Assignment: Read Genesis 1-4
Goal: Read by Saturday, July 10, 2010
Comments related to the reading should go in this blog entry. Feel free to post your thoughts on your own YouTube channel or blog, and post a link in the comments.
Father, please bless this project and give us wisdom, clarity, patience, and endurance as we embark on this reading of your Word. Thank you for your Word, Lord. Thank you for the blessings you have given us all and the blessings you will give us through this process as we learn more about you. In the name of your precious Son, Jesus Christ. Amen!
I read Genesis 1-4 today. I can’t tell you the last time I read those chapters. The question of where did the other people come from has been brought up from time to time over the the years. From Genesis 4:14 to 4:15 there seems to be a gap in time. Cain moved to the Land of Nod and then suddenly he is getting his wife pregnant. My thoughts on this? How many other large gaps are there between verses? I wonder why these parts are left out? Interesting to say the least.
Molly
I suppose when folks are living almost a full millenium, there’s plenty of room to have gaps in a 7 pg history 🙂
I was looking at Molly’s comment.. (I think that’s my sister) .. I’ve heard different versions of “the other people”..
1) Saying that not all of Adam and Eve’s children are accounted for in the Bible and they were filling the earth..
2) (interesting concept) That Adam and Eve were not the ONLY one’s God created, but we have the story of them being the first and in the lineage of Jesus.
I have something else to discuss on this, but will wait till I actually go back and read it all again first..
Great idea Rob.. God bless you!
Mary
I talk about this in my vid today (should be up soon). Adam thanks God for another “child” when Seth is born… by that time, then, it can be implied Seth was the third.
So, this seems to indicate that Adam and Eve were the first formed, but not the only… I wonder how that correlates with original sin, though… hmmm…
Yep Sis, Its me 🙂
I sometimes wonder if a full term pregnancy was much shorter than 9 months back in those days. Since we were only a few years and/or decades since the inception (or infection) of sin, and populating the earth was the prime directive, there may have been a population explosion the likes we have never seen. And thus the earth was populated more rapidly than we can assume. Just a thought…..
Nick
Interesting though… I wonder if the years were shorter… for example, when the Bible says Noah was “600 years” old, I wonder if they counted months as years (which would make Noah 50 of our years old when he built the ark)… can’t imagine living passed 150. 🙂
“It will produce thorns and thistles…”
I could not believe the amount of weeds in my vegetable garden the other day. I do not remember planting them. Maybe next year, I will plant weeds and hope for an abundance of tomatoes, peppers, zukes and cukes!
Just a thought…..
Nick
“Maybe next year, I will plant weeds and hope for an abundance of tomatoes, peppers, zukes and cukes!
Just a thought…..”
LOL… I wonder if God has a problem with our grocery stores that have created a scenario where other people deal with the thistles and thorns.
New and deeper meanings are coming to me through this study!
In Gen 4:6-7 Cain’s countenance fell when the Lord had no regard for his offering. I think that Cain’s countenance or attitude was already on a downward spiral. It took him all the way to murder! Our countenance falls also as we stray away from what is righteous and good and the Lord will look at our fruit with disregard. That is when sin is crouching at our door. Even our prayers maybe hindered. Anyone been there?
I have.
Nick D
I was thinking much the same thing, Nick. We can all take a lesson from Cain’s encounter with God here. It’s the heart attitude that’s important and that’s what truly separated him from God. We, ourselves, must be aware, daily, of where our heart is leading us. Sin/satan does crouch at the door and is only too willing to distract and draw us away. As I read this passage, it really made me think of my own life and how I need to be watchful.
God bless!
“Our countenance falls also as we stray away from what is righteous and good and the Lord will look at our fruit with disregard. That is when sin is crouching at our door. Even our prayers maybe hindered. Anyone been there?”
I have been here way too often, unfortunately. Especially on YouTube. 😉
Hi All, so excited to “meet you” and join Rob on this journey. My name is Antoniette and I met Rob when we were all in the adoption process through the same agency. I am adopted, myself, currently adopting, and also the 46-year-old mom of an energetic 2 year old miracle girl named Sonora. I am a wife of 13 years to Daniel and we live in the OC. Most importantly, I love God and am committed to following Him, learning more about His ways and trusting His plan for my life. I am trying to love others the way He asks us to … I’m finding it’s hard sometimes, but not impossible.
Here we are in Genesis, and I believe that if anyone can get past the first 5 words of the bible, then the rest should be a piece of cake 😉 Think about it, “In the beginning, God created …” Honestly, if one can believe that short statement, then anything that follows is possible!
I did have a comment regarding the whole population thing, “Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” This verse, to me, would imply that God actually did create Adam and Eve first and they were the sole procreators.
I also found interesting that the first instance of bigamy is found so early on here, by Lamech, who chose to have 2 wives *jerk!* So much stuff here in these 4 chapters, I am exited to read everyone’s comments and see how God can use us all to encourage each other …
Have an awesome weekend!
Ant~*
Ant, I love your devotion and energy. Your commitment is good, but hopefully we all can use open minds to help each other come to a grand understanding and belief. I pray for this, and I pray for my son, Rob, to be granted understanding to guide all of us in the pure true right way on this journey. I love and respect that he is still questioning and in his deep faith he may bring others to his belief. hummm even me, who has lots of questions.
G-d bless everyone on this journey for the truth.
Saundra (Rob’s mom)
Okay, so I know I’m VERY late, but I wanted to post some thoughts, comments, questions, etc. I am the first to admit I am not well read in the Old Testament so if these questions are answered later, please bear with me or feel free to reference them.
Chapter 1 – I find it exciting that the Bible confirms that the Trinity is there in the beginning. I love that everything that God creates is good! And that with all of His magnificent creations (who doesn’t marvel at the ocean’s beauty and power), his final masterpiece to creating the universe was man. Upon this final addition, He increases the level of satisfaction with His work from good to very good!! I ponder the question, did God intend for man to be a herbivore? He gave us every “seed-bearing plant” and every “fruit with seed in it”?
**This chapter again brought to light a personal goal for me, concurrent to completing this study, to observe the sabbath by resting and spending the day with the Lord.
Chapter 2 – This is a more detailed look at what God created in chapter 1. I love that God always completes what He starts!! I love that He put man in a garden that He planted. He could have created the garden already grown, but He actually planted it Himself! Just like He could have created the whole universe in a blink of His eye, but He didn’t. He created it over a matter of days, in His perfect order and His perfect timing. I think God likes to watch things grow, including us, and that there is an order and process to how He does things.
God said it was not good for man to be alone and that He would make a suitable helper for him. Then He brings all the creatures He has made to Adam who proceeds to name them. Then it says no suitable helper was found, so the Lord made woman. Are we to believe that God thought an animal could be a suitable helper for man? Or did God want Adam to go through the process of realizing he needed help? I believe the latter as it says God would make a suitable helper for him and He had already created all of the animals.
God commanded man to eat from the Garden of Eden, but not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil for he would “surely die.” If Adam and Eve were the first humans on earth, did they even understand what death was? And was it only a spiritual death (separation from God) or a physical death too? Was the serpent correct that they would not “physically” die?
Chapter 3- I had always thought the serpent to be Satan, but it states that the serpent was more crafty that any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. Do we just associate him with the serpent because it was an instrument of deception and temptation? I had always believed Eve to be tempted by the serpent and then “assumed” she tempted Adam; however, it says, “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” He had an opportunity to say “no” and stop her, but he didn’t. God wants us to come before Him and confess our sin, even though He already knows about it. It seems ironic that God put enmity between woman and serpent. Perhaps this is why most women are afraid of snakes or at least try to keep their loved ones protected from them. I ponder the question, if orignal sin placed us (women) under the rule of men, does this mean we were created as equals? How would things have been different if Eve would have eaten from the Tree of Life instead?
Chapter 4 -Why did God look upon Cain without favor? Abel brought “fat portions” from some of the “firstborn” of his flock, but it says Cain brought “some” of the fruits of the soil. Was it the quality of the offering, or the attitude of giving? Cain followed in his parent’s sinful footsteps, even after God warned him. After six generations, Adam and Eve had another son, Seth, who had a child Enosh. What about this caused men to “proclaim” the name of the Lord?
Rob, thanks again so much for taking the time to do this project. This is a wonderful idea and, for me, a great way to stay on task with it.
God bless you, bro.
Thanks, Dale… keep me going when I get tired, and I’ll do the same!