Warned, Moved, Inherited – Genesis 7-8

“Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male, and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made. And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him. Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.” Genesis 7:1-6

Does the Lord notice a person’s effort to honor Him by doing what is right in His sight? Yes, He does. He told Noah it was time to get his family to safety. In Genesis 6:20-21, the Lord told Noah that pairs of every kind of bird, every kind of animal, and every kind of creeping thing would come to him for rescue. He was to store food in the ark for them and for his family. In Genesis 7:2-3, God asks Noah to add an additional five pairs to the animal and bird species that He deems as clean or kosher.

In Genesis 6:3, the Lord indicated to Noah that it would be 120 years before the great flood occurred. In Genesis 7:4, the Lord tells Noah that is now seven days before the flood begins. He also told Noah the number of days and nights that the flooding would last. He told Noah that all life on the earth would be destroyed. Noah obeyed the Lord.

Trials are difficult to endure for us. God knows that. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In Revelation 2:10, Jesus told the Christians in Smyrna that they would experience tribulation for 10 days. In Revelation 13:5, Jesus reveals to us that the reign of the antichrist over the earth will last 42 months. That’s six months short of an American president’s full term in office. In Psalm 57:1, King David wrote, “In the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.” Thanks be to God for limiting the length of our trials and for promising to end them.

“So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. In the 600th year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the 17th day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was on the earth 40 days and 40 nights. On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark—they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.” Genesis 7:7-16

Noah, his family and select animals, birds and creeping things entered the ark as God commanded Noah. Genesis 7:16 says that the Lord shut Him in. The Lord put the final barrier in place between Noah and the destruction. Praise the Lord! The human race survived thanks to the obedience of one man. Noah is a type of Christ in this way.

In Romans 5:17-19, the Lord says, “For if by one man’s [Adam’s] offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s [Adam’s] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous.” In Christ, all people have opportunity to escape God’s wrath on sin, but we must come unto Christ. The ark is also a type of Christ. We must be in Christ to be saved, that is, have an ongoing relationship with Christ.

The floods were on the earth during the 17th day of the second Hebrew month which would be around late April or early May on western calendars.

“Now the flood was on the earth 40 days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed 15 cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing, and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.” Genesis 7:17-24

In Genesis 7:20, the floodwaters are 15 cubits above the highest mountains. 15 cubits is about 22.5 feet which emphasizes the completeness of God’s judgment, ensuring that no creature on the land survived.

“Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the 150 days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the 17th day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the 10th month. In the 10th month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.” Genesis 8:1-5

God turned on the dryers of the earth... a wind. He stopped the fountains of the deep and the rain windows of heaven from releasing water. The submerged bottom of the ark rested on a mountain of Ararat in modern day Armenia between September and October on our calendars. Between December 3rd and January 1st on our calendars, the tops of the mountains could be seen. The waters are slowly receding.

“So it came to pass, at the end of 40 days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So, he put out his hand and took her and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.” Genesis 8:6-12

The raven and dove are symbolic messengers after the flood. The raven, an unclean scavenger, symbolizes the old world of death and judgment. It likely found rest by alighting on dead things. The dove, a clean bird, signifies purity, peace, and new beginnings. The dove returns with an olive leaf which is a sign of life.

Oil from olives shall be used in the future for holy anointing. Olive oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. People are born again when the Holy Spirit comes to indwell them. In a sense, the earth was experiencing a rebirth in the days of Noah. In 1 Peter 3:19-21, Peter speaks of how Noah prepared an ark by which eight souls were saved. Peter compares their in-water experience with a baptism. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commanded His followers to baptize new disciples in the Name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The human race would have been lost had not Noah believed in the Lord. He believed in the Lord and a baptism followed. And after the baptism, there was a new creation.

“And it came to pass in the 601st year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the 27th day of the month, the earth was dried.” Genesis 8:13-14

The second month and 27th day on the Hebrew calendar is late April or mid-May on the western calendar. This was now one year and ten days after the flood waters began to rise.

“Then God spoke to Noah, saying, ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.’ So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.” Genesis 8:15-19

The Lord gave to Noah the “all clear” signal. He may let the birds, animals and creeping things go so they can spread out and multiply.

“Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.’” Genesis 8:20-22

Noah was obviously grateful to the Lord for sparing him, his family, as well as the creatures of the earth and the birds of the air. His first recorded act after the flood was to build an altar to the Lord and offer sacrifices to God. Noah sacrificed out of EVERY kind of clean animal and clean bird an offering. That was a lot of animals and birds. That was a huge undertaking. He expressed by his actions a great desire for God in his life. God responded to Noah’s offering by promising to maintain planting and harvesting seasons, as well as seasons and daytime and nighttime.

Hebrews 11:17 says, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

“Thank You Heavenly Father for speaking to us through Your Word. Please help us to be like Noah... divinely warned – moved with godly fear – inherit righteousness from You. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.”

Saved by Faith In God – Genesis 5-6

“This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. And Adam lived 130 years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were 800 years; and he had sons and daughters. So all the days that Adam lived were 930 years; and he died.” Genesis 5:1-5

In Genesis 5:1-2, God explicitly states that He created humankind “male and female.” He stated this in Genesis 1:27 as well. Jesus repeated this truth in Matthew 19:4 and Mark 10:6.

There is no mention of Cain or Abel here, or of the other children born to Adam and Eve. Jesus Messiah came into the world from the family line of Seth. That’s why his genealogical record is important.

Genesis 5:4 states that Adam lived 800 years after Seth was born and during these years, more sons and daughters were born to him. The Lord called him to multiply people. He complied.

Genesis 5:3-32 begins the record of the Messiah’s genealogy. It also records the number of years between the time that Adam was created until the flood. The Hebrew meaning of the names of Seth’s descendants contain a prophetic message.

Here is the breakdown of the names and their common meanings:

Adam (אדם): Man, Mankind, Red Earth
Seth (שת): Appointed, Set
Enosh (אנוש): Mortal, Frail, Miserable
Kenan (קינן): Sorrow, Dirge, Possessor
Mahalalel (מהללאל): The Blessed God, Praise of God
Jared (ירד): Shall come down, Descending
Enoch (חנוך): Teaching, Dedicated, Initiated
Methuselah (מתושלח): His death shall bring, He has sent his death
Lamech (למך): Strong
Noah (נוח): Rest, Comfort, Consolation

When the consecutive birth to death years are added up between Adam and Noah, the total years is 1,056 years. In Genesis 7:6, the Lord tells us that the flood happened in the 600th year of Noah’s life making it year 1,656 when the flood occurred. Due to Adam’s life of 930 years, he was still alive when Noah’s father lived. Adam died just 126 years before Noah was born.

Seth and Cain both have descendants named Enoch. Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch. Seth’s son Enoch was a proclaimer of God’s kingdom.

Genesis 5:24 says that Seth’s descendant Enoch walked with God. Then, he was not, because God took him. Hebrews 11:5 says of Seth’s descendant, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him;’ for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Jude 1:14-15 speaks of Enoch’s prophetic ministry, “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men [ungodly men] also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with 10,000’s of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’”

In Genesis 5:21, Enoch named his son Methuselah. Methuselah’s name means “His death shall bring.” What does Methuselah’s death bring? Thanks to the genealogy of Seth, we know that he died during the 600th year of his grandson’s life. His grandson was Noah. The flood happened during the 600th year of Noah’s life. According to Genesis 5:17, Methuselah lived 969 years. The Lord kept him from harm and death until it was the year for the flood to happen.

In Genesis 5:28-29, Lamech had a word from the Lord for his son Noah. He called him Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.”

“And Noah was 500 years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 5:32

The Lord provided three sons for Noah. In Genesis 6:3, the Lord indicated to Noah that it would be 120 years before the great flood occurred. In Genesis 7:6, the Lord tells us that the flood happened in the 600th year of Noah’s life. This means that Noah was working on the ark project for 20 years before his sons were born. The Lord was gracious to give Noah three sons in one year. He would need their help as the ark building project grew in size and scope.

Were Shem, Ham, and Japheth triplets? They were born in the same year. Two could have been twins and one born separately. The Bible doesn’t say. Genesis 10:21 says that Shem was the older brother of Japheth. Genesis 9:24 says that Ham was a younger son. However, Genesis 25:23, says of the twin boys Jacob and Esau, “The older will serve the younger.” Even triplets have a birthing order.

“Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.” Genesis 6:1-2

This passage verifies that daughters were born. Some of the sons have been mentioned by name, but very few daughters. The sons of God, namely those in a relationship with God, married the daughters of men, those not in a relationship with God. As Eve was beguiled by the serpent, who masqueraded as an angel of light, these godly men were beguiled, as Samson was, to prioritize outward beauty over inward godliness.

“And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be 120 years.’ There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.” Genesis 6:3-4

God said His Spirit shall not strive with man forever. This statement indicates that God’s Spirit was contending with men about their bad choices. God, like a good farmer, would not have yokefellows unevenly yoked. Farmers place oxen that are similar in temperament, skill, size and strength together to accomplish their mission. As to marriage, God wants men to choose godly women and produce godly children. Malachi 2:15 says that God seeks godly offspring.

These mixed marriages produced mighty and famous men, but were they good husbands? Were they good fathers? God said that they were fleshly not godly.

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 6:5-10

The hearts of people were filled with evil thoughts continuously. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” God’s heart was grieved that He made people. Thankfully, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. He was just in his dealings. He walked with God which means that he had a personal relationship with God.

Noah is a type of Christ in that God spared the human race for the sake of one righteous man. We find grace in the eyes of the Lord when we believe in God’s Son Jesus Christ.

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” Genesis 6:11-12

Corruption tends toward violence. Corrupt people mistreat and cheat people. There comes a point when mistreated and cheated people respond with violence.

“And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be 300 cubits, its width 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” Genesis 6:13-21

The Lord now moves past talk of judging the world for its sin, to a plan to preserve the human race. The plan involves creating a safe place. He instructs Noah to build an ark three stories tall. It’s dimensions measured roughly 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high, featuring a door on the side, a roof, and internal rooms. It is for the preservation of Noah and his wife, his three sons and their three wives, as well as for animals, creeping things and birds.

“Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” Genesis 6:22

What did Noah do? He did everything as the Lord commanded him. By listening and obeying the Lord’s instruction, Noah saved both himself and his family.

In Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus referred to Noah as a real person and to the flood as a real event. He said, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Noah’s story is a historic event with ramifications for us today.

Hebrews 11:17 says, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

In 1 Peter 3:19-21, Peter speaks of how Noah prepared an ark by which eight souls were saved. Peter compares their ark on the water with a baptism. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commanded His followers to baptize disciples in the Name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

In 2 Peter 2:5, Peter urged us not to take God’s warnings about judgment lightly, saying, “God did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, but brought in the flood on the world of the ungodly.”

“Christians do not talk about God’s judgment because they enjoy it. The only reason we teach these things is because the Lord Jesus Christ teaches them in the Bible.” “Leslie Newbiggin accurately states, ‘It is one of the weaknesses of a great deal of contemporary Christianity that we do not speak of the last judgment and of the possibility of being finally lost.’” [1]

Thank God that He takes the time and effort to prepare us for the day we stand before Him.


[1] Dr. Phillip Graham Ryken, Jeremiah and Lamentations from Sorrow to Hope, Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL, © 2001, p. 397-399

Longing for Paradise - Genesis 3-4

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” Genesis 3:1-5

The visible serpent was the instrument or tool of a higher agent, namely, Satan or the devil. The serpent was likely beautiful to behold before God cursed him. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says that “Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”

Some translations of 2 Corinthians 11:14 say that Satan transforms himself. That is misleading because transformation is what Christ does for us.

Romans 12:2 says, “Be not conformed (Μὴ συσχηματίζεσθε – not schematized - this is the word used in 2 Corinthians 11:14) to this world, but be transformed (ἀλλὰ μεταμορφοῦσθε – but metamorphized) by the renewing of your mind...” The core difference lies in the source and depth of the change: συσχηματίζεσθε (suschēmatizesthe) refers to an outward, superficial conformity to an external pattern, while μεταμορφοῦσθε (metamorphousthe) describes an inward, radical transformation of one’s essential nature. The devil masquerades as an angel of light, but he is an angel of darkness. He is evil, cruel, and his venom destroys people.

In 2 Corinthians 11:3, God warns us via Paul, saying, “I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Christ has done everything necessary for our salvation. We just need to receive Him and believe in Him. Salvation is simply trusting in Christ to save.

In John 8:44, Jesus referred to Satan’s deceptive work in the Garden of Eden, saying, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Adam and Eve had never disobeyed God up until this day. The temptation to sin came from a stranger. Though sinless and holy, they were free agents, liable to be tempted and seduced.

The devil wanted to sabotage Eve’s faith in God. The devil wanted God, the truth-teller, to be the liar and deceiver in Eve’s mind, and he, himself to be her liberator. When Eve quoted God’s Word to the devil, he flat out implied that God was a liar. Preposterous! You die? No way! God knows the truth, but He is keeping it from you. He doesn’t want you to be like Him. All devious lies! The devil’s about to break her heart.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Genesis 3:6-7

Eve’s “imagination and feelings were completely won; and the fall of Eve was soon followed by that of Adam. The history of every temptation, and of every sin, is the same; the outward object of attraction, the inward commotion of mind, the increase and triumph of passionate desire; ending in the degradation, slavery, and ruin of the soul.” [JFBC]

Their eyes were opened in a bad way. Previously, they wore their own skins for garments as animals do. The temperature must have been set just right so that they neither experienced heat to sweat nor cold to be chilled. Now, they see their body parts which reproduce people as shameful. Animals and plants strive to reproduce. Reproduction of plants is what farmers want. Newborn animals is what zookeepers want. But when sin entered into the blood of humankind, it poisoned our race against ourselves, against God and against reproducing ourselves.

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8

The Lord God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve. They were always happy to see Him before sin occurred. Now, they hide themselves from God. They knew they did wrong.

They needed someone to remove this curse of sin from them. Otherwise, they could never enjoy a good relationship with God again. Ephesians 2:14-16 speaks of Christ abolishing in His flesh the enmity between us and God. Christ removed the enmity when He atoned for our sins on the cross. Now, we who have believed in Christ have an enjoyable relationship with God.

In Acts 17:26. Paul preached that God “made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth.” Every human being that ever existed and will exist was in a sense in Adam. We all started with him. God loved our forefather Adam even after he sinned, and He loves us as well. When we distance ourselves from God, He comes looking for us.

“Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.’ And He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?’ Then the man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.’” Genesis 3:9-12

Praise be to God that He did not turn His back on Adam and Eve. They betrayed His trust. They disobeyed His one commandment. They let someone else come between their relationship with Him. And who was it? A serpent! They had all the fruits and herbs they needed. There was no food insecurity. Why did they listen to the devil? That’s a good question to ask ourselves. We should keep our minds on God. The first commandment is to love God. Remaining in His love helps us avoid the sham offers of the evil one.

“And the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’” Genesis 3:13

Eve confessed her sin to God.

“So the Lord God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.’” Genesis 3:14-15

Well, the devil used the serpent as his agent to speak to Eve. What happens to those whom the devil uses to do his dirty work? They end up on the ground eating dust. Eventually, the devil’s head is going to be crushed by the Seed of the woman.

Jesus is the Seed that God was referring to in this passage. Jesus bruised the serpent’s head in a symbolic fashion when He paid for humanity’s sin on the cross and when He conquered death by rising from the dead on the third day. The heel of Christ was bruised symbolically by Satan when Jesus was whipped, spit on, insulted and nailed to a tree.

“To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception. In pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.’” Genesis 3:16

Yes, birthing a baby still hurts a woman. The good news is that after the child is born, she has the joy of meeting the baby that she has been carrying around inside of her for 9 months.

After the curse, her longing is for her husband but he rules over her in unloving ways. In Genesis 2:18, 20, Eve is a helper suitable for him. The word for helper in Hebrew is “ezer” and it is qualified by the word “kenegdo” translated as “suitable for him.” Eve was created to be a corresponding and equal partner for Adam. There is no sense of subordination stated or implied, or even hinted at, in this passage in Genesis 2:18, 20. God did not take Eve from the Adam’s skull bone to reign over him, nor from his foot bone to be walked on, but from his rib bone to be by his side. Sin corrupted the divine order. Sanctification by God restores it.

“Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.’” Genesis 3:17-19

Sin’s curse changed man’s paradise into a labor camp. Thorns and thistles represent the things that hurt us as we try to provide for ourselves and our families. The climate is no longer fixed to our comfort setting. We die.

“And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” Genesis 3:20

She is the first reproducer of people. Eventually, one of her descendants, Mary, will give birth to the Messiah who gives us abundant and eternal life.

“Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21

God clothed Adam and Eve. The word for atonement in Hebrew carries the meaning of having one’s sin’s covered by the blood of a sacrifice. God sacrificed animals, shed blood, to make a covering so that Adam and Eve would not be ashamed.

“Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’ — therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:22-24

The very first exile takes place in this passage. Adam and Eve must leave the garden. God placed cherubim (winged creatures - angels) with flaming swords to keep Adam and Eve away. He did not want them to eat from the tree of life and live forever in a state of sinfulness.

“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the Lord.’ Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’” Genesis 4:1-7

Abel brought to God a sheep as an offering. Both sons must have known what God desired. God communicates with them. He spoke to Cain about his anger. God said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” Cain should have exchanged some of his produce with Abel for a sheep, but instead, he rebelliously offered to God that which was unacceptable.

“Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’ And He said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.’” Genesis 4:8-12

Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, killed his brother. The Lord tried to evoke a confession from Cain, but Cain lied to God, saying, “I do not know.” God knew that Cain murdered his brother. God cursed the ground on which Cain shed blood. Cain’s sin reduced him to a criminal and vagabond lifestyle.

“And Cain said to the Lord, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold.’ And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.” Genesis 4:13-15

Cain appealed to God for a lighter sentence. God responded by setting a mark on Cain that indicated great vengeance from God if someone tried to kill him. In Ezekiel 9:4, the Lord set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sighed and that cried for all the abominations that were done in the city. This mark preserved them from the destruction that was coming to their city from God.

I have experienced many near death experiences. Have you? The Lord has preserved my earthly life way beyond the years that I expected to be here. “Thank You Heavenly Father!”

In Genesis 4:16-22, the Lord provides us a brief account of Cain’s life after he murdered his brother. God was gracious to him. God gave Cain a wife and a son. Cain built a city and named it after his son—Enoch. Enoch bore to Cain a grandson. Some of his descendants were noted for their music talent and others for their craftsmanship with bronze and iron.

“Then Lamech said to his wives: ‘Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold, then Lamech seventy-seven-fold.” Genesis 4:23-24

One of Cain’s descendants, breaks rank, and instead of being content to have one wife, he has two. He also murders a young man for hurting him. He claims that he will be seven times more protected from revenge than his forefather Cain was, but that was just him talking not God. 

Lamech’s name means, “Strong.” He used his strength to kill, and to take two wives. He’s the first person in history to takes two wives instead of one. The wives’ names are Adah (“Ornament”) and Zillah (“Shadow”). That’s likely how he treated them... as a trophy and as a shadow.

The Lamech of Cain’s genealogy is not the same as the Lamech in Seth’s genealogy recorded in Genesis 5:25-29. This Lamech commits murder and boasts about it. The Lamech in Seth’s genealogy bears a son named Noah and he says, “This one will comfort us.”

“And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.’ And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the Name of the Lord.” Genesis 4:25-26

This chapter ends on a good note. God gives Adam a son to fill the void that Abel’s death left behind. Seth and his wife provide for Adam a grandson named Enosh.

Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord. Praise God for praying men and women. Our world needs to welcome God to intervene on our behalf. Without Him, we resort to violence and hatred. So often, I pray that the Lord Jesus will return soon and cast death and the devil into the lake of fire and restore us sons and daughters of Adam back to paradise.

[JFBC] = Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary

The Price to Speak - Jeremiah 26

“In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this Word came from the Lord, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.” Jeremiah 26:1-2

“The court of the Lord’s house” was a large area where many people gathered. Jeremiah could speak to a multitude of people here with only one speech. Kind of like a social influencer posting messages on a media platform to which people from around the world have access.

“Speak to them all the words that I command you. Do not diminish a word.” Jeremiah followed the Lord’s directions. He was not there to entertain them or to build a personality cult. He was a watchman on a wall sounding an alarm. That took courage! That took boldness!

In Acts 20:27, Paul testified, “I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” In 2 Corinthians 2:17, Paul wrote, “We are not, as so many, peddling the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”

“Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.” Jeremiah 26:3

The Hebrew word for repent is: shoove. Shoove means to turn from something and to turn to something else.

At one point King Ahab listened to Elijah and changed direction. In 1 Kings 21:29, the Lord said to Elijah, “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days...” Ahab obtained a stay of execution.

“And you shall say to them, thus says the Lord: if you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded), then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.” Jeremiah 26:4-6

“When the people broke God’s commands, the ark was carried off by the Philistines, and Shiloh was made a ruins (1 Samuel 4). Thus, when God threatened to make the temple like Shiloh, He was threatening to tear it down.” ~ Phillip Ryken

Complaints against faithful ministers are complaints against God. People are contending with God. If they don’t like the message, they should take it up with God Himself, for God is the one warning them about judgment and calling them to repent.

“So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, ‘You will surely die!’” Jeremiah 26:7-8

When he finished speaking, the three P’s: priests, prophets and people did not give him an offering. No, they arrested him. Their verdict was, “You must die!” They asked him, “Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s Name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?” They lynched him in God’s house.

They charged Jeremiah with lying. Deuteronomy 18:20 says, “The prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.” Jeremiah, however, spoke truth from God. In Deuteronomy 29:23-28, the Lord spoke of the whole land burning if they forsook His covenant with them to serve other gods.

“Why have you prophesied in the Name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant?’ And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.” Jeremiah 26:9

A huge mob has gathered against Jeremiah. A mob peppered with powerful princes!

“When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.” Jeremiah 26:10

The priests – “In the corrupt state of all kingdoms, the ecclesiastical officers always were the greatest enemies to the faithful ministers of God.” [JFBC]

Corrupt church leaders burned Jon Hus at the stake. Hus asserted the Bible’s supreme authority over church tradition.

Ezekiel and Jeremiah are contemporaries. In Ezekiel 22:27, he wrote, “Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain.”

“And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, ‘This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.’” Jeremiah 26:11

In John 7:7, Jesus said to His disciples, “The world hates me because I testify that their works are evil.”

Jesus spoke truth to leaders who “let go of the commands of God” and were “holding on to human traditions.” In Mark 7:8-9, Jesus told them, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!”

In Matthew 27:20, “The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.”

The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and judgment because the world’s evil spree is about to expire, and a new heaven and new earth are about to be revealed. In John 16:8, Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “When He has come, He will convict the world of sin... righteousness, and judgment...”

The consequences of unbelief are horrific. In John 16:8-9, Jesus said, “The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, because they do not believe in Me.”

“Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: ‘The Lord sent me to prophesy concerning this house and concerning this city with all the words that you have heard.’” Jeremiah 26:12

Jeremiah told the princes and people that God had sent him to prophesy. Rather than shrink back, he continued to preach.

“Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you. As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you. But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.” Jeremiah 26:13-15

Jeremiah told those who wanted to execute him that his innocent blood would be upon them and upon their city.

In Revelation 16:6, the Lord promises retribution to those who slay His saints and prophets in the last days, saying, “They poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.”

“So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’” Jeremiah 26:16

In Paul the apostle’s days, the Jewish leaders wanted him executed, but in Acts 26:31, God moved judges to rightly conclude that he had done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.

“Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying: ‘Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, thus says the Lord of hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the temple like the bare hills of the forest.’” Jeremiah 26:17-18

Praise God! Some of the elders of the people were familiar with Scripture. They referenced Micah 1:1, 3:12. Their positions and references to Scripture influenced the mob to backdown.

“Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and seek the Lord’s favor? And the Lord relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. But we are doing great evil against ourselves.” Jeremiah 26:19

Hezekiah spared Micah because he feared the Lord. He sought the Lord, and because he did, the Lord repented of the evil that He had pronounced against Jerusalem. In this way, the elders convinced the people not to execute Jeremiah.

Was Jeremiah’s life truly in danger? Yes indeed, it was. Another man named Urijah prophesied the same words as he did, but he fled from Jerusalem in fear afterwards. The king sent men after him. They arrested him, brought him back to Jerusalem and executed him.

“Now there was also a man who prophesied in the Name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt. Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt. And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.” Jeremiah 26:20-23

At the beginning of his ministry, the Lord promised Jeremiah that He would rescue Him from those who wanted to destroy him. Jeremiah 1:19 says, “They will fight against you, but they will not prevail. I am with you to deliver you.”

“Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.” Jeremiah 26:24

Shaphan and his three sons: In 2 Kings 22:8-13, Shaphan was the scribe who read the Book of the Law to King Josiah. In Jeremiah 26:24, Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, pleaded for Jeremiah’s life. In Jeremiah 36:25, Shaphan’s son, Gemariah, tried to prevent King Jehoiakim from destroying God’s Word. In Jeremiah 39:14, Shaphan’s son, Gedaliah, saved Jeremiah’s life when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.

God is a whole-hearted lover. His essence is love. His loving heart can only bear with defiant and evil behavior for so long. In Jeremiah 26:13, the Lord said to them, “Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you.”

Someone once said, “Everything has a price, including both success and failure. Choose one or the other and be prepared to pay the price.”

Jeremiah paid the price to speak for God. The price was controversy, conflict and incarceration. He was almost martyred for his message. What price are we ready to pay to speak God’s Word?



[JFBC] = Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary

Thank You Heavenly Father - Genesis 1-2

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2

As the earth was without form and void, and full of darkness, so is every human soul in relationship to God until the Lord by His Word and Spirit speaks life into it. The Hebrew words for without form and void both have the connotation of like a wasteland or ruins. The perfect situation for God to make a difference. The Spirit is hovering over this formless existence like a mother hen over an unhatched egg. When God speaks, the Spirit brings forth new creation.

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light;’ and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So, the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:3-5

Psalm 119:130 says, “The entrance of Your Word gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.” It is difficult to understand what is before you when there is no light. God turns the lights on for our souls so we can see, hear and sense His presence. His light helps us to discern between what is good and what is not good for us.

“And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament between the waters to separate water from water.’ So God made the firmament and separated the water under the firmament from the water above it. And it was so. God called the firmament ‘sky.’ So the evening and the morning were the second day.” Genesis 1:6-8

What would we do without water? The answer is die. God made abundant water for people. Spiritually speaking, after we receive the light of God into our souls that brings salvation, the next step is to be baptized in water in His Name. Thus, water is involved in both our physical and spiritual births.

“Then God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear;’ and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:9-10

God created the ground that we walk on. Thanks be to God for firm foundations to build our lives upon. After we are born again spiritually, we need to align our practices with the Word of God. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus indicated that obeying His teachings is like building one’s house on bedrock... a firm foundation.

“Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth;’ and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day.” Genesis 1:11-13

Food! The Lord set the table before the guests arrived. Humans, animals, birds, bugs and fish will all need grass and seed bearing plants and fruits of trees to eat. In Matthew 13:1-23, Jesus compared His Word to seed. God’s Word, properly received in a human heart, produces the kind of harvest that God desires. In Galatians 3:16, Paul calls Jesus the Seed through whom all the promises made to Abraham come true. It is not enough to have the Bible, we must also have the Messiah of which the Bible speaks, namely, JESUS.

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth;’ and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.” Genesis 1:14-19

Thanks be to God for various lights that help us navigate during day and night. They also serve as counters of seasons, days and years. When God turned the lights on, He made heaven and earth less confusing. In John 8:12, Jesus is the spiritual light of the world. In John 1:1, Jesus is the Word of God. In Psalm 119:105, God’s “Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

“Then God said, ‘Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.’ So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” Genesis 1:20-23

Now, God fills the water and sky with life. He blesses His creations and tells them to multiply, which they wisely do. God fills creation with life. In John 10:10, Jesus said, “I have come that they [people] may have life, and have it to the full.” Where God is, there is a culture of life.

“And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.’ And it was so. 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.” Genesis 1:24-25

God fills the land with living creatures of all sorts. Many people enjoy going to zoo’s and watching movies to observe the amazing creatures that God has made. Some make pets of these creatures. They have character traits and abilities that teach us about God and ourselves.

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So, the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” Genesis 1:26-31

God [Elohim in Hebrew], the Triune God created people in His image. He created us to live in relationship with others as opposed to being a solitary entity. God says, “Let Us make man in Our image.” The word for “one” [Echad in Hebrew] refers to a collective one or one in essence. So, when God says, “Let Us make man in Our image,” He does not contradict Deuteronomy 6:4, “The Lord your God is one.” Jesus revealed to us that God is trinitarian in nature. This is why Christians baptize new converts in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (See Matthew 28:19).

God blessed Adam and Eve. He wanted them to be fruitful and multiply. “Fill the earth!” “Subdue it!” He created herbs and fruits for them and creatures to eat.

Imagine this! Revelation 7:16 says that those who go to be with God in the afterlife never again hunger or thirst. Therefore, we should not worry about food or drink on earth either. God is able to provide food and drink for us in any place and at any time. He will feed us for eternity, and He will keep us fed now.

“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Genesis 2:1-3

God set apart the seventh day of each week as a rest day. In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” God meant Sabbath to be a day to rest peacefully in His love and to take joy in all that happened in the preceding six days.

“This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.” Genesis 2:4-6

This is a history according to God. He revealed the details to Moses by His Spirit and Word.

The Lord tells us that before He created people, He kept plants watered by an underground watering system. No rain. A mist went up from the earth and watered the ground.

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

Science has verified that all the elements that make up a person can be found in the earth.

Rather than speak humankind into existence as He did with other creations. God stoops down to the ground and takes the soil and molds it into His image. Next, God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life. We are His workmanship. We are His image bearers. He gave us life.

After Jesus resurrected from the dead, in John 20:19-22, He breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This act connects Jesus to God breathing life into Adam. Since Jesus atoned for their sins on the cross, He can now freely give to them of His Spirit.

“The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Genesis 2:8-9

The Garden of Eden was likely in Mesopotamia. The orchards there are beautiful to behold and their fruit is delicious. There are two special trees in the garden of God. One prolongs life and the other contains knowledge that is both good and evil.

“Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.” Genesis 2:10-14

This river flowing out from Eden is a reflection of heaven. In Revelation 22:1-2, in the city of God, John saw “a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Eden has the main water source from which the other rivers flow. In the same way, the throne of God and of the Lamb are the source from which all spiritual and eternal life flow.

God hid precious treasures in the earth for people to find. Treasures like gold! Bdellium is a transparent aromatic gum. The onyx is a precious stone, so called from a Greek word signifying a man’s nail, to the color of which it nearly approaches. In a similar way, God has placed great treasures in His Word, the Bible, those who mine it for messages from God will be blessed.

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17

So, Adam had an entire planet with all its vegetation and living creatures to enjoy. He had the best of food to eat. In all creation, God only restricted Adam from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he did, he would die. We should ask God to help us obey Him.

“And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’ Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:18-20

God is already contemplating a mate for Adam, but in the meantime, He brings to Adam beasts and birds and tells Adam he can name them. Imagine that! He had no one but God to lean on for help. No creature had been named yet. That’s a lot of names to come up with. I wonder how long that project took. Genesis 5:5 tells us that Adam lived 930 years so he did have a lot of time on his hands.

“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” Genesis 2:21-25

Here, we have the first surgery. God put Adam to sleep and removed a rib and closed up the wound. When Adam woke up, there she was. “Thank you Father God!” He was well-practiced at giving names by now, so he easily came up with a name for her. “Woman!” But there’s more news. More people are in the making! “Man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.” No one is a father or mother at this point, right? How is a man going to leave his parents if he has not yet been born? God had a plan. Adam and Eve would multiply.

God made everything good. He set up a paradise. There was no lack of food or water. Adam had God bringing animals and birds to him. Adam had God creating a woman for him. God is a good father. He loves Adam, and then, extends that love to Eve. He has plans for more people to be born. He wants a multitude of people not just a few. “Thank You Heavenly Father!”

Hearts for One Another - Malachi 3-4

“Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3:1

The word “Behold” calls special attention to the truth which follows. In Malachi 2:7, the people asked, “Where is the God of judgment?” God is sending His messenger to prepare the way for the Lord, that is the Messiah, to suddenly appear among them.

Elements of this prophecy are quoted in the following New Testament passages in reference to John the Baptist and Jesus: Matthew 3:3; 11:10; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 1:76; 3:4; 7:26-27; and John 1:23. These New Testament passages also contain elements of Isaiah’s 40:3-5 prophecy. Here’s a two quotes from that prophecy: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’”

“Hengstenberg thinks, ‘messenger’ includes the long line of prophets headed by Elijah. Elijah’s name is mentioned in Malachi 4:5 as a representative name of all prophets, and summed up in John, the greatest of the prophets according to Jesus in Matthew 11:9-11. John’s prophetic ministry focuses on heralding Messiah’s arrival. John preached repentance and faith. The wilderness in which he preached symbolized the barren state of the Jews at that time.” [JFBC]

The Lord comes to the temple as “HIS temple” establishing His divine lordship over it, as contrasted with others who are but “servants in” it. [JFBC]

“In whom you delight.” There were those who sang Messiah’s praises as He rode the foal of a donkey towards the temple. They placed articles of clothing and palm branches in His path. Many sang, including children, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.” Those who were up to no good were not delighted to see Him. In Matthew 21:11-12, Jesus expelled the money-changers from the temple. He called the temple His Father’s house. He said it was a house of prayer for all nations and not a den of thieves.

Jesus is the Messenger of the covenant that God made with Abraham, in which the Gentiles are ultimately included. See Galatians 4:16-17 for more details. Jesus is the messenger of the old covenant, as well as of the new. [JFBC]

“But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:2-3

The Messiah came not to flatter but to fire up truth among them. His teaching helped them to discern the difference between what is holy in God’s sight and what is profane, between what is clean and what is defiled, between what is godly and what is ungodly. A refiner’s fire purges out that which is of no worth from that which is very valuable. A launderer’s soap removes that which is unwanted on a garment.

Jesus Christ came to purify the sons of Levi, that is the priesthood. He purged them so that they offered to the Lord a harvest of righteousness. In fact, of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Levites mentioned in the Gospels, only Zechariah, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus served Jesus. Jesus appointed new priests from those who believed in Him, learned from Him and followed Him. Some had been fishermen and one had been a tax collector. Earthly pedigree and approval by so-called managers of religion was no longer the criteria for usefulness to the Lord. A personal relationship with Messiah is what matters now.

“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years. And I will come near you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners, widows, and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien—because they do not fear Me, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3:4-5

The Messiah’s goal is to help the sons and daughters of Adam to glorify God... to offer pleasing offerings to the Lord as opposed to the detestable ones that the priests in Malachi’s day were offering to the Lord. In Malachi 1:13, the Lord addressed the issue of the priests offering stolen sheep, lame sheep and sick sheep to Him. And in Malachi 2:17, they challenged the Lord, saying, “Where is the God of judgment?” Here, the Lord promises them judgment and a “swift witness” against the long list of crimes that they have committed against Him. No one should ever gamble against the Lord’s promise to punish unforgiven sin. When a person does not repent of sin, God eventually deals with that person’s sin severely.

Sorcery includes consulting spirits of the dead, using magic charms, tarot cards, face-reading, Ouija Boards, incantations, curses, superstitious practices and horoscopes. It is looking to something other than God for guidance, affirmation and wealth. Adultery, lying, exploitation of wage earners, and exploitation of widows, orphans and foreigners are all outwards signs of an inward condition that is not right with God. If someone is abiding in Christ, Christ will lead them to produce better fruits than these... as Galatians 5:22-23 says, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

In Acts 8:20-23, Peter rebuked Simon the sorcerer for being poisoned with bitterness and bound by iniquity. In Acts 13:10, Paul rebuked Elymas the sorcerer for being full of deceit, fraud, being a son of the devil, an enemy of righteousness and for perverting the straight ways of the Lord. In the following passages, Jesus and His apostles warn us against following performers of signs and lying wonders: Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 13:13-14; 16:13-14; 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15. The Lord is going to purge them. They will not inherit God’s kingdom.

“For I am the Lord, I do not change. Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’” Malachi 3:6-7

The sons of Jacob were not consumed because God’s longsuffering and love for them. God was not turning a blind eye to the evil that they had done. He knows all the sins that were committed in secret. However, ridding them of sin is only to get them back to Himself. The real object of His affection is them. The Lord wants to be close with them.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts. And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3:8-12

God asked Israel for a tithe, that is 10% of all their increase. The tithe is an offering back to God for all the blessings that He has given to us. God created and sustains all things. We would all die if He cut off just a few of His services like oxygen, gravity, water and warmth. In Israel, the tithe supported the temple, the sacrifices, and those who served in it, namely the Levites.

God opens the windows of heaven and pours out more blessings than people can contain when they tithe. He rebukes the devourer. He protects the crops.

After God helped me to start tithing, I noticed blessings. First, after tithing 10% to the Church, I wasted less. I became content with less material things. Sinful flesh is never satisfied no matter how much you feed it. God’s Spirit replaced bad coping mechanisms with healthy ones, such as asking God for help and trust in His promises. Spiritual blessings like love, joy and peace replaced unwanted self-indulgences. I enjoyed God more. I had an investment in Him. God replaced an inward looking, self-focus, with an outward looking interest and love for others.

Tithing is something God calls us to do because it is good for us. He teaches us to love Him and love others by it. Love for God and love for neighbor are the two great commandments. God doesn’t need our money, but He wants our love, both for Him and for people.

“Your words have been harsh against Me, says the Lord, yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up. They even tempt God and go free.’” Malachi 3:13-15

The people in Malachi’s day needed to repent. To repent is to change one’s mind. They needed to change their attitude toward God. Instead of considering God-service as a chore and an obligation, they needed to see how blessed they were to have God in their lives. A godless society tends to be arrogant and violent. People cheat, lie, betray, and murder one another. Without God, Satan rules, and the devil is evil and cruel.

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them. So, a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His Name. ‘They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.” Malachi 3:16-18

When the ungodly uttered blasphemies against God, the godly defended Him. God heard the words of His lovers. They spoke with great respect for Him. They meditated on His Name. He wrote these acts of love toward Him in a book. Like a father or mother wanting to keep tangible memories of loving moments with their child. God said these people are His jewels. Love for God does matter. God will preserve these vessels of honor. Like a father loves a son who serves him faithfully. God’s approval and affirmation will make it obvious to the naysayers that God is a God of justice. It is worthwhile to do what is right in His sight and serve Him.

Revelation 21:27 says, “There shall by no means enter it [the holy city] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My Name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings. And you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 4:1-3

The Lord does deal with proud and wicked people. They trashed God. God shall trash them. God will leave no root of them behind. Love for God is a sign of knowing Him. They did not love God.

The coming of the Lord is bad news for those who hate Him, but good news for those who love Him. The healing in His wings indicates speed and ability to navigate toward those who have reverenced God’s Name. They will be healed and well fed at the marriage of the bride (the Church) and the Lamb (Christ). The wicked will be below their feet. Very far below!

“Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:4-6

Remember! It is so vital that we don’t allow the soul sustaining truth of God’s Word to slip away from our minds. If we do, the enemy of our soul is happy to fill our minds with lies and evil contemplations.

According to the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:16-17, John the Baptist is the fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy about sending Elijah the prophet before the coming of the Lord. We can learn from this kind of fulfilment of prophecy that sometimes God’s Word is fulfilled in a spiritual sense and not in a literal one. John the Baptist was not a reincarnation of Elijah. The Lord anointed John with a similar zeal for God’s glory as He gave to Elijah. John’s commission was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest God strike the earth with a curse.

In Malachi 2:14-16, we learned that the priests were not treating the wives of their youth well. And if a husband doesn’t treat the mother of his children well, he usually mistreats his children also. Elijah’s goal was to address these issues to help them realize their need for a Redeemer and a Savior as well as a Lord. Only God would ever be great enough to change their hearts of stone into hearts that could love their spouses and children as He, God, loved them. Only God could help them stay on this course day after day for all the days of their lives.

[JFBC] = Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary

Marriages that Glorify the Lord - Malachi 2

“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My Name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already because you do not take it to heart.” Malachi 2:1-2

Hear! Take it to heart! Give glory to My Name! The goal of everyone of us who knows the Lord is to glorify HIM, and to lead others to do the same. God created us for His glory! We do best for God, for neighbor and ourselves when we glorify the Lord.

In John 7:18, Jesus said, “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” In John 12:28, Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify Your Name!” In John 17:1, Jesus looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify YOU.”

The priests of Israel lacked love for God, for their people, and for their spouses. They were not teaching the people the Laws of God by which blessings would come to them. God tells them to take His warning to heart or else He would curse them. In fact, they already were under a curse in that they no longer had a heart for God and His Word.

In Leviticus 10:11, the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, “You must teach the Israelites all the statutes that the Lord has given them through Moses.” In Haggai 2:11, the Lord said, “Ask the priests concerning the Law.”

Even parents were to teach God’s commandments to their children. In Deuteronomy 6:7-9, God told parents to diligently teach His commands to their children, talking about them constantly—when sitting, walking, lying down, and rising. In Psalm 78:4-8, parents tell their children the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. They do not want their children to forget God as past generations did and suffered greatly because of it. In Ephesians 6:4, the Lord instructs fathers to bring their children up in the “training and admonition of the Lord.”

In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, the Lord told people which blessings and curses they could expect due to adherence or non-adherence to His guidance.

“Behold, I will rebuke your descendants and spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your solemn feasts; and one will take you away with it. Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant with Levi may continue, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear Me. So, he feared Me and was reverent before My Name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity and turned many away from iniquity.” Malachi 2:3-6

The Lord called the priests in Malachi’s day to get back on track with the former Levite priests who did have the law of truth in their mouths. They spoke up for justice. They maintained a peaceful relationship with God rather than a turbulent one. They turned people from sin to right behavior.

“For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the Law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have departed from the way. You have caused many to stumble at the Law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts. Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people, because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in the Law.” Malachi 2:7-9

The priests were to teach people the knowledge of God. Who else was going to do it? Babies are not born with the Bible in them. How will they know what God has said about them and about the world unless someone teaches them? The Law of God was not in the priests either, so how could they impart it to someone. They were messengers of God without His message.

Has someone ever given you wrong directions? As a result, you got lost and suffered loss? That’s what these priests were doing. They were blind guides trying to lead the blind. People were stumbling and getting hurt. Therefore, they no longer trusted their shepherds. In fact, they developed contempt for priests. Anyone could see that they were untrustworthy.

“Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another by profaning the covenant of the fathers? Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the Lord’s holy institution which He loves: he has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, being awake and aware, yet who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!” Malachi 2:10-12

If the priests truly knew God as their father and Creator, He would have directed them to teach and serve their flock with integrity. In 1 Kings 14:8, the Lord said of His servant David, “He kept My commands and followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My eyes.” What was the outcome of such zeal for the Lord? Psalm 78:72 says, “David shepherded them [Israel] with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” When we are right with the Lord, He helps us to do what is right for the people who look to us for leadership.

They profaned the covenant of the fathers, that is, marriage. Marriage is a holy institution before the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 7:36, the Lord says, “If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.” A lifelong commitment to one another should happen before intimate relationships happen. The Lord says in Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”

The priests in Malachi’s day, had married foreign wives who did not believe in their God. In Deuteronomy 7:3-4, God said that intermarriage with the inhabitants of the Promised Land was strictly forbidden. God did not want Israelite sons and daughters to worship other gods. He promised to destroy those who broke this commandment. This prohibition wasn’t about ethnicity but about faith. The New Testament affirms this law. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, the Lord said, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?”

I like the imagery of a married couple being yokefellows. Farmers carefully choose which oxen they put together under one yoke. Two yoked oxen need to be well-matched in size, strength, and temperament, moving at the same pace, in the same direction, and sharing a common commitment to the work for the yoke to function effectively and prevent injury or frustration, essentially requiring them to be aligned in purpose and effort. [G]

“And this is the second thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying; so He does not regard the offering anymore, nor receive it with goodwill from your hands. Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” Malachi 2:13-15

The priests wondered why God was not paying attention to their tears, weeping and crying. God gave them no indication that He appreciated their offerings. It was because they betrayed the wives of their youth, that is, their first and true wives. They made covenants with their spouses but did not keep them. They broke trust with them. In 1 Peter 3:7, the Lord says to husbands, “Be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

In Genesis 2:24, God says a husband and wife become one flesh. In Matthew 19:5, Jesus taught, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

Why did God make the married couple one flesh? Malachi 2:14 says, “He seeks godly offspring.” God designed man and a woman to become one to produce children. He wants them to work together to help their children become reflections of God, that is, godly.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” So, husband and wife should tag team in raising their children. This is just as true for pastors as it is for non-pastors.

“For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously. You have wearied the Lord with your words; yet you say, ‘In what way have we wearied Him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’” Malachi 2:16-17

God hates divorce because a marriage between a man and woman is to glorify the relationship between Christ and His Church, that is, an everlasting relationship. In Ephesians 5:25, the Lord says to husbands, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.” In Ephesians 5:33, the Lord says to wives, “The wife must respect her husband.” The Lord wants married couples to love each other deeply. They are to model for their children how a husband and a wife love one another. They are to model for them how to be parents that both care for and work toward the well-being of their children.

The priests in Malachi’s day made the Lord angry. They were saying that everyone who does evil in God’s sight is good. “He delights in them.” They lost touch with the God of justice. Surely, if someone mistreated them as they mistreated their spouses and their sheep, they would change their minds. Bullies and abusive people tend to lack empathy. They don’t feel the pain that they cause others until someone abuses them in a similar fashion.

Let us pray as 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says to do: “Pray for all who are in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” People don’t know what they don’t know. Sometimes even when God and His messengers try to address unloving behaviors, the offenders still don’t see it or agree to it. They need God to reveal to them what is wrong. They need God to give them the strength to face up to the realities that hitherto they were unwilling to face.

Some have found Ezekiel 36:26 to be a good divine promise to pray when someone needs a new heart. The Lord says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Let us pray for pastors, for marriages and for all of us people to love the Lord with all our hearts. “In our lives Lord, be glorified!”

[G] Google sources

Elected By God’s Grace - Malachi 1

“The burden of the Word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, says the Lord. Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the Lord. Yet Jacob I have loved; but Esau I have hated and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness.” Malachi 1:1-3

“I have loved you, says the Lord.” How many of us have hoped in times past that someone really wonderful would love us? Here, the Lord tells the people of Israel that He loves them. The Lord is beyond wonderful! Are they awestruck? Are they grateful? Do they respond in like fashion to the Lord? No, they question God. They say to God, “Wherein have You loved us?”

Perhaps, in their minds, they only considered the ways in which their ego had been bruised by events in their past, and did not realize how those very events were designed by God to keep them from a greater harm, namely hell. Were they victims or survivors? They were survivors. They still had breath in their lungs, ground below their feet, and daily provisions for survival. Plus, they had God in their lives in special ways like no other people on earth.

Instead of loving God for loving them, they challenged Him to produce signs of His love.

Did the Israelites want to know what it looks and feels like to be unfavored by God? They needed to look at what happened to their brethren the Edomites. Edom was not rebuilt after the Babylonian captivity period.

Do you know the origins of Israel and Edom? These two nations began as twin boys born to Isaac and Rebekah. The Lord spoke to Rebekah. In Genesis 25:23, He told her, “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.”

When God reveals to us what He is going to accomplish through us, we need not help Him to bring it to pass. God is well able to accomplish what He sets out to do. We do need to be patient. We need to believe His Word even when it seems impossible to come to pass.

For example, in Genesis 15:5 and reiterated in Genesis 22:17, God promised Abraham and Sarah descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the seashore. They waited many years. Romans 4:19 says that Abraham considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a 100 years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb (she being around 90). Then, Sarah decided to help make God’s promises come true faster by giving Abraham her servant Hagar with whom he could start a family. So what did Abraham do? He complied. Thus, Ishmael was born. Afterwards, Sarah did conceive and give birth to a son named Isaac.

Genesis 21:1-2 says, “Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.” Isaac’s coming forth from a dead womb was a foreshadowing of Christ resurrecting from a tomb after being dead three days. Remember: all God’s promises and miracles are meant in the grand scheme of things to glorify Jesus Christ.

The Lord revealed to Rebekah that two nations were in her womb, and that the older would serve the younger. In Genesis 27, Rebekah decided to help God out. She urged Jacob to deceive his father Isaac to bring about God’s plan. The outcome was bad. Jacob had to flee from his brother who wanted to kill him. The Bible never mentions if Rebekah was alive when Jacob returned from Haran some 20 years later. Even so, God was faithful to bring about His promise to Rebekah, Israel grew stronger and eventually Edom ceased to exist.

The stories of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau illustrate the truth that God reveals to us in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works, lest anyone should boast.” In regards to Messiah, God brought about His promise to Israel in spite of their insufficient faith in Him.

Malachi prophesied to Isreal after they had returned to the Promised Land from Babylon. Their capital Jerusalem was rebuilt. Their temple to the Lord was rebuilt. Life was better for them. But Edom had been utterly destroyed by Babylon and by the Egyptians, Ammonites, and Moabites. Esau’s cities were never rebuilt.

In Romans 9:10-13, Paul uses God’s election of Jacob rather than Esau to illustrate the point that election is a result of God’s choice and has nothing to do with the elected person’s effort or his or her intrinsic value being of greater worth than the other. Paul wrote, “For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls.” God can and does elect whom He will use to bring Him glory. It is not up to us to make that decision for God.

In Romans 9:2, Paul laments over Israel’s treatment of God. He wrote, “I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.” God chose Isreal to be His special treasure above all nations on earth. In Romans 9:4-5, Paul wrote, “To whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came.” What did Israel do with this election? They rejected it for gods and doctrines of their own making. They hated, beat and killed the prophets that God sent to them. They crucified His Son.

Thankfully, God lets us know in the Bible, especially in Romans 11 and Revelation 7, 14, 20-22, that He still has a wonderful plan for Israel. His elected people will win. Thanks to His grace, long-suffering and depths of His unfathomable love.

God executed justice on the Edomites. He laid their mountains to waste. Their country became a habitation for dragons.

“Even though Edom has said, ‘We have been impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places,’ thus says the Lord of hosts: they may build, but I will throw down. They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever. Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, ‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’” Malachi 1:4-5

God allowed humble circumstances to come Edom’s way, but they did not humble themselves before Him. They believed that they could build back better by shear human volition and might. God declared, “They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness.” His anger was against them.

“Those that walk contrary to God will find that He will walk contrary to them. Who has hardened his heart against God and prospered? When the Jews had rejected Christ and His Gospel they became Edomites, and this word was fulfilled in them. In the time of the emperor Adrian, they attempted to rebuild Jerusalem, God by earthquakes and eruptions of fire threw down what they built, so that they were forced to quit the enterprise.” [JFBC]

Malachi 1:5 says, “The Lord is and will be magnified from the border of Israel.” In His own time and in His own way, God gave His people cause, and hearts, to praise Him. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” We must get past our desire to be God. He doesn’t let us know everything that He knows for a good reason. We just need to trust Him as a child trusts a faithful father.

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence? says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My Name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your Name?’” Malachi 1:6

If the priests truly regarded God as their Father and Master, their respect for Him would have shown. They despised His Name. When someone loves somebody, that somebody’s name is like music to his or her ears. The priests were guilty of breaking God’s great commandment. They did not love the Lord their God with all their hearts, minds, strength and souls.

Isaac Watts in his book entitled, “Humility: Adopting Paul’s ‘Less Than the Least’ Mindset,” wrote, “The pleasures of sin are not subdued by denying ourselves all enjoyment, but by tasting higher and better joys that make sinful pleasures lose their power.” Instead of feeding selfish desires, we should feed selfless ones. Watts quoted Philippians 2:3-11 in which God urges us to be like Christ. Jesus did nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit. He maintained a lowly mind in terms of esteeming others better than Himself. He considered the interests of others. He became of no reputation. He took on the form of a servant. He was willing to die a cruel death so that others could enjoy paradise. He was willing to be stripped naked on a cross so others could be clothed in the righteousness of God. Watts declares that love for God and love for others is more fulfilling than ceaseless focus on gratifying one’s own ego.

“You offer defiled food on My altar, but say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ by saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably? says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:7-8

Darius, and probably his successors, had liberally supplied the Jews with animals for their sacrifices, yet they presented only the worst of these to the Lord. God is love. He wants His people to love deeply as He loves. “God despises not the widow’s mite, but He does despise the miser’s mite.” [JFBC]

They picked out the worst they had, which was fit neither for the market nor for their own tables and offered that at God’s altar. According to Malachi 1:7-8, 13, they brought the blind, and the lame, and the sick, that which was ready to die of itself. They brought polluted bread, servants’ bread, perhaps it was dry and moldy, or made of throwaway wheat. [JFBC]

This is like unto the imaginary story of the one dollar bill and the hundred dollar bill. The two bills were talking with one another. The hundred dollar bill boasted of all the exotic places he had been while the one dollar bill said that he spent most of his time in church offering plates.

“But now entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, will He accept you favorably? says the Lord of hosts. Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, nor will I accept an offering from your hands. For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My Name shall be great among the Gentiles. In every place incense shall be offered to My Name, and a pure offering. For My Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 1:9-11

The priests of Israel would not even do the least of priestly functions such as shutting the doors or kindling a fire on the altar. That’s like a spouse who does not even the simplest of task of kindness to demonstrate love to the other but expects the other to serve hand and foot.

To the Jewish priests and people who despised God’s Name, God told them that His Name shall be great among the Gentiles. This is like what Jesus said to the Jews in Matthew 8:10-12, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

We Christians in the west need to take heed to this warning. There are people in other nations who highly regard Jesus. They treat Him with the utmost respect and service. What kind of offerings are we bringing to Jesus? Are we loving the Lord? Are we trusting in Him?

“But you profane it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled; and its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’ You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it, says the Lord of hosts. And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand? says the Lord. But cursed be the deceiver who has in his flock a male, and takes a vow, but sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished—for I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and My Name is to be feared among the nations.” Malachi 1:12-14

The people needed an attitude adjustment. It has been said that attitude determines altitude.

God did not bring up these charges against Israel with evil intentions. He wanted them to consider the choices they were making. They were choosing not to fear, love and trust God with all their hearts. What did that do for them? It was defiling each of them and their nation. They became like the undesirable offerings that they brought to God... lame, blind and sick.

God addressed their love problem because He wanted to help them out. All they needed to do was humble themselves, confess their sins, ask God to forgive them, and welcome Him to save and transform them by His grace.

It is by God’s grace that anyone of us is saved and transformed. May our praise, glory and adoration be unto Him.





[JFBC] = Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary