Creation

God’s Promise Bow

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I Do Set My Bow

“And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow 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; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” Genesis 9:8-17 (KJV).

This covenant with Noah is not only with Noah. It is with all his “seed” as well. This not only include Shem, Ham, and Japheth; it also included all those who would follow. This also included the animal kingdom, and the earth. You must deny the promise of this covenant in order to see that this covenant and redemption does not include all of creation. The reason I say this is that there are professing Christians who believe there was death before the fall of Adam and Eve. To believe this is to cast doubt upon this covenant and the redemption of mankind. Angels fell before Adam and Eve, but there was no death on earth previous to Adam’s fall.

What is this covenant? There will be no more floods of earth shattering proportions – no more worldwide flood. This covenant is one reason why I must believe in a worldwide flood rather than, just a local one. Why would God need to make a covenant not to destroy the earth by flood, if it were only local? Who knows, there may have been only one continent at this period of time. It still would have been worldwide.

There has been no earthbound individual who has ever seen a complete rainbow. A complete rainbow will make a complete circuit, and the earth gets in the way for us right now. There is a complete rainbow around the throne of God. “And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.” Revelation 4:3 (NKJV). ALSO SEE Ezekiel 1:28. The closest I have ever come is seeing a whole half of one. It was while my wife and I served the Cuyama Valley Baptist Church. One day we received the blessing of some rain, and I went outside and looked and on the western end of the valley there was a rainbow across the sky. It was a whole half, and full of its bright colors. O, that day was special to me. I needed a reminder of God’s promises, and that was it.

The rainbow was given by God. It is His remembrance of the destruction of the earth by flood waters over the earth. It is his reminder of the weakness of sinful man. It is His reminder of His promise to never again destroy the earth by flood waters. God is however, omniscient, and he doesn’t forget anything. He does “forget” our sin when it is under the blood of His Son Jesus. We see the rainbow and it reminds us of God’s promise to never destroy the world by flood again. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness. The people in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas; during the months of June and July of this year (2007); needed the reminder of this promise. They were probably starting to think that He forgot them. We need these reminders due to our sin. We are in desparate need of God’s grace and mercy. The flood waters of this world are troublesome for sure, but we need the reminder of the rainbow to remind us of God’s promises and His warnings. Some of the warnings God gives us in His Word, are simply negative promises, which will be fulfilled.

New Covenant

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A New Covenant

A covenant is defined as, “A formal binding agreement: COMPACT”, MIRRIAM/WEBSTER DICTIONARY. In the Hebrew it is ” ber-eeth’ “, and it means, “From H1262 (in the sense of cutting (like H1254)); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh): – confederacy, [con-]feder[-ate], covenant, league.” As you can see its meaning is similar.

Let me give a little understanding of the phrase above in perenthesis – (because made by passing between pieces of flesh). In Genesis 15 we have God passing through two halves of a heifer, a she goat, a ram, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon (v.9). The heifer, the she goat, and the ram are all three years of age. Abraham is instructed by God to cut them in halves, and later the presence of God represented by a “Smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces” (v. 17). That is God’s covenant with Abram [Abraham]. Because He could swear by no greater He swore by Himself – “For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater He sware by Himself” (Heb. 6:13)

“.And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.” Genesis 9:1-7 (KJV)

When you think of being blessed by God, what do you think of? Do you think of God’s presence with you, His hand being upon you, protecting, keeping, guiding? Or, do you think more in the temporal [temporary] things like houses, lands, cars, money, etc.? The first thing we are told in chapter nine is that God blessed Noah and his sons. Could it be that the blessing here really belongs to God? Adoration is given to the one who is worthy. Yes! God blesses them, but the One who is truly worthy of praise is glorified.

After the blessing God gives instruction for replenishing the earth. The call is given, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” The blessing was most likely temporal, because the legacy of Ham is not a good one. The blessing was for the purpose of filling the earth once again.

The new covenant contained the same elements as the Adamic Covenant with seven more added. “1) The relation of man to the earth under the Adamic Covenant is confirmed; 2) The order of nature is confirmed; 3) Human government is established – “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (v.6); 4) The earth is secured against another universal judgment by water; 5) A prophetic declaration is made that from Ham will descend an inferior and servile posterity; 6) A prophetic declaration is made that Shem will have a peculiar relation to Jehovah; all divine revelation is from semitic men, and Christ, after the flesh, descends from Shem; 7) A prophetic declaration is made that from Japheth will descend the ‘enlarged races’; Government, science, and art, speaking broadly, are and have been Japhetic so that history is the undisputable record of the exact fulfillment of these declarations.” THESE SEVEN PROMISES ARE FROM the Scofield notes.

There is one thing for which man can say they have been obedient to God in doing, and that is multiplying in the earth. God has given man the opportunity of knowing Him. God sent His Son to die in our place for our sins upon the cross, taking the judgment for sin that was ours from the Father, dying, carrying our sins away in burial, and rising again victorious over sin, death, and hell. He ever lives making intercession for those who know Him.

Altar of Worship

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An Altar of Worship

“And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:20-22 (KJV)

This is the first mention of the building of an “Altar unto the LORD”. It is assumed, at least by me, that Adam and Eve would have built an altar, and that in the offerings of Cain and Abel; they would have built an altar, and that the men “call[ing] on the name of the LORD” (4:26) would have meant the building of altars; but this is the first mention of it in the Bible. Noah was a worshipper of God before he went into the ark: he had proven it by His obedience. He was a worshipper on the ark: he had proven it there by his patient faith. Now, he is off the ark, going back onto the solid soil and rock of the earth. He wanted to start off this new world in the right way, the God-way, and worship the Creator who had delivered them all. The altar is recognition of God’s presence, power, glory, and deliverance from the evil of the world.

This offering was made by the sacrifice of every clean animal – one of each. That would probably have included cattle, sheep, goats, and the clean fowl. It was a complete sacrifice and offering to the LORD God. God Himself received it. “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour…” means that it was pleasant in His sight, and that He received the humble act of His servant Noah. Moses, as the author of Genesis tells us, writing, “…And the LORD said in His heart, ‘I will not curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease”. This was God’s covenant with Himself; as far as Noah was concerned. It was also His covenant with man and the earth.

It is due to this covenant that we are dependent upon the sunshine for heat, and the seasons to guide us when to plant crops, and harvest our crops. It is my opinion that this was the beginning of the seasons; Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. That due to the ecological upheaval that happened due to the flood, the caverns of the earth bursting forth, the canopy of the earth bursting and pouring forth the water; all had changed. We all know that the earth is enduring and endures much more than any of us.

It is amazing that God gives us this order of things. It is the only means by which science could be studied. If there is no order to things, there would be nothing sure. The scientist of our day can tell us what time the sun’s rising and setting will be. They can tell us how close a passing comet will pass to the earth or another planet. If there were no order there could be no science, at least, no reliable science. God gives us the means for true science. It is in Him and His Word that we trust.

Go Forth

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Go Forth

“And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.” Genesis 8:13-19 (KJV)

This is the first time we are told that God spoke to Noah since He called he and his family into the ark, and closed the door, “and the LORD shut him in” (7:16). O, how reassuring and comforting it must have been to Noah to hear the voice of God again. How do we respond when we do not hear God? Times of God’s silence seem like darkness. If you have never experienced these times then, you will not understand of what I am writing. It just seems like you are alone. You hardly know where to turn, what to do, or know if you should do anything at all. It is especially difficult when you have grown use to knowing and enjoying His speaking to you. What did Noah do during that year of silence?

Here is what Noah did. He did what he had been given commandment to do. When you have heard God speak in the light, and He has given guidance, commandment, or commission, then, that is what you are to do in the dark. Someone has said, “Never doubt in the dark, what God has spoken in the light”. That is good.

Noah uses the faith God has given him, the wisdom, the patience to follow through with everything God has taught him. Then, when all is ready; God speaks again. Going through the flood in that ark was Noah’s assurance that God was going to bring them through. When you experience God’s silence remember His Ark of safety in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise. The presence, power and glory of God’s Spirit in you is God’s assurance He is going to bring you through.

“Go forth of the ark” was God’s word to Noah. It was God’s word for the living things and fowl, and cattle that were all on the ark. God’s Word to us is for the whole world. God’s Word is to go, fill the earth.

Again, Noah did all that God had commanded him to do. Though the words are not used he follows God directions. Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives all came off the ark; and all the animals, insects, and fowl came off as well. God’s command was “Go” in this text. It was not come. Noah had to get out of the “sanctuary” of the ark. As Christians we are to be in the world, but not of it. That means we are not to seek living in solitude away from the world; but to be in the world, and not of it. Showing the world by our lives and living faith what Jesus Christ death, burial and resurrection means to us, and how He has changed our lives.

The Open Window

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The Open Window

“And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.” Genesis 8:6-12 (KJV)

After the ark settles in the mountains of Ararat Noah waits forty more days. Endurance, security, and patience seem to be evidence of faith. Faith which is given by God holds on to God. Noah shows great wisdom in using the dove and the raven. These two birds are very different in character. The text does not mention it, so I will let you know this is only my assumption; but it almost seems that both ravens would have been released – the male and the female. The dove returns because she found no place for her feet. The raven, however, being an unclean bird is carnivorous, and would have found plenty of corpses to light upon, rest and feed. From that I assume that both ravens would have been released, because the raven does not return.

Noah waited seven more days, after taking the dove back into the ark, and sent the dove out again (v. 10). This time the dove returns with an olive leaf, which has been plucked from an olive tree. This means that the land is drying up, and that vegetation is coming back on the land. My how God has designed the regenerating power of His creation. The earth can renew herself after great devastation, but man cannot renew himself. We are totally dependent upon the LORD God for renewing, regeneration and eternal life.

When the dove returned with the leaf, Noah again waited seven more days. We hear much about the patience of Job, but Noah exhibits a tolerable amount of it himself. His wisdom and patience and faith are great. Would to God that we who call ourselves Christians practiced such faith during our storms and trials and tribulations; and, after they are finished. When Noah released the dove this final time it would not return. This was the sign to release the animals and to go forth from the ark Yet he would not depart until God said “Go…” (v. 16). This is a commission from Jesus to the Church, “Go, and make disciples…” We have no sanctuary but Christ Jesus. He abides in us, and we in Him. He is our security, our peace, our assurance, and it is from Him we have faith. He is our Open Window to the Father.

The Spirit of God Moves

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The Spirit of God Moved

On the second month; which appears to be of that present year; Noah, his wife, their sons and their sons wives went into the ark, at God’s invitation, after all the animals had already been boarded. You can find this in chapter 7:11. We read in the 24th verse of chapter seven that the “Waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days”. The word “Prevail” according to the MERRIAM/WEBSTER DICTIONARY means, “To win mastery: TRIUMPH”, and “PREDOMINATE”. According to Strong’s it means pretty much the same – “Gaw-bar” is the pronunciation in Hebrew, and meaning “A primitive root; to be strong; by implication to prevail, act insolently: – exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more [strength], strengthen, be stronger, be valiant.” (From E-sword).

With the water prevailing upon the earth means that it has the rule. It seems that it is progressing upward in depth after the rain stopped, and continued up to 150 days. There is nothing stopping it. For those who advocate a local flood, I would ask, “Where is the dam? How is it holding when God says the waters prevailed upon the earth?” In the Hebrew reckoning of months there were 30 day, and 29 day months. Their year would have had only 354 days, and about every three years there would be an extra 29 day month. It is uncertain if Moses wrote this with the Hebrew calendar in mind. It would be most likely, but I am not dealing with the months. I only point this out due to the time of departure, and arrival at the destination of the ark. One hundred fifty days would equal to about 5 months that the waters prevailed upon the earth.

Assuming this 150 days included the forty days and forty nights of rainfall that means they have been in the ark a very long time. Noah and the family could have began to get very discouraged, and just plain ole cranky with one another. Who knows, they may have even began to think that they had been forsaken by God. We just do not know what was going on on that ark. Hear what God says.

“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.” Genesis 8:1-5 (KJV)

It is with much comfort we are told, “God remembered Noah…”. Though it is not that he forgot him, this is a reminder of God’s covenant promise with Noah and all that went into the ark (Gen. 6:18-21). Noah was the intelligent one of God’s creation. He was the one who bears the image of God. He is the one to whom God for the salvation of the human race and the animal kingdom.

Noah is the one for whom the window was built for the beholding the heavens, and speaking with God the Creator. God remembering has more to do with Promise and with God’s faithfulness. He is the faithful God.

God also remembers every living thing on the ark. Those things which many of us would just as soon never had in the earth. There were serpents, creepy crawly things, flying insects, like, mosquitoes, flys, etc. According to something I read sometime ago; it used to be thought that the common housefly was made by spontaneous generation, but that has been proven wrong. In these things we must realize that God knows best. All of these things have their purpose in God’s ecology. He is the All Wise One.

We are also told that God remembered the cattle. Surely this text goes through all of this to assure us that God does not forget his promises. His covenants are part of who He is. His Word will not fail. The cattle; these livestock which we be closer to home; these are the source of their food, and the food of the world, and the means of clothing, using the skins.

God made a wind to pass over the earth, and it was because of that wind that the waters began to recede. They were no longer prevailing upon the face of the earth. The LORD God showed He was still in control. Noah certainly needed this assurance. His family needed this assurance. The wind came as it was made to do. It began to dry away the waters. The mountains began to show. The ark settled, and came to rest upon the peaks of Ararat.

The word “Wind” in verse one is the same word as “Spirit” in chapter one verse two. “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”. On the third day of creation the land came forth in a day. On this day with Noah and his family it took time. It was not until the seventh month on the seventeenth day of the month that the earth was dry. They would be on the ark until the second month and twenty seventh day when the earth dried, and God would command them off (More on this later).

There must have been such joy and rejoicing as the ark settled into a crevice in the rocks, and rested there. They must have felt that surely we can leave this boat soon. Encouragement, though, comes only in pieces. We should know that this prepares us with patience. When it seems as though the storm is never going to end. When it seems as though the waters of trial and tribulation rush all around you. When it seems the rocking and twisting of your salvation is never going to stop. You can rest assured it will. The storm will end the rush of the trial will cease. Your faith will be made stronger in your salvation. God will come through.

The Waters Prevailed

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The Waters Prevailed

“And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.” Genesis 7:18-24 (KJV).

I personally believe that there are judgments of God upon the earth today. Some of those being in the form of destructive storms; such as tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes. Does that mean that God hates us, or hates those who are killed, or injured during these things? No!! It actually means that He cares for us, is giving us warning to turn from our sins, and that worse judgment is coming. God does hate sin and its evil. These judgments are especially taking place on our Nation of the United States of America. Someone may be asking “Why?” It is because we have turned our backs on God, and turned to our own abilities, our own good deeds and works. We have forsaken God, and turned to idols. Idols, such as the economy – comfort, convenience, and entertainment are three of the more popular idols of this nation. These are all tied to wealth. Money/Finance, Science/technology, and Global unity and peace are three which are really involving those other three. Then we have the affliction of the AIDS virus. That is judgment upon us for the sexual perversion in our land.

The reason God judged the earth by the flood was because of the corruption on the face of the earth (See chapter 6:5, 11, 12, 13).

These verses show us how God actually used the flood waters to raise the ark above the judgment, and how He cleansed the world of its corruption for that time.

This flood covered the whole earth. it was not just the area of Mesopatamia as some have purposed. Even the scientists who deny a worldwide flood admit and tell us that the world was covered by water at one time, and they say it was a cataclysmic cover. They simply want to deny the Bible’s version of the worldwide flood. The flood was so massive and great that the waters covered the tops of the highest mountains. Verse 20 even gives us the exact depth over the highest mountain to have been 15 cubits or about 22 and one half feet. With a twenty four inch cubit, that depth would have been thirty feet over the highest mountain. This would, of course, allow no place for any living, breathing thing, to hide from God’s judgment and survive. When God judges, His judgment is complete.

We can rest assured that when God judged our sin, by killing His own Son Jesus Christ, that judgment too, was complete (Isaiah 53:4; Romans 5:8, 12-21; 2 Corinthians 5:21). When we hear God’s invitation to enter the ark of safety, who is Christ, and enter we are safe and secured for all eternity; lifted up above this earth and its watery, fiery grave.

In the Ark and Safe

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In the Ark and Safe

“And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.” Genesis 7:10-17 (KJV).

For seven days Noah and his family were on the ark, and that was before the rains started to fall, and the waters under the earth burst forth.

For seven days there was no more preaching, no more warning of God’s wrath to come. All hope was gone for the fearful and unbelieving element outside the ark.

Remember, according to chapter two, verse six, up until this time the earth had been watered by a mist. It had never rained. Now, suddenly the skies break forth in a deluge of water; drops falling like pebbles to the ground. The shock, to those outside, must have been unbearable. Not only did it rain, but the ground erupted with water shooting into the sky hundreds of feet, maybe even thousands of feet, and falling back to the ground with massive erosive impact. Homes, cities, markets, even centers of worship are completely destroyed. The water having no mercy on anything. The people and animals running to high ground trying to flee the disaster, even clawing, crying, and pleading at the sides of the ark as it began to jostle from side to side, as the waters rose, and picked it up from its resting place. Cries for mercy coming much too late. Once the judgment has begun, it is too late.

The rain fell, it pounded, its sound reverberating over the ark, upon the land and echoed through the canyons and valleys. The lightning, thundering were as deafening as the water which burst forth from the ground (v. 11).

While all of this was going on, Noah and his family were safe inside the ark protected by God’s own hand. They were sealed within the ark of safety. It is awesome and glorious to know that we are sealed in Christ Jesus for all eternity;

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 (KJV).

We can also see that it was the LORD God who “shut him in”. While the rain was pouring, and the floods were raging Noah and his family, safe in the ark, were “lifted up above the earth”. God’s saving power is awesome

The ark provides us with a two-fold typology. It represents Christ and the believer being called to abide in Christ and His atoning work. It also provides us with a type of the nation of Israel during “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) also called “the great tribulation”.

Those who during this ‘time of trouble’ are marked by God (Revelation 7:1-8) to proclaim the message of the kingdom, and are protected by God from the raging of the antichrist king (Revelation 12:6). We might make note, that Enoch, being translated, pictures the rapture of the church before the time of trouble.

And They Came

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Genesis 7:1-24 continues…

“Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.” Genesis 7:2-6 (KJV).

After the fall of man the earth was cursed. Not only with weeds in crops and concerning insects, but also in the animal kingdom. Before sin entered the world all the animals were eaters of “straw”, that would include, fruits, vegetables, grass, leaves, etc. (See chapter one, verses 29-30). Some were probably very ferocious animals. Knowing and recognizing this helps us see the faith Noah had in God. The clean beasts – cattle, sheep, goats, etc. – were to come into the ark two by two – male and female, in groups of seven. This was for the purpose of sacrifice, and quite possibly, the provision of meat following the flood. The unclean would come into the ark by twos male and female. It was God’s doing to bring these animals into the ark.

God sent out a call to His selected ones and they came. Can you imagine what the expressions and thoughts of the other people must have been as much of the animal kingdom came to the ark two by two, in an orderly fashion and entered the ark. That alone should have been enough testimony to believe Noah’s preaching. “Maybe that old kook was right, afterall” might have been some of the thoughts going through the minds of many, but nevertheless, it was no good. It would not make any changing impact on them.

The whole line of Seth, except for Enoch, is now dead. Noah, his wife; their sons, and their wives the only living reminders of the holy line of God. Noah’s father died five years before the call for Noah, his family and the animals to enter into the ark. Methuselah dying shortly before the flood comes. Noah is now six hundred years of age.

In verse five we see the works which Noah’s faith produced. “And Noah did according unto all the the LORD commanded him”. How is your faith today? “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” James 2:17 (KJV).

Invitation To Life

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Genesis 7:1-24 continues…

When we search through all of Scripture there are many invitations which God extends. Most of them use the word “Come” including verse one here in our text. The LORD says to Isaiah, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters…” Isaiah 55:1. Jesus says to Peter, Andrew, and James and John, “Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men” Mark 1;17 (KJV).

There is an ivitation in the Beginning book of God, and there is a final one in the final book of God, “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come’. And let him that heareth say, ‘Come’. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” Revelation 22:17 (KJV).

“And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1 (KJV).

Methuselah, God’s last chance before judgment is come, is now dead. He could have died the day this invitation is given to Noah. For 969 years God has been merciful. The darkness of evil has increased upon the earth. For the last 120 years it has progressed at “breakneck” speed. For 100 of those years Noah has been preaching, warning people of God’s coming judgment and preparing the ark for himself and his family.

The ark which Noah built by God’s command is where God’s presence dwelt. The invitation itself gives us clear evidence that God is in the ark. “Come” is the word God uses. It is a call to move in the direction of the One who is speaking; even to move to the exact location of the speaker; who in this case is GOD. Where is God when He speaks the word, “Come”? He is in the ark. The invitation is “Come…into the ark”. He did not say, “Go into the ark”, but “Come” implying very strongly that He Himself was already inside.

We are told that, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Noah had done nothing to deserve this grace. God did not look down on Noah and say, “This man has a good heart”, or “This man has great potential for My glory”; God simply saw him the same way He did all the others and chose to show him grace. He showed him grace, and called him “Righteous”. Before He called Noah “Righteous” the LORD would have Himself paid his sin debt. That is God’s privilege. That is God’s mercy. That is God’s grace. He will have compassion on whom He will have compassion.

The Spirit of Jesus Christ in Noah

/ Tim A. / 3 Comments

Genesis 6:1-22 continuing…

“These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Genesis 6:9-13 (KJV).

Noah is only the second man which the Bible tells us “Walked with God”. Of course, it is implied that Jesus “Walked with God”, because it tells us of Him that He did all things to please His Father.

It is most likely that Noah only began his walk with God after he realized he was a recipient of His grace. That is how most of us have done it. Noah was probably in the like state of all of mankind until our gracious Father spoke to his heart, and he believed God, and God counted it to him for righteousness. I do not believe I am stretching anything by saying this. It is a doctrine taught throughout all of Scripture. “He believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”, and that is even in the New Testament.

Noah’s justness was only due to the grace of God. Justification is done by a decree from God Himself, and is not based on any merit of the recipient. The price has been paid to atone for the sins of the individual receiving the gift of justification. In this case, as in all cases of the giving and receiving of justification God paid the price. God called Noah out of wickedness, and bondage of this world to be a preacher of righteousness and to build the ark for the salvation of mankind.

The three sons of Noah; Shem, Ham and Japheth are thus destined to be the progenitors of all the human race, and races of people and nations.

Verses eleven and twelve tell us of the corruption of the earth, “For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth”. There was no righteousness on the earth except for that of Noah, and that had been given him by the Lord. Noah, then, had a message to proclaim those 100 years he was building on the ark. The building of the ark was a message of itself – a message of warning, of judgment on the way.

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” Heb.11:7.

” For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” 1 Peter 3:18-20 (KJV).

The Spirit of Christ in Noah was present at the preaching of Noah. The message of the ark was a message of condemnation if mankind did not repent, and they did not thus the world of men was destroyed by water. We are warned that the next judgment of the world will be a judgment of fire,

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:9-10

The ark of safety is only in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross, His burial and His resurrection. Believe Him trust Him and you will miss the fire.

The Grief of God

/ Tim A. / 2 Comments

Genesis 6:1-22 continued…

“And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” Genesis 6:6-8 (KJV).

There are some professing Christians who have began holding to a false doctrine called “Open Theism”. It is the belief that God does not know the future any better than you or I do, or maybe just a little better, but that He certainly has no control of it. The world would really be in shambles if that were true.

God was grieved by the sin of mankind. It was sorrow, not surprise that caused Him grief. He had a plan in place, and according to Scripture [all of Scripture combined] He was going to save mankind, and bring their [our] salvation to completeness.

From the time of Adam’s fall to our own day God is holy and cannot allow sin to continue. Sin must be put away. The only way to put away sin is judgment and/or death of the wicked. The LORD has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23, 32), rather He seeks that they turn from their wickedness. However, when He gives atonement for sin and it is rejected there is no more sacrifice for sin, except the death of the wicked, and their eternal torment.

Having mercifully spared; God now prepares to judge. In that God repented only means that He sorrowed because of sin, and His hatred for evil. We know that God is Omniscient, ie., All-Knowing.

Wickedness covers the earth. Even with the restraining of God’s Spirit mankind gets progressively more wicked. When the restraint of the Spirit is removed wickedness progresses at great speed. When we see wickedness progressing very quickly we must acknowledge the fact, that God’s judgment is not far away. It is time to repent, turn to God and be saved.

If you will notice the judgment in Genesis six includes the destruction of all who are living – with the exception of eight people and animals in a certain lot.

God gives one family who is spared from His wrath. It is said that this man “Found grace in the eyes of the LORD”. This one He chose out of chaos, out of a cesspool of sin and iniquity, out of all the wickedness of man. There was obviously nothing great about Noah. He was only chosen by God’s grace. God, the LORD, did not have to choose anyone, but for His promise of a Redeemer.

“Grace” means “Unmerited’ or ‘undeserved favor”. When God chose Noah by grace, Noah “believed God” (Hebrews 11:7) and built the ark and “walked with God” (v. 9). It is important for us to remember that the only ones who are saved are the ones whom God chooses. We have no idea whom He will choose so we must be faithful (those of us who are chosen) to proclaim the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ to all with whom we are brought in contact.

Noah, by the grace of God, was chosen to preserve the human race and, God through Noah would bring a Savior into the world that we might be saved. God’s righteousness, holiness, and grace is really something amazing. That He could hate sin, and be the atonement for sin at the same time boggles our minds. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Days of Evil Imagination

/ Tim A. / 1 Comment

Genesis 6:1-22 continued…

” There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:4-5 (KJV).

Around the time the sons of Seth began to marry the daughters of Cain – the godly joining with the godless – there were “Giants in the earth”. It is clear that the “Giants” were here previous to the “Sons of God came unto the daughters of men”. These certainly may have been of great physical stature, but the gist of this seems to be their opposition to that which is holy. The MacArthur Study Bible note for verse four states

“giants. The word nephilim is from a root meaning ‘to fall,’ indicating that they were strong men who ‘fell’ on others in the sense of overpowering them (the only other use of this term is in Num. 13:53). They were already in the earth when the ‘mighty men’ and ‘men of renown’ were born. The fallen ones are not the offspring from the union of 6:1,2.”

These “Giants” are not the children of the mixed marriages. Note, “and also after that…” After the giants are “in the earth”. Who are the giants? There is no certain way to know. Greek mythology might give us an answer. The stories of Zeus, Hara, etc., must have began around this time. Stories which would have been started by the ungodly and inspired by the devil to lead people astray. There was such evil in the earth that according to verse three God was withholding the restraint of His Spirit. It is interesting to note, that, God does not reveal to us what kinds of wickedness was in the earth. He will not oblige the enemy by such things. He only says, “The wickedness of man was great..”, and “great” not meaning a wonderful thing, but rather a putrid stinch, and “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually.” Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” Matthew 24:37-38 (KJV). In the days before He comes Jesus says it will be like the days just before the flood.

Here are at least a couple of reasons I do not see the “Sons of God” as being fallen angels marrying the daughters of men: 1) Previous to this chapter we are given two genealogies, the first of which is that of Cains, and the second that of Seth; one is ungodly the other godly – the Holy Spirit’s way of inspiration to show us that their are two different people groups, not by race, but morally. 2) Angels, the good ones or the fallen ones cannot marry according to Jesus, “in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” Matthew 22:30 and Mark 12:25 (KJV); with the implication being Angels do not marry. When we look at verse five it begs me to ask, “Do we really need the help of wicked angels to be made more wicked?” Mankind left to himself would eventually destroy himself and the universe with it.

We can look around us today. If we believe these to be the “Last days”, then, we can see many similarities between the time before the flood and now. How sad it is to know that wicked men reject God, His Word, and want only to live their lives their own way; without God and, because of their rejection be eternally condemned to the fires of Hell. Contrary to what the wicked may think God is not the villian; He is our only salvation.

The Ignored Spirit of God

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Genesis 6:1-22 continued…

“And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3 (KJV).

The LORD looking down upon the human race of that day was not pleased with what He saw. It did not surprise Him. He was not shocked by it. He has “foreknowledge”, and so this all really was fitting well with His plan.

The word “Strive” means to contend; to minister judgment; to judge; to rule, etc.. The ministry and work of God’s Spirit is to not only draw people to God, but also to restrain evil.

If the Holy Spirit ceases to work with man the end is judgment. When the Spirit withdraws from an individual or a group they are left to themselves to work havoc and ruin. There are many who think that man is basically good; that is a grave and evil error; a tragic mistake that has eternal consequences. If it were not for God’s Spirit the “Total depravity” of man would be so clearly seen, by any who are holy, our society today would look like utopia. Mankind is ‘totally depraved’. Without God we would be completely without hope. The only reason man is not as evil as he could be is because of the Holy Spirit’s restraining power –

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way” 2 Thessalonians 2:7 (KJV).

There are many who do not even realize the Spirit of God is working today. I am sure that many of them did not realize during this day we are viewing in Scripture. The time we perceive the withdrawing of the Spirit it could be too late for renewal – not on God’s part but man’s.  At the time of Noah we see God allowing/giving 120 years for people to repent, and return to the worship and fellowship of God. One hundred twenty years to repent.

When God’s Spirit withdraws mankind becomes more and more wicked, and gets further and further away from God. Man begins to deny God, deny His existence, and begins to believe man can solve his own problems without God. Those who reach this point will say something along the line, “We don’t need God. What has he ever done for us?” They will find a day when they will be crying against Him, and crying for the rocks, the mountains to fall on them, to hide them from the Son of God. That is what happens after the Spirit has striven with man and they pay Him no mind or heart.

Problem With Mixed Marriages

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Genesis 6:1-22 continuing…

In chapter four we had the story of the genealogy of Cain, and that was following his murdering his brother Abel. Cain’s record is a record of the ungodly. “Cain went out from the presence of the LORD…” (4:16). The New Testament speaks of Cain as being one who hated God; Jude 11 mentions “the way of Cain” that would be not to seek the Lord, and attempt his own way of worship. First John chapter three and verse twelve tells us, “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”

In chapter five we have the story of the genealogy of Seth, “The Appointed”, and within it the story of redemption and the glory of God. Its story runs from Seth through Noah, and includes his three sons; Shem, Ham and Japheth.

It is my conclusion that since we have the genealogies of Cain and Seth here – back to back so to speak – that chapter six is referring to the Cainites as producing the “Daughters of men”, and the “Sons of God” are reference to the lineage of Seth. That does not give us a real bright picture of Seth’s sons, but that is how I will be presenting this.

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” Genesis 6:1-2 (KJV).

In looking at this we have to take it back to even before the lineage of Cain is given. It was then that people were beginning to populate the earth. We must remember that Adam and Eve had other children other than what is written in the pages in the early chapters of Genesis. With Cain and Seth we are given the truth of God that there are generally two types of people on the earth. Those who love God, because they have themselves received God’s love for them; and then, there are those like Cain who had no heart for God. This is the story that must be seen if we are to believe that men/women are accounted for their actions.

The women or “daughters of men” must have been very alluring, attractive, and seductive. Sometimes even the best of men will fall for something of beauty. These daughters of men, being from the lineage of Cain would, most likely, had no problem deceiving, luring, and lying to the sons of God, in order to achieve what they desired, thus luring many of them away from God. Those men who are named in the godly line of Seth were probably the ones who maintained somewhat of a fellowship with God, the LORD. It this is all there were, then, wickedness would surely have had a strangle hold on their society.

There are some who believe that the “sons of God” are fallen angels, as those mentioned in Jude 6, “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day”, and also they refer to Job 1:6 and 2:1 where it says, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.”, and 2:1 stating, “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.” My question concerning this idea is, What would an angel, even a fallen angel, see in the “daughters of men”? There is no problem with seeing these “sons of God” as being from the lineage of Seth. As a matter of fact it solves a whole passel of problems. I am not going to deal with the matter of the angels here, because I do not see them as being involved in this text.

You could call the joining of the godly line with the ungodly line a case of “Mixed Marriages”. That is forbidden by God in the Scriptures today, though, there would have been no law concerning the matter in the early parts of the Beginning. Surely some sense of decency and thoughts of right and wrong would have been there, but maybe not. God now definitely forbids the Christian from marrying a non Christian. There are far too many “Mixed Marriages” in our society and it could be a death knell to the family. We are told in the New Testament,

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 (KJV).

Now there are many people who have heard this taught and preached again and again. Young ladies who know better, professing to be Christian; marry a man who is the dream of her life, but he is not a Christian, and she finds out later that life with this man is a nightmare, they cannot agree on much, if anything, and he gets more and more rebellious toward the things of God as life goes along. In some rare cases the man comes to faith in Christ, and things can get better. God does not approve of Mixed Marriages concerning faith.

Noah, “Rest”

/ Tim A. / 4 Comments

Genesis 5:1-32 Conclusion.

“And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 5:31-32 (KJV).

Now we have come to the final link in this genealogy. That is Noah. Noah’s name means “Rest”. There is an intended message to be given to the then world, which was about to perish; yes!!! Though it were over five hundred years from the time of Noah’s birth to the time of the flood; I say they were about to perish.

Allow me to give you the ages of these men once again. Adam is now dead, having died when Lamech was 56 years of age. At the birth of Noah Seth would also have been dead for 14 years having died at the age of 912. Enos is 821 years of age; Cainan is 731; Mahalaleel 661; Jared 596; Enoch was translated at the age of 365, or 69 years before Noah was born; Methuselah 369; Lamech being 182 years old when his son Noah is born. Remember, this is the godly line of Seth through which God offered the then sinful people much grace. For holy God to be so full of mercy and endure such wickedness on the earth show to us His much patience.

There are some who proudly call themselves “Bible Scholars” who deny the historicity of these first eleven chapters of Genesis, and even all of the book of Genesis. We must realize that these men named, having sons, and naming them, along with their ages at the birth of the son, and their ages at the time of death; surely confirm the reality and history of these people. Was there a real Adam and Eve? The Bible confirms their reality; first in Genesis 2 and 3, then by Luke in the genealogy of Jesus and His birth (Luke 3:38). Paul mentions Adam as being the “First man” (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:45, 47). If Adam was only an allegory, analogy, myth, then Jesus and Paul; as well as other reputable historians of that day would have debunked that from the beginning.

Jesus Himself quoted the scripture which God gave to Adam and Eve concerning marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6). Jesus also gave reference to Noah (Matthew 24:37); of whom if he had not been a actual historical being Jesus would have exposed it for the falsehood that it was. However, Adam was an actual man, created by God in God’s image. Noah, too, was a historical being, and we will address him further in a later writing. Jesus would not have supported or encouraged the teaching of myth.

If there was a Noah, then there was also a Lamech, whose father was Methuselah; whose father was Enoch, and was translated; whose father was Jared; whose father was Mahalaleel; whose father was Cainan; whose father was Enos; whose father was Seth; whose father was Adam, whose Maker and Father is God.

Lamech died at the age of 777. This was only about 5 years before the great flood. Not one man named in this holy lineage of Seth lived to see the flood. All died – look at the scriptures – the birth of each one ends with, “and he died”. So do we all unto this day. All died with the exception of Enoch who was “translated”, and Noah, who did not die in the flood, but was lifted above it (7:17); but even Noah died.

Noah means “Rest”. At the age of five hundred Noah is called by God to build and ark. Somewhere, in and around his fifth century of life God gives him three sons.

God uses Noah to deliver hmankind from destruction. It is quite possible that during the hundred years Noah was building the ark that his father, Lamech, Methuselah, and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth helped in its building. Lemech and Methuselah were the only remaining two named in this lineage.

Noah was also a preacher (1 Peter 3:18-20), warning his neighbors, relatives and family of the impending judgment from God coming on the whole earth. Some today tell us that the disease of AIDS could not be, and is not, judgment from God, because of all the innocent children who are afflicted by it, and the supposed “innocent” who are afflicted by it through blood supplies and other means. What about the flood? Was it or was it not judgment from God? Maybe it was just due to a previous affliction of “Global warming”, or “Global cooling”. Not at all. Were there young and “innocent” children who died in the flood? You and I both know that there were. All diseases and sickness are a direct result of Adam’s and Eve’s sin of rebellion in the garden of Eden. Let us never forget that. There is judgment for our sins and those of our children.

There are none who are sinless in God’s eyes (Romans 3:10, 23). There is only one sinless person who ever lived; and we couldn’t stand Him, and we nailed Him to a tree, and there He died. We deserve the wrath of God. In and by His mercy and grace He has chosen to save some. In that we can find rest for our souls.

God has provided an ark of salvation. That ark is none other than Jesus Christ and His shed blood; shed to make atonement for our souls (Hebrews 4:9).

Here is the meaning of their names all in one line – “Appointed”, “Mortal”, “Sorrow”, “Blessed God”, “Descended”, “Experienced”, “Judgment – Death which would bring”, “Strength”, “Rest”. Is the Gospel message in those words?

Lamech, “Strength”

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Genesis 5:1-32 continued…

“And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:” Genesis 5:28-30 (KJV).

Notice, Adam at Lamech’s birth would now be 874 years of age; Seth is 744; Enos is 639; Cainan 549; Mahalaleel 479; Jared is 414; Enoch 259 – he would have been walking with the LORD at this time for 194 years; Notice that these men are all still living at the time of Lamech’s birth.

Lamech is the second of such names in chapters 4 and 5. The first mentioned is the seventh in the lineage of Cain. He is a murderer; a destroyer (4:17-24), and he defies God’s direction concerning marriage by taking two wives.

Lamech of Seth’s lineage is the son of Methuselah and the father of Noah. What a wonderful place/position to be born: between God’s judgment and His rest.

Lamech means “Destroyer/Strength”. Certainly in Lamech of Seth he is strength. It would be the strength of God. It is clear from the scriptural text concerning Lamech of Cain that he was a destroyer.

There is strength for all who will follow the direction of God and walk in His peace.

Methuselah, “Judgment”

/ Tim A. / 2 Comments

Genesis 5:1-32 continuing…

“And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.” Genesis 5:25-27 (KJV).

At the birth of Methuselah; Adam is now 687 years of age; Seth is 557; Enos 452; Cainan 362; Mahalaleel 292; and Jared is 227.

It is a difficult task to separate Enoch from Methuselah. The Scriptures lead us to believe that God warned Enoch of a coming judgment through His son Methuselah. It is after the birth of his son, that Enoch ‘walked with God’. The time Enoch walked with God was greater than the time before Methuselah.

Methuselah was given as a warning, a sign of coming judgment upon a godless, immoral, decadent world. The many sons and daughters of these antedilubians, which are not mentioned, along with the descendants of Cain had began falling into great wickedness.

The surrounding scriptural evidence is what we have to show us that wickedness was great on the earth. Chapter 5 provides us an “Island” of hope in a sea of madness“. God always has a people of His own who make a difference, and whom He uses to deliver humankind from evils deadly snares.

This man; Methuselah lived longer than any other. His name means “Man of the dart”, “When he is dead it shall be sent”, or “Death which would bring”, or to put it in short, “Judgment”. What judgment is being spoken of ? It could only be one. That of the global flood. Is it any wonder why Enoch walked with God? It is not certain that Enoch knew what type of judgment God would send on the earth, nor when it would come, but Enoch believed God.

Enoch would not live, on earth, to see the great deluge to come. He would be translated [raptured] 300 years after the birth of his son. Six hundred sixty nine years later a flood which covered the whole sphere of the earth would destroy every breathing living thing, except those protected on God’s ark.

Oh, take a look at God’s wonderful, marvelous grace He puts on display through His servant Methuselah. He gave the world 969 years to turn to Him, but they would not. The very year, and it could be, even, the very week that Noah entered the ark, this son of Enoch died. Thus, making “When he is dead it shall be sent” a very powerful warning. Could there be a Methuselah in our day who is an example of God’s grace? There is. It is the Church. It is everyone who names the name of Christ, and lives for His glory. When the Church is gone; Then comes the judgment upon the people of the earth.

God does not send judgment until He first sends a messenger who warns of His judgment coming – “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 (KJV).

O, the pure grace of God is efficient for all who will come to Him.

Enoch, “The Experienced One”

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Genesis 5:1-32 continuing…

“And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:21-24 (KJV).

The name ‘Enoch’ is a wonderful name. It is not only an easy name to pronounce, but it also has a great meaning. He is one of two men the Bible mentions as having “Walked with God”. That would be quite the experience. You know what? That is the meaning of the name, ‘Enoch’ – “The Experienced one”.

Adam is now 622 years of age at Enoch’s birth; Seth is 492; Enos 387; Cainan 297; Mahalaleel 227. My these men are old.

There is much more said of Enoch; in this genealogy; than any other until we get to Noah. Enoch was one who had a very personal experience with God. Other than Noah, he is the only one of whom it is said, “…Walked with God”. “And Enoch walked with God…”, and it says of Noah, “and Noah walked with God (6:9). If God were to place that on my tombstone that would be a great honor.

Let’s look at the time when “Enoch walked with God”. Enoch was 65 years of age when Methuselah was born. It is written that, “Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years…” The name of his son was a prophecy which inspired Enoch to “Walk with God”.

Something very special happened to Enoch. Of the others in this Adamic lineage, Enoch is the only one of whom it is not said, “and he died”, but it is said of Enoch, which cannot be said of any other except those who will go in the rapture, “…he was not; for God took Him”. The writer of Hebrews states it this way, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Hebrews 11:5 (KJV). Clearly and simply the Word of God tells us that Enoch did not die. He “Experienced” Rapture, a snatching away, a parousia. Where did he go? With God. This is the destiny of all who will walk with God. Amos the prophet asked the question, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3. There is no walking with God if you are not in agreement with Him.

If we are to walk with God we must agree with Him that His Son Jesus is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”, and He is the one who said, “no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). Enoch means “Experienced”, and what a wonderful life he experienced. We can too.

Jared, “Descent”

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Genesis 5:1-32 continuing…

“And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.” Genesis 5:18-20 (KJV).

I may be a little redundant giving you the ages of these men, but I find it fascinating that at this period of time they would live so long. Here the ages of these men are at the time of the birth of Jared – another easy name. Adam has now reached the age of 460 years, Seth 330 years, Enos 225 years, and Cainan 135 years of age. Quite the tribute to the endurance of mankind??? Not hardly. More a tribute to the mercy and grace of God Almighty; Creator of all living.

Knowing the age of Adam’s death we can see that he is approaching the halfway point of his life. The days increase and death sneaks up. We do not know when. Whether we live 930 years or a mere 80 years only God knows the day and hour of our physical demise.

In Jared there is hope of deliverance. A word from God. A hope. Something, that God Something; inspired Mahalaleel to name his son ‘Jared’. A descending of God to the level of man, “yet without sin” (“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Heb 4:15 (KJV) was a hope for every godly person even before the deluge.

Jared means “A descent” or “Came down”. That is exactly what God did on the day Jesus was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary. God came down to be like us, “Yet without sin”.

Mahalaleel – “Blessed God”

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Genesis 5:1-32 continues…

“And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.” Genesis 5:15-17 (KJV).

These names are awesome aren’t they? Adam was easy; Seth is easy, Enos is easy, Cainan, starts getting a little dificult, and now we have Mahalaleel. How do you pronounce that. I just pronounce it the way it looks. The important thing is to see the meaning of the name. Its meaning in the LORD God’s plan of redemption. The name Mahalaleel means, “Blessed God” or “Praise of God”.

At the birth of Mahalaleel Adam was certainly aging, and we hope gracefully; he was now 395 years of age, Seth was 265 years of age, and Enos was 160 young years of age.

They saw the blessing of the LORD God in Mahalaleel, and praised the Lord for His wonderful mercy and grace. The human race has not ceased to exist. God continues His promise of a Redeemer. In our world today (2007) there are many evidences of God’s grace, love and mercy. We see it in the faces of new born babies. We see it in the creation on and in which we live – everyday you see the sunrise you have the hope of a future when you are in Christ. We see hope in the stars of the heavens declaring the glory of the LORD God.

We have much for which to be thankful. Just open your eyes and look. Look, especially to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Blessed God and the Praise of God.

Cainan and “Sorrow”

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Genesis 5:1-32 continued…

“And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.” Genesis 5:12-14 (KJV).

At the time of the birth of Cainan Adam had reached the ripe old age of 325 years, and Seth was the young age of 195 years. I personally believe these are literal years, and not the length of family duration or however some try to explain it. The reason I mention that is; when I was a Freshman in High School at Cassville, Missouri we had a teacher who boldly proclaimed to us one morning, “The ages of those men in the early part of Genesis could not be their actual age, it had to mean something else”. I am not sure that is a word for word statement, it has been about 39 years since she made it, but it is pretty close. I did not agree with her then, and I certainly do not now.

The genealogy of the LORD God’s plan of redemption continues. God’s amazing grace is quite prominent, yet man is beginning to see the sorrow of sin more and more and its dark agony, and sorrow. Cainan means “Sorrow”. If only the people of the earth would open their eyes, and see their true and sad estate; maybe their sorrow would drive them to God; but then, maybe not.

When you see your sad estate in life, and that is that you are dying, that you have an eternity to spend somewhere in one of two places; one is where Jesus is, and the other is where only His wrath is.  To choose where Jesus is you must Choose Jesus, and trust His finished work on the cross, believing that He died for your sins, was buried, and that He bodily rose from the grave and is alive forever more. 

Family With a Message

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Genesis 5:1-32…

As we saw in chapter four Cain killed Abel due to jealousy, and probably bitterness due to God’s acceptance of Abel’s offering and not his. It would seem that, Cain had offered to God an improper attitude. He had offered to God an improper offering. He had offered to God an offering of the flesh, rather than an offering of blood. God had given Cain opportunity to repent, but he refused. He ended up murdering Abel, then trying to hide it from the Lord. Because of this deed; Cain goes out from the presence of the LORD God.

In several ways Cain’s family counterfeits the godly line. We mentioned those in the study of the last chapter and I will not do it again here.

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died” Genesis 5:1-5 (KJV).

It would have been a very sad day for Adam and Eve when they had found out Cain had killed Abel. Then, it became sad when they knew that Cain was out of the presence of the LORD God. We are retold about the creation of the man and woman in the ‘Likeness of God’. How their hopes for redemption must have flown away. They were sinners in need of a redeemer, and now their sons were gone. Tragedy in the first family, but God was not finished yet.

There are times in all our lives, just like with Adam and Eve, when we have feelings of God’s desertion. He never deserts us. We have His promise on that. Why would Adam and Eve feel that way now. By the naming of Cain they could have had an idea that this was their source of redemption. His name in Hebrew ‘Kahyin’ can be fixed upon or a play on another Hebrew word ‘kawnaw’ for redemption. I am not trying to be a Hebrew scholar. I know nothing of the Hebrew language. The words are taken from the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Mine is without the Hebrew rendering of the word. I am only saying this is a possibility. It does seem that the name Cain was given as a hope for them in having a soon coming redeemer. With Cain away and out of the presence of the LORD God, and Abel dead they needed more hope.

When Adam was one hundred and thirty years old God gave them another son, which they named “Seth”, which started a godly line. There is a Family Message given in these names. I will not point it out except just to give you the meaning of their names. Remember in the times of Scripture peoples names had meaning. They were given the name they had for a reason. Notice too, that, Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. This is important to remember because they all had spouses.

The godly line was to continue through Seth. His name means “Appointed”. God desires a godly line to bring a perfect salvation for mankind. You will notice that in chapter four verse twenty six Seth has a son named “Enos” whose name means “Mortal man”. This, “then began men to call upon the name of the LORD”. By placing them here before the genealogy of Adam seems to be saying to us that this was when they really began to see they were only mortal beings. They had seen death.

God desires mankind to be trustful and worshipful of Him, certainly not in self.

This third son mentioned, is said to be “a son in his [Adam’s} own likeness”. This may certainly mean in form, but it must most assuredly mean in the likeness of his spirit and attitude toward God as well. Although, Adam now had a sinful nature, his heart was turned toward the LORD for his salvation. It would appear that the following genealogy shows each ‘in his likeness’ in physical form as well as in spirit.

There are some who wonder where Cain got his wife (4:17), and where these other sons got their wives. The answer is that Adam and Eve had sons and daughters. There were others other than Cain and Abel and Seth, and the only conclusion one can reach, if we are to believe the Bible to be true, and I do; is to believe that in the beginning of the human God had brothers and sisters joining together in marriage.

There is no way of knowing how many sons and daughters Adam and Eve had, but there were many. Look at the ages of these people when they finally died. Adam was nine hundred and thirty [930]. That is not a misprint. There are some who doubt the ages of these men before the flood. But then, most of those doubt the flood ever happened too. If we begin to doubt these ages we would be casting doubt on the whole of the Word of God. If it is fallible and errant in its ages of men, it could certainly be unreliable in spiritual matters as well. Why is it so difficult to believe that a perfect earth, unpolluted, and unspoiled would allow men to live for centuries, rather than decades? Adam lived less than one thousand years. He did not live out one day in God’s sight; “For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night” (Psalm 90:4); and it is also written, “But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). This just simply shows us that time is of no consequence to God. He is over it and has control of it as far as we are concerned.

Adam died at the age of 930 years, and that is far short of the eternal life which God created man to experience. Let me assure you that you will live eternally somewhere. Will it be God’s ordained place in His presence, or in the place He prepared for the devil and his angels?

Out of the Presence

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Genesis 4:1-26 continuing…

“And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden” Genesis 4:13-16 (KJV).

Some things to note concerning the curse of Cain:

  • He is marked by God;
  • He becomes a fugitive;
  • He is out of God’s presence – this does not, however, mean that God does not know what Cain is doing – Cain cannot come into God’s favor;
  • He can no longer harvest food from the ground – anything he would sow would not serve any purpose. It would amount to nothing.

It seems that Cain was more overwhelmed by the loss of his crops, than he was not being in God’s presence any longer. First John 2:15 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him”, he is therefore “out from the presence of God”. What a sad estate for a man, woman, boy or girl to find themselves. To become so hung up on the world and its “Pleasures” to forget about God and be “Out of the presence of the LORD”.

You will notice that it was Cain who went out from the presence of the LORD. When we find ourselves out of God’s presence it is not because He has moved; but we have. All it takes to get back into His presence is to go back to where we got out. Not necessarily a place, but an heart attitude.

Your Brother’s Blood

/ Tim A. / 4 Comments

 Genesis 4:1-26 continuing…

“And 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 slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth” Genesis 4:8-12 (KJV).

It would be great if we knew what Cain talked about with Abel, but we do not. It almost seems that by his talking he lures Abel out into the field. Cain is identified in 1 John 3:12 as a child of the devil and the devil is a liar – “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” 1 John 3:11-12 (KJV); he is also a thief and a murderer. Jude 11 says, “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core” (KJV). There is almost no doubt that Cain murdered Abel in premeditation – meaning he had planned it, then, attempted to cover it.

The question asked Cain by God is similar to the one He asked Adam. We have a distinct picture of being given personal responsibilities. God is concerned that we care for our spiritual, personal relation to Him, and that we have concern for our fellow man.

“Am I by brother’s keeper?” was Cain’s denial to God that he had done anything, or knew anything about Abel. I guess Cain did not hear it. The blood of Abel was crying out. God already knew Abel was dead the ground was weeping for the blood shed of Abel. The blood is the life of the flesh (Lev. 17:11). It was Abel’s blood, his life, his testimony that cried out to God. When an innocent life is taken the murderer may escape the justice systems of man, but none can escape God’s justice, because “The blood is the life of the flesh.” God knows every drop of blood – especially the blood of man that is shed.

Because of the murder Cain is cursed by God. He will no longer be able to reap a crop. God seems to be saying, “I will not give you any increase”, as a matter of fact; that is what He is saying to Cain. He is to be a wanderer, having no roots, no basic area of his own. He is a fugitive from God.

The death penalty is given later on by God, for human government to carry out upon murderers. It could be asked, ‘Why didn’t God take Cain’s life?’ We cannot be certain. It could be because there had been no law given concerning the taking of human life. However, his continuing to live may be a reminder to us of God’s grace and mercy. The type of life Cain lived also reminds us of God’s judgment upon sin.