"I Will Establish My Covenant..."

August 23, 2016

“I Will Establish My Covenant…”

Blessings folk!

The Lord told Noah to build an ark for himself.
But, it was not limited to Noah.

Gen 6:17-18
“Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish.
“But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.


The Lord was bringing the flood of water to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life.
But…
Important word…”but”….

God establishes His covenant with Noah.
The “Noahic Covenant”.

The Lord told Noah what to do.
Build the ark.
Enter the ark.

Then this…
The Lord promised Noah that his family would believe and be safe.
The Lord let him know those who would be saved.
Noah
Noah’s wife
Noah’s sons (Shem, Ham, Japheth)
Noah’s son’s wives.

We see a principle.
One we need to adopt.
The Lord is interested in our families.
The Lord established His covenant with Noah and family.

Remember, God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God.

What would happen if we as believers truly focused our attention upon our family?

Noah preached for 120 years and no one believed, except his family.

Selah.

"I Am Bringing the Flood..."

August 22, 2016

“I Am Bringing the Flood…”

Blessings folk!

God gave Noah specific instruction to build an Ark.
The Ark was for Noah.
The Ark was the source of protection from the judgment that the Lord was to bring.

Again, each detail…regardless of how small…is significant and points to the ultimate redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is beyond the scope of this format to explore every nuance. Give heed to the “threes”, the construction material, etc.

Gen 6:14-16
“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.

“This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.

“You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.


The Lord is forthright with Noah in explaining His plans and purposes…

Gen 6:17
“Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish.


“I, even I am…”
The Lord was clearly stating that He was doing this, that He had a purpose.

The Lord was bringing a flood of water upon the earth.
Such had never occurred.
It had never rained before!

The Lord was bringing the flood to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life.
This explains some things.
There is apparently a distinction between flesh with “the breath of life” and those without.
I suspect that “breath of life” refers to breathing air…land/air creatures.
Therefore, the fish, etc. were not destroyed.

God is serious about judging sin.
He did it then.
He will judge again, with fire.
Are you ready?

"Make for Yourself an Ark..."

August 21, 2016

“Make for Yourself an Ark…”

Blessings folk!

Noah…
  • was righteous
  • was blameless
  • walked with God.

Gen 6:9-10
These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Noah had three sons
Shem
Ham
Japheth

God had decided to destroy evil man.
He would eliminate them from the face of the earth.

God gave detailed instructions to Noah.
God instructed Him to build a boat.
A boat for a flood.
It had never rained upon the earth in the traditional hydrological cycle we experience today.

Try explaining a flood that will destroy, when it has never rained.

Gen 6:14-16
“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.

“This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.

“You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.


Noah was to make an ark - for himself.
Each detail of the ark is of importance.
Most, if not all, are pictures of the Lord Jesus.

An example.
The word “pitch” in the Hebrew is “kopher”.
It refers to “covering” and “price of life”, “redemption price”.

The ark saved Noah…and family.
The ark is a picture of the Lord Jesus.
It was “pitched within and without”.
Covered with the redemption price.

Selah…

"Corrupt and Violent"

August 20, 2016

“Corrupt and Violent”

Blessings folk!

Noah…
  • was righteous
  • was blameless
  • walked with God.

Gen 6:9-10
These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.


The world of his day was…

  • wicked
  • continuously evil of heart
  • corrupt
  • filled with violence

What was God to do?
What would He do with the evil man?
What would He do with the righteous man?


Gen 6:11-13
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.


All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
The is the fruit of rebellion against God.
The Lord had “had enough”.
He tells Noah so.

The Lord would destroy all corrupt and violent flesh from the earth.
He would not “destroy the earth”.
He would remove the corruption.
He would “wash” the earth.

He did so…as we will see.
He will do so again…as He has declared.

Are you ready?
First time, destruction by the washing of water.
Next time, destruction by the purifying of fire.

"Noah: Righteous, Blameless"

August 19, 2016

“Noah: Righteous, Blameless”

Blessings folk!

A profound truth here…
Evil was everywhere…
Man’s heart only desired evil and wickedness…
The Lord was sorry that He had created man…
And, yet…

Genesis 6:8
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.


Note the “but”.
In light of the evil state of the balance of mankind…

Noah found favor.
Noah found grace. KJV

What does this mean?
How did it occur?

As so often occurs in the Word, keep reading. Happy Happy

Gen 6:9

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.


Noah was a righteous man.
He did what was “right”? “Right” according to who?
The Word of the Lord, the Most High God.

Noah was blameless in his time.
“Blameless” caries the idea of “complete”, “perfect”, “having integrity”.
He was so in his “time” - in his generation.

How was Noah a man of such integrity?
He walked with God!

There ya have it.
Walk with the Lord.
Abide in the Lord.
Thereby we will be people of integrity and pleasing to the Lord.
Righteous.
Blameless.
Yes, holy with the favor of the Lord.

"Blot Out"

August 18, 2016

“Blot Out”

Blessings folk!

The Lord was grieved of heart over what man was doing.
Man’s rebellion.
Man’s wickedness.
Man’s evil.

The Lord was “sorry” that He had made man.

Genesis 6:6-7
6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
7 The LORD said, ``I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."


The Lord decided to blot man from the face of the land.
Man who God had created.

All of man.
All animals.
Creeping things.
Birds of the sky.

All animals upon the earth and the sky.
God was sorry He made them.

Was God “mistaken” to have created man and the animals?
No.
Did the Lord not know what they would do?
Yes. He knew. Yet he created and gave man the opportunity.

God was sorrowful over the sin, evil and rebellion of man.
God was sorrowful over striving with man.

But, what would God do?

The next verse gives a hint…

Genesis 6:8
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.


…to be continued…
Live in the favor of the Lord.

"Nephilim"

August 17, 2016

“Nephilim”

Blessings folk!

One last thought on the context of the Noah narrative.
Read again…

Genesis 6:1-6

1 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
3 Then the LORD said, ``My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."
4 The Nephilim were 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 who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Who are the Nephilim?

There is much debate.

Here is an excellent discussion…
https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/who-were-the-nephilim/

Here is a synopsis of major options discussed…

Screenshot 2016-08-17 11.47.52

The bottom line is this…
evil was increasing.
man rejected the Lord
man did as he desired.
the Lord was sorry He had created man
the Lord was grieved of heart

Grieve not the Lord.
Be not as the wicked.

"Sorrow and Grief"

August 16, 2016

“Sorrow and Grief”

Blessings folk!

We have seen that the “sons of God” began usurping power, roles and responsibilities that belong to God.

They took to themselves the daughters of men as wives.

I believe these “sons of God” were demon-possessed men who sought to rule over man.
Men who sought to be “god”.

What was God’s response?

Gen 6:5-6

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.


He saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth.
He saw that every intent of the heart of man was evil.
He was sorry that He had made man on the earth.
He was grieved in His heart.

We learn much about God.
We learn that He sees.
We learn that He has emotion.
We learn He experiences and expresses emotion, yet without sin.
Remember, we are made in the image of God.
We are a reflection of Him.

We learn that God “was sorry” that He made man.
He was not surprised at what man was doing.
He knew it would be done.
He knew it before the foundation of the earth was spoken into existence.

Yet, He created.
Yet, He was sorry.
Yet, He grieved in His heart.

We see the heart and compassion of the Lord.
We see the intense evil of man.

Nothing has changed.
…to be continued…

"Sons of God..."

August 15, 2016

“Sons of God…”

Blessings folk!

Man multiplied as the Lord instructed.
The “sons of God” saw that the daughters of men were beautiful.
They took them as wives.
Whoever they chose.
Read again.

Gen 6:1-5

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

The Nephilim were 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 who were of old, men of renown.

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

There appears an inference that the “choosing” was forced to a degree…?

Who are the “sons of God”?
We simply do not know beyond doubt.

Some say they are men of the line of Seth, the so-called “godly-line”.
Perhaps. But, not likely.
We do not know.

Some say they are “men” who are “fallen angels” - demons.
Perhaps. But, not likely.
Angels do not physically reproduce.
We do not know.

Some say they are “rulers or princes”. This is the Jewish rabbinical understanding.

I’m more inclined to believe that they are “demon-possesed” rulers.
These are men that took to themselves power and denied the power and authority of the Most High God.

They sought to be God.

I believe this is the foundation for what became known as the “divine right of the King.”

Man seeking to usurp God.
Man seeking to do things his way.
Man seeking everything other than God.

Nothing has changed…to be continued…

"Evil Intent"

August 14, 2016

“Evil Intent”

Blessings folk!

Let us continue to learn of Noah.

We began yesterday with discovering the context.

Gen 6:1-3

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”


Man was multiplying.
The sons of God…more later on them…saw the beauty of the daughters of men.
They took them for themselves.
Whomever they chose.

The Lord was displeased with His Spirit striving with man, because of man’s flesh.
Days would be numbered?
Days of life expectancy? Perhaps.
Days until judgment? Perhaps…more likely.
Both. I think so.

Now, some more detail…

Gen 6:4

The Nephilim were 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 who were of old, men of renown.

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.


Nephilim?
Might men of old?
Men of renown?
More later… Happy Happy

The Lord tells us what the status of man was.
Wicked.
Great wickedness upon the earth.
Every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually.

Continual evil.
We live in like days.


"Sons of God"

August 13, 2016

“Sons of God…”

Blessings folk!

Noah, a man of faith.

Let us look at the account of Noah…take our time.

Gen 6:1-3

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”


Men were multiplying on the earth.
Good!
God had told them to do so, to be fruitful and multiply.

But, something was happening.
The sons of God saw the daughters of men and took them for wives.
Whoever they chose.

Who are these sons of God?
There is debate.
We simply do not know beyond doubt, but there are ideas…more later.

But, look at the response of the Lord to the situation.
His Spirit would not strive with man forever.
There was strife.
Over what?
Because man is flesh?
Yep.
What does that mean?
Man “operating in the flesh”…more later.

God declares this - “nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
Likely a two-fold meaning.
Man had 120 years until the Lord was doing something - likely the primary understanding.
Man would now live no more than 120 years - at this time they lived many hundred of years.

God was displeased with the ways of man.

Let us not displease Him.

"Noah"

August 12, 2016

“Noah”

Blessings folk!

By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God…
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain…
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death…

We continue…by faith…Noah!

Heb 11:7
By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.


Give attention to just the facts in this verse.

Noah was warned of God about things not yet seen.
- things to come
- things never seen before

Noah prepared an ark.
- in reverence
- for the salvation of his household
- by which he condemned the world.

Noah became an heir of righteousness by this act of faith and obedience.
A righteousness according to faith.

Do we, by faith, give heed to the warning of the lord?
Do we, by faith, “prepare an ark” for the salvation of our households?
Do we, by faith, walk in righteousness according to faith?

"Enoch: Pleasing to God"

August 11, 2016

“Enoch: Pleasing to God”

Blessings folk!

The great cloud of witnesses!
We understand the worlds were prepared by the Word of God.
Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain.
Enoch was pleasing to God.
Enoch walked with God.
Enoch was and was not.
Again, Enoch obtained the witness (of God) that he was pleasing to God.

How was Enoch pleasing to God?

Hebrews 11:5-6

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.

And 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 seek Him.

Enoch was pleasing to God “by faith”.
By faith he was taken up.

Enoch is the example of this amazing truth “without faith it is impossible to please Him…”.

We must come to God.
We must believe that He is.
We must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
We must do so by faith.

If our “relationship” with the Lord is based upon anything other than faith, it is a false relationship.

Seek the Lord, in faith.
Then you will please the Lord, in faith.

"Enoch: The Prophet"

August 10, 2016

“Enoch: The Prophet”

Blessings Folk!

To receive the complete understanding of the Lord related to a matter we must know the total counsel of the Word of the Lord.

Enoch is an example.

We learn about him in Genesis and Hebrews.
But there is more…somewhat “hidden” in Jude.
Jude - a brief, 25 verse letter toward the end of the New Testament. Many believers do not know that it even exist. It is powerful and speaks to us today.

Jude wanted to write about the common faith he shared with the recipients of the letter.
But, the Spirit moved him in a different direction.
He felt the need to appeal to them to contend earnestly for the faith.
Why?
Certain persons had crept in unnoticed…

In speaking of these evil men, Jude says this…

Jude 1:14-15
It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones,
to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”


Enoch lived seven generations from Adam.
Adam was still alive…see the chart from yesterday.
Enoch was a prophet.
He spoke the Truth.
He spoke the Truth related to things which have yet to come…even from our time.

He spoke of…

  • the Lord coming with many thousands of His holy ones
  • the Lord coming to execute judgment upon all
  • the Lord coming to convict all the ungodly
    • of their ungodly deeds
    • of their ungodly way
    • of the harsh things which ungodly sinners spoke against Him…the Lord

He spoke of/against the ungodly.
He spoke of the Lord judgment of the ungodly.
This was part of Enoch’s “walk with God” in faith.
We should do likewise.

"Enoch: Walked With God"

August 9, 2016

“Enoch: Walked With God”

Blessings folk!

Yesterday, we saw Enoch mentioned in the “great cloud of witnesses” of faith…

Heb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.


There is more than one “Enoch” in the Word.

Gen 4:17
Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son.


This is not the same Enoch mentioned in Hebrews.

Here is Enoch referenced in Hebrews 11:5…


Gen 5:19-24
Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters.

So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.

Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.

Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.

So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.

Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.


Genesis 5 is a genealogy - the book of the generations of Adam.

Look at the facts…some very interesting things here…yes…in a genealogy. Happy
Enoch lived 65 years then he fathered Methuselah - yes, that Methuselah.
Then, when?…apparently at the age of 65…Enoch began to walk with God.

Why do I say this?
We see that Enoch “walked with God 300 years” after he fathered Methuselah.
All his days were 365 years.
So, he began to walk with God at age 65.

Enoch walked with God…whatever that means.
Enoch “was not”…apparently this means that he was no longer around.
Why?
God took him.

So, here is what we know.
At age 65 Enoch began to walk with God…perhaps literally?
At age 65 Enoch father Methuselah (the man who lived longer than any other, the man whose name means “man of the dart” and/or “when he dies, it will come”, the man who died the year the Lord brought the flood…a vivid picture of God’s grace, mercy, patience)
Enoch walked with God.
Enoch was not.
Enoch was not because God took him.
Enoch was not found, apparently folk looked for him.
Enoch did not die.

Here is a useful chart…

Pasted Graphic 1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z9xp5ceyuyu2tvk/OverlappingofthePatriarchsLives.pdf?dl=0

Enoch walked with God.
May we do likewise.
There is one more thing about Enoch…tomorrow…


"Enoch"

August 8, 2016

“Enoch”

Blessings folk!

Remember, we have been looking at the great cloud of witnesses of faith…

Heb 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.


By faith, men of old gained approval…

Heb 11:2
For by it the men of old gained approval.


By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God… though many who profess “faith” reject this.

By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain…

Now, the next verse…

Heb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.


Enoch…we will see more of him later.
Look at what the verse reveals about him.

He was taken up.
He did not see death…he did not die.
He was not found, because God took him.
He obtained the witness…from who? God.

Before he was taken up he was pleasing to God.

Can the same be said of us?
Are we pleasing to God?
What ‘witness’ are we obtaining?

Walk in faith.
The witness will come.

"Land of Nod"

August 7, 2016

“Land of Nod”

Blessings folk!

Cain learned that he was “cursed from the ground”.
He learned that would be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.

His reaction?


Genesis 4:13-14

Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is too great to bear!

“Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”


Cain was overwhelmed by the ramifications of his actions.
He declared that his punishment was too great to bear.
He was driven from the face of the ground.
He knew that God’s face was hidden from him.
He knew the Word of the Lord would be true - he would be a vagrant and wanderer.
He feared that he would be killed by whoever found him.

You still defiance in Cain…

  • “You have driven me…”
  • “My punishment too great…”
He still did not trust/depend upon the Lord.

The Lord’s reaction?

Gen 4:15-16

So the LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him.

Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.


The Lord promised vengeance on whoever killed Cain.
A detterent.

The Lord also appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him.
We do not know what the sign was.
Many fanciful suggestions have been proposed.
We simply do not know.

Then Cain left.
What did he leave?
He left the Presence of the Lord.
I suspect the worse part of the punishment.

Where did he go?
The Land of Nod, east of Eden.

Nod meanings “wandering”.

He lived in the land of wandering.

Let us not do so…

"...No Longer Yield Its Strength for You..."

August 6, 2016

“…No Longer Yield Its Strength for You…”

Blessings folk!

Cain went his own way.
He chose to walk in rebellion before the Lord, even when the Lord had directly warned him.
Cain chose sin.
He then allowed the sin to grow and fester.
Sin led to more sin - murder.

God tells Cain that the blood of his brother Abel is crying to the Lord from the ground.

Then God says…

Gen 4:11-12

“Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

“When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.”


Cain is cursed from the ground.
What does this mean?
The Word tells us.
The ground would “no longer yield its strength for you”.
He would not be able to grow food.

The ground had received the blood of his brother…which he spilled.
Now, the ground would refuse to bring forth a harvest for him.

The result?
He would be a vagrant.
He would be a wanderer on the earth.

He would live “in the land of Nod”.

Rejecting the Word of the Lord brings forth horrid fruit.
Do it not.

Do as the Lord leads.

"Brother's Blood"

August 5, 2016

“Brother’s Blood”

Blessings folk!

Cain did not heed the counsel of the Lord.
Rather, Cain embraced the fallen countenance and that came in his rebellion.

Adam/Eve rebelled against God.
Cain rebelled against God.

What was the fruit of Cain’s rebellion?

He murdered his brother.

What happened next?

Gen 4:9-10

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.


The Lord confronted Cain…”Where is your brother Abel?”
Why the detail “Abel”?
Were there more brothers? Yes, there were. Later.
More at this time? Perhaps, but probably not. (We will see Seth later&hellipWinking

God knew where Abel was.
He was giving Cain the opportunity to repent, confess.

Cain said he did not know.
Then Cain get’s snarky…”Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Cain did not know.
He did know that Abel was dead…which is interesting.
But, he did not know where he was.
Where did one go after death?
Was this the first death.
Did man even know what expiration of life looked like?

Then Cain goes the way of his father Adam.
Adam blamed God.
Cain, accuses God of not watching over his brother. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The unsaid inference is “God, You should be watching over him…” Likely an undercurrent of “you should have received my offering also…”

God asked another question.
“What have you done?” The Lord knew.
But did Cain know and understand.
That is the purpose of the question.

The Lord calls for Cain to listen.
Listen to what?
The blood of this brother crying from the ground, crying out to the Lord.

God knew.
There was more to this death than Cain understood.

The Lord references this event in several places in the balance of the Word.

Jesus speaks of it…

Mat 23:34-35

“Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,

so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.


Blood is crying unto the Lord from our land.

We as believers need to remember who we are in Him…

Heb 12:22-24

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

We need to repent…

"Cain Talked With Abel..."

August 4, 2016

“Cain Talked With Abel…”

Blessings folk!

Cain had chosen to approach the Lord in his own way, not in the way God instructed.
God rejected Cain’s offering.
Cain was very angry.
Cain’s countenance fell.

The Lord spoke to Cain and explained the situation.
The solution was simple.

Genesis 4:7a
“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?


Cain needed to do what God said.
If he did not, sin was crouching at the door…and sinned desired him.

What did Cain do?

Let’s read several translations…

Gen 4:8
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. KJV

Gen 4:8
Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. NASB

Cain told his brother.
Told him what?
I suspect he told him about the conversation with the Lord and what happened with the offering.

What did Cain do?
He rose up and killed Abel.
This occurred after a period of time…”it came to pass”.

Cain kept his anger burning…day to day…

Eph 4:26-27
BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
and do not give the devil an opportunity.


Cain allowed the anger to fester.
Cain did not do what was right.
Cain gave the devil opportunity.

One last thing.

Different Bible translations bring out a different nuance…

Gen 4:8
Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. HCSB

Gen 4:8
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. NIV


The bottom line is this…
Cain planned it…
Cain executed it…
Cain gave the devil opportunity…
Cain rejected the Word of the Lord…

Be forewarned.
Do not go the way of Cain.
Heed the Word of the Lord.

"You Must Master It"

August 3, 2016

“You Must Master It”

Blessings folk!

Cain brought an offering to the Lord…an offering that was not received…rejected.

Why was it rejected?

Apparently it was not the type of offering the Lord required.
We are not told in this account about the requirement.
We are told about Cain’s response, God’s response, etc.

Cain’s countenance had fallen.
He was mad, very angry, fuming.

Read on…

Gen 4:6-7

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”


Did you note the response of the Lord?
The Lord ask Cain “why are you angry? Why has your countenance fallen?”
He asked not due to ignorance.
The Lord knew.
He wanted Cain to think and reflect on his anger…the reason…the result of his response.

We can see the compassion of the Lord.
We can see the grace and mercy of the Lord.
We can see the love of the Lord.

He wanted Cain to respond correctly?
What is the correct response?
“Do what is well…”
Cain knew what he was to do.
Apparently the Lord had told them.
Yet, Cain determined to approach the Lord in the way that he wanted.

This is a major problem in the church today.
Far too many worship “in the way of Cain”.
They want to approach the Lord, but on their own terms, in their own ways.

The Lord says to us “do well.”
Do all in the way of the Lord.

The Lord tells Cain that if he does well, then his countenance will be lifted up.
It was due to his rebellion that anger was reigning.
Cain had a chose.

God then warns.
If Cain did not do well, then know that sin is crouching at the door, and its (sin’s) desire if for you.

Sin was at the doorstep.
Sin was ready to pounce.

But, this Word of encouragement, instruction, command.
“You must master it”.

Cain had a decision.
Believe the Lord?
Submit to the way of the Lord?
Or, go they way he desired?

We face the same.
We are empowered to master sin.

Do so.

Go the way of the Lord.

"Cain"

August 2, 2016

“Cain…”

Blessings folk!

Let us look at the account of Cain and Abel…

Gen 4:1-5

Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a man-child with the help of the LORD.”

Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground.

Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering;

but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.


Man (Adam) and Woman (Eve) had relations and conceived.
Cain was born

Eve’s response?
I have gotten a man-child with the help of the Lord.
I suspect this harkens back to chapter 3 and the promise of the one…

They conceived again.
Abel was born.

Abel was a keeper of flocks.
Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Both needed.
Both “respectable”.

“It came about in the course of time…”
Offerings were made.
Why?
The likely unstated reason is that the Lord had instructed them in bringing an offering before Him.

Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground.
Abel brought of the firstlings of his flocks and their fat portions.

The Lord regarded…received…Abel’s offering.
The Lord did not have regard…receive…Cain’s offering.

Why?
The likely unstated reason is that Abel’s offering was of the type the Lord had instructed them to give.

The Lord received one.
The Lord rejected another.

How did they know the Lord received/rejected?
Perhaps the Lord consumed Abel’s offering with fire. He does so throughout Scripture.

Cain’s response?
Anger.
His countenance fell.

Bring what the Lord demands…to be continued…

"Abel: A Better Sacrifice"

August 1, 2016

“Abel: A Better Sacrifice”

Blessings folk!

We have been examining the details of the great cloud of witnesses that lived by faith.
Witnesses that are examples to us.


Heb 11:1-2
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
For by it the men of old gained approval.


The men of old gained approval (before God?) by their faith.

Heb 11:3
By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.


We have examined Genesis 1-3 that gives us more insight into Hebrews 11:4. More will be gleaned through the balance of the Word.

Now, the next example of faith.

Heb 11:4
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.


We likely remember the account of “Cain and Abel”.
We will look at it tomorrow.

For today, look at the synopsis provided in this verse.
The basic truths:
Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain
The better sacrifice was offered by faith
Because of this better sacrifice through faith, Abel obtained the testimony that he was righteous
God is the One Who testified of the gifts of Abel
Abel’s gifts still speak…to us…today…
Through faith

By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice, that led to his death.

Live by faith, regardless of the price.

…to be continued…