1. After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your very great reward."
2. But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
3. And Abram said "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."
4. Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir but a son coming from your own body will be you heir."
5. He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them." Then He said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
6. Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
7. He also said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
8. But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"
9. So the Lord said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
10. Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however he did not cut in half.
11. Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12. As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.
13. Then the Lord said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
14. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possession.
15. You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age.
16. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
17. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeard and passed between the pieces.
18. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates -
19. the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
20. Hittites, Perissites, Rephaites,
21. Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.
My Thoughts:
Abram was so close to God that he had conversations with Him. And not just polite, religiously correct conversations that began with "Dear God" and ended with "Amen." These conversations were open, honest and direct. Abram was hurting and he told God about it. And he received an answer. But before he received the answer he was given some instructions. He carried these instructions out. And waited. And chased away birds. And waited. I'm sure during this time of waiting a lot of thoughts were going through Abram's mind. Maybe he questioned what he had just heard. Maybe he wondered if he had been to free with what he said to God. Maybe he thought God had walked away and forgotten him. The Bible doesn't tell us that part but we do know Abram was human and as fellow humans it's easy to imagine that the waiting was probably hard. But in the end - God answered. God answered and Abram believed.
Showing posts with label blogging through the Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging through the Bible. Show all posts
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Genesis 14
1. At this time Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim
2. went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah Shinab kind of Admah, Shemeber kind of Zeboiim, and the king Bela (that is, Zoar).
3. All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of SIddim (the Salt Sea).
4. For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5. In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Repahites in Ashteroth Karmaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim
6. and the Hroites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paan near the desert.
7. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and they conquered the wholde territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.
8. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king Admah the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is , Zoar) marched out and drew up the their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim
9. against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar - four kings against five.
10. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.
11. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food: then they went away.
12. They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since hewas living in Sodom.
13. One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.
14. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
16. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
17. After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
18. Then Melchizeded king of salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,
19. and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed by Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."
22. But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath
23. that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'
24. I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me - to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them have their share."
My Thoughts -
To many times I forget to stop and think about how my decisions now may effect me and those I love in the future. Abram knew that it was important not to allow the other kings in the area to have a reason to try to control the decisions he made in the future. By refusing to take anything from the kind of Sodom Abram ensured that this king had no valid reason to try to control him in the future (verses 22 - 24). This allowed him to follow God's leading without reservation.
2. went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah Shinab kind of Admah, Shemeber kind of Zeboiim, and the king Bela (that is, Zoar).
3. All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of SIddim (the Salt Sea).
4. For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5. In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Repahites in Ashteroth Karmaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim
6. and the Hroites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paan near the desert.
7. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and they conquered the wholde territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.
8. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king Admah the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is , Zoar) marched out and drew up the their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim
9. against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar - four kings against five.
10. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.
11. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food: then they went away.
12. They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since hewas living in Sodom.
13. One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.
14. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
16. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
17. After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
18. Then Melchizeded king of salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,
19. and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed by Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."
22. But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath
23. that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'
24. I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me - to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them have their share."
My Thoughts -
To many times I forget to stop and think about how my decisions now may effect me and those I love in the future. Abram knew that it was important not to allow the other kings in the area to have a reason to try to control the decisions he made in the future. By refusing to take anything from the kind of Sodom Abram ensured that this king had no valid reason to try to control him in the future (verses 22 - 24). This allowed him to follow God's leading without reservation.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Genesis 13
1. So Abram went up from Egypt the land of Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him.
2. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
3. From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier
4. and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.
5. Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
6. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.
7. And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
8. So Aram said to Lot,"Let's not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers.
9. Is not the whole land before you? Lets part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."
10. Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
11. So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company:
12. Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.
14. The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west.
15. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring for ever.
16. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.
17. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.
18. So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Herbron, where he built an altar to the Lord.
My thoughts:
In this chapter Lot selfishly chooses the best land for himself. Yet we know that Abraham was greatly blessed in spite of this seeming disadvantage. I'm reminded that no o ne can ever thwart God's purposes and that I can be at peace knowing that God works for the best in the lives of those who love Him.
2. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
3. From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier
4. and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.
5. Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
6. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.
7. And quarreling arose between Abram's herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
8. So Aram said to Lot,"Let's not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers.
9. Is not the whole land before you? Lets part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left."
10. Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
11. So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company:
12. Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.
14. The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west.
15. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring for ever.
16. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.
17. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.
18. So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Herbron, where he built an altar to the Lord.
My thoughts:
In this chapter Lot selfishly chooses the best land for himself. Yet we know that Abraham was greatly blessed in spite of this seeming disadvantage. I'm reminded that no o ne can ever thwart God's purposes and that I can be at peace knowing that God works for the best in the lives of those who love Him.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Genesis 10
1. This is the account of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah's sons. who themselves had sons after the flood.
2. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.
3. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah.
4.The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim and the Rodanim.
5. (From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with it's own language.)
6.The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan.
7. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah a nd Sabteca.
8. Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth.
9. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord, that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord."
10. The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh, in Shinar.
11. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah
12. and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
13. Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites Naphtuhites,
14. Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.
15. Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,
16. Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,
17. Hivites, Arkites, Sinites
18. Arvadites, Zemarites and Hemathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered
19. and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
20. These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
21. Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.
22. The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram.
23. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech.
24. Arphaxad,was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.
25. Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.
26. Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
27. Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,
28. Obal, Abimael, Sheba,
29. Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
30. The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.
31. These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
32. These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.
My Thoughts:
I wonder if the enormity of what the sons of Noah were doing was clear to them. So much of what we know now was being established then. Elise touched on this idea in the comments to my Genesis 9 post. A structure for society was in the making.
2. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.
3. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah.
4.The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim and the Rodanim.
5. (From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with it's own language.)
6.The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan.
7. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah a nd Sabteca.
8. Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth.
9. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord, that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord."
10. The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh, in Shinar.
11. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah
12. and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
13. Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites Naphtuhites,
14. Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.
15. Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,
16. Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,
17. Hivites, Arkites, Sinites
18. Arvadites, Zemarites and Hemathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered
19. and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
20. These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
21. Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.
22. The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram.
23. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech.
24. Arphaxad,was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.
25. Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.
26. Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
27. Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,
28. Obal, Abimael, Sheba,
29. Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
30. The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.
31. These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
32. These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.
My Thoughts:
I wonder if the enormity of what the sons of Noah were doing was clear to them. So much of what we know now was being established then. Elise touched on this idea in the comments to my Genesis 9 post. A structure for society was in the making.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Genesis 9
1. Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
2. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.
3. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.
5. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too. I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
6. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
7. As for you be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
8. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
9. "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you:
10. and with every living creature that was with you - the birds,the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you - every living creature on earth.
11. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood, never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12. And God said, This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
13. I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
14. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
15. I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
16. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every ind on the earth"
17. So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."
18. The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.)
19. These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.
20. Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.
21. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
22. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
23. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.
24. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,
25. He said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers."
26. He also said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
27. may God extend the territory of Japheth, may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.
28. After the flood Noah lived 350 years.
29. Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died.
My Thoughts
Noah and his family could have come off the ark and immediately sunk into a state of depression as they realized how different their lives and world were now then before the flood. Maybe they were just so grateful to get out of that boat full of animals that they simply rejoiced and moved on with their lives. But knowing how we as humans often handle things I have a feeling it wasn't that simple. But even though I'm sure there were some major struggles, they did move on. They built an altar, they worshiped, they planted a vineyard, and they moved on with their lives.
Hmmm. Maybe I need to learn something here.
2. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.
3. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.
5. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too. I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
6. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
7. As for you be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
8. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:
9. "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you:
10. and with every living creature that was with you - the birds,the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you - every living creature on earth.
11. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood, never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12. And God said, This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
13. I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
14. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
15. I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
16. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every ind on the earth"
17. So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."
18. The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.)
19. These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.
20. Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.
21. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
22. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
23. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.
24. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him,
25. He said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers."
26. He also said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
27. may God extend the territory of Japheth, may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.
28. After the flood Noah lived 350 years.
29. Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died.
My Thoughts
Noah and his family could have come off the ark and immediately sunk into a state of depression as they realized how different their lives and world were now then before the flood. Maybe they were just so grateful to get out of that boat full of animals that they simply rejoiced and moved on with their lives. But knowing how we as humans often handle things I have a feeling it wasn't that simple. But even though I'm sure there were some major struggles, they did move on. They built an altar, they worshiped, they planted a vineyard, and they moved on with their lives.
Hmmm. Maybe I need to learn something here.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Genesis 8
1. But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.
2. Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky.
3. The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down.
4. and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
5. The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.
6. After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark
7. and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.
8. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.
9. But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.
10. He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.
11. When the dove returned to him in the evening there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.
12. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.
13. By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.
14. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.
15. Then God said to Noah,
16. "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.
17. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you - the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground - so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it."
18. So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.
19. All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds - everything that moves on the earth - came out of the ark, one kind after another.
20. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
21. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in His heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
22. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
My Thoughts
The first few words of the first verse of this chapter really caught my eye. "But God remembered Noah." I'm sure it would have been easy for Noah to wonder if maybe God forgot him during his time riding out this storm in a big boat full of animals. But God never forgets His people. And God never forgets you. Or me.
2. Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky.
3. The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down.
4. and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.
5. The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible.
6. After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark
7. and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.
8. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.
9. But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.
10. He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.
11. When the dove returned to him in the evening there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.
12. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.
13. By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.
14. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.
15. Then God said to Noah,
16. "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.
17. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you - the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground - so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it."
18. So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.
19. All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds - everything that moves on the earth - came out of the ark, one kind after another.
20. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
21. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in His heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
22. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
My Thoughts
The first few words of the first verse of this chapter really caught my eye. "But God remembered Noah." I'm sure it would have been easy for Noah to wonder if maybe God forgot him during his time riding out this storm in a big boat full of animals. But God never forgets His people. And God never forgets you. Or me.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Genesis 7
1. The Lord then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.
2. Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate,
3. and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.
4. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made."
5. And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.
6. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.
7. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood.
8. Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground,
9. male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah.
10. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.
11.In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month - on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.
12. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13. On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark.
14. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to tits kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings.
15.Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark.
16. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.
17. For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth.
18. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.
19. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered.
20. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet.
21.Every living thing that moved on the earth perished - birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.
22. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.
23. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
24. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.
My Thoughts
And I complain when I'm stuck in the house with the kids for two days because of rain. I cannot imagine what this must have been like for Noah and his family.
2. Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate,
3. and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.
4. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made."
5. And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.
6. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.
7. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood.
8. Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground,
9. male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah.
10. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.
11.In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month - on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.
12. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13. On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark.
14. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to tits kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings.
15.Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark.
16. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.
17. For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth.
18. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.
19. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered.
20. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet.
21.Every living thing that moved on the earth perished - birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.
22. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.
23. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
24. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.
My Thoughts
And I complain when I'm stuck in the house with the kids for two days because of rain. I cannot imagine what this must have been like for Noah and his family.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Genesis 6
1. When men began too increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,
2. the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they married any of them they chose.
3. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal, his days will be a hundred and twenty years.
4. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
5. The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
6. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.
7. So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth-men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air-for I am grieved that I have made them."
8. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
9.This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
10. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11. Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence.
12. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.
13. So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.
14. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.
15. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.
16. Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.
17. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.
18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark-you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.
19. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.
20. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.
21. You are to take very kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."
22. Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
My Thoughts
I find myself trying to imagine what was going through Noah's wife's mind while all this was happening. Was she so completely confused and worried? Was she so in tune with God herself that she knew that this was the right thing to be doing? Was she simply humoring Noah, thinking that nothing would come of this wild idea of his? Or were they were working together in agreement toward a common goal?
We really aren't given a enough information in this passage to know but we know enough of the story to know that in the end Noah saved the lives of his entire family as well as the continuation of the human race. How is that for having a husband to be proud of. Granted, there weren't too many people left to brag about it too, but . . . they were alive.
It makes me think about myself and my reactions to my own husband when he wants to go in a direction that I am not sure of. I think I am sometimes guilty of forgetting that God works through him too. It's all too easy when living with someone day in and day out, seeing all the faults and foibles along with all the wonderful things that made me come to love him in the first place to discount or minimize his opinions and beliefs. And when that happens I lose the blessings that God wants to give to me through the leading He is giving my husband.
So, Doug, if you decide to build an ark in the back yard tomorrow . . . well . . I'll try to be supportive.
2. the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they married any of them they chose.
3. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal, his days will be a hundred and twenty years.
4. The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
5. The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
6. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.
7. So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth-men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air-for I am grieved that I have made them."
8. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
9.This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
10. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11. Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence.
12. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.
13. So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.
14. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.
15. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.
16. Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.
17. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.
18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark-you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.
19. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.
20. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.
21. You are to take very kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."
22. Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
My Thoughts
I find myself trying to imagine what was going through Noah's wife's mind while all this was happening. Was she so completely confused and worried? Was she so in tune with God herself that she knew that this was the right thing to be doing? Was she simply humoring Noah, thinking that nothing would come of this wild idea of his? Or were they were working together in agreement toward a common goal?
We really aren't given a enough information in this passage to know but we know enough of the story to know that in the end Noah saved the lives of his entire family as well as the continuation of the human race. How is that for having a husband to be proud of. Granted, there weren't too many people left to brag about it too, but . . . they were alive.
It makes me think about myself and my reactions to my own husband when he wants to go in a direction that I am not sure of. I think I am sometimes guilty of forgetting that God works through him too. It's all too easy when living with someone day in and day out, seeing all the faults and foibles along with all the wonderful things that made me come to love him in the first place to discount or minimize his opinions and beliefs. And when that happens I lose the blessings that God wants to give to me through the leading He is giving my husband.
So, Doug, if you decide to build an ark in the back yard tomorrow . . . well . . I'll try to be supportive.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Genesis 5
1. This is the written account of Adam's line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.
2. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man."
3. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.
4. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
5. Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.
6. When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh.
7. And after he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.
8. Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died.
9. When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan.
10. And after he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters.
11. Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died.
12. When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel.
13. And after he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters.
14. Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died.
15. When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared
16. And after he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters.
17. Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died.
18. When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.
19. And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
20. Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died.
21. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.
22. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
23. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
24. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
25. When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.
26. And after he became the father of Lamech., Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters.
27. Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died.
28. When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son.
29. He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed."
30. After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters.
31. Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died.
32. After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
My Thoughts
While it is a little hard for me to feel inspired by a list of people and how long they lived, I did find the thought voiced by Lamech when Noah was born very interesting. Sometimes as parents we simply know things about our children that others do not and may often find a little absurd. It goes with being a parent and deeply knowing and understanding our children. Listen to those intuitive, God given thoughts. It's important.
2. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man."
3. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.
4. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
5. Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.
6. When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh.
7. And after he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.
8. Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died.
9. When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan.
10. And after he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters.
11. Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died.
12. When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel.
13. And after he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters.
14. Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died.
15. When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared
16. And after he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters.
17. Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died.
18. When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.
19. And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
20. Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died.
21. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.
22. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
23. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
24. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
25. When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.
26. And after he became the father of Lamech., Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters.
27. Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died.
28. When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son.
29. He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed."
30. After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters.
31. Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died.
32. After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
My Thoughts
While it is a little hard for me to feel inspired by a list of people and how long they lived, I did find the thought voiced by Lamech when Noah was born very interesting. Sometimes as parents we simply know things about our children that others do not and may often find a little absurd. It goes with being a parent and deeply knowing and understanding our children. Listen to those intuitive, God given thoughts. It's important.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Genesis 4
1. Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man."
2. Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
4. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering
5. but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6.Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is our face downcast?
7.If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
8. Now Cain said to his brother Abel "Let's go out to the field."And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother and killed him.
9. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
10. The Lord said,, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.
11. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from our hand.
12. When you work the ground it will not longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13.Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear.
14. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
15. But the Lord said to him, "Not so, if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then He put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
16. So Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17. Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.
18. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19. Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
20. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.
21.His brother's name was Juabal: he was the father of those who play the harp and flute.
22. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
23. Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.
24. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
25. Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."
26. Seth also had a son and he name him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.
My Thoughts
I find it interesting as I read through this chapter how much of history was being made in one short chapter. And yet, at that time, there was little realization of the significance of it all. And yet, just as we do today, each person continued one day at a time, one step at a time with their lives. Dreams, disappointments, heartaches, joys, all wrapped together in the tapestry that is woven each day by man and woman alike.
I also found it interesting how after all these ups and downs, at the very end of the chapter there is a verse, almost like an afterthought - At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. I had to wonder how this chapter may have been different if this had come in the beginning of the chapter, before all the drama. And I'm reminded how like us today they were back then.
2. Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
4. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering
5. but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6.Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is our face downcast?
7.If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
8. Now Cain said to his brother Abel "Let's go out to the field."And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother and killed him.
9. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
10. The Lord said,, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.
11. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from our hand.
12. When you work the ground it will not longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13.Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear.
14. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
15. But the Lord said to him, "Not so, if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then He put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
16. So Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17. Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.
18. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19. Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
20. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.
21.His brother's name was Juabal: he was the father of those who play the harp and flute.
22. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
23. Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.
24. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
25. Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."
26. Seth also had a son and he name him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.
My Thoughts
I find it interesting as I read through this chapter how much of history was being made in one short chapter. And yet, at that time, there was little realization of the significance of it all. And yet, just as we do today, each person continued one day at a time, one step at a time with their lives. Dreams, disappointments, heartaches, joys, all wrapped together in the tapestry that is woven each day by man and woman alike.
I also found it interesting how after all these ups and downs, at the very end of the chapter there is a verse, almost like an afterthought - At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. I had to wonder how this chapter may have been different if this had come in the beginning of the chapter, before all the drama. And I'm reminded how like us today they were back then.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Genesis 3
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2. The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
3. but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4. "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.
5. "For God knows that when you eat of it you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8. Then the man and his wife heart the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
9. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10. He answered, "I have heard you in the garden, and i was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11. And he said, "Who told you that you were naked" Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?
12. The man said, "The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13. Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
14. So the Lord God said to the serpent "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
15. and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
16. To the woman He said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
17. To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life,
18. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
19. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
20. Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all living.
21. The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
22. And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
23. So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
24. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
My Thoughts
I laughed to myself when I typed verse 8, wondering how Adam and Eve could have thought they could really hide from God, from the one who made them and who had all knowledge. Then I stopped laughing because it occurred to me that I sometimes try to do the same thing. Sometimes I think if I just pretend I don't feel this way, or if I act like I never said that harsh word it will be as if it didn't happen. But God knows, and He's waiting for me let Him help me.
2. The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
3. but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4. "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.
5. "For God knows that when you eat of it you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8. Then the man and his wife heart the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
9. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10. He answered, "I have heard you in the garden, and i was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11. And he said, "Who told you that you were naked" Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?
12. The man said, "The woman you put here with me - she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13. Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
14. So the Lord God said to the serpent "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
15. and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
16. To the woman He said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
17. To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life,
18. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
19. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
20. Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all living.
21. The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
22. And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
23. So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
24. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
My Thoughts
I laughed to myself when I typed verse 8, wondering how Adam and Eve could have thought they could really hide from God, from the one who made them and who had all knowledge. Then I stopped laughing because it occurred to me that I sometimes try to do the same thing. Sometimes I think if I just pretend I don't feel this way, or if I act like I never said that harsh word it will be as if it didn't happen. But God knows, and He's waiting for me let Him help me.
Genensis 2
1. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
2. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
3. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
4. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens -
5. and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground,
6. but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground -
7. the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8. Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
9. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.
11. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.)
13. The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.
14. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15. The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take careof it.
16. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
17. but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.
18. The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
19. Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name
20. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
21. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh.
22. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman' for she was taken out of man."
24. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
25. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
My Thoughts
I would have loved to be there that day as Adam named the animals. Just imagine the variety, the beauty, the awesomeness of that scene. And the harmony between the animals and man would have been a wonder to see.
2. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
3. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
4. This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens -
5. and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground,
6. but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground -
7. the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8. Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
9. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.
11. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.)
13. The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.
14. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15. The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take careof it.
16. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
17. but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.
18. The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
19. Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name
20. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
21. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh.
22. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman' for she was taken out of man."
24. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
25. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
My Thoughts
I would have loved to be there that day as Adam named the animals. Just imagine the variety, the beauty, the awesomeness of that scene. And the harmony between the animals and man would have been a wonder to see.
Genesis 1
1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3. And God said, "Let the be light," and there was light.
4. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
5. God called the light "day" and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening and there was morning-the first day.
6. And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water."
7. So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so.
8. God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.
9. And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so.
10. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.
11. The God said, "let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so.
12. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
13. And there was evening and there was morning - the third day.
14. And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years,
15. and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so.
16. God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.
17. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth,
18. to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19. And there was evening and there was morning - the fourth day.
20. And God said, "Let the water team with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
21. So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to tis kinds. And God saw that it was good.
22. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase on the earth.
23. And there was evening, and there was morning - the fifth day.
24. And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.
25. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
28. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it,. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
29. Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
30. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground- everything that has the breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
31. God saw all that he had made and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning - the sixth day.
My Thoughts
Creativity.
The first chapter of the Bible, the Creation story, a Supreme example of creativity.
The Creator is also the Saviour.
And when the Saviour dwells within us, does He not also share His creativity with us.
No, we do not become The Creator but we may become creators.
Conduits of the supreme Creator.
To me that is an awesome and inspiring thought.
How could this translate into each area of my life - and yours?
2. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3. And God said, "Let the be light," and there was light.
4. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
5. God called the light "day" and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening and there was morning-the first day.
6. And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water."
7. So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so.
8. God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning-the second day.
9. And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so.
10. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.
11. The God said, "let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so.
12. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
13. And there was evening and there was morning - the third day.
14. And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years,
15. and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so.
16. God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.
17. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth,
18. to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19. And there was evening and there was morning - the fourth day.
20. And God said, "Let the water team with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
21. So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to tis kinds. And God saw that it was good.
22. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase on the earth.
23. And there was evening, and there was morning - the fifth day.
24. And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.
25. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
28. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it,. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
29. Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
30. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground- everything that has the breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
31. God saw all that he had made and it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning - the sixth day.
My Thoughts
Creativity.
The first chapter of the Bible, the Creation story, a Supreme example of creativity.
The Creator is also the Saviour.
And when the Saviour dwells within us, does He not also share His creativity with us.
No, we do not become The Creator but we may become creators.
Conduits of the supreme Creator.
To me that is an awesome and inspiring thought.
How could this translate into each area of my life - and yours?
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