks a better word on our behalf. Today, may the blood of Jesus speak on your behalf.
- The blood of Abel speaks a CURSE: In Gen. 4:10-11, it is written ‘The Lord said “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.’ BUT the blood of Jesus Christ speaks BLESSING. In Galatians 3:13-14 it is written ‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit’. MAY THE BLOOD OF JESUS SPEAK BLESSING, PROTECTION AND PROSPERITY INTO YOUR LIFE.
- In Gen. 4:12 it is said of Cain ‘When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on earth’. The blood of Cain speaks POVERTY AND WANT. BUT the blood of Jesus speaks riches. In 2Cor. 8:9 it is written ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.’ MAY THE BLOOD OF JESUS speak riches and prosperity upon your business, even in this period of economic decline that you will come out of this crisis with your source of livelihood not destroyed.
- In Genesis 4:13 ‘Cain laments ‘My punishment is more than I can bear.’ The blood of Abel speaks PUNISHMENT. BUT the blood of Jesus speaks FORGIVENESS. It is written in 1John 1:7-9 ‘But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son purifies us from all sins. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’. May the Lord have mercy on you, and may His precious blood cleanse and purify you so that you can stand before Him in righteousness.
- In Genesis 4:14 Cain further laments ‘Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence. I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.’ The blood of Abel speaks BANISHMENT FROM GOD’S PRESENCE. BUT the blood of Jesus speaks ACCESS into God’s grace. In Ephesians 2:13,18, we read ‘But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ’ For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.’ TODAY PLEAD THE BLOOD FOR ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GRACE TO RECEIVE MERCY AND HELP IN THIS TIME OF NEED. The blood of Jesus still speaks and it speaks a better word than that of Abel.
CONCLUSION
The blood of Jesus still speaks. Its power has not depreciated. It is still speaking blessing, riches, forgiveness, and access into God’s grace. MAY THE BLOOD PROTECT YOU, PROVIDE FOR YOU AND ENSURE YOUR ABSOLUTE SECURITY IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. GOD BLESS YOU.
