Be Fruitful and Multiply in 2010

Posted by Alexis Wallace on December 30, 2009 under How | Be the First to Comment

Genesis 1:28 (KJV) “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

The first covenant that God made with mankind is one that is certain to bring increase if we follow the process. G-d told Adam in Eden: to be fruitful and then multiply and then replenish the earth. This process is for a purpose: Phase 1: Be fruitful; Phase 2: Multiply; Phase 3: Replenish. What you receive in the phase of your calling to fruitfulness will sustain, uphold and defend you in the second and third stages of your multiplication and replenishing.

No other group of people has understood this simple principle better than the Jewish people but, unfortunately no other people has ever had to suffer like them for the multiplication and increase that their fruitfulness has brought.

Apart from the incorrect allegation of deicide – the Jews being responsible for killing Jesus (Yeshua)- the number one reason that many historians have said that most people hate Jews is because, “they possess too much wealth and power.”

If we look at the historical, viciousness that characterized anti-Semitism from the days of Babylon (Persia); to the temple and cultural desecration of the Greek King Antiochus IV; to the 1935 Nuremberg Laws that paved the way for the German Holocaust, there has been a voracity of anti-Semitism that should have wiped out the Jewish people and their success at numerous points in their history. But they have thrived and continue to be blessed.

The Jewish people account for less than 1% of the world’s population but are said to have 25% of the world’s billionaires.

It would be easy to point out the fact that the Hebrew culture and religion have always encouraged education, math and reading gifts. An example of this would be seen in how Joseph, who was sold as a slave prospered in the land of his captivity because of G-d’s favor and his own ability. (Genesis 39: 1- 4)

Before Potiphar’s wife attacked, Joseph had become overseer in his house and even after being falsely accused and imprisoned it was his scholastic skills and managerial ability that made room for him to be Prime Minister (Genesis 41: 33- 43)

When we look at the life of Joseph we realize that skill and natural ability can only go so far in bringing blessings and increase, it is truly the favor of the Lord that comes from a covenant relationship with Him. (Psalm 112: 1 – 3)

There is a specific process that G-d wants us to follow if we are to experience His abundance. This is a process that He has directed for us to follow from the time of His initial conversation with mankind before we fell under the Adamic curse: to be fruitful and then multiply and then replenish the earth.

Almost all of the covenants that G-d has made with man, with regards to the increase associated with following His’ direction, are based on this simple thing.

Under the Noahic Covenant, which was symbolized by the rainbow after the great flood, G-d promised that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 8:1 – 9:17).

But He reaffirmed what I call His initial Covenant of Increase from Adam to Noah in Genesis 9:1: And G-d blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. (From verses 1 to 7, the Word of G-d is more specific with regards to the power of the dominion that He has given us)

G-d’s initial Covenant of Increase was extended unto Abraham within the direction that He gave for Abraham to leave his country and his people and his father’s household (Genesis 12:1-3)

G-d clearly shows us within these directions that He gave to Abraham, that He was going to bless Abraham to be a blessing “to all the families of the earth” and whoever blessed Him; Abraham being symbolic of G-d’s covenant people, they would be blessed. The other part of Abraham’s covenant specifically deals with the land that the Lord has declared to belong to the Hebrew people. (Genesis 15: 18 – 21)

G-d knew that Abram would submit to being fruitful before multiplication and that his faith would be in G-d and not within his own ability. (Romans 4:1-3; Galatians 3:7- 9)

The Covenant of Increase requires our fruitfulness before we can see multiplication or, the increase of the territories for our possession.

It is very easy to see the divine direction for increase present within the Genesis 1:28 instructions but, there is also something very simple here that some of us may have overlooked.

When G-d blessed Adam and Eve and told them to be fruitful and to multiply, the multiplication that He was talking about was not just a descriptive statement regarding the blessing of the fruitful (or to have plenty of children), if we only see this then we have missed something very major. I believe that what G-d is saying here is that if we want to see increase,… if we want to see multiplication in our lives according to that which He has directed, then “fruitfulness” should be established and fully operational in our lives before we look to see multiplication.

In 2010, when we have to make decisions about people, organizations or activities being a part of our lives, let us count the cost before we build the tower (Luke 14: 27 – 29). Perhaps there would be less dead works and people in our lives if we check out their fruitfulness before we “add them to us”.

G-d says to be fruitful and then multiply and then replenish the earth. The process is for a purpose; maybe its to burn off the wrong mind sets that we have that will cause us to lose focus when He blesses us, maybe its to prune off the wrong friends that will keep us from remaining strengthened where He will position us to be in the coming New Season of our lives.

Shalom blessings in your New Season,

Pastor Alexis Wallace.