The Grace of God

 The Grace of God in a Sinful World

Book of Genesis Chapter 6

There are a lot of different thoughts about chapter 6 and the flood of the entire world but one thing we should clearly understand.

Our Heavenly Father has a plan of salvation and Satan will do everything he possibly do to cause God's plan to fail, which is impossible.

The things before the flood is our lesson today. We live in the world after the flood!

If we are not careful, we will make the events of Chapter 6 complicated when they are not.

We must understand once sin entered into the world, this world began to die.

This process of death began in earnest after the world-wide flood, and yes there was a world-wide flood.

The first part of society is the family, but when sin entered into the world of that day because of Adam, it passed down through his family and on to everyone who has been born since that day.

We begin to see the division.

A godly side who continued to worship and serve God, the line of Seth.

The ungodly side who neglected the worship and commands of God, the line of Cain.

In my mind this is what happened after Cain refused to repent and moved away.

We must understand the words of the Holy Spirit here!

2Co 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

We know that our God never changes, so it would have been the same command in the time of Adam and of Seth.

We will soon see that even those born in the line of Seth will soon depart from the truth.

There are certain reasons God does not want His children to be wed or joined to unbelievers, and we can see many of these reasons in this chapter.

Certainly, mankind was multiplying upon the earth at a pace we cannot comprehend.

Just look at Adam who lived to be 930 years old.

Gen 5:4  And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: "and he begat sons and daughters": 

Gen 5:5  And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

All these men who were mentioned in the line of Seth lived many years and had many children and it would have been similar in the line of Cain.

*****Gen 6:1  And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 

Gen 6:2  That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 

We should not get confused about this phrase "the sons of God". 

If it is talking about angels, we should be clear that the "fallen angels" are never called the sons of God!

If we consider that it was angels that came together with these daughters of men, then we would have to ignore the truth that the Lord Jesus teaches the Church.

Mat_22:30  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Mar_12:25  For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

To understand what Jesus says is that angels do not have the ability to come together with human women or any humans at all!

Since this is true or Jesus is a liar, then we know these "sons of God" are other men who once served God in reality or falsely, and throughout the Scriptures the "sons of God" refer to believers or so-called believers!

This being true then, these "sons of God" must be the descendants of Seth from Chapter 5.

When we understand this, we can understand this whole passage.

Throughout this passage we never see the word angel!

Even in the New Testament references, we still see that this passage refers to men.

Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 

Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

Luk 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 

Luk 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Again the Bible is written for Christians.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

Now we see that these descendants of Seth looked out into the world and decided that the daughters of the world are more desirable than the daughters of the sons of God.

Yes, men were told to multiply upon the face of the earth, yet corruption caused the abuse of God's blessing and turned it into another curse!

Moses understood that intermarriage between the godly and the ungodly was forbidden many years before there was such a law.

Deu 7:3  Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 

Why would God teach us these things?

Deu 7:4  For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: "so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly". 

Moses knew how serious this issue was with Jehovah and that He might destroy them suddenly.

Even Isaac and Rebekah understood this thing.

Gen 27:46  And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? 

Gen 28:1  And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 

There is never a time in the Scriptures where we find angels marrying human beings and God will never allow such a thing.

When godly men fall into this trap with ungodly women, the only sure thing is that sin will increase but it does not change the fact that we are on the winning side!

Pro 29:16  When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall. 

When the godly look at the world for satisfaction, it means they have forgotten what God has already done for them!

Then God our Creator says these words:

*****Gen 6:3  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. 

In this verse we begin to understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

It is crucial that we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit!

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

This Scripture leaves little doubt that the Holy Spirit was striving to keep the children of God on the right path!

In chapter 5 we see a list of men in the line of Seth who lived for many years and we can attribute this long life to the Holy Spirit.

We already know that our death cannot come, as long as we have that God breathed spirit within us.

We can also believe that we cannot live long lives, even eternity, without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who will never leave us once he moves in.

In this Scripture God is saying that these long lives would begin to get shorter and that length of life would get an average of 70 years as told by Moses, rather than near 900 years of the old patriarchs.

We know that God did allow Moses to live for 120 years but who died when his body was still healthy and strong.

All these things being true the truth is because Noah found "Grace" in the eyes of God, he was given 120 years to build the Ark of safety and the Holy Spirit would work for these 120 years on these unbelievers and then He would only work when called on by our Heavenly Father.

We can believe that God will not waste His time on those who have set their hearts on rebellion!

The Holy Spirit worked on these men by the preaching of Noah and He did so for 120 years and it is just that simple.

God does not beg for us to listen to Him and He will not beg us nor will He force us!

To spend eternity with our Heavenly Father is something we must have a great desire to do!

In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit will only come to live within those who have already made this decision and then it takes place only by the "Grace of God" just like it happened to Noah!

Now all these things being clear, we can learn of giants in the land.

*****Gen 6:4  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. 

Humanity becomes totally lawless.

We must not be deceived by that word "giant". In this passage it means "tyrants", "bullies", "apostates" from the truth of God and history proves this out whenever lawlessness occurs, and it can also mean some who were above average in their growth.

One group would attack another group until only the strongest most wicked groups were left.

In reality we still see these things in rogue godless nations because this is what sin does as sin increases!

We can be sure that there were men larger than other men and the strongest usually came out on top.

Many times these are the most wicked because they are feared.

The earth had become a place where the physically powerful ruled and dominated.

To me it sounds like the stories of the old wild west we use to enjoy as kids where there was always the hero coming to the rescue.

There was no one coming to the rescue at this time anywhere upon the earth and the Holy Spirit saw the end of His usefulness at this time which left only destruction.

God will not allow sin to rule for very long until, He puts a stop to it!

Deu 2:20  (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; 

Deu 2:21  A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: 

Deu 2:22  As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day: 

Deu 2:23  And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.) 

These giants, men of renown, could be the descendants of those men in the line of Seth who left the Lord and married into the line of Cain.

Even today we know of many who have left the Lord to serve the world and they are some of the most wicked.

We already know that the Lord would bring an end to this evil day by a world-wide flood.

We already know that God will use fire to destroy this earth completely in our future.

*****Gen 6:5  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. 

Gen 6:6  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 

When I read this passage, I just wonder what God sees today upon this same earth?

One man wrote: Before the world-wide flood we could look down as if we were in Heaven and see the things that were happening on God's creation. We were allowed to listen in on God's conversations with Adam and Eve, but after the flood, we can only see the characters of the Bible.

We see the story of the Bible and what sin has done to our world.

We see the flood waters come up around us and we will witness how God closes the door of the Ark to keep sin from safety.

What causes these things? The wickedness to humanity!

The wickedness of sin had multiplied much more than righteousness.

Society had fallen so deep into sin there was no bringing them back.

We now see that the wickedness of sin today, is becoming as it was before the flood!

It amazes me, especially in a certain state, that someone imagines something wicked in their mind and immediately they want to make it a new law for all people everywhere to observe.

It amazes me that some "judge" in no man's land can make a ruling and then say it will be the same through all 50 states and he is allowed to get away with it.

We see portrayed upon the screens of our television sets everyday wickedness and evilness continually.

We see that the very best people can do still falls far short of righteousness!

Righteousness is simply doing things that are right!

This is what God saw. The heart of society on earth had grown evil!

People were mean.

People were immoral.

People were perverse.

People were vile.

People were destructive.

People were lustful and sensual.

People were filthy and foul.

People were judgmental and condemning, of all those who did not think the way that they thought.

All these things sound familiar and could describe our own nation today.

Job 15:16  How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? 

Crime was gross and heinous.

Psa 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 

Psa 14:2  The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 

Psa 14:3  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 

When we get to the building of the Ark, we will realize that if Noah was not looked upon as a lunatic, the Ark would have never been built.

Our Creator groaned in His heart for what humans He had created.

We could say that the heart of our Creator was broken at what He was seeing happen to His creation, but still total destruction was never part of His plan.

God's mercy is still one of His greatest traits! Surely His great love is His greatest trait!

God decided that humanity should not exist and to destroy all mankind was the only answer!

*****Gen 6:7  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. 

Jehovah said: "I will erase this day from the days of creation".

What had God created on the fifth and sixth day?

Gen 1:20  And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 

Gen 1:21  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 

Gen 1:24  And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 

Gen 1:25  And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 

Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

Gen 1:28  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. 

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

God said He would destroy everything but the fish and mammals of the sea. These would be living creatures that did not depend upon the land for survival.

The animals and other creatures were destroyed because they were made for man's pleasure!

All things concerning humanity would change after the flood.

This is the very reason the flood had to be a world-wide event!

That word "destroy" used in this passage means to "erase".

All these creatures were created to show the awesomeness of God, that man might serve and honor Him, but just as today the world did not see our Creator at all.

What happened that day is happening again today!

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

There is very little doubt at least in my mind, that this is the mindset of a certain party of politicians who want to rule us because they are reprobates!

Reprobates have infiltrated their way into many places of government!

There was only one man that helped God to decide what He would do!

A man named Noah.

*****Gen 6:8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 

Gen 6:9  These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 

Gen 6:10  And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 

Throughout the Bible we will never see where God will destroy a righteous human being!

You see "Grace" is the theme of the New Testament (New Covenant) and Jehovah could not show His lack of "Grace" to this righteous man.

What had God promised Satan?

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; "it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel". 

Once God said this then He had to know it would happen!

This is the first promise of the coming of the Messiah!

If there was no Messiah, then the Word of God would be a lie!

One man in the entire world still acknowledged our Creator and his name was Noah!

It was Noah who would continue the line from Adam to Jesus!

Luk 3:23  And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 

Luk 3:24  Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph, 

Luk 3:25  Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge, 

Luk 3:26  Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 

Luk 3:27  Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 

Luk 3:28  Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 

Luk 3:29  Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 

Luk 3:30  Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim, 

Luk 3:31  Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David, 

Luk 3:32  Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, 

Luk 3:33  Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, 

Luk 3:34  Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 

Luk 3:35  Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 

Luk 3:36  Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, "which was the son of Noe", which was the son of Lamech, 

Luk 3:37  Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, 

Luk 3:38  Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. 

The one thing our Creator will never do is, to destroy those who love Him! He will always remove them from His wrath!

The same water that caused the destruction of all humans and the land-based animals and the birds, is the same water that raised the Ark that Noah built to carry him to safety.

1Pe 3:18  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: 

1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 

1Pe 3:20  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. 

The Ark of Noah in typology represents the Ark that saved Moses.

These two arks are very different in size!

Moses’ ark was maybe a yard long. Noah’s ark was 150 times longer. Moses’ ark was made of reeds from the Nile. Noah’s ark was made from cypress wood. One thing they both had in common — they were both covered in pitch or tar to keep them from sinking. And both arks represent the same thing — God’s means of saving humanity.

Noah’s ark saved a righteous family from God’s judgment on humanity!

Moses’ ark saved the man who would lead a nation to safety after God’s judgment on Egypt!

Both arks are about salvation, saving those God loves! 

They were life preservers for everyone on board, leading the world to the ultimate ark, the cross.

The cross is for those today who are sinking in a sea of sin. Hold on, it will get you through to the other side, where life everlasting awaits you.

God always sends an ark to save you from drowning. You just have to climb aboard!

We should understand that "salvation and holiness" are the work of God! God just ask us to have a part in them.

The Ark in typology represents Jesus Christ Incarnate on earth.

Noah became the symbol of salvation for mankind in his day, because he was the only remnant to survive, while Moses became the symbol of salvation for the Israelites, because he was the one who led them out of Egypt from the slavery that they endured.

Also, both of them were put into water as their journey. Noah was put into a wooden ark covered in pitch and then that ark was in the Flood.

Similarly, Moses (as a baby) was put into a reed basket covered in pitch which was placed on the Nile. 

Water is a significant symbol in both of the narratives. In The Bible, water tends to symbolize salvation or cleansing, hence the first comparison.

Both are types of Jesus Christ!

Noah had three sons who would repopulate the earth along with Noah and their wives.

We know that Noah found the "Grace" of God, but it does not say his children did.

God could have just saved Noah, but God has a much greater plan than to just save an Ark full of people and animals.

The one thing we know is that God's patience does have an end!

Now listen closely as the Bible describes the America of today.

*****Gen 6:11  The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 

Gen 6:12  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 

What are two words that express the wickedness of our world.

1) Corrupt

2) Violence

What are the two biggest things we see in America?

1) Corruption

2) Violence.

The government is corrupt and those few who battle for righteousness are just outnumbered.

Those who are corrupt instill this violence we see every day along with the News Media and Facebook and Twitter and other such sources contribute also!

To add to this, the Church has become corrupt because the world has been invited into the pulpits and into the leadership of the church.

In the day of Noah, all these things were true as the "sons of God" had become caught up in the "maids" of the world.

No one in their right mind can say our day is not getting as bad as it was in the days of Noah!

Our Creator never changes, and we know what He did in the day of Noah, He will do again!

This time without water, but fire!

Wickedness breeds corruption and corruption breeds violence!

God had only one answer to stay true to His holiness.

These things had to be destroyed!

*****Gen 6:14  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 

Since we have discussed this Ark, we will keep this short.

Gopher wood the wood used for ships is also the wood used for coffins in many areas of the world.

As Noah built this Ark, he also preached to those who were lost.

God had allowed 120 years for these things to take place.

Noah may not have known the day or the hour that the rain would come, he did know the year.

The pitch that water-proofed this Ark, can be said to be represent a "pardon" which we know comes only by the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Ark and the pitch together represent "Grace" which in reality still means God's Mercy At Christ’s Expense".

The study of the Ark is a lesson in itself.

Not many realize that seven days before the rains began, Noah and his family moved into the Ark.

The one and only door stayed open for these seven days and "whosoever" chose could have boarded the Ark and not one of those people chose to do so.

Then God shut the door so that not even Noah could open it, and when the rains came, we can just imagine how many tried to get into the Ark, but it was too late!

Do not wait until the door to Heaven is closed. Come while you still have time. God still takes "whosoever" will come while the door to safety is open!

Amen

The Freedom to Choose

 

The Fruit of Sin

Book of Genesis Chapter 4 (Focus on verses 1-15)

What does the word fruit mean?

In a general sense, fruit is the things that the earth produces for nourishment of animals and humans, but also for clothing and for profit.

It is the seed of the plant or in many cases the part of the fruit that holds the seed.

In Christianity, we say the fruit of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.

In the case of sin, it means the effect of sin or the consequence of sin and we could add the production of sin.

So far in our lessons we saw in God's creation that everything was very good.

In reality we see that Heaven was not perfect and the Earth was not perfect, and we noticed that Satan took advantage of these things in Heaven until he was tossed out and then he immediately took advantage upon this earth.

Now this not to say God cannot create perfect things because He can, and He will.

Much of the Bible teaches us how with a plan God, conceived everything before He made anything.

God has a plan to make every human perfect.

The only perfect being in existence is our Creator!

Now we can also say all those that have made their journey to our Heavenly Home are now perfect even though they are not yet complete.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus "will God bring with him".

God has placed a craving within each human to seek out our Creator!

In order for God's plan to work, then each human was given the ability to make choices.

Choice is the act of selecting from two or more things to determine which one is preferred and in the end which one is best for us.

God installed in each of us the yearning to reach out for perfection, but we can never reach this perfection without His help and He planned it this way!

This is the lesson we must learn early in life, but some do not learn it until later in life, but the opportunity still remains until we reach physical death!

Adam and Eve are now sinners in need of a Savior and the Earth has been cursed because of sin.

We say all the time that it was our Creator who caused the curse, in reality it is because sin changes us and it is not for the better!

Adam was told to leave the Garden of Eden and Adam now has to work hard to provide for his family and those who are true to our families are still doing this today.

In our lesson today we will learn of the birth of the first children upon this earth!

Gen 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

We will also note that no children were born to Adam and Eve until they had succumbed to sin.

Everyone must face temptation!

In this chapter we also begin to see the results of false worship.

Though they were now sinners, the relationship of Adam and Eve to the Lord had been restored with the blood sacrifice of a lamb and they had also received some clothing to cover their nakedness.

We can have one question that goes unanswered. It is believed that all humans were had meals of vegetables and herbs until after the flood, but we might ask what happened to the meat of the animals that were sacrificed unless it was all sacrificed to the Lord.

What does that word "knew" mean to us?

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children"; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Adam "knew" that part of being a helpmeet to him was also a purpose for Eve was to bring forth children and by her falling into sin she had made this work much more sorrowful which means mental pain and grief.

The pains of bearing children will be used in many different ways throughout the Bible.

Adam recognized her nature and uses according to the Word of God.

Gen 1:28 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.

Do not be fooled by that word replenish. It simply means to make the earth full of humans and replace those that will die off.

There are actually two descriptions of sorrow:

2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Adam had relations with his wife, and she became pregnant and she would bear many children and her children would bear many children and so those children would bear many children and the world would begin its population growth.

Yes, the wives of Cain and Seth were also their sisters, but this did not create the same problems that incest creates today. We could say they pure bloods.

Her first child was a male child who was named Cain.

Eve had felt that sorrow in childbearing, but she now felt the joy of deliverance.

She also knew that all children are from the Lord and they are not given to abort, to murder, nor to treat as less than human, from the moment of conception.

Mar 10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

Mar 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Mar 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Mar 10:16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Jesus loved the little children and we should too!

Those nine months had been a great learning experience to pass on to her children.

Nine months later she had her second son, Abel.

*****Gen 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

We know that there is nothing wrong with either of these occupations.

Food and clothing are necessities of life.

The name Abel suggest pastoral life as Cain to agricultural life.

We know that in the Bible, Moses and David and many others had been shepherds and while alone with their sheep, they got a better understanding of God.

We also know that a tiller of the ground, after the soil is tilled and the seed planted, they too have much time to spend with the Lord for Him to provide the needed Sun and water.

This is why some of the first false gods pertained to the Sun and the Moon.

Even if the earth brought forth the water as an underground sprinkler system, now because of the curse it also brought forth briers and weeds and the bramble bush.

It amazes me that weeds thrive without water.

God had already planted the pastures, but they now contained things that could cause harm to the sheep and also the danger of wild animals that did not exist before sin entered the world.

The shepherd began to understand the ways of man and the need of a Shepherd.

Psa 78:70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

Psa 78:71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

Psa 78:72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

It became time to offer a sacrifice to the Lord.

Cain wanted to be recognized for his works, but God would not allow this!

*****Gen 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

We should understand that God had required a specific time and a certain place for worship.

We can see that this was probably be at harvest time. No doubt that Cain had worked hard, but he did have to realize that though he tilled the ground the seed he used came from God's creation. The watering of the plants came by God's irrigation system.

Many a farmer would love to have an irrigation system as this one in the Book of Genesis.

Cain also had to realize that it was the Sun another creation of God that caused this harvest to be bountiful.

When Cain had gone to worship on his own and he offered a sacrifice that he had never seen his parents offer, we can see that Cain was trying to add to the Word of God

This day of sacrifice was later added to days of worship for the Hebrew children.

Exo 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

This was a bloodless sacrifice!

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

They understood that sin had enter into the world.

When Moses wrote the commandments, all 613, we should know that many of these laws already existed from the time of Adam and Eve.

At this time, all tree fruits and garden produce, were excluded for the sacrifice.

Why, because God had caused these things to grow before sin entered in the world.

The true sin of Cain was the fact that he attached to his sacrifice his ability to do these things without the help of God.

We are never to feel like we can do without God for one minute.

Worship is recognizing we have God our Creator and we are trying to please Him.

Sacrifice is an outward show of that worship.

We must be willing to give back to God because He has given so much to us.

Even before Moses the tithe is established, but in reality, all we have belongs to God and our acknowledgement of sacrifice is to show our gratitude for the things God has provided.

When we give back a tenth, then we are saying God will give back that tenth in multiples when we obey Him.

Another truth is it is just as wrong to approach God with empty hands!

Exo 23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and "none shall appear before me empty:")

Obviously, Cain had brought a part of his harvest all of which our Creator had caused to grow.

It may not have been the best that he offered but more probable it was his attitude of making himself equal with God.

We must be very careful how we approach our Heavenly Father!

Jesus said in teaching His disciples how to pray:

Luk_11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

We must begin by acknowledging the power of the Almighty Living God!

When we cannot do this, we make our selves gods and equal to our Heavenly Father and this what Satan told Eve.

Sin is disobedience and disobedience is like telling God we know more how to take care of ourselves than He does!

We can be sure that Adam would have been very careful to teach his children, how to approach God!

Let us see what Abel did.

*****Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Abel brought the first born of his flocks and the choicest portions.

When we give the Lord our very best, and the very best of ourselves, God sees that He is first in our lives.

It should be obvious to us that Cain was a wicked man and Abel was not!

They both were sinners. The sin of Abel would be forgiven. The sin of Cain would not be forgiven.

It also seems here that flesh (meat) could have been eaten before the flood.

God accepted the person of Abel, then He accepted his sacrifice.

Heb_11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

1Jn_3:12 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.

Cain was evil and wicked in his heart.

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

Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Even when God knew how wicked and evil Cain was trying to be, God still loved on him.

God still loves the sinner today!

Cain was mad and it showed.

It is almost impossible to hide our anger from those who are close to us, but it is impossible to hide our anger from God.

Anger held for very long becomes sin!

Eph_4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

What happens when we do?

Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

This is exactly what happened to Cain.

We can see that most all the principles of sin can be found in the Book of Genesis.

God says: Why are you so mad Cain? You see God will always give us space to repent!

Rev_2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

We will see that Cain will do the same, he will refuse to repent because he would allow himself to think he was better than Abel as good as God!

*****Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

If you cannot see the tender side of our God in this Scripture, then you are blind!

You can also see that God opens the door of repentance to Cain and all Cain had to do was to walk inside.

We can see that if we are to remain in the will of God, then those things we do according to His commandments, we must do well!

In reality there was nothing wrong with the sacrifice that Cain offered, it was his attitude of sacrifice.

Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Giving our best means to give according to a righteous heart. Not in self-righteousness!

According to Jehovah, sin is always lying at the door ready to pounce on our mistakes and our misgivings.

We are to rule over our sin and not allow sin to rule over us!

The Apostle Paul said:

Rom_8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Col_3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Put our sin in that coffin and go ahead bury it, so it can no more come between us and the Lord!

What do we know? Cain ignored God's Words and rebelled and sin grew into murder.

These facts of the first murder upon this earth are recorded in the Bible.

*****Gen 4:8 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.

We can read into this what we want, but it seems Cain enticed his brother Abel away from his family and murdered him.

Today we would say this was premeditated murder!

There is deception in most all murders! This thing did not happen by accident!

Cain allowed his anger to fester into a greater sin!

Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

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

There was surely some jealousy.

More important there was complete rejection of the will of God!

Cain simply was not going to be obedient to the Word of God nor the teaching of his parents.

The Plants multiplied as the Lord said.

The Animals multiplied as the Lord said.

The Humans multiplied as the Lord had said.

We now see that sin will multiply at every opportunity as the Lord has said! (sin lieth at the door)

In fact we will soon see the sin will far outpace righteousness in this newly created world.

Sin is as a predator ready to strike at any time!

1Pe_5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Cain may have been out of sight of his parents and who knows his plan of deceiving them, but we are never out of sight of our Creator, Elohim.

It was the blood of Abel that cried out to its Creator.

The Blood of Abel cried out for vengeance just as the blood of all martyrs.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

We know that the blood of our Savior does not cry out for vengeance, the blood of Jesus cries out for redemption!

Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

And the Lord said to Cain:

*****Gen 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Gen 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Cain had murdered his brother Abel, but just listen as he responds to God's questions.

Keep in mind, Jehovah already knows everything that happened, and when and why it happened. We cannot fool God!

When God questions us like this, He is never looking for answers, He is looking for remorse.

He is looking for a confession of our sin!

He is looking for repentance!

After God's rebuke of his sacrifice, Cain did not learn from his mistake, he had a new sin, the sin of hatred.

Cain hated his brother more each day until he lured him away from his parents and murdered him.

Certainly, he knew where the body of his brother was located.

God knew where the body of Abel was located.

Cain denied the responsibility for his sin and treated his brother’s absence as if it were nothing.

You see no matter what the "judge" says.

No matter what society says.

The premeditated murderer has no remorse for what they have done!

Satan had such a hold on Cain that he might acknowledge the death of his brother, but he would never confess his sin and repent.

Cain was now a child of Satan!

Cain was probably the very first person to enter into Hell! If not him then his son!

Next question, are we our brother's keeper?

Abel was a keeper of sheep, Cain said "am I my brother’s keeper". Cain was saying, am I to be his shepherd?

What does God say about the wicked?

Psa 10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Psa 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

Psa 10:3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

Psa 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Psa 10:5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

Psa 10:6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.

Psa 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Psa 10:8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

Psa 10:9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

Psa 10:10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.

Psa 10:11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

Psa 10:12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

Psa 10:13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

Psa 10:14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.

Psa 10:15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

Psa 10:16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.

Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Psa 10:18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

What is wrong in America today?

What is wrong in the world today?

2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

There is no natural affection for one another, and it began with Cain.

God had no choice but to bring judgment to Cain.

*****Gen 4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

Gen 4:12 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.

The man with the first green thumb lost his ability, because green thumbs come by the hand of God!

We must understand that there will be consequences for sin!

Even when sin is repented there will still be consequences.

Today we are still paying for the consequences of that first murder.

Cain had shown no remorse for the premeditated murder of his brother.

The one thing we should remember is, that because of the sin of Adam, we all inherited our sin nature.

One man wrote: "Even at the time when we face the Lord of Life, Jesus the Messiah, the juices of death still flow through our flesh"!

Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

You see, it was so important for Cain to settle these things with his brother in peace and not in death.

It is the same for all of us today!

Jesus also says that we may not always be able to do this, but this does not mean we are not to try very hard.

God told Cain if he would do well all these things would one day be a bad memory.

Life goes haywire when we think it is just too much to listen to what God has to say!

We must understand that to violate a brother is a deadly act and it is about the same to violate a brother or sister in Christ!

Listen as the Apostle Paul speaks to the Church.

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The first curse (Genesis 3:14-19) is Elohim's punishment for the consequences of sin.

What about Cain? Yes, he was part of the first curse as a descendant of Adam, his first son.

For Cain, he found farming to be enjoyable and preferred it above all things even God.

Now by the curse, he would no longer have such bountiful harvest.

Now by the curse, the harvest would no longer yield its strength.

He would have to eat more to keep his strength, and we all know this causes us to be overweight.

You can see God withholds His blessing when we are not obedient to the things, He teaches us!

Cain could only listen as Elohim gives His verdict of judgment.

Cain was cursed in his soul.

A vagabond in his body, a vagabond being a fugitive, a wanderer, no longer considering any place his home.

His labors would no longer be prosperous.

This is the first curse pronounced against a human being, but Cain still had the power to repent which he never did all the days of his life.

The ground had already been cursed because of the sin of Adam and Eve, but the misery of Cain would be far worse.

Added to this the blood of Abel was now in the earth and the blood of martyrs pour onto the earth are never forgotten by the Lord.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Jesus had these things to say:

Luk 11:47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Luk 11:48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.

Luk 11:49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:

Luk 11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

God will never forget those who shed the blood of innocents!

How did Cain respond? Just like every guilty person who has done such things.

*****Gen 4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Gen 4:14 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.

Cain felt that he could never be forgiven, but he never repented.

Repentance brings forgiveness!

So many people do not understand the "Grace of God".

Rom_5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Even in the time of Cain, the Lord was still full of "Grace" but Cain rejected the "Grace of God" just like many do today.

Cain's soul remained troubled all his days!

Cain hardened his heart against God.

Listen to what Cain says:

1) The punishment is just too great.

2) It is just too severe.

3) Its simply unfair.

4) It is just too abusive.

5) It is just too much for me and for anyone else to bear.

6) It just goes beyond and far outweighs the sin he had committed.

Lam 3:39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?

Lam 3:40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

These are the same excuses used by the liberal hearts today!

Just look at those who are destroying properties and committing murders in the name of protest, where all the methods that police use are considered just too harsh.

Cain understands that others may never forgive him, and they will seek to do him harm.

Cain does not hate his sin.

Cain does not hate that he caused the death of his only brother.

As we see the happenings of the Church today, the world sees the judgment of the Church far too harsh for the sin of the world and the Church has become the enemy for trying to do good.

Isa_5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

God never changes and all those such as Cain who refuse to repent will live similar lives until they find out, Hell is much worse than hell on earth!

Cain feared for his own safety, but God was not about to allow His judgment to end so easily and God was not about to allow a revenge killing which is still murder.

*****Gen 4:15 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.

The murder of Abel was premeditated murder on the part of Cain.

For anyone to commit revenge killing would be far worse in the eyes of God and it should be.

Remember God had set the family unit as the first members of society.

As more family units came about a society would be formed.

Revenge is one of the things that breaks down societies.

We see this more and more today!

There is no doubt that some of the history of our nation is not a proud thing to look back upon.

History is history. History cannot be erased, but it is there to learn from our mistakes and see that it does not happen again.

What is going on in America today is revenge thinking!

Certain groups want revenge in any way they can get it or they will try to take it and they will be looked upon as seven times worse in the eyes of God and those who push such an agenda will be seen even worse than these people!

Why? Because vengeance belongs to the Lord.

The containment of these things will bring about a stable society where these things can be studied to make sure they do not happen again, and laws changed to make all the people be on equal standing.

We do not see this in our government today and I am not talking our President who inherited this mess.

We only see people starving for power when there is only one Power and that is the power of God.

We as society and who seek equality, will never win until we use our power to vote to make real changes and quit listening to broken and unrealistic promises.

Washington needs to be overhauled and those old scalawags need to be retired for good!

Remember the family unit is the first thing God established and the governments are to protect the family unit and not cause the destruction of families as we see today.

The government is not in place to run the lives of the people.

In fact the people are to put a government in place to protect the people and to serve the people.

A sevenfold judgment on those who violate the commands of God is serious.

Amen