God’s Help and Guidance – Genesis 15-16

“After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’ But Abram said, ‘Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ Then Abram said, ‘Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed, one born in my house is my heir.’ And behold, the Word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’ Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:1-6

The Lord graciously reached out to Abram by a vision!

A vision from God is better than a tele-vision. A vision from God is a personal experience with the Creator and Sustainer of the universe during which He gives revelation.

How often did God give people visions or dreams in the Bible? 10 or 20 times? Can you guess?

Steve Shirley @ https://jesusalive.cc/dreams-visions-in-bible/ identified 20 divine dreams. As to visions, he noted that the 17 prophetic books from Isaiah to Malachi are almost entirely (and in some cases entirely: i.e. Obadiah, Nahum) made up of ‘visions.’ For example, the book of Isaiah begins in verse 1 saying, ‘The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning...’ Isaiah is then filled with vision after vision. Ezekiel is the same. He considered the visions in the Prophets and Revelation too numerous to count. Steve did reference 15 visions recorded in the Bible from Genesis to 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. See the picture below. 

Dreams and visions are gifts from God. We cannot earn or deserve them. In Acts 2:17, the Lord connected dreams and visions with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Who did Jesus pour out His Spirit on? He poured His Spirit out on His witnesses according to Acts 1:8. When I was sharing the Gospel in China, the Holy Spirit gave me guidance at times by dreams and visions. God-visions and dreams relate to accomplishing His mission on earth.

God urged Abram not to be afraid. God reminded Abram that He was his shield and exceedingly great reward! The shield symbolizes protection and the great reward symbolizes provision.

When Abram expressed disappointment to the Lord in regards to the status of his legacy, the Lord gave Abram an object lesson. The objects were the numerous stars in the sky. He told Abram that his legacy would include descendants as numerous as the stars. The Lord spoke specifically to the area in which Abram was struggling with his faith. God had promised Abram descendants, but he and Sarai were well past the normal age for having children.

This passage is especially meaningful to me because the Lord gave me a similar promise the day that I placed my life in His hands to trust in Him. Jesus said to me, “Give your life to Me, and I will use it to touch many people.” Jesus spoke to me. I did not deserve to hear from Him. I replied, “Lord, I have only messed this life up, if You can do anything with it, it’s Yours.” Jesus Christ saved me from my sin and gave me His Spirit. Based on what the Lord said to me, I witness for Christ. He has touched many lives through me by His grace and for His glory!

God brought Abram out at and night and told him to look towards heaven. The Lord told Abram that his descendants would be beyond counting just like the stars. Abram believed God. God counted Abram’s faith as righteousness. Then, the Lord made a covenant with Abram.

How amazing that the God who created the heavens and earth would consider any one person worthy of His presence! In Psalm 8:3-4, King David wrote, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?”

“Then He said to him, ‘I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.’ And he said, ‘Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?’ So He said to him, ‘Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.” Genesis 15:7-11

It blesses me when the Lord confirms to me that He is the One who has been guiding and moving me. The Lord told Abram, “I brought you out...” “You shall inherit the land.”

The Lord called Abram to bring to him three animals and two birds. The Lord gave to Abram the sign of a sacrifice to bolster his faith. Five living creatures needed to die to help Abram shift his attention from seeing himself as the answer to his future. It would be the sacrifice of another that would bring about his blessing. The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament prefigure the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God – God’s Son – Jesus Christ.

Abram had to drive vultures away. According to David C. Grabbe at bibletools.org, “The vultures symbolize God’s judgment of a diseased spiritual condition.” To escape the divine judgment we deserve for our sins, there must be a shedding of blood. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission [of sin].” We must drive away unclean spirits in the Name of Jesus when they come to sabotage our faith in the shed blood of Christ as our only hope for salvation.

“Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to Abram: ‘Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them 400 years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge. Afterward, they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace. You shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’” Genesis 15:12-16

The sun going down, deep sleep, horror and great darkness are all emblematic of the time that Abram’s descendants will live as strangers and servants in a foreign land. His descendants will be afflicted for 400 years. That’s longer than the USA has existed at the time of this writing! This is not the kind of word that a father wants to receive in regards to his descendants.

Thanks to this dream, Abram could pray for his future generations. God heard his prayer for Lot and rescued Lot from Sodom. He could pray that God would give his future generations faith and strength to survive and thrive during that time of bondage.

The Lord also promised to judge that nation which shall mistreat Abram’s descendants and ensure that they leave that nation with great possessions. Previous to this dream, Abram experienced mistreatment in Egypt. The Pharoah took Sarai from him. But then, the Lord intervened, and Pharoah let her go. Pharoah gave to Abram great riches at that time. God did this for him and Sarai, He would do it for their descendants as well but on a much grander scale.

God had plans to judge the Amorites who were living in the land that Abram would inherit but not until four generations later. Sometimes, what seems to us like an unfavorable delay from God, may be due to someone else that He is dealing with.

“And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.’” Genesis 15:17-20

Matthew Henry’s Commentary compares the smoking oven with the furnace of affliction that is spoke of in Deuteronomy 4:20 and Isaiah 48:10. He compares the torch with the lamp that burns in Isaiah 62:1 and with the burning bush in Exodus 3:2 that was not consumed. I also thought of the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:19-27. The Lord was with them in the fire and brought them out unharmed. The Lord makes the impossible possible.

After 400 years in Egypt, God’s people will be ready to clear Canaan of the idolators that are there and set up a new nation that is based on the Word of God.

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ‘See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid. Perhaps I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt 10 years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.” Genesis 16:1-4

Jesus said in Luke 21:19, “By your patience possess your souls.” The Lord says in James 1:4, “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Like Abram and Sarai, I must confess that I have taken God’s will into my own hands too many times. God brings about His promises in due season. He doesn’t need our help. He wants our faith.

Sarai gave Hagar to Abram after they had dwelt in the land of Canaan for 10 years. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” According to Galatians 5:22-23, long-suffering and self-control are fruits of the Holy Spirit. When we walk with the Lord, He gives us these fruits, but when we turn inward and begin to think that we must do something to help God, we make bad choices.

After Hagar conceived with Abram, Hagar began to despise Sarai. Now, Hagar’s presence is a threat to Abram and Sarai’s marriage.

“Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.’ So Abram said to Sarai, ‘Indeed your maid is in your hand. Do to her as you please.’ And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.” Genesis 16:5-6

Abram and Sarai set a good example for couples when it comes to dealing with a third party that is threatening the sanctity of their marriage . Sarai fought for her marriage. When an alarm went off in her mind, she immediately addressed the situation with her husband. She brought the Lord into the situation. “The Lord judge between you and me.” She believes God will intervene if Abram doesn’t do what is right. Abram listened to Sarai. He didn’t try to defend himself or Hagar. He expressed support for Sarai to do with Hagar as she pleased. He placed Sarai’s well-being above all other interests. She was his wife. He was committed to her.

Sarai let Hagar know that she was not entitled to mistreat her. She drove her away.

“Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, ‘Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.’” Genesis 16:7-8

The Lord took care of Hagar. The Angel of the Lord found her. The Angel of the Lord may be a theophany; a preincarnate manifestation of Christ. Jesus is compassionate. In John 20:15, after His resurrection, Jesus asked Mary, “Woman, why are you weeping.” In Luke 24:17, after His resurrection, Jesus asked His disciples, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” They didn’t recognize He was the Lord at first. In Genesis 16:8, the Lord asks Hagar, “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” He gives her an opportunity to speak of her suffering.

“The Angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.’ Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.’ And the Angel of the Lord said to her: ‘Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.’ Then she called the Name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, ‘Have I also here seen Him who sees me?’ Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.” Genesis 16:9-14

The Lord instructed Hagar to submit to Sarai. He promised to multiply her descendants. The Lord told her that she shall bear a son. The Lord gave her a name for him. He told Hagar that her affliction had been heard by God. He foretold things to her about her unborn son.

Hagar had a special name for the Lord. She called Him “the God who sees.” This is a great compliment to the Lord and He is worthy of it. Whereas authority figures in this world may not look at or listen to lowly servants, God does.

In Philippians 2:3-4, the Lord says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Abram and Sarai were right to deal quickly and harshly with any threat to their marriage. The Lord was also right to respond quickly and tenderly to Hagar’s affliction. The Lord told her to humble herself and serve Sarai. He also gave her hope. The Lord gave Abram, Sarai and Hagar a second opportunity to get things right.

“So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.” Genesis 16:15-16

This story validates the value of the unborn. The Lord went out of His way to meet with Hagar and to encourage her about the future of her child. During the days of Hitler, he deemed certain lives unworthy of life. For example, people of certain racial backgrounds and people with handicaps. All lives are worthy of life to God. God wanted Hagar’s son preserved despite the questionable way in which he was conceived.

The world has diverse narratives about how people should think and behave. The Lord encourages us in the Bible to think of Him, to love Him and to trust in Him. He will take care of us. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, we can ask the Lord for help and guidance.

Faithful And Loving Harvesters – Genesis 13-14

“Then Abram went up from Egypt, he, and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the Name of the Lord.” Genesis 13:1-4

The Lord blessed Abram with ample supplies for his mission. Abram returned from Egypt to the place where he previously built an altar to the Lord. In Romans 10:13, Paul wrote, “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Genesis 13:4 says, “Abram called on the Name of the Lord.”

I often ask the Holy Spirit to be the wind in the sails of my prayers. I am weak but He is strong. The Lord says in Ephesians 3:20 that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to His power that works among us. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus urged us to ask, seek, and knock to receive God’s help. Since God is willing to answer our prayers, let’s pray.

“Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, herds, and tents. Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. So, Abram said to Lot, ‘Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.’” Genesis 13:5-9

Abram and Lot had a good problem. Their livestock outgrew the land. Their servants began to have conflicts with each other. Perhaps, their neighbors, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, were instigating the strife. The Lord led Abram to offer his nephew first pick of the land.

“And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.” Genesis 13:10-13

Lot followed his eyes and lost everything. Like Eve seeing the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3:6 and choosing it. Like the sons of God in Noah’s day choosing wives by their outward appearance in Genesis 6:2-3. Lot lost his city, his home, his wife, his sons-in-law and his honor in Genesis 19:14-38. Eve lost the Garden of Eden. The sons of God in Noah’s day lost their planet.

Abraham followed the law of love preferring others before himself. The Lord blessed him.

Jesus gave up the very skin off His back so that His enemies, unworthy sinners, could live in the paradise of God if they (we) would believe in Him and profess Him.

Paul wrote in Galatians 6:8, “For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Romans 5:5 says that the love of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Apart from the Spirit of God, we will not love as God loves. Thus, we need to humble ourselves daily before God and ask Him to help us love as He loves.

What would happen if we daily prayed for ourselves in accordance with Matthew 5:43-48?

For example, “Heavenly Father, please help me to love as You love. Please help me to love my enemies and those who curse me. Please help me to treat those who hate me well. Please help me to pray for those who despitefully use and persecute me. Please help me to be perfect in love as You are. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Amen.”

“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward. For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you. Then Abram moved his tent and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.” Genesis 13:14-18

Abram had taken Lot under his wing after Lot’s father died. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, he let Lot have the riches he desired, but he didn’t stop caring for Lot. In the next chapter, Abram risks his life to successfully rescue Lot from those who took him prisoner. In Genesis 18:32, he interceded for Lot’s city that God would spare it from judgment if even 10 righteous people might be found in it. Genesis 19:29 indicates that God rescued Lot from Sodom’s judgment in response to Abram’s prayers.

Genesis 14:1-4 contains the first recorded account of a war between earthly kingdoms. The war involved four kingdoms including Shinar (Iraq) and Elam (Iran) against five kingdoms including Sodom and Gomorrah where Lot and his family lived. Before this war began, the five kingdoms had been subservient to Elam (Iran). For 12 years they served the king of Elam (modern day Iran), but in 13th year they had enough of him, and rebelled against him.

In Genesis 14:5-12, the Lord provides for us some of the details of the escalation. A year after the four kingdoms rebelled against his rule, the king of Elam begins to conquer their cities. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah retreat from him. In the process of fleeing from him, some of them fall into slime pits while others escape to mountains for safety. The conquering king captures Lot and all that pertains to him.

In Genesis 14:13-17, when Abram learns that Lot has been taken captive, he summons 318 of his trained servants (born in his own house) and pursues the conquering army. Abram’s small army defeats the King of Elam and his allies. Abram recovered stolen goods, as well as Lot, and the women.

“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; He was the priest of God Most High. And He blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And he [Abram] gave Him a tithe of all.” Genesis 14:18-20

King Melchizedek of Salem (Jerusalem) was not a king from any of the warring kingdoms. Who is He? He brings bread and wine to Abram and communes with him. He blesses Abram. Abram gives to this King a tithe of all his gains.

Psalm 110 is a Messianic Psalm and guess who is mentioned in verse four of this Psalm? Melchizedek! Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 in Matthew 22:44 to help the religious leaders understand how Messiah is descendant of King David but also David’s Lord. Melchizedek is presented as the future Messiah in Psalm 110.

Hebrews 6:20 says that Jesus is a high priest in the order of Melchizedek forever. In other words, it is an unique priestly order of Messiah. In Hebrews 7:3, Melchizedek is without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God. The name Melchizedek means King of Righteousness. Jesus Christ is the source of righteousness for kings, kingdoms and people. Salem means peace so He is also the King of Peace.

Melchizedek is a theophany. A manifestation of Christ on earth before His incarnation! In John 8:58, Jesus said to the religious rulers in Jerusalem, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” In John 8:59, the rulers picked up stones to stone Jesus but He hid Himself and slipped away. By His words, Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh.

“Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.’ But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.’” Genesis 14:21-24

Abram had the Lord and his family. He was content.

These two chapters began with strife between Lot’s and Abram’s servants, and later continued with stories of war between earthly kingdoms.

I look forward to the era that the Lord speaks of in Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3 when Messiah “shall judge between the nations and rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

The Lord has already made peace with those of us who profess Him as our Lord and Savior. He gives us His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us to fellowship with God as Abraham did with Melchizedek the King of Salem. He rewards us for victories when, in fact, He is the One who gave both us and Abraham the victory.

Are we walking in love for God and others as Abraham did, or more importantly as Jesus did?

In Matthew 9:38, Jesus had a prayer request. He said, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” There are ample people praying for temporary treasures and pleasures. Lost souls need harvesters who are willing, if necessary, to give up the skin on their backs to bring the Gospel to them.

Abraham’s faith in God honored God. Abraham’s love and prayers for his nephew was a manifestation of the Spirit of Christ at work in his life. May God be honored by our faith in Him and by our love for even our enemies. As harvesters we need faith in God and love for those who do not yet know God.

Go Forth By Faith – Genesis 11-12

“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens. Let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’” Genesis 11:1-4

The Lord mentions the whole earth having one language because that commonality is about to change. The people migrated from the east to the west until they arrived in the plain of Shinar. Shinar is located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the area known as the fertile crescent. Rather than spread out and fill the earth, they wanted to find the most ideal location on earth and concentrate themselves in that place. They planned to make this location theirs by building a tower whose top reached to the heavens.

They did not say to themselves, “God has been so good to us. What can we do for His glory?” Noah offered sacrifices to God after the flood ended. They want to build a tower to make a name for themselves. In other words, they wanted their collective name to be the name that everyone thinks about and glorifies. Plus, they did not want to spread out and fill the earth as God told them to do.

Serving and honoring God is contrary to our flesh’s desire. It wants the best of everything including the glory that belongs only to God. But whoever builds on a foundation other than on the bedrock of God’s Word is building a future that shall fail. Though their work may yield praise for them for a season, it will ultimately sink just as the “unsinkable” ship Titanic sunk.

“But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’ So, the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.” Genesis 11:5-9

It would have been better for them to willingly obey the Lord and spread out over the earth by His Spirit’s leading and with His abundant blessings of provision. Now, they must be cast out as our first parents were cast out from the Garden of Eden. Scattered because they disobeyed and competed with the Lord rather than serve Him!

Thus, the people ceased building their idolatrous tower, formed groups according to their languages and spread out to the ends of the world.

Babel symbolizes a city or nation of people who want to exist in denial of and contrary to God. The chief social engineer of this planning is Satan. He denies God and wants to be God. He is doomed. God has set an expiration date on him. Revelation 20:10-14 say that he and all his followers will be cast in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.

Hebrews 11:10 says that people of faith “look for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

In Genesis 11:11-26, the Lord provides for us the genealogy and timeline of Shem’s descendants from Arphaxad his son until Abraham and his two brothers. By using numbers provided for us by God in this genealogy and the genealogy recorded in Genesis 5, we can conclude that the years between God creating Adam and bringing the flood are 1,656 years. The years between the flood and Abraham’s birth are an additional 352 years. So, people have been on earth for 2,008 years by the time Abraham is born.

“This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no child. And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. So the days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.” Genesis 11:27-32

Abram, Sarai and Lot are about to become central characters in the Bible. God tells us that they were born in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans. This is the area now called Iraq. The Chaldeans were the ruling class in Babylon. Ur was located in the fertile crescent area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Lot is Abram’s nephew. Lot’s father died before his grandfather died. Thus, when Abram’s father, Terah, moved from Ur to Haran, Terah took his grandson Lot with them. Terah, Abram, Sarai, and Lot moved to Haran. Sadly, Abram and Sarai were unable to provide a grandchild for Terah before he died.

“Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” Genesis 12:1-3

The Lord calls Abram to leave the land of his father’s descendants. The Lord promises to lead him to the new land but does not tell him specifically where it is. He and his wife have no children, but God promises to make from him a great nation and a great name, and to bless him. This was what the people who set out to build the great tower wanted. They wanted a great nation and a great name. The Lord told Abram that He will give Him these by a blessing.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” God doesn’t say that Abram has done anything for God at this point. No, God is doing something for Abram. The Lord tells Abram, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Galatians 3:13-16 says this promise of God is fulfilled in Abram’s descendant Jesus Christ. It is in Christ that all the families of the earth shall be blessed. It is in the Name of Jesus Christ that the curses of sin are broken off people. It is the Name of Jesus Christ that we must not curse.

“So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So, they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.” Genesis 12:4-6

The last time in the Bible that someone willingly went somewhere for the Lord was in Genesis 8:18. In Genesis 8:15-16, the Lord told Noah to go forth from the ark with his wife, his sons and his daughter-in-law’s. They did so. Like Noah, Abram has a personal relationship with God. God speaks to him and he speaks to God.

Abram takes Sarai and Lot with him, as well as all their possessions, and their servants. They pass through Shechem which is about 30-35 miles north of Jerusalem on a major trading route. It is a fertile area. The descendants of Ham, the Canaanites, are there.

“Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the Name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.” Genesis 12:7-9

The Lord appears to Abram. He is now standing on the land that his descendants will inherit. Abram builds an altar to the Lord – a place to make offerings to the Lord and to worship God. After that, Abram moves within 10-12 miles north of Jerusalem to a place which was originally called Luz but was renamed Bethel (House of God) by Abram’s grandson Jacob. This place was destined to become a significant religious and strategic city in the hill country of Samaria. Here, Abram doesn’t build a tower to make a name for himself. No, he calls on the Name of the Lord. Afterwards, he keeps moving southward.

“Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, ‘Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore, it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.’” Genesis 12:10-13

Two tests have come to Abram. First, a severe famine is in the land. They must find food for their growing community of people. Secondly, in Egypt, where food is available, the people with power are apt to kill him so they can take his beautiful wife Sarai away from him. He asks his stepsister and his wife, Sarai, to say to the Egyptians that she is his sister. He hopes that even if he loses Sarai, his life will be preserved, and that God’s promise to him of having innumerable descendants shall still come to pass.

“So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.” Genesis 12:14-16

Sure enough Abram was right about the Egyptians. They took Sarai from him. Instead of killing him, they gave him livestock, servants and transportation animals.

“But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, ‘What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister?’ I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” So, Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.” Genesis 12:17-20

God’s ways are higher than our ways. God doesn’t need human help to ensure that His promises come to pass. The Lord wants us to trust Him in this regard. In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul wrote, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” Hebrews 11:27 says of Moses, “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.” Rather than gauging likeliness of occurrence by favorable circumstances, we should be mindful that God is God. He created us not vice versa. God is above all else. One believer plus God is a majority.

God plagued Pharoah with great plagues. God will do this again during the days of Moses. After experiencing divine plagues, Pharaoh lets the one who represents the future nation of Israel go. Abram got his wife back. They left Egypt with more treasures than when they arrived.

Praise God, He intervened for Abram and Sarai, and for us! Messiah was eventually born from Abram’s family line.

Be Fruitful And Multiply – Genesis 9-10

“So God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast, I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man. And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it.’” Genesis 9:1-7

The difference between Noah and others was that when the Lord spoke to him, he listened.

God repeatedly sent prophets, including Jeremiah, who warned Israel in Jeremiah 16:12, 17:23, 32:33, against turning their backs to God. In Acts 7:53-53, Stephen said to religious leaders, “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

The Lord blessed Noah and his sons by speaking to them. He gave them good directions. Like to be fruitful and multiply.

The Lord built their confidence to go forward. He told Noah and his sons that the fear and dread of them would be on the creatures of land, air and sea.

The Lord gave Noah dietary instructions. They could eat meat and green herbs with one stipulation. They were to drain the blood from the meat before they ate it. God set blood apart. He told Noah that whoever killed a person must be killed by a person. Why was the sentence so severe? The answer is because people are made in God’s image. God wanted more people not less people. Thus, He issued the death penalty against those who kill people.

The blood of animals and ultimately God’s Son’s blood is the element by which God would atone for our sins. While people look different externally, we all bleed red. It is the element that is common to us all.

Movies and video games about murder and human blood being flung everywhere are so contrary to the kind of visions that God wants us to fill out minds and souls with. Demons like human bloodshed. Proverbs 4:23, says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” Psalm 119:37 in the KJV contains the letters T-V: Turn away mine eyes from beholding Vanity; and quicken me in You way.” Vanity is meaninglessness. Quicken means to make alive. May God protect our eyes from meaningless visions and make us alive to Him.

“Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: ‘And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. Thus I establish My covenant with you: never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’” Genesis 9:8-11

“A covenant is a solemn, binding agreement or promise between two or more parties, often involving mutual commitments, oaths, and sometimes rituals, making it more relational and enduring than a standard contract. Unlike transactional contracts, covenants are about building a lasting bond, emphasizing partnership and loyalty. A marriage is to be a covenant of lifelong love and devotion. A covenant is relational, about the bond itself, often enduring even if one party fails, with grace for restoration, like in a marriage or faith.” [G]

“And God said: ‘This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ And God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.’” Genesis 9:12-17

John Wesley wrote, “The rainbow appears when one part of the sky is clear, which imitates mercy remembered in the midst of wrath.” [JWN]

“Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.” Genesis 9:18-19

All three of Noah’s sons had children, but the above passage mentions only one of their sons by name. Ham fathered Canaan. The Hebrew root meaning of Canaan is “to be brought down,” “humble,” or “subdued.” Thus, his name serves as a prophetic message of what is to come.

“And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.” Genesis 9:20

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.” Well, the Lord purged the earth during Noah’s lifetime and gave Noah a fresh start with seedtime and harvest. How did Noah’s vineyard do?

“Then he drank of the wine and was drunk and became uncovered in his tent.” Genesis 9:21

The ground was blessed. The grapevines grew and produced grapes. On a certain day, Noah drank too much, became drunk and embarrassed himself... which is usually what happens when people drink too much liquor.

“And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.” Genesis 9:22

The appropriate action for Ham would have been to cover up his father’s nakedness and pray for him. Perhaps, talk to him later, when he was sober, about healthier coping mechanisms than drunkenness. Why did Noah drink too much alcohol? What was happening to Ham’s father? “To have seen it accidentally and involuntarily would not have been a crime. But he pleased himself with the sight. And he told his two brothers without... in a scornful deriding manner.” [JFBC]

“But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.” Genesis 9:23

They did not want to see their father’s nakedness, and they did not want others to see it either. They covered their father’s indiscretion. Praise God that Christ covers our sin with His blood. His goal is to save us from our sin, not condemn or mock us because of it.

“So Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done to him. Then he said: ‘Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brothers.’” Genesis 9:24-25

Why did Noah curse Canaan for Ham’s sin? It seems that this was a prophetic word like unto Jacob words for his twelves sons before he died. Noah prophesied of what was to come. Canaan’s descendants filled the land with idolatry and child sacrifices, debauchery and drunkenness. About 800 years later, the Israelites, the descendants of Shem conquered the Canaanites and took over the Promised Land.

Incidentally, Jews trace their lineage back to Shem (Semitic), the son of Noah, through his great-grandson Eber, which is the origin of the name “Hebrew” (meaning descendant of Eber).

“And he said: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant.’ And Noah lived after the flood 350 years. So all the days of Noah were 950 years; and he died.” Genesis 9:26-29

Noah blessed the Lord for his son Shem. “May Canaan be his [Shem’s] servant.” “May he [Japheth] dwell in in the tents of Shem.” It is through Shem’s family line that the Messiah comes. It is good to serve Jesus Messiah! After blessing his sons and grandson, the Scripture says that Noah died.

“Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 10:1

The Lord is a good shepherd. He keeps track of His sheep. The genealogies in the Bible are value statements from God to humankind. He created and He sustains a universe so vast and so filled with wonders, yet He keeps track of people. In Matthew 10:30, Jesus said that “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” The genealogy of Shem’s family line continues through the Bible all the way up until Jesus Christ is born. That’s where it ends because in Christ all people from every tribe, language and nation are invited to become a part of the family of God.

In Genesis 10:2-4, the Lord provides for us a list of Japheth’s descendants. His descendants settle in what is now commonly called Asia Minor and Southern Europe. See link below to: “Noah’s Three Sons: The First Map of Nations.”

“From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.” Genesis 10:5

This passage looks ahead to the time when family clans begin to explore and migrate to other parts of the world. They will eventually have new languages and new nations which they rule.

In Genesis 10:6-7, the Lord provides for us a list of Ham’s descendants. His descendants settle in the middle east and northern Africa. Cush is the Hebrew name for Ethiopia. Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt. In Genesis 10:8-12, Cush, the grandson of Ham has a son named Nimrod. Nimrod is mighty. He is a mighty hunter. He builds Babel the future capital of the Babylonians. He builds Nineveh the future capital of the Assyrians. He built Resen which was a principal city.”

In Genesis 10:13-20, Ham’s grandson Mizraim (forefather of Egypt) has descendants that settle across north Africa and beyond. The Philistines are also among his descendants. The Canaanites are from his family line including the people of Sidon (the Phoenicians), and the Sodomites.

In Genesis 10:21-32, Shem’s descendants settle from the north border of the Middle East with Türkiye to the south border of Saudi Arabia at the Persian Sea. They spread out from the Mediterranean coast to as far east as Persia. Genesis 10:25 says that the earth was divided in the days of Shem’s descendant Peleg. Genesis 10:32 says, “These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.”

In Genesis 10, the Lord provides for us details of how the descendants of Shem, Japheth and Ham multiplied and spread out in all directions. Adam’s and Eve’s descendants were now speaking different languages, having different cultures and dividing the land into city states.

Although humankind experienced a severe pruning during the days of Noah, God blessed us and caused us to thrive, flourish, be fruitful and multiply.

In Revelation 7:9-14, the Lord reveals to John a great multitude of people in heaven worshipping God. No man can number them because they are so many. These people are from all nations, kindred and languages. And these are just the people who have come out of the great tribulation of earth’s last days.

In Luke 14:23, the Lord said to a servant, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled.” The Lord wants us to be in His house and to enjoy the feast that He has prepared for us. Praise the Lord!


[G] Google sources
[JWN] John Wesley Notes
[JFBC] Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary


Link to: Noah’s Three Sons: The First Map of Nations

https://youtu.be/AGZ7yADnMpQ?si=ZpZA-LcjBDlxLrr-

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

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!”