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Genesis Chapter 21

May 31st, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis.

Remember that you can leave a comment with questions after this post in the comment section.

Or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

 

Genesis Chapter 21

1 And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.

And the Lord visited Sarah: The Bible stresses that the Lord causes conception; that children are a gift of the Lord.  The verb visit is an extraordinary choice here, because it means that the Lord entered directly into the affairs of His people. This was what He did for Sarah as He had said … as He had spoken: These two phrases speak of the exact fulfillment of His promise to Abraham and Sarah.

2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

It appears that Sarah conceived while she and Abraham were living in Gerar. The contrast is wonderful—God had closed the wombs of the family of Abimelech, and now He opened Sarah’s womb. bore Abraham a son: A great fact that the Bible elsewhere celebrates. in his old age: The writer of Hebrews says Abraham was “as good as dead”. What a miracle this was! To both Abraham and Sarah, God had emphasized the concept of His set time.

3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.

Isaac means “He (God) Is Laughing (Now).” At one time Abraham had laughed at the improbability of having a son in his old age; Sarah had laughed too. But now, with the birth of the child, laughter took on its happier meaning. Sarah got the joke!

4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

circumcised his son: Abraham’s pattern of obedience to the Lord continued unchanged. The sign of the covenant was most important for the son of promise.

5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

one hundred years old: Compare. Amusingly, Abraham was precisely the age that caused him to laugh aloud.

6 And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.”

Among the many name jokes in the Bible, few are as wonderful as this one; the words for laugh in this verse are related to the name Isaac.

7 She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”

nurse children: Wondrously, this woman of 90 now had breasts filled with milk and her arms full with a child!

8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.

weaned: In biblical times children were nursed through the toddler period. The life of Isaac was to be marked by celebration, a great feast. As glad parents, Abraham and Sarah rejoiced in each major step of his life. This makes the story of Isaac’s near death all the more suspenseful.

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.

The Hebrew verb for scoffing is related to the name for Isaac. Here is a bad turn on a wonderful joke. Young Ishmael, now perhaps 17, was mocking the joy of Sarah and Abraham in their young son.

10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.”

Sarah’s greatest moment came at the birth of her child; this moment was one of her worst. It is understandable, of course, that she would find Ishmael’s derision hurtful even as she had Hagar’s. But even in that culture it was reprehensible to send Ishmael away. When a surrogate wife had borne a son to one’s husband, that mother and child could not be dismissed even if the first wife subsequently gave birth to a son. This partly explains Abraham’s reluctance to do what Sarah demanded. What is more, he still loved his son Ishmael.

11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”

but God said: This is the sixth time Abraham received a direct word from the Lord since coming to the land of Canaan. listen to her voice: Abraham needed to hear God give him permission to send Hagar and Ishmael from his home. In Isaac alone would the principal covenant be fulfilled. Ishmael had his own promise, but nothing God promised to Ishmael would replace His promise to Isaac.

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

This scene must have been exceedingly difficult for Abraham. He had no idea that another morning in his life would be even worse. Bread and a skin of water are meager provisions. The skin refers to a water bag made of animal skin. sent her away: Years before, Hagar had had to leave the same household while pregnant with Ishmael. Wilderness of Beersheba: Later there would be a city built in this place; in this early period it was merely a region for herding sheep and goats. Isaac was later to rediscover water in this region.

15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs.

water … used up: It would not take long for the two refugees to use up their meager provisions.

16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

Let me not see: Despite her sometimes mean spirit against Sarah, Hagar loved her son. The thought that she was about to lose her son to the desert heat was unbearable for her.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.

God heard: What wonderful words these are! There is no pain of His people that He does not see or hear about. God was near to deliver; the child would not die.

18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.”

God renewed his promise to Hagar and Ishmael; Ishmael would become a great nation.

19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.

Hagar was so overcome with grief that she was unaware of the provision of water right before her. God showed a well of water. How fitting that the promise of God would again be beside a provision of water. Often in the pages of the OT, a spring or well of water is a symbol of spiritual salvation as well as physical deliverance.

20 So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

God’s promise was realized in Ishmael’s life. He became an archer; that is, he learned to hunt.

21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

wife: Hagar made sure that Ishmael married an Egyptian, one of her own people, much as Abraham’s servant searched for a wife for Isaac from among his parents’ people.

22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.

Abimelech: It appears from this verse that Abraham and Sarah were still living in the region of Gerar. Phichol: This commander of the army is also mentioned in the later encounter with Isaac, unless the name is a hereditary term, as perhaps was that of Abimelech. God is with you: With these words, Abimelech and Phichol introduced their desire to form a treaty with Abraham.

23 Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”
24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

swear to me by God: This kind of oath was a complete, binding obligation. God would be witness to the act and a witness against anyone who might break it. kindness: This exceedingly important term sometimes translated loyal love is often used in the Psalms to describe God’s character. Here we see its proper context in a binding relationship. The term basically describes covenant loyalty.

25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants had seized.

It turned out that there was a dispute between the two concerning a well. For those who tended sheep and goats, water rights and wells mattered a great deal. Abimelech agreed to settle the issue promptly.

26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.

This is the first use of the word covenant for a parity treaty. A parity treaty is a binding agreement between two equals, similar to today’s business contract. There is a parity treaty between Abimelech and Isaac, and at there is a covenant between Jacob and Laban.

28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?”
30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.”31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.

Abraham made the occasion all the more memorable by his presentation of seven ewe lambs to Abimelech. The Hebrew number seven is similar in sound to the verb meaning “to swear”. Thus Beersheba would be the well where they swore and the well of the seven ewe lambs. In the next generation the ritual would be repeated with a similar meaning given to the site.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.

The hope was that the tamarisk tree would long mark the spot of this major treaty. called on the name: As in 12:8, Abraham did more than just pray to the Lord; he made proclamation in the Lord’s name, telling everyone about the Lord, the Everlasting God, the Master of eternity. Not only does He live forever, but He meets the needs of His people for all eternity.

34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.

Although Abraham had been promised the whole of the land for his posterity, in his own life he lived under agreements with others in their land. The name Palestine comes from the word for Philistine.
I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter 20

May 30th, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis.

Remember that you can leave a comment with questions after this post in the comment section.

Or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

 

Genesis Chapter 20

1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.

Abraham’s deception about Sarah in the city of Gerar was later to be repeated by his son Isaac. This is an example of a son taking after his father. The present story is also a replay of Abraham’s earlier mistakes in Egypt.

2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

Sarah was the half sister of Abraham. Abimelech … took Sarah: This action put Sarah in the king’s harem, but not in his bed. Because of her advanced age, it is probable that Sarah was more desirable to Abimelech for her wealth than for her physical appearance.

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”

Presumably, Abimelech was a pagan king. Yet God warned him of the wrong that he was about to commit. This is another instance of the protective care that the Lord gives His people.  A man’s wife: The Hebrew words speak of Sarah and Abraham on a level of equality and dignity. Both are spoken of as lords or nobles, literally “a noble wife of a noble man.”

4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”

Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also: Abimelech had not even touched Sarah; he did not want to die for a sin he had not committed. He argued that his actions so far were innocent. They were based on what Abraham and Sarah had told him.

6 And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.

This passage emphasizes the dream state Abimelech was in. The Lord’s response to him was one of grace; God had kept the king from touching Sarah.

7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

This is the first use of the term prophet in the Bible. The term indicates more a relationship to God than an ability to speak for Him. Abraham’s relationship to God was the basis for God’s command that Sarah be restored to her husband.

8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. 9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done.” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”

The gravity of the situation must have touched the king so strongly that his fear quickly spread to his family and servants. Abimelech’s questions of Abraham are especially touching: What have you done to us? is followed by the reverse How have I offended you?

11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. 12 But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

Abraham gave two reasons for his actions. The first was based on his assumption that he was in hostile territory. That is, with no fear of God, there would be no justice among the people. A king set on doing whatever he wanted might seize Sarah as a first step toward subjugating Abraham and taking over his property. Second, Sarah was truly my sister. The marriages of the family of Terah were very close. In this patrician society, the marriages of close relatives was regarded as a sign of rank. Abraham and Sarah apparently agreed that she would invoke the plea that she was his sister wherever they might happen to be. Later, the Law would prohibit the marriage of people so closely related.

14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked.

Abimelech made a significant payment to Abraham in silver in order to compensate Sarah’s hardship. His words your brother may have been sarcastic. The Hebrew verb translated as rebuked can merely mean “vindicated.” This verb is used in legal terminology to describe the settlement of a dispute.

17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;

So Abraham prayed to God: However the situation began, it ended in mercy with Abraham acting as a priest for Abimelech before the true and living God. In this way, the people of Gerar learned about the Lord, as had happened in Egypt years earlier.

18 for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

The Lord had closed up all the wombs: Three things are indicated by these words. First, the stay of Abraham and Sarah had been prolonged in Gerar before Sarah’s identity became known. Some months would have had to pass before the people realized that they were no longer conceiving at normal rates.
This means that Sarah had lived in the harem of the king for several months. Second, the Lord reached out to these people in a way they would find difficult to resist; the wish to procreate was relentless in the ancient world, as these accounts consistently emphasize. Third, God graciously protected Sarah—and Abraham. The chapter ends with irony. Because of God’s desire to protect Sarah, He had closed the wombs of the women of Abimelech’s house. Soon the Lord would open Sarah’s womb to give her a child, long after she was too old to conceive naturally.
I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter 18

May 8th, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis. Remember that you can leave a comment with questions after this post in the comment section. Or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

Chapter 18

Genesis 18:1-5 God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them. He said, “Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant. I’ll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree. I’ll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path.” They said, “Certainly. Go ahead.”

God reaffirmed his covenant with Abraham, reconfirming his promise to Sarah. This was the fifth time God appeared to Abraham, since he had come into the land of Canaan. (1) the first time was the appearance at the alter built in Shechem when Abraham first entered the land. (2) The second appearence was after Lot had separated from Abraham, when they came back to Canaan from Egypt. (3) The third followed Abram’s heroic rescue of Lot from the league of invading Kings and the subsequent encounter with Malchizedek. (4) The fourth came 13 years after Ishmael was born, when the Lord renewed his covenant with Abraham and instituted the rite of circumcision.

Verse one states that it was the Lord who appeared to Abraham; Verse two speaks of three men. Verse 13 suggest that one of these three men was the Lord. Who were the other two? Probably, attending Angles, each of the three appeared as men. But one of these three appeared to be greater than angles. The writer of Hebrews used this account to encourage hospitality to strangers, “for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angles. Abraham’s words My Lord suggest that he at least suspected the identity of the three men, but perhaps he was not sure until later of the full significance of the event.

Genesis 18:6-9 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, “Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread.”  Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.  The men said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He said, “In the tent.”

Where is Sarah: Although the focus of God’s promise in CH.17 was on Abraham, but the focus here was on Sarah.

Genesis 18:10-16 One of them said, “I’m coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man. Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, “An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?”

God told Abraham that Sarah his wife and he were to have a child. The wording was important because the couple had tried in the past to achieve the fulfillment of God’s promise. You can get the idea that Sarah was an older woman, past the years for bearing a child. Sarah just laughed when the Lord told her she was going to bear a child at her age, she knew the facts of life about her being old and not able to give birth to a child. But she was about to see a miracle, as she was going to bear a child.

God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for God? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.” Sarah lied. She said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “Yes you did; you laughed.” When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.

This just proves that there is no wonder that God can’t do. Sarah tried to hide the fact that she had laughed at what God had told her, but you can’t hide anything from God – he sees and knows all that happens. But, God did not punish her for laughing as Abraham had laughed too, and God didn’t punish him either. Here we find out that the other two men were in fact angles the same ones that destroyed Sodom.

Genesis 18:17-22 Then God said, “Shall I keep back from Abraham what I’m about to do? Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him. Yes, I’ve settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God’s way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him.” God continued, “The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I’m going down to see for myself, see if what they’re doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I’ll know.” The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God’s path, blocking his way.

Genesis 18:23-32 Abraham confronted him, “Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn’t you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can’t believe you’d do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn’t the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?”

God said, “If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I’ll spare the place just for them.” Abraham came back, “Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?” He said, “I won’t destroy it if there are forty-five.”

Abraham spoke up again, “What if you only find forty?” “Neither will I destroy it if for forty.” He said, “Master, don’t be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?”

“No, I won’t do it if I find thirty.”  He pushed on, “I know I’m trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?” “I won’t destroy it for twenty.” He wouldn’t quit, “Don’t get angry, Master—this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?” “For the sake of only ten, I won’t destroy the city.” When God finished talking with Abraham, he left. And Abraham went home.

I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter 16 and 17

March 7th, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis. Remember that you can leave a comment with questions after this post in the comment section. Or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

Chapter 16:

Genesis 16:1-5 tells us that Sarai, Abram’s wife had not born him any children. So, Sarai gave Abram her maidservant who was an Egyptian named Hagar, so that Hagar could get pregnant and then Sarai would just lay claim to the children – as her own. Abram agreed to do as his wife Sarai said. Sarai and Abram only did this because they had waited 10 years for what God had promised, but it had not been fulfilled yet.

Abram was about 85 years old and Sarai was about 75 years old at this time. Hagar, ended up pregnant by Abram.  When Hagar learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress. This possibly was because Hagar was Egyptian and the practice of baring children for your master was not an Egyptian practice? Or it could have been that Hagar was a young woman and of course Abram was an old man? It does not say how old Hagar was at this time. Hagar was abusive toward Sarai belittling her and hating Sarai for doing what was accepted in those days – using a surrogate mother.

Then Saraia got upset with Abram and said it was his fault for the reason she could not have children. She told Abram it was his fault that she was suffering the abuse from her maidservant, Hagar.

Genesis 16:6-12 says that Sarai and Abram were having a “fight” over using Hagar as a surrogate mother and Abram told Sarai that Hagar was her problem not his. Sarai became abusive toward Hagar, and she ran away, and was sitting by a spring in the dessert on the road to Shur.

An angel of God found her sitting there and said, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?” And Hagar answered, “I’m running away from Sarai my mistress.” The angel of God said, “Go back to your mistress. Put up with her abuse.” He continued, “I’m going to give you a big family, children past counting, you’ll get a son: Name him Ishmael;  for God heard you, God answered you. He’ll be a bucking bronco of a man,  a real fighter, fighting and being fought, Always stirring up trouble,  always at odds with his family.”

Genesis 16:13-16 She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, “You’re the God who sees me! “Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!” That’s how that desert spring got named “God-Alive-Sees-Me Spring.” That spring is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar gave Abram a son.  Abram named him Ishmael.  Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael.

Chapter 17:

Genesis 17:1-8 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God showed up and said to him, “I am The Almighty God,  live entirely before me, live life blameless and to the fullest! I’ll make a covenant between us and I’ll give you a huge family.” Overwhelmed, Abram fell flat on his face. Then God said to Abram,

“This is my covenant with you: You’ll be the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that ‘I’m making you the father of many nations.’ I’ll make you a father of fathers – I’ll make nations from you, kings will issue from you. I’m establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that includes your descendants, a covenant that goes on and on and on, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants. And I’m giving you and your descendants this land where you’re just a stranger, this whole country of Canaan, to own forever. And I’ll be their God.”

Genesis 17:9-14 And God continued telling Abraham, “You will honor my covenant, you and your descendants, generation after generation. This is the covenant that you are to honor, the covenant that pulls in all your descendants: Circumcise every male. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.”

God continued on, “Every male baby will be circumcised when he is eight days old, generation after generation – this also includes house-born slaves and slaves bought from outsiders who are not blood kin.  Make sure you circumcise both your own children and anyone brought in from the outside.”

“That way my covenant will be cut into your body, a permanent mark of my permanent covenant. An uncircumcised male, will be cut off from his people – he has broken my covenant.”

Genesis 17:15-19 God continued telling Abraham, And Sarai your wife: Don’t call her Sarai any longer; call her Sarah. I’ll bless her – yes! I’ll give you a son by her! Oh, how I’ll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her.”

Abraham fell to the ground and then he laughed, thinking, “Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, can she have a baby? Abraham said to God, “Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!”

God said, “That’s not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac, I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

Genesis 17:20-27 “Now what about Ishmael,” God said?  “Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I’ll also bless him; I’ll make sure he has plenty of children – a huge family. He’ll father twelve princes; I’ll make him a great nation. But I’ll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year.” After this God was done talking and left.

Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all his servants, whether house-born or purchased – every male in his household – and circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins that very day, just as God had told him. That was really shows a lot of control and power over these people – for Abraham to be able to just go and say come on, every male will be circumcised today – and it happened.

Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised.  His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised.  Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised the same day together – with all the other male members of Abraham’s household.

I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

 

 

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Genesis Chapter 14 and 15

March 3rd, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis.

Remember that you can leave a comment with questions after this post in the comment section.

Or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

Chapter 14:

Genesis 14:1-10 Talks about four kings that go off to battle with five kings in the valley of Siddim. The valley of Siddim is likely now under the waters of the Dead Sea. Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. It continues on here with attack after attack, of all these kings it says it was four kings in battle against five kings.

Genesis 14:11-17 tells us that the valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. It continues on and says they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

Then we learn that one had escaped and found Abram the Hebrew which was Lot’s brother. Also, here this is the first time that the word Hebrew is mentioned in the bible. When Abram learned of his brothers capture he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. Him and his servants attacked and pursued them as far as Hobah where he defeated them, got back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. After the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, Abram met the King of Sodom in the Valley of Shaveh.

Genesis 14:18-24 talks about Melchizedek king of Salem – he was the priest of God Most High. He blessed Abram saying, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all the recovered plunder, but the King said, “Give me back the people but keep all the plunder for yourself.”

Abram said to the King, “I swear to God, The High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, this solemn oath, that I’ll take nothing from you, not so much as a thread or a shoestring. I’m not going to have you go around saying, ‘I made Abram rich.’ Nothing for me other than what the young men ate and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; they’re to get their share of the plunder.”

Chapter 15:

Genesis 15:1-5 tells us that God reassured Abram of the Covenant that was between him and God. The Lord tells Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” Abram said, “God, what use are your gifts as long as I’m childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?” Abram continued, “Look, You have given me no child; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”

Then God gave Abram another message: “Don’t worry, he won’t be your heir, but a son from your body will be your heir.” Then the Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You’re going to have a big family, Abram!”

Genesis 15:6-9 tells us that Abram believed God! And God declared him “Set-Right-with-God.” God continued telling Abram, “I’m the same God who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees and gave you this land to own.” But Abram said, Abram said, “God, how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?” So God again had to reassure Abram, God told Abram, “Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon.”

Genesis 15:10-16 Abram brought God all these animals, and split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn’t split the birds. Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them off. As the sun went down a deep sleep overcame Abram and horror and great darkness fell upon him.

And then God said to Abram in a dream, “Know this: your descendants will live as outsiders in a land not theirs; they’ll be enslaved and beaten down for 400 years. Then I’ll punish their slave masters; your offspring will march out of there loaded with plunder. But not you; you’ll have a long and full life and die a good and peaceful death. Not until the fourth generation will your descendants return here; sin is still a thriving business among the Amorites.”

Genesis 15:17-21 And when the sun had went down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. That’s when God made a covenant with Abram: “I’m giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria.

I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter Twelve and Thirteen

February 21st, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis.

Remember that you can leave a comment with questions after this post in the comment section.

Or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

Genesis Chapter 12

Genesis 12:1-3 We learn in these first verses the promises that God made to Abram. God tells Abram to leave the place that he was living, to leave his father’s house, and go to a place that God is going to show him to go to. God promises to Abram that he will make him a great nation, and God is going to bless him, and make his name great. God also promises to bless the one’s that bless Abram, and to curse the one’s that curse Abram. God also promised Abram that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him, the Jewish people who are descended from Abram.

Genesis 12:4-6 We learn that Abram was motivated by God’s promises to leave, so he took Sarai and his brother’s son Lot went with them. Abram was 75 years old at this time, and it was a fairly young age but it was significant as we will see, this testifies to God’s mighty works in Abram’s life in his advanced age later on. Abram took Sarai and Lot and all their possessions they had gathered in Haran and headed for the land of Canaan – this is the first time in the Bible that Canaan is mentioned – Canaan is a geographical stage for God’s acts of salvation – and was populated with people whom were involved in gross idolatry. But God had promised this land to Abram and Sarai.

We learn that Abram was passing through this land to reach his destination of Shechem, this ancient site was in the center of the land and later we will learn that under Joshua’s leadership the people would commemorate the Lord’s covenant there Joshua 24:1. They went as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. A terebinth or ancient oak tree would serve as a lasting marker for future generations to observe.

Genesis 12:7-9 We learn that God appeared unto Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” Abram then built an alter to God, and moved on to the mountain east of Bethel. He called on the name of the Lord: And this was not a private prayer, but a public proclamation. Abram was evangelizing – telling others about the Lord. God had commanded him to be a blessing to the nations and he was doing it. But still the Canaanites were here too, so Abram continued south until he found room enough for his flocks and herds.

Genesis 12:10-13 We learn that sometime after Abram arrived at Canaan a famine struck and he moved again, this time into Egypt. Before they arrived in Egypt Abram talked with his wife (whom was his half sister) that she should say that he was her brother and he should say that she was his sister. He told her that if they knew that she was his wife that they would kill him and take her, but if they told she was just a sister then they would spare his life and still take her from him.

Genesis 12:14-16 We learn that the Egyptians did take notice to Sarai, and that the princes of Pharaoh commended her to Pharaoh and she was taken from Abram to Pharaoh’s house. He gave Abram sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels for Sarai and Abram accepted this. This made Abram to be about as much a low-life as one could be.

Genesis 12:17-20 We learn that God made good on one of the promises to Abram, here is the first example of the cursing and blessing element of God’s promise to Abram. God plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. John our minister suggest here that Pharaoh found out that Sarai was really Abram’s wife from one of Abram’s servants. Because Pharaoh called out to Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?” Why did you tell me she was your sister? I might have taken her for a wife. Pharaoh told Abram to take his wife and all of their possessions and leave his land.

Genesis Chapter 13

Genesis 13:1-4 We learn that Abram left Egypt with his wife and all that he had and Lot and all that he had also, and traveled south. They ended up back at the same place as before, where Abram had built an alter and called upon the God.

Genesis 13:5-11 Lot shared in his uncle Abram’s prosperity to some degree. He too had flocks and herds and tents. Now there was not room for all of them together. The crowding of range lands led to disputes and strife between their herdsmen. The Canaanites and the Perizzites both dwelt here as well – there was not enough food and water for all the herds and flocks, someone would have to move on. So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

So Lot looked around and he decided to head for the plains of Jordan as it was well watered and had a lot of food sources. This of course was all before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot headed east, and they left each other.

Genesis 13:12-18 We learn that Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan and Lot settled in the city of Sodom. This place that Lot called home – Sodom – was exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD. The Lord reaffirmed the promise to Abram after his lack of faith in Egypt and his separation from Lot. None of the land was outside the promise. Abram’s descendants or seed (s) of Abram. At times this term refers to many descendants and at other times to a unique individual, the Coming One.

Abram’s walk in the land is a symbolic act of taking possession. Abram himself would not take possession of the land however his descendants would later on. So Abram moved and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which was in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.

I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter Ten and Eleven

February 12th, 2011

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1526/1530–1569) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsWelcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis. Remember you can leave a comment with questions, or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

Genesis 10:1-7 is telling us the family tree of Noah’s three son’s Shem, Ham, and Japheth, after the flood when they themselves started having son’s.

Genesis 10:8-12 Nimrod’s name is from the verb “let us revolt.” He is said to be a mighty hunter in the sight of the Lord, but the language has a dark meaning. He becomes a tyrant or despot leading an organized rebellion against the rule of God. He hunts not animals, but rather the souls of men. Cain, a condemned murderer had started the first cities before the Flood. Nimrod builds the first post-Flood cities.

The region he settles in is now mostly modern Iraq – most of the sons of Ham went south to Africa or East to China. The people of Shem stayed close-in to the region where the Ark landed, the Japhethites headed mostly North and West. Genesis 10 continues with a list of the other descendants of Ham, then presents a list of Shem’s lineage.

Genesis Chapter Eleven

Genesis 11:1-2 tells us that at one time everyone in the earth spoke the same language. As the people all moved out of the east they came to settle in the plain called land of Shinar.

Genesis 11:3-4 tells us that they came together and said “Come, let’s make bricks and fire them well.” They used brick for stone and tar for mortar. “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:5-9 tells us that God came out of Heaven down into the city to see what the people were doing. God already knew what they were doing, but he presented himself to them to see this “tower” that they were going to build to heaven and he also came down to “confuse” them so they would not understand each other. And God said, said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.” We go onto learn that God scattered the people all over the earth and made them speak different languages. This is why the city was called “Babel” because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. Babel is composed of two words, “bab” meaning “gate” and “el,” “god.” Hence, “the gate of god.” A related word in Hebrew, “balal” means “confusion.

Genesis 11:10-26 is the generations from Shem leading up to Abraham. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became a father to Arphaxad. Shem lived for 500 years and had other sons and daughters too. This continues on up until we learn who Abraham’s father was, Terah. And that after Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

Genesis 11:27:32 tells us the generations of Terah’s family. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.

I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter Eight and Nine

January 31st, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis. Remember you can leave a comment with questions, or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

Genesis 8:1-3 Tells us that the flood is almost over after 150 days the worst of it was over. It says that God turned his attention to Noah and his family and all the animals on the ark. Did God forget about Noah? I don’t imagine God would forget about anything, it probably was that God was focused on making sure that all the living things outside of the ark were destroyed. Then he turned his attention back to Noah and caused a great wind to blow, and the great springs in the earth that were flowing were stopped as was the rain falling from the heavens causing the flood waters to start going down.

Genesis 8:4-9 tells us that seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest atop of the mountains of Ararat. The water continued to go down and on the first day of the tenth month the top of the mountains became visible. It continues on to say that Noah waited another 40 days before opening the window in the ark.

This probably was because of all the rotting flesh smell from all the dead animals and people that I imagine was more than likely unbearable. It tells us that after 40 days Noah opened the window and sent out a raven and it flew back and forth waiting to find dry land. It’s never mentioned again, most likely because a raven is a scavenger type bird, and was probably eating on the dead bodies. Then it tells us that Noah sent out a dove to check to see if there was any dry land yet, but the dove returned not finding any.

Genesis 8:10-14 tells us that Noah waited seven more days and sent the dove back out. It returned in the evening time with an olive leaf and this told Noah that the flood was almost over. So he waited another seven days and sent the dove back out, but it did not return this time – so this meant the flood waters were gone from the earth. Noah was 601 years old and on the first day of the first month, the flood had dried up. Noah opened the door on the ark and saw dry land and by the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the earth was dry.

Genesis 8:15-17 tells us that God spoke to Noah and told him to leave the ark with his wife and family and all the animals, that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

Genesis 8:18-22 tells us that Noah and all his family left the ark along with all the animals. Then Noah built an altar to God. He selected clean animals and birds from every species and offered them as burnt offerings on the altar. God smelled the sweet fragrance and thought to himself, “I’ll never again curse the ground because of people. For the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, day and night will never stop.

Chapter Nine

Genesis 9:1-3 says that God blessed Noah and his sons and told them to go forth and prosper, reproduce and fill the Earth. God also told them that every living creature – birds, animals, and fish – will be afraid of you. And you must care for them, because all were put here for you to eat the meat. But, you are not too drink the blood or eat of the meat with blood in it. Also, I believe God was telling Noah and his sons that they were not to use any human for meat either.

Genesis 9:4-6 tells that if Noah and his family do what God has told them not to do, then they will be punished by death. If any beast does this, then it should be killed too. God also says that if man were to kill man for food, then that man should be killed. God made man in his own image.

Genesis 9:7-11 tells us that God wants Noah and his sons to be fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein not to kill each other. And then God told Noah and his sons “I’m setting up my covenant with you including your children who will come after you, along with everything alive around you – birds, farm animals, wild animals – that came out of the ship with you. I’m setting up my covenant with you that never again will everything living be destroyed by flood-waters; no, never again will a flood destroy the Earth.”

Genesis 9:12-17 God continues on with a rainbow will be a sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. I’m putting my rainbow in the clouds, as a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when the rains, and storms form over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I’ll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will flood-waters destroy all life. When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I’ll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth.”

Genesis 9:18-23 tells us that Noah’s three sons were named Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. From these three sons the whole Earth was populated. Then it goes on to tell us that Noah, a farmer, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank from its wine, got drunk and passed out, naked in his tent. This was the first sin that was committed, not drinking of the wine, but getting drunk and passing out naked was the sin.

Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that Noah was naked and told his two brothers who were outside the tent. Shem and Japheth they took a cloak, and held it between them from their shoulders, and walked backwards towards Noah and covered their father’s nakedness, keeping their faces turned away so they did not see their father’s exposed body. The second sin committed was Ham seeing his father naked and passed out – but did nothing about it, but run outside and told his brothers.

Genesis 9:24-29 tells us that Noah woke up from being passed out, and knew what his youngest son had done. Noah cursed Canaan which was Ham’s son; and made him to be a servant of servants to his brothers. And he said, Blessed Shem; telling him that Canaan shall be his servant. God prospered Japheth, allowing him to live spaciously in the tents of Shem but Canaan shall be his slave also. Then it goes on to tell us that Noah lived another 350 years following the flood, he lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.

I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter Six and Seven

January 25th, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you have enjoyed the previous posts on Genesis. Remember you can leave a comment with questions, or if you feel what I have said is not right or I have left something out, we can discuss it in the comment section.

Genesis 6:1-7 Chapter 6 starts off by telling us that when the human race was beginning that men were having more and more daughters and they grew to become beautiful women. The sons of God which were fallen angles from heaven and had fallen with Satan, saw that these women were beautiful, and they looked them over and took them as wives.

God saw what was happening and he said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” If man was so full of sin then he wasn’t going to allow them to live but 120 years. This was in the days of the giants which were the children of the sons of god, and daughters of man. God could see that there was much evil and wickedness throughout the land, he could see every thought was evil and it was getting worse instead of getting better.

This grieved God, that all this sin was happening, and that no one was following in his foot steps and living like God had intended the human race to live like. God said that he would just destroy it all and start again, wiping the slate clean of all man kind and animals and trees all things living.

Genesis 6:8-13 But God saw Noah and he liked him, he could see the good within Noah. Was Noah perfect? No, we later find out he got drunk. But, Noah was perfect in his generation, unlike the others on the earth. But God still saw the good within Noah, and he walked with God, and Noah had three sons; Shem, Ham, and Japheth. God said to 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.”

Genesis 6:14-22 But God was going to spare Noah and his son’s and their wives life if they would build a ark. God told Noah to build it from “gopher” wood which ironically is only mentioned one time in the bible. No one knows exactly what “gopher” wood is, but many speculate it was cypress – but there is no evidence to back this up. The Bible doesn’t provide us any information on where Noah lived at the time of the flood, so there is really no way to be certain what type of wood “gopher” was.

God told Noah to build the ark three hundred cubits long, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits or 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet tall. God told him to cover it with pitch or resin inside and out. He also told Noah to put a roof on it put in a window a cubit from the top; put in a door on the side of the ark; and make three decks, lower, middle, and upper.

God told Noah again he was going to bring a flood to destroy all living things in the earth and start over, and he wanted the ark filled with Noah and his family, and You are also to take two of each living creature, a male and a female, on board the ship, to preserve their lives with you: two of every species of bird, mammal, and reptile – two of everything so as to preserve their lives along with yours. Also get all the food you’ll need and store it up for you and them. Noah obeyed God and did everything just as God had told him to do.

Genesis 7:1-5 starts off telling us that God told Noah to build the ark and to put his family and the animals in the ark, because the flood was coming. God intended to destroy every living thing on the world because of all the sin that had been in the world. One thing I forgot to mention in the previous chapter was how old was the earth when God decided to destroy it? The earth was about 1500 to 2000 years old, so you can imagine how much of a population there was on the earth.

Genesis 7:6-12 Noah was 600 years old when this was all taking place. Him and his wife and children and their wives and all the animals went into the ark, because God told him that in seven days the flood waters were coming, and this would be the only way they could survive the flood. When the rain started, I’m sure it was like nothing we have ever seen as far as rain storms occur. This would be the storm of all storms we have witnessed. The ground even broke open and water gushed from below and above, so I’m sure that it happened this way so no one except for who was on the ark was going to survive. God made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights like this non-stop so we cannot even imagine how much water there was, it covered everything.

Genesis 7:13-20 Tells us that Noah did as God commanded him to do, and then the Lord shut and sealed the door of the ark, and for 40 days and nights it rained and then the flood waters raised, and the ark was lifted above the waters and it continued to rise and the ark stayed afloat. The waters covered everything including the highest mountains by at least 20 feet.

Genesis 7:21-24 The flood destroyed all living things that were not on the ark, every animal, every plant and tree, and every man and woman and child that was upon the earth because of all the corruption and sin. Noah and his family and the animals that were on the ark were the only survivors of this flood. Speaking of which – how many animals were on the ark? A lot of people/scientist who believe in evolution say there is no way that Noah could have gotten two of every animal on the ark when there is over 1 million species of animals in the world.

But see the Bible doesn’t say whether these were adult animals or young animals. Remember we only have just a handful of “large” animals. Plus the fact that there is 21,000 species of fish and the 1,700 tunicates (marine chordates like sea squirts) found throughout the seas of the world, or the 600 echinoderms including star fish and sea urchins, or the 107,000 mollusks such as mussels, clams and oysters, or the 10,000 coelenterates like corals and sea anemones, jelly fish and hydroids or the 5,000 species of sponges, or the 30,000 protozoans, the microscopic single-celled creatures that are included in the 1 million number. These would not have been on the ark as they could live in the water.

As few as 2,000 animals may have only been on the ark, and that would have only covered about 35% of the ark’s total volume. So I’m sure there was plenty of room for everything else. So for all you skeptics out there think about those numbers for a while. Anyway the flood waters remained on the earth for 150 days. I hope you have enjoyed this bible study, and remember you can always comment on this if you feel I have not explained it well, or if you want to add to it. Stay tuned and God Bless!

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Genesis Chapter Four and Five

January 17th, 2011

Welcome back to bible study, I hope you enjoyed the previous post on Genesis Chapter three. On a side note it has been a while – with the holidays, and then John our preacher was sick one Sunday but we have now gotten to chapter four and five.

Genesis 4:1-2 Tells about Adam and Eve conceiving two children, two boys, and they were named Cain and Abel. The two boys grew into men and Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain tilled the ground. Genesis 4:3-7 tells us about Cain who brought fruit of the ground as an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he brought one of his first flock the fattest one and gave it as an offering to the Lord. It tells us that the Lord was well pleased with Abel’s offering. But God was not pleased with Cain’s fruit – because it was like Cain felt he had to give the offering to God and that is not what God wants. He wants us to love him and give to him from our hearts. Cain was very angry with God. And God asked Cain why was he angry? And why had his countenance fallen? Cain was angry because God didn’t speak well of his sacrifice – which had not come from his heart. And now he was feeling down because that he knew he could have done better.

Genesis 4:8-10 tells us that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Remember that God knows everything, and that you can’t hide anything from him. God ask Cain where is your brother, Abel? Cain lied and said he didn’t know where Abel was, and then said with a “bad attitude” Am I my brother’s keeper? Cain was trying to deny the fact that he had any responsibility for caring for his brother, as many of us show little concern for our brothers. It is true that Cain’s attitude was bad. However, a closer examination of the story and the words have led me to the conclusion that if God had answered the question, He might well have said, “No, you are not your brother’s keeper, but what does that sarcastic and evasive answer have to do with the question I asked you?” Then God asked Cain, “What have you done? I hear the voice of your brothers blood crying out from the ground.

Genesis 4:11-12 God tells Cain what his punishment will be. God could have killed Cain, but he didn’t, why? It’s because God is a caring and forgiving God, he was giving Cain one more chance to admit to his guilt, and take responsibility for his actions. God told Cain that when he tilled the ground that whatever he planted would not grow.

Genesis 4:13-16 Cain starts “whining” to God. This happens a lot today, when someone does something wrong then they try to lie their way out of it, and when punishment is set upon them, they will start “whining” that it is too much for what they did. Cain said to God, “My punishment is too much. I can’t take it! You’ve driven me off the land and I can never again face you. I will be nothing but a homeless wanderer on Earth and whoever finds me will want to kill me.” But again God could have allowed Cain to be killed, but he again gave Cain yet another chance at life, plus now God is going to protect him from being killed. God told him, “No. Anyone who kills you will pay for it seven times over.” God then put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him. Cain then left the presence of God and lived or wandered in the land east of Edan. God gives us second and third and fourth, etc., chances to love him, and be with him. Will this be your chance?

Genesis 4:17-26 are about the generations of Cain and his family. I assume that they continued the sin that Cain had started, and this is why we have learned about it. And then in verse 25-26 we see that Adam and Eve had another son to replace Abel that Cain had killed, and they named him Seth. And Seth had a son named Enosh, this is when men and women began praying and worshiping in the name of God.

Genesis 5

This tells us that these are the generations, the family tree of the human race. Tells us again that God created man and woman in the image of God. Adam and Eve were blessed at starting the population of the world. Basically the whole chapter is just telling us how the earth was populated and how the human race was started. Adam lived for 930 years all the while him and Eve were having kids, and their kids were having kids, an so on and so forth. At this rate it wasn’t going to take long to get a huge population started. Today we look at someone who had a great life and lived to be 90 or 100 years old – that is old to us imagine living 930 years.

I hope that you have enjoyed this bible study and that you would want to share it with someone else. Also, if you have any comments you may do so, if you feel I have left something out or that I have not explained something right please don’t hesitate to tell me we are all learning here as we go along. Thanks and God Bless!

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