God teaches us addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division:
ADDITION:
“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” Matt 6:33 KJV Jesus will add to you all you need for life in Him and life itself.
“For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And a large crowd was added unto the Lord.” Acts 11:24 KJV The Lord will add to
Heaven the number of the redeemed.
“Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” Acts 5:14 NIV God adds to the numbers of His church.
“Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censor; and much incense was given to him, that he might add it to the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.” Revelation 8:3 NASB Jesus uses angels to add incense to the prayers of saints to give back to God.
“To your knowledge, add self-control; to your self-control add endurance; to your endurance add godliness;” 2 Peter 1:6 Good News Translation The qualities of God are added to us as we grow in our faith.
SUBTRACTION:
“The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 NIV God gives Jesus to subtract our sin(s).
“So are the ways of everyone that is greedy for gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.” Proverbs 1:19 KJV God warns that greed for gain will rob you of your life.
“Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not ask it back.” Luke 6:30 Jesus asks us to give freely to those who subtract from us.
“Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” Mark 4:15 NIV Jesus teaches that sometimes the devil steals the word from hearers right after they’ve received it.
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2 NASB Jesus cuts of the branches (us) and subtracts them if they are unfruitful.
“Then he said “ ‘ BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.’ “He takes away the first in order to establish the second.” Hebrews 10:9 NASB God subtracts the Old Covenant and enforces the New Covenant in Christ!
MULTIPLICATION:
“As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” Genesis 9:7 NIV God gives us the mandate of multiplying souls and increasing in fruitfulness of labor.
“There the fire will consume you, the sword will cut you down–they will devour you like a swarm of locusts. Multiply like grasshoppers, multiply like locusts! Nahum 3:15 God pokes fun in judging Ninevah, and at their futile attempts to increase in power by number.
“And I will harden Pharoah’s heart, and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 7:3 KJV God’s multiplies His signs to show that He is the all powerful and only true God.
“And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the water and the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.” Genesis 1:22 KJV God not only gave the mandate for the animals. to be in the oceans and skies, but he gave them the holy responsibility of multiplying themselves.
“And fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming-who can tell someone else what will happen to them.” Ecclesiastes 10:14 Simple enough. God tells us not to talk to much, not to multiply our words, and to look out for others that do.
“And God blessed and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multply, and replenish the earth.” Genesis 9:1 KJV The Lord gave the earth another chance after the great flood and told Noah and family to multiply and repopulate the earth over again.
“Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you–the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground–so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.” Genesis 8:17 NIV After the flood (and perhaps after the dinosaurs were wiped out also), the Lord commanded Noah to bring the animals out of the ark so they can multiply to fill the earth again.
“Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 9:10 KJV Just as the Lord provides harvests from the earth for us to enjoy and live by, so also will He multiply the fruits of our righteousness in His time.
“Saying, I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” Hebrews 6:14 NASB God swore to Abraham that he would bless him with multiples of physical and spiritual descendants to outnumber the stars in the sky.
DIVISION
“Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” Luke 12:51 NIV No patty-cake with Jesus in regards to the world, but rather understanding that light versus dark will always result in division as long as the world exists.
“So that there be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for one another.” 1 Corinthians 12:25 NIV Jesus teaches us that division has no place in the body, but that just as a person’s body parts should work together in the physical, so should it be in the spiritual body. Division will not bring about the love of God required for each member of the body towards one another.
“His divisions number 74.600.” Numbers 2:4 NIV Nahshon son of Amminadab: records in the Old Testament are revealing groups of divisions of camps of Judah. Number, numbers, numbers :).
Rebekah's Reflections 