#28"Blood" Genesis 8

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." Genesis 8:20-22 ESV

The first action recorded after Noah exits the ark is the building of an altar. He offers burnt offerings from all the clean animals and birds. It says, "the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma" and after this states that He will never again curse the ground or strike down every living creature. God was pleased with Noah's sacrifice and I have often heard and been taught that this was solely because of blood and the same reason Cain's sacrifice was unacceptable. I believe there is more to it than just blood vs. vegetables in the instance of Cain and Abel.

The blood offering, as part of the old covenant, offers an image of the new covenant. Man is dead in his  trespasses and sin. Sin brings death. The sacrifice of animals does not take away the sins of the world, but points to the Lamb of God, who only can atone for the sins of all those who believe.

It was stated earlier in Genesis that Cain brings fruits from the ground, but Abel brings the first born of his flock, the best, and that God respected His offering but did not respect Cain's. I don't think God was belittling Cain's occupation, and I can't find where it tells us that Cain defied God by not offering a blood sacrifice, but I see in the different translations what amounts to the fruit of the ground, not the first or the best. I am speculating some here because of other passages of scripture, but please, be sure I am not discounting what I have been taught. Adam and Eve were given animal skins as a covering and Abel offered an animal sacrifice that was pleasing to God; these offer an important picture of God's ultimate plan of redemption. If it was a commanded sin offering that was suppose to be in blood then he openly disobeyed on that level too, but I believe, that even if Cain would have offered an animal sacrifice, it would not have been pleasing to God.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. Hebrews 11:4 NKJV

There is more than just the act of killing an animal. Abel was a shepherd, and it is difficult for us in this time, thousands of years later, living under the New Covenant of grace, to relate to this individual and the significance of his sacrifice. Sheep would be his livelihood. Abel giving the best of his flock and not holding them back for future breeding stock or towards his own stores would defy material logic. Unless, it was an act of faith based on obedience to God, and showing faith not in Abel's material resources which he could see, but rather in the God who created all we do see and do not yet see. Abel trusted God, and gave from the heart.

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears you have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart." Psalm 40: 6-8 NKJV

David is not doing away with the sacrifice, nor is he making light of the command or the representation. It is the matter of the heart and not only the act of obedience but the desire to obey.

Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 1Samuel 15:22 NKJV

Noah and Abel were not born righteous, righteousness was accounted to them through faith. Faith opposes pride; I no longer do good things because I am a "good" person; I do good things by faith in the Lamb of God.

Read More

#27 "Noah" Films and Fables Genesis 8

And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark. Genesis 8: 13-19 NKJV

The world that Noah and his family are now entering had to be very different than the world pre-flood. The canopy is gone, and I imagine that the release of water from the earth's interior and the changed landscape would have broken up any pre-existing symmetry, and would result in natural disasters and phenomena new to them. Their planet would now be subject to storms, rain, and an overall accelerated entropy. Man cannot live as long in this environment and it is a world not free of sin, but God, unlike man, is not reactionary. He has a purpose. He will see His plan through, and we, who believe, should take comfort in the fact that He is in control. 

Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:31-33 NKHV

I have recently read several reviews of the movie Noah, and have seen the debates in comments under articles and on Facebook. Let me say this first; I believe the Bible is God's word, and that it is our duty as believers to defend its truths. 

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1Peter 3:15

That said, I do not understand the shock of some commenting on the movie, and I fail to see the meekness in some of their responses; some of which I dare not repeat.  Is it really righteous anger? Is it really so surprising that men, who do not believe in God, would corrupt the telling of a Bible story? I am not surprised, and it indicates to me that the world still needs to hear the truth, and that except for the grace of God, I too would be adverse to the things of God. 

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8: 7&8

We would like to hold the world to a standard that it can neither understand nor attain, yet in our own churches we have become relaxed in the handling of God's word. God does not need the endorsement of Hollywood, but you, who have been blessed with the truth, He has also blessed with the honor of telling. 

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2Timothy 4: 1-5

Update Is Genesis History?

Read More

#26"Ravens and Doves" Genesis 8

So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore. Genesis 8: 6-12 NKJV

The raven not returning would be a good indication that the flood waters had receded, but a raven is also an opportunist. He may have found carrion from the dead and rotting corpses of animals that had been lodged in rocks, on the mountains, as the waters receded. This would not be suitable for all the inhabitants of the ark, so Noah releases a dove. The dove finds no suitable resting place and returns to the safety and food that is in the ark. The second time she returns with an olive branch which is a good sign of new growth, and the third time she did not return which was the sign that all could exit and survive.                                 

We see the dove with the olive branch as a symbol of peace. God has kept His promise to Noah, the storm has passed and the waters are receding. We will see this again with the new covenant, and the coming of God's provision for peace. Noah's family will continue the seed of that ultimate promise, the crushing of sin and death. 

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 3: 16&17

Read More

#25 "Inside" Genesis 8

Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the 150 days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. Genesis 8: 1-5 NKJV

At the end of the 40 days God keeps His promise to Noah and starts the process of returning the flood waters to the sky by evaporation, and to the earths crust and mantle. Noah and his family were in the ark much longer than 40 days. This was no luxury cruise either; they were inside this box with all these animals and their excrement for a period lasting over a year. It is hard to imagine what such a trip would be like. They were safe though, during the worst catastrophe our world has yet to know. In the ark, riding high above the most unimaginable and extreme forces, they are kept atop the very cushion that is now crushing and reshaping our planet. One year inside a box, a box that must have seemed like hell to its occupants, they exist. They were use to sunny days, fresh air and the freedom to roam. This was no life I would want to live, and here it is only still the beginning. God has destroyed sinful man, and yet has saved mankind. It is His creation and at the mercy of His will, but he has chosen in this to show His mercy by sparing the lives of 8 people. It is far from finished though, because in saving mankind he has also saved sinful man. The ark will only save 8 and it will only save them in the physical world and allow the opportunity for man to exercise his free will once again. It is a testament to God's holiness, His Love, and the rebirth of the world after the flood will testify to the need of God's redemptive plan. 

"And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness." Leviticus 16: 20 - 22 NKJV

Read More

#24"The Whole Earth" Genesis 7

On the very same day Noah and Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark - they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in. Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The water increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole of heaven were covered. And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground; both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days. Genesis 7: 13-24

There is nowhere in Genesis that I have seen reference to an isolated geographical incident. The flood described here encompasses the earth, otherwise, God could have told Noah to move, and there would be no need to collect all the animals if it was in an isolated location. This was a flood that covered the whole earth, and though symbolic on many levels, it is written to describe an actual event. There are, if I remember correctly and at last count, over 270 flood stories told in cultures all over the earth that find their origin in this event.

Read More

#23 "Not Stirred" Genesis 7

So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, two by two they event into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. Genesis 7:7-12 NKJV

In verse 4 and verse 10 we see reference to a seven day notice. Noah and his family have been building this ark for a very long time now, the people of his day have probably lost interest in Noah's project. After this long a time every joke has been said more than once, but there is the shear size and magnitude of this great box. There is a man who has been able to convince 7 other people to work with him on this, and now God is telling him to enter the ark. Not only will they enter the ark but a procession of two of every species of animal, probably close to a hundred thousand animals, will now move towards the ark and enter as God has stated. This is not even including the insects, and yet, Noah and his family will still be the only ones of our species to enter the ark. Here he is going in 7 days before the flood and this as a testament of his faith in God's promise. Noah is telling the whole world goodbye and that the time has come, and though his argument is of things not yet seen, he is vindicated even before the waters arrive by the testimony of the animals. 

I posted Luke 17:26&27 about two posts back, "and as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." NKJV

God uses the historical and natural events of the old testament to show His plan for all of time and the end of time. According to Luke, the people of Noah's generation were unmoved and just went about their normal daily activities. I believe that the New Testament calls back to these stories because new and old are perfectly in sync. My godmother and I were discussing this last night, and the seven days, at the very least, represents a set time. In the New Testament, we see in Matthew's account of Jesus words, "but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. "Matthew 24:36. NKJV

I have been quite undecided for quite some time as to the many views of the prophecies of Christ return. If, the story of Noah is an indication of the end times then we see that world will not take notice of these signs. They will be more caught up in their normal daily pursuits. The seven days is interesting to me, because Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," 2Peter 2:5c NKJV, is told to enter the ark seven days before the flood. It could be said that this was the time needed to gather all the animals, and make final preparations, but in comparison to the coming of Christ, of which no man knows the hour or the day, Noah now knows the day of this judgment. He has believed and preached that it is coming, but now, seven days before it occurs he is told to enter the ark, and that God will flood the earth seven days from that notice. It is something to think about. Noah was a preacher of righteousness, he testified of God for many years through his obedience in building the ark. He has now entered the ark, with the animals, and for seven days the world can contemplate this. 

And when you have contemplated them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year. Ezekiel 4:6 NKJV

This section of Genesis would seem to line up more with a pre-tribulation rapture view, in that God's chosen are removed from the populace seven days before the judgment. In the last days this would be another physical testament to the Word of God and righteousness of God that has been preached. God's call has been there for generations prior to the flood and since; so it is not a call to the calendar, but rather a call to a state of repentance and salvation that are God's grace and receivable only through faith.

Many will obviously remain unmoved even by what they see, have seen, and no longer see. They will be under a strong delusion, they will consider themselves wise, and they will not repent. I lean towards a rapture now, but will discuss this and some of the other views in more detail as we approach those areas of Scriptural mention. Any doctrine or claim of interpretation should be in light of the whole counsel of God, and not taken out of context. 

Read More

#22"Enter the Ark" Genesis 7

Then the Lord said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also 7 each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made." And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth. Genesis 7: 1-6 NKJV

God's righteousness: this is an excerpt from Bible.org, and I could not say it better.

These words by Richard Strauss bring us very close to a concise definition of righteousness. Righteousness, in relation to men, is their conformity to a standard. Unlike men, God is not subject to anything outside of Himself. No one states this better than A.W. Tozer:

It is sometimes said, ‘Justice requires God to do this,’ referring to some act we know He will perform. This is an error of thinking as well as of speaking, for it postulates a principle of justice outside of God which compels Him to act in a certain way. Of course there is no such principle. If there were it would be superior to God, for only a superior power can compel obedience. The truth is that there is not and can never be anything outside of the nature of God which can move Him in the least degree. All God’s reasons come from within His uncreated being. Nothing has entered the being of God from eternity, nothing has been removed, and nothing has been changed.

Justice, when used of God, is a name we give to the way God is, nothing more; and when God acts justly He is not doing so to conform to an independent criterion, but simply acting like Himself in a given situation. . . God is His own self-existent principle of moral equity, and when He sentences evil men or rewards the righteous, He simply acts like Himself from within, uninfluenced by anything that is not Himself.” 31

We must then say the righteousness of God is evident in the way He consistently acts in accord with His own character. God always acts righteously; His every action is consistent with His character. God is always consistently “Godly.” God is not defined by the term “righteous,” as much as the term “righteous” is defined by God. God is not measured by the standard of righteousness; God sets the standard of righteousness.

So then, if God is the bar for all righteousness, then those things created have only to conform. To establish one's own righteousness apart from faith is a sort of mental treason. Righteousness was attributed to Noah through Faith, in that he walked with God, and obeyed God, in a generation that did not. He was born into a fallen world, and under the curse of sin as much as you or I. 

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside"… Romans 3:9-12a NKJV

`

Read More

#21 "The Ark" Genesis 6

And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. And behold, I myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark - you, your sons, your wife, and your son's wives with you. And every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them." Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. Genesis 6:13-22

A cubit is approximately 1.5 ft. in length. This would make the ark a rather large box at 45 ft. tall, 75 ft. wide, and 450 ft. long. I am not sure what kind of wood goherwood is, but some have theorized cedar, since that wood is prevalent in this area of the old world. Pitch is referring to the resin they used to seal the seams of the ark and keep water tight. 

There is some interesting symbolism here:

• God is giving Noah directions to build the ark of his escape. he has given all mankind Jesus and His word.
• This will be built with natural materials and by human labor. There obedience will see them through this flood.
• The ark will save eight people, his whole immediate family. Noah's family will repopulate the earth and continue with the seed.
• It will take many years to build the ark. It stands as a testimony of faith in a time where they had not seen this sort of rain. During this time, Noah will be jeered and ridiculed by his peers as they have no desire for the things of God.

God, by His design, has already calculated the size of the boat Noah will need both for capacity and stability. Though God will bring about this judgement in His time and by His own means, he allows the work to be carried out by human hands. He will use water to destroy the earth, and a man made vessel to sustain human life and keep His covenant promise of a redeemer. This is the greatest natural catastrophe of all history, and the ark made of wood will stand symbolic of a God, made into man, born of a woman, and hung on a tree to cover all believers, of all times, once and for all. Jesus will be the ark  for God's final judgment, and the only means by which to cross the void of spiritual death and separation.

God saves Noah's whole family. I am not sure, but this may in some way be attributed to a weakening genetic pool. What started with two may now require six representatives, of the human species, to keep enough genetic material in the new population. 

The building of the ark with the tools probably available to them at the time would have taken many, many years. In all this time, the people saw Noah, spoke with Noah and saw this monstrosity of a box in his yard. Yet, Noah and his family are the only ones that will enter the ark.

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man; They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." Luke 17:26&27

Christians are often shocked by unbelievers disregard for God, sin, and judgment. We are so fortunately blessed yet somehow it escapes us that we are just as helpless without God. We, who believe, are so easily impressed with ourselves, that we try to conform a dying world to us rather than taking them to a Christ who can save them. We try to return to the law that we could not keep, and impose it upon those who do not believe. Is it such a shock that sinners sin. I pray my own sins bothers me more, and that I am humbled by the realization of my salvation. 

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark, for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11: 7

         

Read More

#20"Noah" Genesis 6

This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem , Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. Genesis 6:9-12 NKJV

We ended the last study with God being sorry that he made men, but also with Noah finding grace in the eyes of the Lord. 

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

In verse 9 it describes Noah as a just man. The Bible tells us that the just shall live by faith, and also that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Noah was considered just through faith, and the choice to pursue God's righteousness, through obedience to Him, shows him perfect compared to his generation. It is not that Noah was without sin, but rather that he trusted God and was humble before Him. 

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11:7 NKJV

God finds the earth corrupt and violent. This has most likely been accelerated by Satan and his fallen angels cohabiting with men. There is much violence in the earth but keep in mind that God has promised a deliverer that will crush Satan's head. He promises to bring Him through the seed of the woman, but at the same time He hates sin. 

Read More

#19 "Sons of God and Daughters of Men" Genesis 6

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men of old, men of renown. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:1-7 NKJV

This is a passage that people have been divided on, as far as interpretation, so I am going to start with  the phrase, "sons of God."  In Job 1:6: Now there was a day when the "sons of God" came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. NKJV

Sons of God here, in the context of this passage, is referring to the angelic host and Satan is among them. When God asked Satan, "From where do you come?" He answers, "from going to and fro on the earth, and walking back and forth on it." So He is no longer there but instead he is in the presence of God Almighty. In Job 2:1 we see a recurring instance where the angelic hosts are referred to as the "sons of God" in another meeting. The reference to angels, using the same words, is made again in Job 38:7. Looking at it from the first sentence in Gen 6: men multiply, daughters born to them, sons of God saw daughters of men, it naturally draws a distinction between men and sons of God. 

Angels were not made with the purpose of procreation in mind.

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. Matthew 22:30

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to this, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 6

The verse above draws comparison between the sexual immorality of Sodom and that of the fallen angels. It is uncertain if the angels literally had sex with women since they were not designed with the intent of marriage, as we see in Matthew, or as some writers have stated, possessed men. Either way it was against God's command and stepping outside of His design. The passage also states that the daughters of men bore children to them, and that there were giants on the earth. The sentence structure appears to indicate that the giants were already there in those days and not a product of copulation. Why they are included in this particular passage may be to indicate that they were the preferred instrument of the fallen angels for sexual exploits if it was indeed a matter of possession, but that is me speculating.

It is at this time that God also decides to shorten man's days. We will see the His instrument for this in the following chapters.  Will God destroy all men, or will He keep His word to Adam and Eve about a promised seed?

Read More

#18 "Was Not" Genesis 5

This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died. When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died. When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died. When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch. Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died. When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son and called his name Noah, saying, "Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands." Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. thus the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died. After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Hem, and Japheth. Genesis 5 ESV

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You gave him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. Psalm 8:3-9 ESV

God creates man in His image: I have heard many takes on this from the humble to the most extravagant in the more "name it and claim it" and "prosperity" types of denominations. The extreme does not keep to text nor to scripture whole. God created all things including man, and reserves the right alone to be worshipped by His creation. Lucifer, the angel, tried to usurp this right of God and elevate himself to the throne of the Almighty. In keeping with the context, and in view of Genesis 1, we see first that man was created. Man was created in the likeness of God which made him God's representative or manager, if you will, over the affairs of earth. He was given dominion over the rest of God's creation, but he is still a created being.

All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and the honor of my majesty?" While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beast of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses." Daniel 4: 28-33 NKJV

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 1 Timothy 6: 3-5 NKJV

One more mention from Genesis chapter 5 that stands out from the rest of the genealogy. Enoch walked with God: there is an implied intimacy here that we do not see often in the Bible stories. Every other patriarch's account is finished with "and he died."

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:5&6 NKJV



                                                                                                                                         

Read More

#17 "Wife of Cain" Genesis 5

Then Cain went away from the prescence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. his brother's name was jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is seventy sevenfold."

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, "Gos has appointed for me another offspring instead of abel, for Cain killed him." To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

So who was Cain's wife? Well, that is not so complicated as you might think. It is simple. Cain married his sister, for Eve was the mother of all living. This would be considered bad practice today and rightly so, but at this time it is where all people started. The almost perect man and woman with a clean and large genetic pool are perfectly designed to start the human population. Even after the fall our parents would still be amazing physical specimens. This does not go against what is scientifically observable to us today in the form of entropy. People, animals and plants all lose information along the way, and though we would like to see it the other way around, entropy is what we actually observe. If you take a group of animals and cut them off from outside genetics you will find that each generation becomes weaker than the last. There are thousands of examples of this, some caused by man's cities, roads and fences and others by overhunting and or inbreeding to lock in certain traits. 

After he begot Seth, the days of adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. Genesis 5:4

The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover. Leviticus 18:9

Since I am going through God's Word right now, I am going to take a pass on any jokes about certain areas of the country, I think that would be a wrong turn. It is however as we see from chapter 18 of Leviticus forbidden. That chapter covers a lot of the typical conditions of incest.

Lamech's claim of 77fold vengeance from God on one who hurts him seems to be from his own arrogance and possibly because the act was in self defense. I can't tell for certain if he is trying to reassure his wives, seek their ok, and therefore reassure himself, but it is the second recorded killing. He is also the first noted bigamist.

Adam has another Son, Seth, which may seem uninteresting in itself because lots of people have children, but this will be part of the lineage of David and on to Jesus Christ.

the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. Luke 3:38

Read More

#16 "Cain and Abel" Genesis 4

Now Adam knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the Lord." Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell. 

So the Lord God said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel and killed him.

Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?"

He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth."

And Cain said to the Lord, "my punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me."

And the Lord said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Genesis 4:1-15

Knew his wife: They had intercourse and she conceived, then bore Cain. There does not seem to be a break here and it does not say that Adam knew his wife again, or that she conceived again. It simply states that she bore again, which could be an indication that the boys were twins. 

Firstborn of his flock: The best of not only what he had, but a blood offering and consistent with his faith and obedience to God.

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. Hebrews 11:4 NKJV

To Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:24

Abel's offering showed that he believed and he was the first to be murdered for his faith. The Lord testifies of this act of physical obedience and its origin in belief. It is a temporary covering and symbolic of that which will follow in the redemptive sacrifice of God Himself. Jesus blood will finish the old covenant and atone for all those who believe, and for all of eternity.

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1: 19&20

Read More

#15 "Clothed" Genesis 3

And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"- therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way of the tree of life. 

Genesis 3:20 - 24

Mother of all living: If you think prejudice or racism has any place in your Christian walk, you may want to reconsider this position. 

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men- as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King. 1Peter2: 15-17.

If someone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar, for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1John4:20&21

We all come from Adam and Eve, everyone of us conceived in sin so brothers bonded first by humanity in this, and then as brother's in Christ once we believe. Hate and prejudice are not only ignorant, but they stand in defiance of what Christ has told us to do, Love. It is not a matter of location, history, or heritage as some would claim. A Greater than your experience, your heritage, your location on this earth has commanded you to Love and that if you don't, His love is not in you. You do not know Him.

Tunics of skin: Something dies to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve after they sinned. God will reinforce this picture throughout scripture, as He has foreordained a sacrificial covering for sinful man. Only One to die for all and the Only one, who could die for all. 

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53 :5&6

Like one of Us: God speaking to the Son, and it is not my wish to speculate too far, but in the light of that which lays before the Son, on His path to reconciling men to God, there seems to be tones of pity and soberness in this. If God leaves man in the garden, to continue in his dead Spiritual state, yet eating of the Tree of Life, to sustain his physical person, he lives forever under the curse. Years will not make man less sinful; he will not evolve into righteousness. Man will confuse the temporary and the physical for achievement; he will consider God's word a lie, because look, I did not die. He will esteem himself like his predecessor, and in his arrogance assume himself to be god. God's Son must die, but man must also die to face the judgment, so that if he believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God, he may truly live. 

For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Read More

#14 "Cursed" Genesis 3

So the Lord God said to the serpent: 

"Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."

To the woman He said:

I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."

Then to Adam He said, "Because you have headed the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it':

"Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3: 14 -19

All of creation fell under the curse, but upon the snake lay the reminder of the form which the devil took and the curse God had placed. It would appear that snakes did not always crawl upon their bellies. The animal itself is not evil, but it bares this stereotype, as I have witnessed people kill them just for being a snake. This is a practice induced usually by fear and ignorance. 

God could walk away at this point; He could destroy His creation, after all it is His and He alone has the rite to do so. The Creator does not, and in the curse He shows the plan for His mercy and grace. This is the first prophecy of the coming of the Son of God as the Seed of the woman. The seed of the devil being those who continue in a lie, and in arrogance resist God and deny Christ. 

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me? He is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." John 8:44-47

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. Romans 16: 19&20

We discussed before the break down in the relationship between man and woman, and here it becomes more apparent. Marriage will now be a struggle for power and the woman will give birth in pain, each time a reminder of the birth of sin. Marriage is now work as is the ground which no longer yields itself freely. It is a wonder though that even under the curse God brings joy and pleasure in relationships. At the end of a hard day man can look back at his work and feel pleased. Children are a treasure and the battle to raise a family to God is a worthy and wonderful endeavor.    

Read More

#13 "Deceived" Genesis 3

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking through the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" Then the man said, "The woman who you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." And the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Genesis 3:8-13 NKJV

It is impossible to hide from God, and it has now become difficult and awkward to answer His questions. For many still today it is difficult to admit to wrong or being wrong. It is easier to blame how you were raised and focus on the sins of others, who are imperfect, as the source of your past and present acts against God. The woman, who God put with Adam, was his choice for an escape route. The woman chose to blame the serpent, and though she was deceived, the infraction would still stand. 

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 1Timothy 2:14 NKJV

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1John1:8-10

Adam is now the first man to blame God for his predicament. If God would not have made Eve then I would not have sinned. If God is real and supposedly a loving God then why do bad things happen? Why do little children starve and evil men prosper? So for them if God is real then He is not love and for others, there is no God. But if there is no God then one cannot do wrong because that would be your own invention. One could not steal from you, and there would be no murder. Those words assign meaning to those actions, stating that there is negative and positive, good and bad. If God is good, then He is the bar for all else to be measured by. If God does not exist then those things that would be original to Him no longer exist, and as David Hume would believe, there would be no absolutes. It is funny to say, "no absolutes", think about it. 

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but He who heeds counsel is wise. Proverbs 12:15 NKJV

No one lives there lives with no absolutes; even in the scope of the philosophy of circular reasoning, you still base your actions and beliefs upon that reasoning. You seek out justice when you have been wronged, yet you say there is no wrong. I will agree though, when I tried to live this way I was traveling in circles too. 

I think here, that a break between man and woman has also occurred, man is willing to throw blame on his other half. The woman must have felt pushed away and the relationship would not be the same for anyone after this. There is an immediate sense of shame and guilt, yet overshadowed by their response to these feelings. No one takes individual responsibility; fingers point everywhere, but no one steps up and says, "I sinned."

I think denial has been the biggest fig leaf for men; "if I say it's not wrong then I have not sinned. If God does not exist then there is no sin, or the god I believe in says this is good." That might be the "talking snake" you here, as the gentleman who read my last post referred to Satan. I take it that He does not believe the Bible, but I pray that he will not remain in that state.

Read More

#12 "the Serpent" Genesis 3

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'? " And the woman said  to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.' " But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin cloths. Genesis 3:1-7 ESV

Enter the dragon. We are now introduced to a serpent, who is described as crafty, and he approaches the woman in the garden to ask a simple question. Now, unlike us, Eve has not been exposed to a lie. She is still in her innocence when she speaks with the devil. He, on the other hand, is a master manipulator and familiar with the truth, which he has no quams about using in part. Eve knows only what God said, and that being not to eat of the fruit of this particular tree. Satan already knows this, and there is no genuine interest in the woman, but he is here to deceive her. He is one intoxicated with his own person, and he his the enemy of God. This is a creature that did not make himself, but would like to be exalted as God.

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer , son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground,  You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation. On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. Isaiah 14: 12-14

"You will not surely die," and he was telling the truth, right? They did not drop dead in their tracks. The fruit was not poisonous, and they did have a new sort of knowledge, but were they like God? Apparently not, for God knows evil as from the perfect state of holiness and truth. Adam and Eve now no evil from from disobedience, and it is interesting that Adam was there "with her." Eve was obviously deceived, but it would appear that Adam was there as a witness to the conversation, but does not interject or oppose. He also eats the fruit.

When I was a child I use to hear this story and think how foolish they were, but as a man I see that is often easier for us to believe the lie and take only the portions of truth that we like. I see it often in the corporate world where men actually teach one another that lying is a necessary part of doing business, and that to think otherwise is naive. The delusion is so strong in humanity that one believing a lie will consider himself more wise than the one who believes in God and follows the truth.

  

Read More

#11 "Eve" Genesis 2

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to waht he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2: 18-25

We return to the sixth day and Adam naming the creatures that God has made. Amongst all of creation there was no fit helper for Adam; he was, at this point incomplete. God puts him to sleep, opens him, and takes out a rib for the necessary DNA to create his other half, Eve. Funny, we are just now figuring out stem cell research, but here God utilizes part of Adam to fashion Eve. He does not return to the dust to fashion a completely separate individual, but rather links them together as one. This sets the stage for the Biblical view of marriage and God's intent. Man and woman were one and in harmony; it is a picture or reflective of the Trinity. You have man, woman and Creator.

It is much different today where people still stand before God, family and friends, and make wonderful vows that they, in the moment, probably intended to keep. But they don't and these vows quickly become just words that people say as ceremony, but do not have the heart to back up. Others take to another extreme and refuse to leave, making themselves martyrs to an abusive relationship. Marriage is not about how we appear to the rest of the world and covering up bruises. Don't pretend, pray, and be honest with each other. Put God at the head and make what's important to her important you.

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4



Read More

#10 "Rivers" Genesis 2

Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four river heads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of the land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is Euphrates. 

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the  knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Genesis 2: 10-17 NKJV

Eden would appear to be the location of a source spring for 4 river heads at this time before the flood. The geography would be much different today, though we do recognize the Euphrates in modern times, it is unlikely that it would follow the same path post flood.

Bdellium is also mentioned in this passage and is described in Wikipedia as a gum exuded from a tree,  which would be similar to Myrrh. These were used as fragrance and as offerings; they were very popular items on the trade routes and very costly.

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down  and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasurers, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2: 11 NKJV

Adam was warned not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that disobedience would result in death. I don't think the tree can be viewed as a source of wisdom. It is an actual tree but it would appear to be more in the act of disobedience, eating from the tree, that knowledge is gained. This knowledge being a direct, intimate acquaintance with evil, the practice of disobedience to God and not bestowed by the properties of the fruit. 

The death is that of a Spiritual nature where man is no longer good, and he his now separated from God. Physical death is not immediate, but imminent and often takes precedence in the mind of sinful man. We relate more to the material and loss of physical being, aging and all else temporal. Man will tend towards today, the finite and trade eternal treasure for temporary riches.

"If I have made gold my hope, or say to fine gold, 'You are my confidence'; if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gained much; if I have observed the sun when it shines, or the moon moving in brightness, so that my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand; this also would be an iniquity deserving judgment, for I would have denied God who is above." Job 31:24 - 28.

I tremble when I read the book of Job… but in a good way. 

Read More

#9 "Significant Trees"

And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east and there he put the man whom he had formed. And of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2: 8&9 ESV

Eden is best described as lush or an oasis. God has given his creatures everything they need in the garden. There are also two trees that are singled out, and I have heard some theologians describe as figurative and symbolic to the story. This does not seem to flow with the literal impressions of trees in the same verses. Does this mean that the trees that were pleasant to the sight are symbolically producing a figurative food. Is the whole story just a parable because God felt that it would be more fun to tell it this way. I don't think so. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are two actual trees. They do carry huge symbolic importance, but here in Eden they are real trees that Adam and Eve could see and eat from.

The Tree of the knowledge of good and evil seems very much like a test for man. When humans are involved in intimacy, in Biblical terms it is said, "and he knew his wife." To eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would give Adam an intimate knowledge of sin, from the act of disobeying God's command.

The tree of life, in the midst of the garden, was also visible to them but not forbidden. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was a visible representation of man's free will. You could not eat of this tree and then the tree of life; disobedience would result in bondage to the one and being cut off from the other. You and all of creation were now dying, and the tree of life is now forbidden.

Read More

#8 "History of the Heavens and the Earth"

This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. 

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:4-7 NKJV

From reading this recap of creation it would seem to suggest that there was no rain. It may be referring to just that period of days during creation or there may have been no rain after this, possibly because of the water canopy. When he created the greater light of the sun; you would see rise and falls in temperature which would bring about the mist of vs. 6. This may represent a different ecosystem from that time period in which the earth acquired its water in this fashion.

We are being told that this is the history of creation, and that God was the creator. This becomes an issue of faith. You were not there. You believe in the testimony of another who wrote this and was also not there. If God was not there then, he (Moses) is writing a fiction and although not so stretched out and in defiance of reason as other stories of origin, it is still by faith you accept it. It is believed that Moses wrote this account, but it would have to have been delivered by God, to the writer, to explain things that happened before Moses was born. It is what I have come to except by Faith as the origin of creation.

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3

I have seen many men go about trying to prove God's significance and the Bible in debates about science and philosophy. I won't say their exercise is futile, because it is not. What is funny to me is how shocked they look when they have won the argument which unravels someone else's belief system, and  yet that person still holds to their belief. It is not about winning an argument or praising oneself, and the world is at enmity with God. I would suspect that this is an old story; men who create idols in defiance of the one, true God. This is about sharing God's word and loving those who are where you could just as easily be. Don't be so shocked; it doesn't make you more Holy. 

God doesn't need your endorsement, mine or anyone else's. He has provided faith and faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. You and I should share this with love, to the world. We should always stand and give account of the faith that is in us, but we are not now here to judge the world and try to get it to conform to us. Men's hearts have to change not just their actions. Men don't come to the Father by imitating or conforming to Christian views. They do not gain presence with the Almighty by passing through the doors of a building (tabernacle), or by asceticism, intellect or dress code. They gain entry through faith in the only One that could die for all of creation. God does not need me to believe in Him to prove He is real, or for Him to exist. He has been gracious in giving us His word, which I pray I do not butcher in any sort of way, but God is the greatest proof of His own existence. He is the Word that dwelt among us. We would not be here.

And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' " 

Read More