The Blood Sacrifice

 

Genesis 3-6

This week we want to look at the importance of marriage, a Godly home, and choices. What comparisons can we make to our lives today?

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skin and clothed the. Genesis3:21

God told Adam and Eve that if they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would die. They both disobeyed and now were spiritually dead. They made a terrible choice. But… as always, God had a plan. It would involve another choice. An innocent animal would be sacrificed for their bad choices. They would need to decide to accept the clothes dripping with the blood of the sacrifice or continue to try to get fig leaves to stay together. This time they made a good choice, accepting the sacrifice but there were still consequences. Even though their spiritual life had been restored, they would still die physically.

Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Adam and Eve brought their children up in the Lord. They knew to make sacrifices and they knew what kind. But… God always allows choices. Able chose to make the blood sacrifice.  Cain chose to offer the hard work of his hands. Bad choice. Our hard work will never substitute for the blood. With Able dead, there was no son to carry on the Godly linage until Seth.

Genesis 4:5 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

Finally the Godly line from Adam begins to make a difference. The cousins from Cain have very similar names to Seth’s children. Satan loves to try to look like the real thing. Seth’s descendant Enoch walked with God and God took him. His son Methuselah lived to be 969 yrs. His name means “after he is gone judgment will come.  Here’s a line that is trying to turn people to God by letting them know judgment is coming. Methuselah’s son, Lamech  had a son,  Noah. Noah’s name means rest.

Noah will face a lot of criticism for believing God and following God’s instructions.

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Why was Noah the only family still following God? Look at the previous verses. The sons of God, saved men, took wives of the daughters of men, unbelieving wives, because they were beautiful. Poor reason on which to base a marriage.

Malchai 2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit, And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed….

 The whole purpose of marriage was to raise up a godly seed, godly children. Not possible when one parent isn’t a believer. The corruption of the purpose of marriage corrupted an entire world.

 

Father, open our eyes to our real purpose, to glorify Your name by raising up Godly children. In the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

 

Won't you share the verses and thoughts God gives you this week concerning these chapters?

In The Beginning

Last week we looked at the first chapter of Genesis. I hope you enjoyed your time in God’s creation. I hope He revealed to you that the creation is so complex that it could in no way have just happened any more than a watch you found ticking on the sidewalk or a car in the parking lot could have just happened. Anything and everything has been created either by God or by man created in God’s image.

This week I’d like to dig deeper looking at the next few chapters. Using our SOAP idea of choosing one or two Scriptures from each chapter that God has impressed on your heart. Make an Observation and an Application. Then offer a Prayer concerning God’s will for you through this study. Let’s begin.

Genesis 2 – The Seventh Day – a day of rest, not made for God but made for man. A day for man to consider the “excellency of His works and God’s goodness toward him” (Geneva reference 2:3).

-          Creation of marriage. I noticed the change in wording from woman when she is created to wife as Adam declares the cleaving to his wife.

Genesis 3 – The original sin -   James 1:15 The grandkids and I were picking berries the other day and one said why do they have to have thorns?

 

 

 I replied because Adam and Eve sinned. We talked about the sin being disobedience.  She remembered the story and I think she must have done some pondering because later she said. “What about dinosaurs? Some people say Adam didn’t see the dinosaurs.” We logically reasoned that if sin caused death, when did the dinosaurs die? In a world so full of itself do we not still try to be gods, relying on our own ideas rather than on God’s Truth?

-          References to Adam and Eve as man and woman until it speaks of their relationship as husband and wife. Mark 10:6-9

Hope this helps to get you started digging deeper and seeking God. What God impresses on your heart from these chapters may not be the same thing He impressed upon me. That’s why it is so neat to share our discoveries. As we share we all grow.

Lord Jesus help us desire to know You better through Your word. Give us unity through Your word that we might be better servants of Thee. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Jesus is the Creator

Scripture: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And He is before all things, and by him all things consist. Colossians 1:16,17

Observation: Genesis1 - Every day is a picture. Though we can't see the first creation, we can observe the creation today and create the picture in our mind. Why not take a few minutes each day this week to observe creation.
              Day 1: The light is separated from the darkness. How can that be? The sun had not yet been created. But who is the Light? John 1 Check out the dawn - just before the sun rises and the darkness begins to flee.
            

 

             Day 2: The separation of the waters below from the waters above. It's hot summertime now. Watch the water being drawn by the sun to the clouds above.


             Day 3: The creation of plant life with the seed within itself. Can you count the trees in your yard? How many seeds do these trees produce? How many different kind of trees do you count? Each one producing seeds and more trees just like itself.

           Day 4: The creation of the sun, moon and stars. Find a place where there is little artificial light. Watch the night sky. The moon, a reflection of the sun. The constellations of stars telling the story.


          Day 5: The creation of the birds and the fish. Try bird watching, maybe while you're fishing. How many different birds can you observe? How many can you name? What kinds of fish can you catch or observe in the waters below?

         Day 6: The creation of animals and mankind. How many animals can you observe in your yard?
Adam had the privilege to name each kind. Why not pretend to be Adam and Eve and go walking to pick berries, tend a garden, feed the birds.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:27

Who Wants a Glass of Milk When You Can Have Steak?

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. I Peter 2:2

As new Christians, we should desire the milk of the word, the things that help us grow. Just as we wean our children from milk and begin to feed them vegetables and meat, so we as Christians should reach a point where we desire the grown up, meat, the steak of scriptures.

Hebrews 5:14 says: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

I often wondered why daily devotionals with one scripture verse and a blurb of application did not satisfy me. Everyone else used those devotionals. Then I realized I had been reading a chapter every day from the time I was saved at 15 until I was about 20. That devotion to scripture had gotten me through the Bible several times. A boy got in the way, I'll have to admit, and it was not until after we married and had a child that I resumed my habit.

I didn't say all that to brag on myself, but to encourage you to go deeper in the Word. I want to change the standard devotion format of this site to something deeper, but still be able to share it in a family devotions context. I'd like for you too, to share the things you are discovering through deeper study, through our comments section. We can all learn and grow from each other. Next week I want to begin in Genesis and hopefully go chapter by chapter, yes even the begats, to help us all grow with the meat of the Word. I'd like to use the SOAP model to help us dig deeper.

S - Scripture
O - Observation
A - Application
P - Prayer

Lord Jesus, as we begin this study anew, help us to share the meat of Your Word with one another that we all may grow stronger and be better servants in Your kingdom. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Conforming ? To Whom?

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

 

 

Children try so hard to be like their parents. Most of the time we enjoy watching them mimic us. But there are times we had rather not see the picture they are reflecting of us.

 

Scripture commands, yes, commands, it doesn't say try not to.... It says, Do Not be conformed to this world. Like I was saying, scripture commands us not to be like the world but rather to be transformed. The Lord doesn't want us to be like the rest of the world but to consciously think about how the Father would have us mimic His Son. It is the Son who has proven the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

Seen any sweet "mimic-ers" lately? Won't you share your joys with us? I'm sure Christ looks down and says to the Father, "Look..." and smiles as He shares His joys with His Father.