Genesis 15:11 (NKJV) And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
What Vultures are and what they represent:
- Vultures are part of the bird’s family, but they are voracious and not peaceful – they devour. They are bird preys, unclean and forbidden for Israelites to eat (Leviticus 11:13)
- They represent enemy of God and His people
- They are distractions trying to take our focus off what we bring to God
- They are unclean animals because they feed on dead bodies and can transmit diseases. The Mosaic Law declares them unclean and forbids the Israelites to eat (Deuteronomy 14:12)
- They partake in the dishonoring of the body of dead rebels. Exposure to birds of prey after death is a terrible and dishonorable fate. Having one’s body exposed after death was one of the curses in the event of continual disobedience and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 28:26). In 1 Samuel 17:44-46, David and Goliath both threatened one another with post-death exposure to birds of prey and wild animals.
- Vultures symbolize death and judgment. In the New Testament, vultures indicate the coming death and judgment of those who follow the Antichrist (Matthew 24:28; Luke 17:37; Revelation 19:19–21). After the battle of Armageddon, an angel calls out to the birds of prey, saying, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small” (Revelation 19:17–18).
Although these birds were created good along with the rest of creation, the vulture’s present purpose is a result of the fallen world. Vultures may have a foul reputation, but they do serve an important function in God’s creation and His Word.
What does these mean to us?
- We must keep watch upon our spiritual sacrifices. We must guard our hearts and spirits from these voracious animals and things that appear to take what we bring to offer to God.
- When you are in His Presence, and negative thoughts and imaginations droop o’er your mind causing you not to be stayed on God. These are vultures trying to cause a distraction. We must do everything possible to keep them away and remain focused on our acts of worship.
- When vain thoughts, like these fowls, come down upon our sacrifices of worship, we must drive them away from defiling us and our worship.
- Vultures come around whenever we decide to do the right things for God. They come to discourage us, or persuade us to not honor God with true acts of worship. For instance, you may have proposed in your heart to honor God by giving bountifully to the Lord with your tithes and offerings; however, that is when fowls come to present contrary thoughts to cause you to do the opposite. Acts 5 tells us about Ananias and Saphira who allowed vultures to come upon their sacrifice by the thought of robbing God. We know what happened to them.
- In addition, God in Malachi 3:8-12 asks – “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, [Even] this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you [such] blessing That [there will] not [be room] enough [to receive it.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts; 12 “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts.
- Vultures not only defile, dishonor and devour a person, they also steal blessings. They droop around to eat up those seeds that God intends to use to provide food for us. They can steal blessings from us according to Matthew 13:4 (NKJV)4 And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up.
Be alert and watch out for those unfriendly vultures that comes to steal, kill and destroy lives. Abram was not going to have it come mess up his desire to believe God and enter into a covenant with Him. Like Abram did, we also ought to daily resist the enemy (James 4:7). Otherwise, you will invite what you fail to resist. May we not ignore to do what is needed and required to make it to the top. 🙏
Gotta keep the vultures away!!! (To be continued)
