"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." v. 11
Read chapter 7.
What earth's atmosphere was like pre-flood is completely different than what we see today. There was a water canopy around the earth that we see here break open to cause rain for forty days and nights. This water canopy can be thought of like a greenhouse affect and reason why people lived so long or why dinosaurs were so huge. Also we see the great deep fountains broken up causing rain from below too like a flooding which would then lead to volcanic eruptions, moving of plates, tsunamis, etc. So more than just a heave rain that didn't stop, but the earthy was reformed completely. Yet so much beauty came of such a destructive thing. What is the most beautiful thing in creation you've seen? What "floods" in `your life have later caused a reformation into beauty?
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Genesis 6
"There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterwards, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men and bore children to them. Those were the might men who were of old, men of renown." v.4
Read chapter 4.
The Hebrew word for giants here is Nephilim. These nephilim were half human and half angel from the result of fallen angels impregnating women (v.2). The very next verse says that the Lord saw the wickedness of man, so the nephilim weren't a good thing that happened. Satan was trying to destroy man's race so that the Savior couldn't come (see Genesis 3:15). We see that Noah's bloodline hadn't been corrupted (v.9), so big reason why he was saved. Yet this verse four says the nephilim were also afterwards (of the flood), so wasn't just a one time thing, but gives reason to why we see later in the Old Testament why whole nations/cities were to be destroyed. Some also say the nephilim is where Greek mythology comes from of these "mighty men." Men with crazy powers and strength. This seems obscure, make believed, abstract, but it's in the Bible and therefore truth. How does this make you believe of things in the past and of the spiritual realm?
Read chapter 4.
The Hebrew word for giants here is Nephilim. These nephilim were half human and half angel from the result of fallen angels impregnating women (v.2). The very next verse says that the Lord saw the wickedness of man, so the nephilim weren't a good thing that happened. Satan was trying to destroy man's race so that the Savior couldn't come (see Genesis 3:15). We see that Noah's bloodline hadn't been corrupted (v.9), so big reason why he was saved. Yet this verse four says the nephilim were also afterwards (of the flood), so wasn't just a one time thing, but gives reason to why we see later in the Old Testament why whole nations/cities were to be destroyed. Some also say the nephilim is where Greek mythology comes from of these "mighty men." Men with crazy powers and strength. This seems obscure, make believed, abstract, but it's in the Bible and therefore truth. How does this make you believe of things in the past and of the spiritual realm?
Monday, January 5, 2015
Genesis 5
"So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." vv. 23-24
Read chapter 5.
Only Enoch and Elijah ever had this experience where they didn't die but were taken to be with God in His presence. Everyone else faces death. This seems to show that death isn't the entrance to heaven but death is a return to the dust we were made from (Genesis 3:19). What do you think it means that he "walked with God"? I'd think that he lived a life of fellowship and obedience with God daily like a walk, not just a one time sprint. We also learn a bit more of Enoch in Hebrews 11:5-6 that he pleased God and sought Him diligently and believed that He is. Oh how I desire to be where Enoch is right now, but as Paul seemed to have a choice to depart and be with God and chose to stay to continue in his ministry, so I (although not having been offered to depart and be with Him) must think of my ministry and give my all in every day with the Lord. How 'bout you?
Read chapter 5.
Only Enoch and Elijah ever had this experience where they didn't die but were taken to be with God in His presence. Everyone else faces death. This seems to show that death isn't the entrance to heaven but death is a return to the dust we were made from (Genesis 3:19). What do you think it means that he "walked with God"? I'd think that he lived a life of fellowship and obedience with God daily like a walk, not just a one time sprint. We also learn a bit more of Enoch in Hebrews 11:5-6 that he pleased God and sought Him diligently and believed that He is. Oh how I desire to be where Enoch is right now, but as Paul seemed to have a choice to depart and be with God and chose to stay to continue in his ministry, so I (although not having been offered to depart and be with Him) must think of my ministry and give my all in every day with the Lord. How 'bout you?
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Genesis 4
"Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife and she conceived and bore Enoch." vv. 16-17
Read chapter 4.
So where did Cain's wife come from? It was his sister of course! Adam and Eve lived a long long time (Adam 930 years), so you can imagine plenty of time to have many children. It wasn't incest back then. Think about their genes being so close to perfection with Adam and Eve that they didn't see the problems we see today. If we believe that Adam and Eve were the only men created by God, than this being his sister would have to be the case. There weren't other "Adams and Eves" on other parts of the earth that eventually meet up. Another interesting thing to notice in this verse is that Cain was in God's presence still even though not in Eden after his parents had been kicked out. God still communed with them! What are some doubts or questions or thoughts you have of how the world was first populated and what the people were like?
Read chapter 4.
So where did Cain's wife come from? It was his sister of course! Adam and Eve lived a long long time (Adam 930 years), so you can imagine plenty of time to have many children. It wasn't incest back then. Think about their genes being so close to perfection with Adam and Eve that they didn't see the problems we see today. If we believe that Adam and Eve were the only men created by God, than this being his sister would have to be the case. There weren't other "Adams and Eves" on other parts of the earth that eventually meet up. Another interesting thing to notice in this verse is that Cain was in God's presence still even though not in Eden after his parents had been kicked out. God still communed with them! What are some doubts or questions or thoughts you have of how the world was first populated and what the people were like?
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Genesis 3
"[The serpent] said to the woman, ' Has God indeed said...' And the woman said, ' 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.' So...she took of its fruit and ate.'" vv. 1-6
Read chapter 3.
Oh the LIE and the FALL of mankind. So many things happened right here yet this lie is probably the #1 lie still believed today, causing men to sin. Lets dig into this a little deeper. Satan turns God's words around as we compare to what God actually said in chapter two. First we see Satan putting doubt in Eve's mind, "Has God indeed said..." This causing Eve to doubt God's word if she really understands it. Then we see Eve add to God's word, "nor shall you touch it." This isn't what we see recorded in chapter two. It seems a harmless addition but God condemns people that add to His word in other parts of scripture. Plus it's still not true even if it's not a "bad" thing. Lastly we see Eve multiply the punishment "lest you die" than "dying you will die." Once Eve ate of the fruit death would start working in her and as we see she doesn't drop dead, but dies hundreds of years later. So this doubt, add and multiply of God's word ends in the fall of mankind. So too today, if we don't know God's word and let it cause doubt if it's true, if we make up what we think God would say and if we change what He says, we'll fall to Satan's lies too. A lie so similar to truth is still a lie. So how well do you know God's word and what lies of His truth has led you to sin?
Oh the LIE and the FALL of mankind. So many things happened right here yet this lie is probably the #1 lie still believed today, causing men to sin. Lets dig into this a little deeper. Satan turns God's words around as we compare to what God actually said in chapter two. First we see Satan putting doubt in Eve's mind, "Has God indeed said..." This causing Eve to doubt God's word if she really understands it. Then we see Eve add to God's word, "nor shall you touch it." This isn't what we see recorded in chapter two. It seems a harmless addition but God condemns people that add to His word in other parts of scripture. Plus it's still not true even if it's not a "bad" thing. Lastly we see Eve multiply the punishment "lest you die" than "dying you will die." Once Eve ate of the fruit death would start working in her and as we see she doesn't drop dead, but dies hundreds of years later. So this doubt, add and multiply of God's word ends in the fall of mankind. So too today, if we don't know God's word and let it cause doubt if it's true, if we make up what we think God would say and if we change what He says, we'll fall to Satan's lies too. A lie so similar to truth is still a lie. So how well do you know God's word and what lies of His truth has led you to sin?
Friday, January 2, 2015
Genesis 2
"It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." v.18
Read chapter 2.
God desires relationships, not only with Him but with others as well and in a marriage relationship. He knows it's not good for man to be alone although many people sometimes think they'd be better off that way. He even knows which comparable helper is perfect for each man and woman. Adam didn't know what he was necessarily longing for since Eve wasn't even created when he was naming all the creatures and when that was all done his helper still wasn't found. Yet God blessed him and brought Adam something far better than he'd ever seen, Eve. So too with us longing for that deep intimate relationship for a husband or wife and when seems all hope is given up, we have to trust God that He'll not leave us alone and has someone perfect for us. Having patience when all else seems hopeless. How do you deal with loneliness either in or out of marriage?
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Genesis 1
"Then God saw everything that He had made and indeed it was very good." v.31
Read chapter 1.
"TOV" the Hebrew word for 'good.' It's used seven times in this first chapter of the Bible. God refers to everything He created as 'tov' meaning good, beautiful, "working the way it was created to." And when He gets to creating man and woman He says "VERY TOV." Like we're His masterpiece! Also notice that He didn't create disease, death, harm, poisoness plants, salvage beasts, etc. These harmful plants, animals, UV rays are all a result after the fall, but originally all tov. It's hard to picture what this creation week looked like and we can't really know how long the world was tov until the fall, but we do know that there will be a New Heavens and New Earth that seem to be similar to this (compare Genesis 1 with Revelation 22 the very first and very last chapters of the Bible). God is still creating us- He didn't just stop working day 6. You are VERY TOV to Him. Can you grasp that?!
Read chapter 1.
"TOV" the Hebrew word for 'good.' It's used seven times in this first chapter of the Bible. God refers to everything He created as 'tov' meaning good, beautiful, "working the way it was created to." And when He gets to creating man and woman He says "VERY TOV." Like we're His masterpiece! Also notice that He didn't create disease, death, harm, poisoness plants, salvage beasts, etc. These harmful plants, animals, UV rays are all a result after the fall, but originally all tov. It's hard to picture what this creation week looked like and we can't really know how long the world was tov until the fall, but we do know that there will be a New Heavens and New Earth that seem to be similar to this (compare Genesis 1 with Revelation 22 the very first and very last chapters of the Bible). God is still creating us- He didn't just stop working day 6. You are VERY TOV to Him. Can you grasp that?!
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