<\/p>\n
Happy New Year! You are invited to join us on the Chronological Bible in a Year journey in 2026!\u00a0<\/strong> Click on this link for more details and to sign up!\u00a0Or, you may be interested in joining us on the Bible in a Year (OT, NT, Psalms, Proverbs daily) journey in 2026 and can sign up at this link:\u00a0www.bibleinayearblog.com. Also, share this email\/website with a friend and invite them to join you!<\/span><\/p>\n Genesis 4:1-5:32 ~ 1 Chronicles 1:1-4 ~ Genesis 6:1-22<\/strong><\/span> In Genesis chapter 4 we read about the first murder of humankind \u2013 Cain killing his own brother Abel in a premeditative way.\u00a0 This is a clear demonstration of The Fall and how sin lives in the hearts of men and women \u2013 and can only be redeemed and forgiven today through faith in Jesus and through God\u2019s grace.\u00a0 Many of you probably asked yourselves, why didn\u2019t God look with favor on Cain\u2019s offering?\u00a0 Commentaries I\u2019ve read suggest that Cain\u2019s offering was a careless or thoughtless offering whereas Abel\u2019s offering was a choice or generous offering.\u00a0 And God saw the motivation and heart attitude of both men as they brought their offering.\u00a0 It seems that God is looking straight into Cain\u2019s heart as he says this in verses 6 and 7: \u201cWhy are you so angry?\u201d the LORD asked him. \u201cWhy do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 That is a scary thought \u2013 sin waiting to attack and destroy.\u00a0 In the NIV it translates \u201csin is crouching at your door.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Let us be watchful and prayerful to not be overtaken by sin, but to respond correctly to the grace and strength given us through Jesus.\u00a0 Below is a modern image by an unknown artist of Cain just after killing Abel.\u00a0 Do you see the contrast of light & dark and which way Cain is facing? This is a powerful image to consider\u2026:<\/span><\/p>\n Genesis 4:17 \u2013 \u201cCain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 brings up the big question of \u201cWhere did Cain\u2019s wife come from?\u201d The short answer to this is that his wife was a sister, niece, great-niece, or family member of some sort, which brings up the next question about why was there inter-family marriage in the Bible. Let me refer you to 3 great website links to give you more in-depth answers on these questions. Please do read the short answer at this link, the long answer at this link, and another short answer at this link to these questions regarding Cain\u2019s wife.<\/span><\/p>\n In chapter 4 verse 19 polygamy enters history: \u201cLamech married two women\u2013Adah and Zillah.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Polygamy clearly went against God\u2019s divine intention of monogamy in Genesis chapter 2:24 \u2013 \u201cFor this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 God\u2019s original plan early on in the Bible is monogamy in marriage.\u00a0 We will see many cases of polygamy this year as we read through the Bible \u2013 this is humankind thwarting God\u2019s will \u2013 which we will also see in many ways throughout our readings this year.\u00a0 I think sometimes we can get hung up on the \u201cstrange stuff\u201d we read about in the Bible \u2013 but one important point to make is this \u2013 The Bible records both God\u2019s will and teachings, and people\u2019s sin.\u00a0 So if we happen to read about people\u2019s sin in the Bible, as we do here in verse 19 with Lamech\u2019s polygamy, please don\u2019t confuse this with this being God\u2019s will.\u00a0 It\u2019s people\u2019s sin.\u00a0 And we\u2019ll see this again in the Bible \u2013 fortunately we have a loving God who sent his son, Jesus, to save us from our sins.\u00a0 Heavy that they are\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Genesis titled \u201cThe Fall of Man\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and \u201cThe Fruits of the Fall\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n In Genesis chapter 5 we read about the genealogy from Adam to Noah.\u00a0 You will note that there are some long life spans here in this genealogy!\u00a0 These life spans are often interpreted to be either literal or symbolic \u2013 and many evangelical commentaries will say either is possible.\u00a0 (Similar to the 6 days of creation which I mentioned in the January 1 post below.\u00a0 Evangelical commentaries say that God certainly has the power to create the earth in 6 literal days \u2013 or the 6 days of creation in Genesis may be symbolic of thousands or millions of years \u2013 as \u201ca day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day\u201d to God.)\u00a0 \u00a0Those who believe these ages in this genealogy are literal believe this is the case because of a few reasons: 1.\u00a0 the human race was more genetically pure in this early time period, so diseases did not shorten life spans; 2. no rain had yet fallen on the earth \u2013 until the next chapter \u2013 so the expanse of water above the earth protected people from environmental factors; and\/or 3. God gave people longer life spans so they would have time to fill the earth \u2013 per Genesis 1:28.\u00a0 Below is a portrait of Noah and his wife by Guy Rowe:<\/span><\/p>\n In Genesis 6 we read about the Flood.\u00a0 Below is \u201cNoah\u2019s Ark\u201d by American folk painter Edward Hicks from 1846:<\/span><\/p>\n Chapter 6 verses 5 & 6 stood out to me in today\u2019s readings: \u201cNow the LORD observed the extent of the people\u2019s wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil.\u00a0 So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them. It broke his heart.\u201d<\/em> I think it was this last sentence that really stood out to me \u2013 It broke his heart.\u00a0 God\u2019s heart was broken over our behavior.\u00a0 I love realizing that God has this type of compassion and care for what we do.\u00a0 What we do matters to God!\u00a0 When we are obedient and faithful and loving, God rejoices!\u00a0 When we are not, it breaks his heart.\u00a0 I hope it encourages you to know that God did not just create you and doesn\u2019t really care whether you do well in this life \u2013 he is rooting for you!\u00a0 He wants you to run the race well and receive the prize!<\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on today\u2019s readings in Genesis titled \u201cComing to Grips with Genealogies\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>, \u201cThe Flood\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>, and \u201cThe Sons of God and the Daughters of Men\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>. Please click on this last link to learn more about the Nephilim from today\u2019s readings in Genesis 6:4. A quote from this link is: \u201cAccording to this view, the \u2018sons of God\u2019 of verses 2 and 4 are fallen angels, which have taken the form of masculine human-like creatures. These angels married women of the human race (either Cainites or Sethites) and the resulting offspring were the Nephilim. The Nephilim were giants with physical superiority and therefore established themselves as men of renown for their physical prowess and military might. This race of half human creatures was wiped out by the flood, along with mankind in general, who were sinners in their own right (verse 6:11,12).\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong>\u00a0 Today\u2019s readings about The Flood reminded me of our need for Jesus and the terrific song \u201cIn Christ Alone\u201d sung here live by Shane and Shane:<\/span><\/p>\n
~ Click here to read today\u2019s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~<\/span><\/em>
~ Listen to today\u2019s Scripture with <\/em>The ESV Bible<\/em><\/span> ~<\/p>\n